One way to start building an income on the Internet is to promote the products or services of an existing website for a percentage of the sale, a commission similar to that earned by traditional salespeople offline. Those who promote the services or products of online merchants are called affiliates. Many merchant websites have affiliate programs. Most of these programs are free to join, and there's no limit to how many affiliate programs you can join.
Instructions
1. Sign up with an affiliate directory managing the affiliate programs for merchants that offer similar products. Websites like ClickBank and Credit track and disburse earnings for affiliates who are promoting sales for their member merchants. ClickBank tracks and disburses earnings for affiliates promoting eBooks for their member merchants. Credit tracks and disburses earnings for affiliates promoting credit card and credit services for their member merchants. Dealing with an affiliate management company such as ClickBank or Credit allows you to track your earnings from many different vendors in one account. You will then receive payment from the management company rather than from each single merchant. Each member may offer its affiliates a different percentage of sales, or commission rate.
2. Sign up with an affiliate directory managing a variety of different web merchants who sell many different types of products online. Some popular affiliate directories are LinkShare and Commission Junction. These two sites manage affiliate programs for more popular merchants such as Macy's, Champion, and iTunes. Unlike joining a directory like ClickBank, when you sign up with LinkShare and Commission Junction you will still have to apply to become an affiliate for many of the member merchants that they represent. Some of these merchants prefer that you already have an established website that fits within their specific guidelines for what type of site is acceptable for their advertising. For example, iTunes may not approve you as an affiliate if your website is promoting online gambling or some other off-topic subject.
3. Go directly to a website you are interested in becoming an affiliate for. Websites such as Ebay, Fandango and Blockbuster offer links to their affiliate programs at the bottom of their home pages. Most websites that offer affiliate programs have a link toward the end of their home page that reads "Affiliates" or "Webmasters" or something similiar. Click on the link and read their terms and conditions. Filling out an application is usually free.
4. Compare affiliate programs from websites offering similar products. For example, online travel agencies like Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia all offer affiliate programs. Many companies will not exclude you from becoming an affiliate of another company offering a similar product, but if you are planning to spend any money promoting a product or service you may want to concentrate your funds on the product that will yield the best results. Look at the actual product or service being offered, how much it cost the customer as compared to competitors, and how much you are getting paid for each completed sale. You may also want to consider other features such as cookie duration and promotional materials available for affiliates to use.
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