Affiliate Marketing

Why Join Affiliate Programs?

Things to Be Considered

(page 2 of 2)
Published on: March 06, 2007
Being a cooperative effort, affiliate marketing is effective both for the affiliate marketer and for the merchant. The merchant gains a wider market, gets a bigger exposure to potential customers, and the more affiliates it has, the higher the traffic that can eventually convert to sales.

On the affiliate's side, the benefits are far from minor. The first and most important of them is the commission received. Affiliates can earn commissions in three ways: per click (note that pay-per-click programs have declined dramatically in numbers because of click fraud), per sale and per lead.

Things to Be Considered
  • Get Your Own Domain Name
    Of course, it's easy as "1, 2, 3" to make your own Web site by using some free, instant Web site creation tools. It is possible to promote products / services from such a free site, but you'll get a more professional look by having your Web address read http://www.yourdomain.com rather than http://yourdomain.somecompany.net. People will remember your name much better, and the relevant traffic you will receive will be far greater. Also make sure you choose a good web hosting service. You have to show people that you are serious.
  • Choose Quality
    Whenever you're considering joining a particular affiliate program, it's important to examine thoroughly the products / services offered. Remember that the better the product / service, the more motivated and enthusiastic you'll be when promoting it. You will thus have a better chance to reach potential customers and, consequently, make a profit. If the merchants products converts poorly, the generous commission will not be enough. Also, the merchant website should be designed for optimum conversions.
  • Select Good Commissions
    Another thing to keep in mind is that the links and banners you're inserting in your Web site must help you persuade visitors to leave your site and visit the merchant's. So, it is best you choose affiliate programs that reward you as generously as possible.
  • Choose Programs That Complement Your Site
    It is possible to be successful in promoting products / services that had nothing whatsoever to do with your Web site. Nevertheless, it might be a good idea to select affiliate programs that are in keeping with your site. This is not to say that you are forbidden from experimenting. Feel free to try whatever you think will appeal to the visitors. You never know.
  • Check the cookie length
    The best affiliates programs keep active the customer referral cookie for 60 to 120 days. So, if your visitor decides to buy the product directly from the vendor's website within 120 days of their original visit via your link, you still get the commission.
Recommended resources for affiliates:
  1. Affiliate Marketing Forums
  2. Affiliate Resources
  3. Affiliate Classroom Blog
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