The Good, The Bad, The Profitable

How Did It All Begin?

Fours years after the birth of the World Wide Web affiliate marketing came along. Cybererotica, an adult site, was one of the earliest to use affiliate marketing, with a cost per click program. In 1994 CDNow launched BuyWeb and become one of the first non-adult sites with an affiliate program. In 1996 Amazon launched its affiliate program. Amazon associates placed banners and text links on their sites for books or direct links to Amazon's home page. When a purchase was made, the associate received a commission for that sale. Amazon now has one of the most widely known affiliate programs and serves as a model for other merchants wishing to use affiliate programs as a marketing tool.

What Exactly Is Affiliate Marketing?

Simply put, affiliate marketing is making money (or commissions) selling other people's goods or services.

The advantage of affiliate marketing is that you do not have to deal with inventory, shipping, or refunds. You also get to work at home and can set your own hours. But in order to profit from affiliate marketing you must be organized, focused, and patient.

The disadvantage of affiliate marketing is that as the internet has grown so has the number of affiliate programs, therefore creating more competition for customers. There are literally thousands of programs out there offering every kind of good and/or service imaginable. The key thing to remember is that it will probably not happen over night; it will take some effort.

What Type of Programs Are Out There?

Generally, affiliate programs come in 3 forms: pay per sale, pay per lead, and pay per click. They can be flat fee or commission based and sometimes have single, double, or multi tiers.

The most common type of affiliate program is commission based. They are usually pay per sale programs and pay a predetermined percentage commission to the affiliate for sales of products or services sold on his or her site.

Less common are the flat fee referral programs, which pay an affiliate a predetermined amount for every purchase or transaction on the merchant's site. They usually operate on a per-sale or per lead basis.

Pay-per-Click or click-through programs pay a small fee for every visitor to a targeted site, usually $.01 to $.20 per visitor.

Affiliate programs can also have different tiers. Single-tier programs offer commission for affiliate generated transactions only. There is no reward for signing up other affiliates. Two-tier programs offer commissions and rewards for affiliate generated transactions and for recruiting new affiliates to the program. Multi-tier programs offer affiliates rewards for signing up new affiliates several levels deep.

How Do I Find the Right Program for Me?

To make a profit it will take some hard work, the right mind-set, and perseverance. You must treat this as a business, not a hobby and give customers a reason to click on your site's banners and links.
Some tips for finding the right program:

1. Research before you join. Look at the FAQs. Find out what the program pays for as well as how much and how often it issues checks. Also find out what the minimum amount you can earn before being paid. Find out how long a program has been in operation and what support will be offered if you join.

2. Choose a program that targets your audience. Study the products that are being offered. Will they appeal to your audience?

3. Give visitors a reason to come back (and to click). Your site must be unique and worth another visit.

Affiliate marketing can be frustrating in the beginning but will be rewarding if you give it time. The longer you stick with it, the more you will learn. You definitely won't be bored. You might even make a buck or two…



Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com

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Posted by manung36, Sunday, January 13, 2008 1:40 AM

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