MAIN Technology Internet Marketing & Affiliate Programs

How Do I...

Usually all it takes is a simple line of code. Place it in the html code of your page, and it will call up current offerings from affiliate advertisers in either text or banner format. Advertisers get exposure to your visitors who, in turn, click on the ads that interest them - and you collect a commission on what they buy from the advertiser.

In short, your visitors must be willing to buy a product or service from your affiliate partner in most cases for you, the publisher, to collect a commission.

Rarely do advertisers pay for simple clicks (PPC - Pay Per Click) but most often it is PPP - Pay for Performance.

A prime EXCEPTION to this rule is the Pay Per Click contextual ad program offered by Google Adsense - see the ads this page.

Also watch for Yahoo! Publishing Network and MSN to open up their programs to Web publishers in the near future.

So, once you've signed up with an affiliate program, how do you know how you - or your visitors - are 'performing'?

Know Your Affiliate Terms

Most reputable programs will allow you to check your performance by logging on to their affiliate member page. Here, you can check earnings, percents in clicks and earnings.

In addition to PPP and PPC, important basic affiliate lingo to know includes:

• Page Impressions (how many times the ad was called up on your site)
• CTR (Click Through Rate - a percentage of clicks per impression)
• CPM (Clicks Per Thousand)
• Total Earnings. Earnings depend on agreements that vary among even the best programs.

When all is said and done, prepare to receive an average 10-15% of earnings on a product or service purchased via a click tracked from your site. Most programs award higher commissions to top sellers, but unless you're willing to devote all your time to marketing and selling your advertising partner, seller beware. At the end of the month, you may only collect a modest check which might pay for your bandwidth, a nice lunch, or the occasional dinner out.

Sign Up

While there are literally thousands of individual programs you may want to join, there are also 'one-stop shopping' affliate providers. They provide an easy way to sign up with a number of companies and thereby make it easier to keep track of all your earnings with one login. The top multi-program providers include Commission Junction, LinkShare and FastClick. Google (see the ads on this page) also provide one of the best pay-per-click programs

Learn more about how to make money on your small business or personal site by partnering with larger companies to sell their products or services...

ClickZ Internet Advertising and Marketing Resources - The Basics - A basic primer geared to small businesses and low-traffic sites, with advice and tips on how to generate revenue online, plus more on late breaking news and updates from the world of online marketing.

Advertising Sales and Affiliate Programs - Very active forum at Webmaster World with all the latest scoop from fellow Webmasters with their opinions on what's hot and what's not.

Affiliate Programs Guide - Easily searchable in some 40 categories - from Advertising and Auctions to Travel and Web Hosting - with info on individual program details, requirements and commissions.

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