| , affiliates are making money without ever leaving the | | | | or the more reliable method of putting your affiliate ID |
| house. What is an affiliate, you ask? An affiliate is a | | | | with the customer?s record into the database? Decide |
| website owner who earns a commission by referring | | | | which method(s) you trust and make your choice |
| visitors to another website. Whenever a visitor makes | | | | accordingly. |
| a purchase at the other website, the affiliate gets a | | | | After you pick the right websites, you have to do your |
| commission. The trick to making money this way is | | | | part as an affiliate: advertise. Remember, if you?re an |
| knowing what websites to link to and how to | | | | affiliate to a popular website, it probably has numerous |
| advertise. | | | | other affiliates who are advertising to earn their |
| When you become an affiliate of a website, your | | | | commission, which means they?re your competition. |
| visitors believe you?re recommending the product. | | | | One way to advertise is writing a teaser. Many |
| Don?t give a link to a website that sells a bad product. | | | | affiliates use the teaser method, so try to be different |
| Instead, try to make the product or service relevant to | | | | and gain an edge on the competition by making your |
| your site. For example, let?s say your website is | | | | teaser stimulating and memorable. Don?t go into details |
| dedicated to horses. Don?t direct your visitors to a | | | | about prices; instead, write something that will excite |
| company that sells tye-die T-shirts; instead, direct them | | | | visitors just enough to click through. |
| to a company that sells T-shirts featuring horses. | | | | Another advertising method is writing a |
| Think of the product in the long-run. If a guy likes the | | | | recommendation of the product. This makes people |
| T-shirt he bought, he?ll go back to the website and buy | | | | feel more comfortable clicking through. Research the |
| it again. However, if you link him to a website selling a | | | | product so you know what you?re talking about, and |
| one-year subscription to a horse magazine, he?ll only | | | | think of who would most want the product so you can |
| come back once a year. | | | | target them. However, don?t recommend too many |
| If the magazine is more popular than the T-shirt, then | | | | products, as people might get overwhelmed and think |
| maybe that?s a better choice. Look over records to | | | | you?re making everything up. And remember: if you |
| see which is more successful and make a | | | | have to lie to sell the product, perhaps it?s not |
| well-informed decision. | | | | something you should be recommending. Don?t risk |
| Finally, make sure the website you?re linking to isn?t | | | | losing customers because you advertise terrible |
| about to go bankrupt. Nobody likes to click on a link to | | | | products. |
| a dead site. Check the company?s financial records | | | | Being an affiliate is hard work. You can work in your |
| and make sure it?ll be around for a while. | | | | bathrobe but it requires a sharp mind. However, if you |
| Another thing to research is how the website tracks | | | | do your research and make your advertisements, you |
| consumers. Do they use the cookie method - when a | | | | can make money from the comfort of your own |
| website puts a cookie on the customer?s computer - | | | | house. |