Affiliate marketing can prove a very profitable online venture you’re basically promoting someone else’s product, for a percentage of every sale you generate. You can endorse products complementary to your own, or just find a niche you’re interested in promoting. But according to Wade Schlosser, you need to be discriminating with your endorsements. Warns Schlosser, if you push poor-quality products or lousy services, you’ll quickly gain a bad reputation on the Internet. Before you sign any affiliate agreements, explore different programs and find the ones that you feel comfortable supporting. Consider the following factors when researching a program: Look for programs that have a dedicated affiliate manager to provide you with the support and materials you need in a timely fashion. Ask questions, and notice how quickly and thoroughly they answer your emails and phone calls.
Different affiliate sites convert differently, so ask the affiliate manager which of their materials convert most effectively with your site type and traffic demographics. Take a close look at the affiliate percentage, and make sure it’s comparable with similar programs in the same industry. An absurdly high commission, like 75%, may be a red flag that the program is merely a lead-generation scam, taking the targeted leads you send them and reselling their contact information to other companies in similar industries. Certain industries don’t do well with certain types of marketing, like incentive marketing; and not all affiliate programs accept all kinds of traffic.
The companies you support can either enhance your e-business or damage it. That’s why you have to take the time to ensure that you want to be tied to the merchants you become an affiliate for, says Schlosser who used to be a mortgage broker, affiliate marketing can be a great source of online income. He’s now trying his hand at kids clothes as well as rental cars. The key to using it successfully is doing your homework and finding programs that are well-suited to your business model and marketing techniques.