This article is a beginners guide to affiliate programs. If you are unsure what they are, or
would like to learn more about them, then this article is for you. I am going to explain what
they are, how they work, and how best to use them.
How it begins
Lets say I run an internet poster site. I stock the posters, and when a visitor to my site
orders the posters, it is my responsibility to make sure the payment is processed, and the
order is dispatched by post in good time. Like all internet businesses I need visitors to
know about my site or I won't get any visitors, and therefore any money. Advertising is
expensive, so what are the alternatives? The answer is: an affiliate program.
How the affiliate program works
They way the affiliate program works is that I give other webmasters a link with a special
code, which they can use to link to my site. In return, if they refer a visitor to my site,
and the visitor buys something, I give them a share of the profits. This share of the profits
is called 'commission'.
How much commission to affiliate programs pay?
This varies a lot from one program to another. Some pay as little as 5% while others as much
as 50%. However, it is worth remembering that 5% of a large payment can be more than 50% of
a small payment.
What is a recurring commission?
If we move away from the poster example, and consider a product like web hosting. With web
hosting the customer is often billed every month or every year, instead of just once. So
many web hosting companies with affiliate programs offer recurring commissions. That way,
I get paid every time the customer gets billed, which means I could establish an income for
years, just by referring one customer.
Why are affiliate programs so great?
This is simple. Because you don't need to worry about any of the hassle. You haven't got to
handle any payments, process any customer orders or deal with shipping. You simply link to
the product site and they take care of the rest.
How to make the most of them
There is no point in just putting links to any old affiliate program on your site. If you run
a photography website why put affiliate links to a poker site? Instead, make your affiliate
programs relevant. If I ran a photography website, I would put affiliate links to posters,
cameras and maybe a photography magazine. That way, I know my visitors will be interested in
those products and therefore much more likely to purchase from them.
Comparing different affiliate programs
It can be frustrating trying to find an affiliate program that is suitable for your site. At AffiliatesRated however you can see different affiliate programs rated and reviewed. This can make deciding on a program a lot easier.
Conclusion
Now you know what affiliate programs are and how they work, I expect you to start using them on your site so that you can start earning a good residual income.
Good luck!
About the Author
Benjamin Wigoder is a website designer, programmer and entrepeneur. He has been using affiliate programs for years and his new site (Affiliates Rated) allows webmasters to see affiliate programs rated and reviewed as well as categorized to make choosing suitable programs easy.
No comments:
Post a Comment