Consider earning commissions on a well-known brand-name product simply by including a link on your website or in an email. That is “Affiliate Marketing,” my friends!
Okay, so it’s not exactly that straightforward, but it also doesn’t have to be that difficult.
Let’s begin with a couple of definitions. An advertiser, often known as a merchant, is a firm that sells a product. An affiliate, also known as a publisher or a partner, is a person or company who assists in the advertising of a product in exchange for a commission. (Perhaps it’s you!) The account management service sits in the middle, connecting advertisers with affiliates and keeping track of sales and commissions.
If you want to become an affiliate, you must first decide whether you want to sell a product or use an account management service. You’ll end up with both, but your decision on one will influence your decision on the other. If you chose the product first, the advertiser will send you to their existing account management service. If you choose the account management service first, you will be given a list of merchants with whom they work.
Go to your favorite product’s or company’s website and look in the menu bar or at the bottom of the screen to see if they have an affiliate program. Look for the word “affiliate” anywhere. Click on that link to learn more about their program and qualifications, then apply. Some businesses demand that their connections be placed on specified sorts of websites. They’ll send you an email with everything you need to get started.
I recommend visiting the participating merchants on the account management service’s website if you don’t know which product you want to sell or if you want to promote multiple.
Stick to things or concepts about which you are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. If you can offer value to the link you want your visitors to click on, it will be much easier to promote to them. Personal recommendations or stories will much outperform a banner or a single text link. Make a compelling cause for people to “click here.”
Welcome to the Affiliate Marketing industry! Best of luck with your new endeavor!