Duration : 0:5:27

[youtube h57nD9GcgYc]

Wondering what an e-commerce affiliate is? Well, a website that links back to an e-commerce site with the intent of gaining a commission for the referral, is known as an affiliate. Also, bloggers and members of online forums function as e-commerce affiliates.

History of Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing originated from the practice of revenue sharing in which business revenue is shared between business affiliates. In late 1994, the concept of revenue sharing evolved into  Internet affiliate marketing .

CDNOW was the first website to feature affiliate marketing. It was a music-oriented website that provided the Internet users with facilities to view lists of music videos and albums and also purchase the albums online. Soon, the e-commerce websites became a vital component of Internet marketing.

Web 2.0 services such as  social networking, blogging and video sharing gave a further boost to the affiliate marketing industry. Gambling and retail industries were some of the prominent players in this field. The cell phones business, finance sector and the tourism industry are expected to reap the maximum benefits from affiliate marketing in the coming years.

Types of Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing refers to the practice of business sharing between online businesses and online sales people. The percentage of the profits shared, depends on the amount of sales and the number of website hits. Some of the common ways of making money through affiliate marketing are pay-per-click advertising , pay-per-sale advertising, loyalty websites, email lists, comparison-shopping, weblogs and pay-per-lead advertising. Let us take a closer look at some of the important forms of affiliate marketing.

Pay-Per-Click: It refers to an Internet advertising model wherein an advertiser pays if a user clicks on an advertisement. In this advertising technique, advertisements relevant to the web page content are displayed along with the content. This increases the chances of web users clicking on the advertisements. Depending on the number of clicks an advertisement receives, websites charge the advertisers.

Comparison Shopping: There are several online shopping websites and shopping portals on the Internet. Many of them display price comparison lists of the products they offer for sale. Many shopping portals support price comparison services, whereby users can compare the cost-effectiveness of competitive products and services before the actual purchase.

Pay-Per-Lead: In this form of affiliate marketing, whenever a client registers at a merchant’s website as a result of an advertisement on the affiliate’s website, a stipulated amount of money is given to the affiliate.

Pay-Per-Sale: In this method of affiliate marketing, for every sale resulting from the advertisements featured on an affiliate’s website, a share of the profit is given to the affiliate.

Business Promotion through Websites: Many websites offer reward-based purchase offers. They offer discounts and rebates to the customers who choose to buy online. Some of them offer free delivery services to the customers. Others feature product reviews and articles about products and services, thereby encouraging the readers to buy them. Some businesses prefer to use personal websites to communicate with their potential customers. Personal websites, have in fact, been a major contributing factor to the emergence of affiliate marketing.

“CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL OFFER”

Emails, Blogs, Forums: Small businesses often use  email marketing  techniques to achieve business promotion. They use emails for developing customer relationships and obtaining customer feedback. Emails are often used to carry advertisements and promotional messages. Businesses can explain their business role and talk about their products and services through blogs. Forums serve as online platforms for interaction with customers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing has led to the emergence of several online companies and Internet marketers. Internet serves as the most effective platform for business promotion as it can target a large customer base. Merchants are not required to search for their customers. Rather, customers come searching for them!

An affiliate marketer does not require making huge investments. Moreover, he/she does not have to worry about customer support and record keeping. All, an affiliate marketer needs to do is work towards promoting and reselling the product.

The potential of creating income is another important advantage of affiliate marketing. Both business merchants and websites benefit from affiliate marketing, without any additional expenditure of time or money. In fact, implementing affiliate marketing strategies does not require any technical expertise. Adding more websites to an affiliate marketing program to cover a wider range of products and services can increase one’s earning potential. As long as the consumers continue with online business transactions, there is no stopping for affiliate marketing.

One of the major disadvantages of affiliate marketing is that the affiliates may indulge in illegal and unethical Internet advertising  practices. They may mislead the readers through false advertisements. An illegal use of brand names and company logos is common in affiliate marketing.

Spamming is another major disadvantage of affiliate marketing. Some affiliates tend to use email spams to promote their business. Others create webpages, which are aimed at manipulating the indexing strategies of search engines.

Affiliate marketing does not conform to industry standards and lacks central regulation. Affiliate marketing practices make use of social networking websites, online forums and other aspects of the Internet for advertising their products and services. As the Internet offers free access to users, it is difficult to implement any regulatory measures on its use. Currently, there are no training courses or certifications for affiliate marketing. Perhaps, there is a pressing need to standardize affiliate marketing strategies and practices.

The rising popularity of online sale and purchase has resulted in the growth of the affiliate marketing sector. Affiliate marketing has given a new dimension to the online business arena. It is here to stay!

By Manali Oak

When you set out to make money online there are several factors you should consider before making the final choice of program that will work for you. In order to be successful at such a money opportunity, you should be in sync with the philosophy and style of the program as well as being certain of the quality of the program that you select. There are many types of money making programs on the internet. Take the time to do the due diligence on each program you are considering before making the final choice of program.

Time Required

One of the first things to consider when you decide to open an internet program and make money online is the amount of time that will be required of you in order to effectively manage the program that you select. Almost all programs require a significant amount of your time, regardless of the hype that is attached to the advertisement. An important part of the time element of running a business is the completion of completing the business plan. Each step and each element of the business plan should be visualized and completed prior to going on the next element of the plan.

Investment

It is difficult to imagine a method to make money online that does not require the use of some financial investment from the entrepreneur. You may have to pay a franchise fee, or you may be required to purchase a location and fixtures for your retail business. The investment may be a simple helping of good old American ingenuity for your business. Your funding for a financial investment can come from your own nest egg, or via help from family and friends. Another alternative is the receipt of grants or awards from the government or other entities. Having enough financial backing to carry you through the first weeks and months of the program operation is vitally important.

Customer Support

A very important component that should be present in any program to make money online is that of an effective and efficient customer support team. If a program is quick to provide accurate staff to answer questions direct about the components, operations and results of such a program. The information must be accurate and must be explained in a way that is understandable to the listener. Not only must the information provided be accurate and understandable, it must be timely. An email that refers you to another page on the website with no further method of contacting anyone for further information about the program is not useful. Neither is high pressure telephone contact with a scripted message.

Interest

The program must contain elements that interest you as the owner. If you don’t care about the product or service that you are selling, the potential customers will know that. You must understand and believe in your product or service in order to sell the product. If you don’t have a real interest and understanding you won’t be able to convey that information to others effectively.

With  Make Money Online or Make Money, you never need worry about lack of information to make the cash online when you open the links on this web page. The best free information on the internet is found right here.

“CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL OFFER”

By Alan Lim

Best Way To Make Money Online PAYPAL PROOF !! | Web tourist …

www.truegifting.net Almost FRE…   Read more…

Learn The Easiest Ways To Make Money Online Through Cash Gifting …

Money is any token or o…   Read more…

Best Ways to Make Money Online Fast | Gold Coast Blogger

Best Ways to Make Money Onl… Read more…

Best Way to Make Money Online Using Simple and Lucrative Methods …

There are many ways thr…   Read more…

What?s the Best Way to Make Money Online? | Articles

If you are looking for a wa… Read more…

Best Way to Earn Money Online in 2010? Become a Website Tester …

Best Way to Earn Mon… Read more…

Being online for over 10 years already, I have been asked countless times, “How do I make money online?” Most of my friends are very skeptical about making money online, and especially with all the scam products out there, the true path of making money online is getting harder and harder to find.

For the rest of the people who believe that money can be made online, they are looking for the “magic pill”, the ultimate solution that can help them to make $10,000 a month just by the click of a mouse. Sadly to say, I haven’t found the magic pill too. My business was started from scratch, bit by bit, over countless nights and massive trial and error before I started making my first dollar online. Since that first dollar, I have been hooked on to Internet marketing. Earning $1000 a month online on autopilot beats making $5000 a month working 12 hours a day as a banker in Citibank.

The people who have contacted me through email or have asked me directly have all gotten the same answer. I tell each of them that making money online takes time. You have to be patient and there is no other way for them to make a solid income overnight. My caution to you is that if you ever come across a program or eBook that promises riches overnight by paying that $77 through Paypal, the best and smartest thing to do is to leave that website and RUN for your wallet!

Making money online indeed does take time, and a lot of it. I suggest that you start to learn how to crawl, walk, run and succeed in your Internet business. If you need to continue working in your 9 to 5 job, then do that. I know that it is tempting to quit your job now and start building your million dollar Internet Empire NOW.

Nonetheless, the opportunities to start your own home business and make money online now are easier than ever before. You do not need to know tough website coding language, you do not need a product, nor do you even need a lot of money. Of cause, if you know all these technical skills, it would help, but there is a lot of software out there that has removed all the technical difficulties to start your own online business. There is literally little or no hurdle to start making money online in this time and age.

The simplest and easiest way to make money online is affiliate marketing. In affiliate marketing, you promote other people’s product in return for commissions. You do not need to manufacture your own product, collect payment or do any kind of delivery, all you do is to recommend your visitor to visit your merchant’s website, and when the customer makes a purchase, you get a cut of the profit, pretty simple huh?

To learn how to make money online right now, download your free report on “How to make your first $1000″ instantly here.

By Tianyi Lim Published: 6/24/2008

Finally, there is a way you can quickly discover how to make money online. Imagine what it would be like to work from the comfort of your own home and never have to answer to a boss again. Now you can with this article!

If you want to cash in on the benefits of internet marketing but find the thought of creating your own product overwhelming, you’ll need to consider other options. There are numerous options available to make money online, but if you’re looking to get started quickly, you’ll need to learn fast.

Maverick Money Makers is a newly launched online membership that goes beyond the norm of most internet marketing products to teach you every piece of the puzzle so you can get started making money right away. The founder, Mack Michaels has been involved in Internet marketing for over 10 years, making hundreds of thousands of dollars online every month.

Mack’s membership program will take you from absolute beginner to successful internet marketer in a matter of weeks. Once inside the membership you’ll find a number of different areas where you can start making money straight away.

There are 7 mains sections within the membership that reveal the secrets to making money online:

1. Complete Core Training System

This section currently includes over 7 hours of video tutorials that will take you from complete novice to the stage where you’re ready to start your own internet business.

2. Quick Money Blueprint Systems

If you’re anything like me and don’t have time to spend hours researching a market to begin making money online, then this section is for you. With a number of video tutorials that teach separate strategies that you could honestly setup and begin making money with in the space of an hour. This area is more for the advanced internet marketer but if you’re a complete novice, then watch the complete core training videos and move onto this section.

3. Brilliant Niche Marketing Ideas

Have you ever thought of making your own product to market online but never known what product to create? Then stop thinking as this section provides a complete list of the most relevant and profitable topics to make an information product on. Mack pays a team of researchers to come up with the most popular and profitable ideas to develop information products around.

4. Turnkey Products To Sell

Never buy another resale rights product again. This section includes over 100 information products on an array of different topics that you can sell as your own. Include them in a membership site, give them away as a free bonus or setup a sales page and sell as your own. Most products come with a complete sales page so you can begin making money instantly.

5. Skillset Training Systems

For your complete list of "How To" video tutorials this section is a must. From learning how to master the Google content network to adding videos to your own website, this section shows an in depth look at skills you’ll require to master your own online business.

6. Your Point And Click Rolodex

Mack reveals every website he uses to run his own online business that makes him hundreds of thousands of dollars every month. With links to every website you’ll ever need to run a successful online business, this section is worth the price of the membership alone.

7. Millionaire Mindset Coaching

As the title suggests, this section provides audio from some of the most renowned millionaire coaches in history with new content added each month.

Mack releases new content in each section of the membership every month with his monthly updates that are definitely something to look forward to.

I’ve invested in some internet marketing homestudy courses costing $5,000 and in my opinion Maverick Money Makers is better value for money at a fraction of the price. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make money online, Maverick Money Makers is the most comprehensive place I’ve found. Mack definitely sets the benchmark for other internet marketers to try and match up to.

Did you find this article helpful? If you did, then take a look at the step-by-step video tutorials here!

Make Money Online with Maverick Money Makers
Make money online

By Dan Smith Published: 2/4/2009

]]> http://googleshadowcritique.com/make-money-online-with-maverick-money-makers/feed 0 http://googleshadowcritique.com/quick-and-easy-ways-to-make-money-online-and-offline http://googleshadowcritique.com/quick-and-easy-ways-to-make-money-online-and-offline#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:32:00 +0000 admin http://googleshadowcritique.com/?p=60 Quick And Easy Ways To Make Money Online And Offline

Discover how you can start making some extra money quickly and easily working online or offline. Learn some great ideas and see tips on how to get started.

With the way the economy is and job losses increasing a lot of people are turning to the Internet looking for ways to earn some extra money online or even offline. Today I would like to help you in your online venture by shading some light on a few quick and easy ways anyone can make money online and offline.

1. eBay – This is probably the easiest way to make a little extra cash online. Almost everyone has some type of junk lying around their home that they no long use or need. You can put these items up for auction on eBay, and let other people bid on your so called junk. If you find enough stuff to auction off you can make a pretty good amount of money, and you never know what it might lead to. Who knows you might like eBay and turn it into a full-time job!
2. Craigslist – This is a lot like eBay, only you can post things you wish to sell or get rid of in your local area, and deal with people who live around the block from you. People search Craigslist daily, and you can always find someone who will buy your old sofa or something else you might be willing to get rid of for some extra money. Either way this is a great place to clear out some junk and turn it into easy money.
3. Yard Sale – You see them all the time (usually on Sundays). A good yard sale can easily produce a few hundred bucks. Clean out your closet and get rid of things that you no longer use, and are just sitting around collecting dust. Post signs around your neighborhood letting people know about your upcoming yard sale, and when the day comes for the big event so will the money!
4. Auction + Flee Market = Money – I did this myself for a year and each weekend I would pocket over $500. What you do is go to an auction and buy some things you think would sell (TV’s, Children’s books, Toys, Tools, Electronics etc.) Then go to an indoor or outdoor flee market and setup up a stand (usually it cost about $50 – $100 to have a stand for the day). Once you have your stand simply sell the items you got at the auction for a little more then you paid.
5. Affiliate Marketing – Another easy way to make money online is affiliate marketing. What you do is sell someone else’s product or service, and in return they pay you a small commission. A good place to setup an affiliate account, and find products to promote is Clickbank.
6. Create Your Own Product – I’ll admit this will take a little bit of time. But if you can create your own product, and sell it for say $20 all you have to do next is advertise your product to a target audience and you’ll be making money!

So there you have it. If you’re struggling to make money or looking for ideas on how you can put a few extra bucks in your pocket these are terrific ways to accomplish that. Making money online and offline is easy. You just have to think outside the box sometimes, and put in a little bit of work.

With affiliate marketing, you may get a lot of cash pouring into your bank account easily. And if your website is rich in great contents and you want to earn more profit, why not get into the <…   Read more…

Affiliate Marketing with Google AdWords

Use Google AdWords and the Power of Guerrilla Marketing to Attract New Customers 24/7/365 – (Google Advertising Program and Pay Per Click Guide).   Read more…

Google: Page Speed May Become a Ranking Factor in 2010 : How to …

I would say that based on Matt’s comments it is fef probably fair to assume that Google will indeed begin taking page speed into consideration as a ranking factor, although he doesn’t …   Read more…

Google Eases Retrieval of Sidewiki Entries for Entire Sites : How …

Google has announced the release of a new feature for the Sidewiki API, which the company says makes it easier to retrieve all Sidewiki entries for an entire domain. It allows you to look for n…   Read more…

Google Voice Gets New Free VoIP Service : How to Make Money Online …

Earlier this week, reports surfaced indicating that Google had bought Gizmo5, a VoIP firm. The news came just on the heels of Google’s AdMob acquisition. Google has now offic…   Read more…

Google Affiliate Network – 8 New Affiliate Programs – 5 Star …

Leading Affiliate Marketing Blog – Industry News, Tips and More. … Google Affiliate Network – 8 New Affiliate Programs. Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 10:29am by Linda Buque…   Read more…

How can teens make money online? Read on to find out the answer…

If you thought teenagers depend completely on their daily/weekly allowances, then you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Nowadays, teenagers are on the lookout for innovative ways to earn a few extra bucks in addition to their pocket money. There are a number of ways teens make money, however the advent of Internet has opened up new avenues for earning money. The Internet offers several beneficial opportunities, which allow the teenagers to make money online. Some of these options are quite convenient and easy. Teenagers should be well informed about the pros and cons of online money making, before they decide to pursue these options. Parenting teenagers is a tough job and although most of these opportunities are safe, you need to warn your teen about the large number of Internet scams and Internet crimes.

How Can Teens Make Money Online

There are many ethical and easy ways for teenagers to make money online. Paid surveys, freelancing, online auctions and game rewards are some of the most popular ways. Here is a more detailed information about these individual online earning options:

Paid Online Surveys: Did you know that you could be paid to be a part of the online surveys? Marketers often study teenagers’ opinions in order to evaluate an important market segment – they often make use of paid surveys or online surveys for the same. On the other hand, there are researchers who want volunteers to participate in the online survey as a part of their research projects, and also arrange for such paid surveys. Beware of phishing scandals and other trickery. There are a large number of ‘get-paid-to’ (GPT) sites, which allow you to make money either simply by registration, forums or paid surveys. However, before you register for a paid survey, it is always better to ensure the credibility of the site. The easiest thing to do is ask your friends or acquaintances who have used such sites in the past.

Freelancing Opportunities: Freelancing is becoming a popular option to earn money for teenagers as well. There are a lot of sites that offer freelancing jobs for teenagers. Freelance writing, in terms of either article writing or content writing or business writing is quite in demand and serves as an efficient way to earn money. Freelancing projects that have a fixed duration and fixed remuneration are a very convenient way for teenagers to earn money in the stipulated time period.

Online Auctions: If there is an old jacket that you want to sell off, or even a book that you no longer need, then the Internet is a great place to sell off these items and earn good money for them. There are other several sites like eBay, which offer an easy and convenient platform for people to buy and sell stuff online. So instead of a garage sale in your backyard, next time try and sell your stuff on the Internet.

Blogging: If you thought that blogging was just a way to publish your writings on the web, then you are probably not aware of the tremendous lucrative opportunities available in this field. There are applications like Google Adsense, which help you to earn revenues through your blogs. These business models are usually pay-per-click or pay per view models.

Play Games: Yes, you heard it right. There are a lot of gaming websites, which offer cash prizes and rewards for winners. Some websites might even offer you rewards and prizes based on the number of played games instead of your wins. However again, you need to make sure that you are indulging in online games that are offered on secure websites. Also try and pick a game that you are good at, to increase your chances at winning.

One thing that the parents should remember is that the teenagers are at an age where fast money can be a huge temptation. In addition to these safe online moneymaking options, there are a large number of illegal and dangerous activities, which might lure your teenager. It is always better to have healthy communication with your child and be aware of all the online projects or opportunities that the teen is involved in.

By Uttara Manohar Published: 11/22/2008

]]> http://googleshadowcritique.com/how-can-teens-make-money-online/feed 0 http://googleshadowcritique.com/the-affiliate-marketing-formula-with-matthew-glanfield http://googleshadowcritique.com/the-affiliate-marketing-formula-with-matthew-glanfield#comments Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:34:00 +0000 admin http://googleshadowcritique.com/?p=135 The Affiliate Marketing Formula with Matthew Glanfield

The Affiliate Marketing Formula with Mathew Glanfield. Matthew Glanfield has had another very successful year in the afffiliate marketing game, Matt’s teaching techniques are creating quite a stir again with an onslaught of video lessons he is now offering.

Matthew Glanfield is the newest of the marketers that I recently discovered, another Canadian as well, go figure!! I liked his Affiliate Marketing Formula site so much, that I joined up for his crash course and I’m definitely impressed. I really like what he’s doing. On his site he gives video tutorials of setting up everything that needs to be setup to have a thriving affiliate marketing business. This really clears up a lot of things for people, especially if they are brand new to learning about affiliate marketing.

Many of the things that he’s teaching I did know already, but if I had to start over again I sure wish I would have discovered either Affilorama or the Affiliate Marketing Formula earlier. It would of saved me a lot of time in tracking down the exact step by step methods of setting things up. The problem that I find with a lot of training materials is authors will tell you what needs to be done, but, it is not actually shown right there in front of you. Thanx to streaming video this is starting to become a thing of past, if you find people like Matthew Glanfield.

Matthew Glanfield has been online marketing three years or so, probably a little longer now, but it wasn’t until 2005 when he really started to hit big. He broke the code as he says, to having success with affiliate marketing. If starting to pull in six figure incomes, is any indication, then yes I would have to agree with him.

Matthew Glanfield’s Affiliate Marketing Formula is great for newcomers to the business as well as veterans, unless of course maybe your already earning the type of money that Matthew is. I have absolutely no reservations about recommending these teachings to anyone out there trying to run a successful affiliate marketing business.

Matthew has had another incredible year in affiliate marketing. I’m a member of his blog where he is always coming and lending fantastic advice and new techniques that are working for him.

This past year he did very well once again pulling in over $300,000. Obviously Matthew Glanfield is getting bigger all the time. I just finished a report that he is offering on being successful in 2007 which is a fantastic read. Matt talks about having the need to hire staff. This being very essential when you’re ready to take your business to new heights of success. The truth of the matter being here is that if your going to have that type of success, it’s too much for but one or two people to handle, much work is involved!

I really get annoyed from time to time with many of the, "so called" gurus plastering my inbox with to many offers on an almost daily basis. I mean while some of it may be good information, in reality, give me a break already. How many things do you think I’m actually going to buy from you all.

Matthew’s mailings to me never bother me, quite the contrary. I enjoy reading what he has to say, and while he does try to sell you even more things, he seems to have your best interests at heart. I’ve learned a lot from Matthew Glanfield over the past year and he provides real training and PROPER knowledge. No fluff, no filler, but real practical knowledge that is necessary to learn to be successful.

If your going to take Matthew Glanfield’s training, I highly suggest you upgrade to his video tutorial packages. The training is of the highest quality, which will take your business to the next levels.

The Affiliate Marketing Formula

To your success!

Davin Ogden is recognized and certified IT Support Specialist. He has performed contract work with IBM, Walmart, and several Canadian Bank chains. Davin now runs LuvComputer’s PC Repair & Factory Direct Sales, on the internet, and is an avid internet marketing enthusiast. http://www.luvcomputers.com

By Davin Ogden Published: 1/28/2007

]]> http://googleshadowcritique.com/the-affiliate-marketing-formula-with-matthew-glanfield/feed 0 http://googleshadowcritique.com/10-affiliate-marketing-management-tips http://googleshadowcritique.com/10-affiliate-marketing-management-tips#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:34:00 +0000 admin http://googleshadowcritique.com/?p=100 10 Affiliate Marketing Management Tips

Discover the answer to the 10 most common Affiliate Marketing Management Questions, read on to learn more…

Discover The Answer To The 10 Most Common Affiliate Marketing Management Questions

1. Is affiliate marketing right for my business?

Affiliate marketing is one of the most powerful and effective means of gaining new customers, regardless of your product or service. Affiliate marketing exposes your business to new customers and can get you out of your marketing rut. Additionally, when you initiate an affiliate marketing campaign, you’re in control. You determine the commission rate you pay and pay only when your affiliates make a sale. It’s a no loss operation for you because you only pay when a sale is made.

2. What are the startup costs?

When you start an affiliate program you have the choice of handling the operations yourself or having it managed by an affiliate network. The costs for either choice are reasonable and generally start around a few hundred dollars. Additionally, as a business owner don’t forget that many of your costs may be tax deductible. To start an affiliate marketing program in house, costs will include:

Affiliate management software

Affiliate marketing support including a website that answers affiliate questions and a means for them to contact you if any issues arise.

Affiliate marketing materials including banner ads, copy, coupons, and promotional content.

An affiliate marketing contract agreement

Tracking software to track cookies, click throughs, payments, etc…

If you choose to hire an affiliate network to handle your program they generally charge a flat fee or a percentage of what you pay out each month.

3. How much time will it take out of my workday/workweek?

Most experts agree that it will take you about an hour and a half each day to manage your affiliate program. They also recommend you to budget more time in the first few months of your program, approximately two to three hours a day. Even the most efficient affiliate managers spend about 45 minutes a day managing their affiliate program.

Professional affiliate managers generally spend an average of 40-80 hours a month dedicated to managing, tracking and promoting your affiliate program.

4. Should I use an affiliate network?

Do you have an extra 3 hours a day for the next two or three months? Do you have an hour a day to devote to managing your program after the initial three month program is complete? An affiliate network, while it may be a bit more expensive on the outset, can help you focus your time on other profit generating tasks. Additionally, an affiliate network can help expose your affiliate program to a wide variety of experience affiliates, which means more money in your bottom line and more exposure overall.

That being said, there are a tremendous number of effective in-house solutions including some you’re likely already familiar with like 1shoppingcart.com and affiliatepro.com. These programs will help you stay 100% in control of your affiliate program and are effective at managing your program.

5. How should I pay affiliates? What type of commission works best?

This is a very important decision because it not only affects your profits, the right commission rate will help you recruit top-notch affiliates. The general rule of thumb is to set your default commission rate at a rate you can afford to pay while leaving room for time limited commission increase offers, promotions, and private offers. For example, if you can afford to pay 50% of your gross profit margin, pay 25% instead and tier it so that after a sales goal is reached they earn 30% or you can bump it up to 50% during the holidays or during typically low sales times.

6. How do I recruit affiliates?

Your customers may be your best affiliates. After all, they already appreciate and enjoy your products or services. A simple link on your website is a good place to start. Here are a few ways to find quality affiliates:

Online forums. These are excellent places to meet and greet and connect with like minded individuals. They’re also a good resource for affiliates who are interested in, motivated, and qualified to sell your products and services. Using a forum, you can announce your affiliate program. Be careful to not ‘sell’ on the forum as most forums look down on this and may kick you off. Additionally, you can include a link to your affiliate site in your signature.

Find websites that link to your competitors and approach them about being an affiliate for you. Likewise, you can find affiliates using your favorite search engine and contact them about joining your program.

One last way is to join an affiliate network or become listed on an affiliate directory. This will ensure that affiliate marketers who are searching for new products and services to promote. However, keep in mind that many beginner marketers also seek products and services to promote via affiliate directories and they may lose interest and motivation before they ever make a sale. This isn’t a strong deterrent because they don’t get paid unless they make a sale, however it should be noted.

7. What is the best way to communicate with my affiliates?

Email is the general tool of choice, which makes an auto responder a fantastic tool for basic emails like the welcome email, introducing promotions, coupons, sending links and banner ads, and answering Frequently Asked Questions. It is also generally advisable to have an email address, fax number, and telephone number available for when affiliates have questions that are not answered by your frequently asked questions web page or when they simply want to speak with you.

8. How do I motivate affiliates?

Money motivates no doubt about it. That being said, affiliates are also motivated by feeling that they’re important to you. This means when they ask for your time, you give it. Additionally, promotions, bonuses, prizes, contests, and commission increases are all tools to motivate and inspire affiliates. Constant communication, like sending a weekly or monthly Ezine, will also help remind your affiliates that you’re out there and invested in their success.

9. Do I need to hire an affiliate manager?

The answer to this question really depends on your needs. How large is your company? Do you have the time to manage your program? Do you have the skills to manage your program? An affiliate manager is the person that:

Recruits affiliates

Communicates with affiliates

Develops, tracks, and reports on promotions

Develops programs to enhance affiliate program

Motivates affiliates

Tracks sales and pays affiliates

Monitors your competition

These are all extremely important functions and if you have the time to handle them yourself, excellent! If you do not, then consider hiring an affiliate manager.

10. How do I find/hire an affiliate manager?

Outsourcing an affiliate manager is fairly easy to do. There are hundreds available with a quick online search. You can ask associates, inquire at online forums, or post an advertisement seeking someone to fill the position. Depending on the complexity of your affiliate program, you could consider a well qualified virtual assistant for the job. The skills your affiliate manager will need are:

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Knowledge of online business, internet marketing, and basic ecommerce operations

Basic html and graphic experience are a plus

Because they’re going to be representing you, you’ll want to make sure they’re personable.

Jeremy Gislason is a leading expert on membership sites, marketing and online business. For more Business Strategies, Resources and Affiliate Manager Software visit MemberSpeed.com

By Jeremy Gislason Published: 11/16/2007

]]> http://googleshadowcritique.com/10-affiliate-marketing-management-tips/feed 0