I am fed up of hearing about the 'get rich quick' claims made by thousands of unscrupulous individuals and firms all over the Internet, preying on those going through periods of bad luck or those who are experiencing money difficulties – this is callous behavior.
Making money is something we all want to do, and sadly, is something we all HAVE to do. Affiliate programs, whilst not for everyone, CAN be a way of making some extra money. If you don’t already have a website, then it is not really worthwhile even considering (unless you can make one and get it hosted for free or very cheaply!) Don't expect to make a million dollars over night (or in the vast majority of cases, ever!) but do be realistic. You can expect anything from a few dollars a month (for doing NOTHING) up to a few hundred.
The key with affiliate programs is to choose with care. Not every program is as good as the next, and not every program is going to make you money; it's pretty much down to trial and error.
Signing up to an affiliate program is usually quick and easy. Just a few details and you'll be given the choice of a banner, button or text link (the good programs provide you with lots of choices so YOU can choose what’s right for your site, what will work for your particular audience).
Once you have signed up as an affiliate you will need to place some code onto one of your pages (positioning is everything, so don’t tuck the banner or link away and still expect to make money), make it as prominent as possible. Actively encourage your users to click on the banner…
TIP: Don’t choose sites that provide exactly the same products, services or content that you do, instead choose affiliates with care – make sure their product or service, compliments your own.
Results can be immediate, but this will largely depend on your own traffic levels. If you already have a good level of traffic, then lots of people are going to see your affiliate link and this will of course mean more people click on the link, and this will lead to more people buying or signing up that in turn earns you money. Sounds like there is a lot to it, but the beauty of an affiliate scheme is that once you have signed up to one and added your link….your job is done! You really don’t have to do anything else.
Signing up as an affiliate CAN be a way of making a decent extra income, but like anything, never put all your eggs in one basket and remember it might take several weeks of trial and error, repositioning and changing banners and trying out different affiliate programs before you hit the jackpot and find one that pays out. Keep in mind that with determination and tenacity, affiliate programs almost always end up paying you real money, for virtually no effort.
Two schemes I personally advocate as being pretty good can be found here: http://www.anythingadult.co.uk/affiliate.htm
I hope this article helps to take some of the mystery out of affiliate schemes and will help ensure you go in with your eyes wide open and realistic expectations.
