Linkshare
Linkshare is the other top affiliate network providing affiliates access to hundreds of merchants. They host some pretty big name merchants and sign-up is easy. Their tracking isn't quite as user friendly as CJ, but the programs they provide are high quality.
From their site:
"LinkShare hosts a password-protected website that offers affiliates a choice of hundreds of merchant programs. On the site, affiliates can join new programs, get links to put on their sites, and then see reports about how their links are performing and how much they have earned.
When a visitor from an affiliate's site clicks on a link and goes to a merchant's site, LinkShare keeps track of all of the transactions that the visitor makes. If that visitor buys something on the merchant's site, you get a commission.
In some cases, affiliates are compensated even if the visitor doesn't buy anything, just for having driven traffic to the merchant's site.
LinkShare also provides affiliates with customer service, notifies affiliates about new programs and new opportunities, and offers resources for affiliates to learn about how to get the most out of their programs
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Advantages of Using An Affiliate Network
The Advantages of Using An Affiliate Network
Though not all affiliate programs are administrated through an affiliate network, there are some advantages to using ones that are. Affiliate networks take the head-ache out of tracking and receiving payment and can help webmasters concentrate their efforts on driving traffic instead of maintaining affiliate programs.
What is an Affiliate Network?
Affiliate Networks act as the trusted third party to track and report sales and traffic from ads, they send monthly payment, and often provide online tools to help affiliates optimize their performance. They provide webmasters with access to hundreds of affiliate programs all in one convenient location.
If You DON'T use Affiliate Networks
Webmasters who don't utilize affiliate networks, and use affiliate programs from independent parties may suffer from inaccurate tracking, late or no payment, and dead links and banners.
Should all Affiliates Use an Affiliate Network?
We recommend using an affiliate network to webmasters who are signing up for more than one affiliate program.
Can Affiliates Be Part of Multiple Networks?
Yes. We advise affiliates to sign up for as many affiliate networks as they would like to. Sign-up is free to affiliates and Affiliate Networks partner with different merchants. For example, Ebay uses Commission Junction to mediate their affiliate program, whereas 1-800-Flowers.com uses Linkshare. If you want to sign up for both affiliate programs you should be a part of both networks. Using multiple networks can give you access to more merchants and affiliate programs.
Are Some Networks Better Than Others?
While all affiliate networks have their strong points, we like Commission Junction the best. They have the best optimization tools for affiliates, so affiliates can make the most money possible from each click of traffic.
Though not all affiliate programs are administrated through an affiliate network, there are some advantages to using ones that are. Affiliate networks take the head-ache out of tracking and receiving payment and can help webmasters concentrate their efforts on driving traffic instead of maintaining affiliate programs.
What is an Affiliate Network?
Affiliate Networks act as the trusted third party to track and report sales and traffic from ads, they send monthly payment, and often provide online tools to help affiliates optimize their performance. They provide webmasters with access to hundreds of affiliate programs all in one convenient location.
If You DON'T use Affiliate Networks
Webmasters who don't utilize affiliate networks, and use affiliate programs from independent parties may suffer from inaccurate tracking, late or no payment, and dead links and banners.
Should all Affiliates Use an Affiliate Network?
We recommend using an affiliate network to webmasters who are signing up for more than one affiliate program.
Can Affiliates Be Part of Multiple Networks?
Yes. We advise affiliates to sign up for as many affiliate networks as they would like to. Sign-up is free to affiliates and Affiliate Networks partner with different merchants. For example, Ebay uses Commission Junction to mediate their affiliate program, whereas 1-800-Flowers.com uses Linkshare. If you want to sign up for both affiliate programs you should be a part of both networks. Using multiple networks can give you access to more merchants and affiliate programs.
Are Some Networks Better Than Others?
While all affiliate networks have their strong points, we like Commission Junction the best. They have the best optimization tools for affiliates, so affiliates can make the most money possible from each click of traffic.
Commission Junction
Commission Junction
Housing the most lucrative affiliate programs available, Commission Junction is the premier network for affiliate marketing. CJ provides affiliates and merchants alike with optimal revenue sharing tools and experiences.
From an affiliate standpoint we have found CJ to be first-class in the following areas: ease of use, tracking capabilities, affiliate/merchant relations, multiple site compatibility and incentive programs.
Ease of Use
CJ Sign-up is quick and easy. You put in contact information, the URL for the site you will be using, send in the W-9 for tax purposes and you are on your way. Log-in email is sent to your inbox and then you can log in to the network of web sites that offer affiliate programs.
Tracking Capabilities
CJ has the most advanced tracking and reporting capabilities we've found. Webmasters are able to optimize their efforts by using their advanced statistics and advertiser earning potential reports. CJ tells webmasters which advertisers are performing the best and handing out the highest commissions based on actual statistics.
Affiliate/Advertiser Relations
Applying for affiliate programs takes just one click. CJ uses a web-based email system for merchants and affiliates to keep in touch. CJ also notifies webmasters of links and advertisers that have expired, so affiliates can always keep current ads and advertisers up on their site.
Multiple Site Compatibility
For webmasters who oversee many different sites with advertiser links on them, CJ makes it easy to diversify the tracking codes and monitor the performance of each site's affiliate links.
Incentive Programs
Advertisers are always offering new incentive programs to raise affiliate performance. CJ makes it easy to stay abreast of new offers and changes. They also offer Rewards incentives to web site visitors of affiliates.
Overall, Commission Junction is the best affiliate network and makes keeping track of affiliate programs a breeze. To sign up with CJ click on the link below and apply for a "Publisher Account" with them. (FYI- CJ calls affiliates "publishers" and merchants providing affiliate programs "advertisers")
Housing the most lucrative affiliate programs available, Commission Junction is the premier network for affiliate marketing. CJ provides affiliates and merchants alike with optimal revenue sharing tools and experiences.
From an affiliate standpoint we have found CJ to be first-class in the following areas: ease of use, tracking capabilities, affiliate/merchant relations, multiple site compatibility and incentive programs.
Ease of Use
CJ Sign-up is quick and easy. You put in contact information, the URL for the site you will be using, send in the W-9 for tax purposes and you are on your way. Log-in email is sent to your inbox and then you can log in to the network of web sites that offer affiliate programs.
Tracking Capabilities
CJ has the most advanced tracking and reporting capabilities we've found. Webmasters are able to optimize their efforts by using their advanced statistics and advertiser earning potential reports. CJ tells webmasters which advertisers are performing the best and handing out the highest commissions based on actual statistics.
Affiliate/Advertiser Relations
Applying for affiliate programs takes just one click. CJ uses a web-based email system for merchants and affiliates to keep in touch. CJ also notifies webmasters of links and advertisers that have expired, so affiliates can always keep current ads and advertisers up on their site.
Multiple Site Compatibility
For webmasters who oversee many different sites with advertiser links on them, CJ makes it easy to diversify the tracking codes and monitor the performance of each site's affiliate links.
Incentive Programs
Advertisers are always offering new incentive programs to raise affiliate performance. CJ makes it easy to stay abreast of new offers and changes. They also offer Rewards incentives to web site visitors of affiliates.
Overall, Commission Junction is the best affiliate network and makes keeping track of affiliate programs a breeze. To sign up with CJ click on the link below and apply for a "Publisher Account" with them. (FYI- CJ calls affiliates "publishers" and merchants providing affiliate programs "advertisers")
Pay Per Click Affiliate Programs
Pay Per Click Affiliate Programs
While affiliate marketing began as a pay per click model it is becoming more difficult for webmasters to find pay per click affiliate programs to sign up for. Read on to find out where you can still find merchants who will pay you for every visitor you send to their site using pay per click affiliate programs.
Pay Per Click vs. Pay Per Action
Every webmaster would love to be highly compensated for every visitor sent to an affiliate website, however that is not how most affiliate programs work. Merchants sponsoring affiliate programs have found pay per action models to much more profitable for them. Pay per action means the merchant only has to pay the affiliate if the customer click converts to a sale. Most merchants have turned to this more profitable payment scheme from the original pay per click model.
Finding Pay Per Click Affiliate Programs
We have found the most pay per click affiliate programs in the the easiest to manage location through the Commission Junction affiliate network. CJ is our favorite because it makes choosing high performing products and creatives easy, as well as tracking sales, receiving payment, and managing multiple sites. CJ will tell just exactly how the merchant plans to pay, per sale, per lead, or per click.
The majority of pay per click affiliate programs are for products like casinos, online dating, and recreational sites that are sure to make money off most visitors to their site, so they are willing to pay merchants the same way. If these types of affiliate programs fit your site you may be interested in a pay per click affiliate program.
High Traffic = High Commissions
For webmasters with high traffic websites, pay per click affiliate programs can be very profitable. If you haven't already, sign up for an account with Commission Junction (its free to webmasters) and start connecting with merchants who are paying for every visitor.
While affiliate marketing began as a pay per click model it is becoming more difficult for webmasters to find pay per click affiliate programs to sign up for. Read on to find out where you can still find merchants who will pay you for every visitor you send to their site using pay per click affiliate programs.
Pay Per Click vs. Pay Per Action
Every webmaster would love to be highly compensated for every visitor sent to an affiliate website, however that is not how most affiliate programs work. Merchants sponsoring affiliate programs have found pay per action models to much more profitable for them. Pay per action means the merchant only has to pay the affiliate if the customer click converts to a sale. Most merchants have turned to this more profitable payment scheme from the original pay per click model.
Finding Pay Per Click Affiliate Programs
We have found the most pay per click affiliate programs in the the easiest to manage location through the Commission Junction affiliate network. CJ is our favorite because it makes choosing high performing products and creatives easy, as well as tracking sales, receiving payment, and managing multiple sites. CJ will tell just exactly how the merchant plans to pay, per sale, per lead, or per click.
The majority of pay per click affiliate programs are for products like casinos, online dating, and recreational sites that are sure to make money off most visitors to their site, so they are willing to pay merchants the same way. If these types of affiliate programs fit your site you may be interested in a pay per click affiliate program.
High Traffic = High Commissions
For webmasters with high traffic websites, pay per click affiliate programs can be very profitable. If you haven't already, sign up for an account with Commission Junction (its free to webmasters) and start connecting with merchants who are paying for every visitor.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Finding the Perfect Affiliate Program
Finding the Perfect Affiliate Program
Every now and again we webmasters will come across one affiliate program that out-performs the rest; the affiliate program that converts clicks to sales as fast as you can send traffic. If you haven't yet found your "Golden Goose" affiliate program, read on to learn how to spot the one in a million.
Discovering an affiliate program that blows the others out of the water requires a fine balance between three key factors: recommending a quality product, buyer-friendly website design, and lastly, affiliate program payout.
Quality Product
You may be able to succeed for a short while recommending a faulty product, but get-rich-quick schemes like that are not the way to find the cash-cow affiliate program. Find a good quality product/service to recommend to your website visitors. Choose an upstanding established company who emphasizes customer satisfaction. By teaming up with a good company and quality product you are on the right track.
Buyer-Friendly Web Design
It does you no good to send precious traffic to poorly designed websites that can't convert your clicks to sales. The perfect affiliate program takes the traffic you send instantly by the hand and leads them to a sale. Bad design is the sales enemy and customers can click away as easily as they came, leaving you commissionless. Be certain that you send your traffic to affiliate programs that can make a sale.
Affiliate Program Payout
This last tip should be fairly obvious to webmasters familiar with affiliate marketing; however, many casual affiliates who don't know they could be making big money overlook choosing an affiliate program with a high payout. The best affiliate programs are willing to pay their affiliates well. This means high bounties, longer cookie duration, and recurring payment on repeat customers if possible.
The perfect affiliate program factors in the three key elements of affiliate success: choosing a good product, with a great website and a terrific payout. Sending your website traffic to these types of affiliate programs will turn your hard-earned traffic into revenue.
Every now and again we webmasters will come across one affiliate program that out-performs the rest; the affiliate program that converts clicks to sales as fast as you can send traffic. If you haven't yet found your "Golden Goose" affiliate program, read on to learn how to spot the one in a million.
Discovering an affiliate program that blows the others out of the water requires a fine balance between three key factors: recommending a quality product, buyer-friendly website design, and lastly, affiliate program payout.
Quality Product
You may be able to succeed for a short while recommending a faulty product, but get-rich-quick schemes like that are not the way to find the cash-cow affiliate program. Find a good quality product/service to recommend to your website visitors. Choose an upstanding established company who emphasizes customer satisfaction. By teaming up with a good company and quality product you are on the right track.
Buyer-Friendly Web Design
It does you no good to send precious traffic to poorly designed websites that can't convert your clicks to sales. The perfect affiliate program takes the traffic you send instantly by the hand and leads them to a sale. Bad design is the sales enemy and customers can click away as easily as they came, leaving you commissionless. Be certain that you send your traffic to affiliate programs that can make a sale.
Affiliate Program Payout
This last tip should be fairly obvious to webmasters familiar with affiliate marketing; however, many casual affiliates who don't know they could be making big money overlook choosing an affiliate program with a high payout. The best affiliate programs are willing to pay their affiliates well. This means high bounties, longer cookie duration, and recurring payment on repeat customers if possible.
The perfect affiliate program factors in the three key elements of affiliate success: choosing a good product, with a great website and a terrific payout. Sending your website traffic to these types of affiliate programs will turn your hard-earned traffic into revenue.
Negotiating Bigger Bounties
Negotiating Bigger Bounties
So you are making money with affiliate programs, now what? Make more money! Here's how…
Get To Know Your Merchants
People do business with people they know, right? You need to establish relationships with the merchants you are affiliated with. This can be easy or difficult depending on your market. Credit card merchants, for example, are almost impossible to get in touch with as most use outsourced affiliate programs. Other affiliate program directors may be easy to contact and open to negotiations. Remember, solid relationships take time, so be patient and persistent and don't be afraid to make the first move.
Be a Top Affiliate
Merchants are almost always willing to award top performing affiliates. Higher bounties are handed out to continue to entice and reward the affiliates who send the most business. It is only natural - you make more money for them, they have more money to share with you. Stand out from the other affiliates as the top of the heap, and you will get noticed and (hopefully) rewarded.
You Have to Ask
It is very rare to receive a commission raise without asking for one. Unless you are a top performing affiliate, you will not get paid more per click/sale unless you ask, beg, or bribe. Okay, maybe bribery is a little far, but you will have to ask nicely and offer the merchant something in return - like increased traffic, better traffic, or more sales.
Taking the initiative to establish or improve relationships with merchants and affiliate program directors can pay off in the long run with higher bounties and better commissions. Don't settle for mediocre commissions. If you are a good affiliate you deserve more.
So you are making money with affiliate programs, now what? Make more money! Here's how…
Get To Know Your Merchants
People do business with people they know, right? You need to establish relationships with the merchants you are affiliated with. This can be easy or difficult depending on your market. Credit card merchants, for example, are almost impossible to get in touch with as most use outsourced affiliate programs. Other affiliate program directors may be easy to contact and open to negotiations. Remember, solid relationships take time, so be patient and persistent and don't be afraid to make the first move.
Be a Top Affiliate
Merchants are almost always willing to award top performing affiliates. Higher bounties are handed out to continue to entice and reward the affiliates who send the most business. It is only natural - you make more money for them, they have more money to share with you. Stand out from the other affiliates as the top of the heap, and you will get noticed and (hopefully) rewarded.
You Have to Ask
It is very rare to receive a commission raise without asking for one. Unless you are a top performing affiliate, you will not get paid more per click/sale unless you ask, beg, or bribe. Okay, maybe bribery is a little far, but you will have to ask nicely and offer the merchant something in return - like increased traffic, better traffic, or more sales.
Taking the initiative to establish or improve relationships with merchants and affiliate program directors can pay off in the long run with higher bounties and better commissions. Don't settle for mediocre commissions. If you are a good affiliate you deserve more.
Choosing the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Site
Choosing the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Site
One of the key elements of making affiliate programs work for you is choosing the right program or programs for your site. This article discusses general considerations for getting a good match. For more about the benefits of an affiliate network, see the article "Advantages of Using an Affiliate Network."
Your Search—Open-Ended
Some people start to hunt for an affiliate program in a spirit of being open to anything. In this situation, you might seek programs in a variety of locations and representing products from a wide range of groupings. You could start, for example, with an affiliate program directory, and look through the entire range of programs, which typically include the following categories, and more:
Art & Music
Automotive
Books & Media
Careers
Clothing & Accessories
Commerce
Education & Training
Entertainment
Family & Lifestyles
Financial Services
Food & Drinks
Gifts & Flowers
Health & Beauty
Home & Garden
Insurance
Recreation & Leisure
Shops & Malls
Sports & Fitness
Telecommunications
Travel
Web Services
Amazon.com and eBay are two large affiliate programs within which you could shape your own specialty area. There are many that are smaller and more focused.
Your Search—Focused
But let's say you already have a site or that you have a particular interest in mind from the start. You can still use an affiliate program directory and just be more selective about your categories. But what would you want to select?
If you have a product for sale yourself, say a gadget you invented and patented for hanging trousers without imprints or creases, try to choose complementary products that either:
• work with your product
• are thought of in connection with your product
• make your product necessary
• extend the use of your product
For your ingenious trouser hanger, this might lead you to clothiers and closet designers. BUT . . . you would want to avoid anyone selling a competing hanging product that your visitor might choose in lieu of yours: no reason to give your competitors free advertising! The connection between your product and the advertised product will ensure that visitors to your site are highly likely to be interested in the products of the merchants you're affiliated with.
One way to come up with good ideas is to visit the websites of your competitors. Look around and see what types of affiliate links they have. You may want to imitate them or one-up them. In either case, the research might give you some fresh ideas. It's also a good idea to visit the merchants sites and see who they link to: this might give you some more ideas.
If you don't have a product, but do have a website, you may have a little more flexibility about what you choose, because your topic focus is likely to be a bit broader than one gadget. In this case, try to think of the different types of people who might be interested in your site and what other products would appeal to each distinct group.
For example, if you show Maine Coon cats and have a website devoted to the breed, you might get visits from cat fanciers, on the one hand, and families who are simply looking for information while considering purchasing a pet on the other hand. The specialists and the folks with a more casual interest is not an unusual split for this article has all rights reserved and is copyright by 100 Best a website to draw, so think about both. In any case, be sure to choose products and services that you can stand behind with enthusiasm.
Whoa, Nelly!
Signing up for affiliate programs may seem very attractive, so make sure you don't get carried away. Doing it right means a time investment, and if you have separate tracking for each program, this will mean extra time sorting out the analysis of each merchant's product or service and making plans for your next campaign.
What to Look For
Of course, another important aspect of your search is the terms of affiliation. Here are some good questions to consider as you contemplate joining an affiliate program:
• How much is the commission?
• What action is required for the commission to be triggered?
• What is the number of "Return Days"?
• How often are checks issued?
• What kind of tracking is used and what do the reports detail?
• How is the problem of click fraud and other types of fraud being handled?
• How available is the merchant?
• Is the merchant interested in working with affiliate-generated ideas and concepts?
• Is the program one-tiered or two-tiered and how exactly do the payments work?
• Does the merchant have a good reputation with existing affiliates?
One of the key elements of making affiliate programs work for you is choosing the right program or programs for your site. This article discusses general considerations for getting a good match. For more about the benefits of an affiliate network, see the article "Advantages of Using an Affiliate Network."
Your Search—Open-Ended
Some people start to hunt for an affiliate program in a spirit of being open to anything. In this situation, you might seek programs in a variety of locations and representing products from a wide range of groupings. You could start, for example, with an affiliate program directory, and look through the entire range of programs, which typically include the following categories, and more:
Art & Music
Automotive
Books & Media
Careers
Clothing & Accessories
Commerce
Education & Training
Entertainment
Family & Lifestyles
Financial Services
Food & Drinks
Gifts & Flowers
Health & Beauty
Home & Garden
Insurance
Recreation & Leisure
Shops & Malls
Sports & Fitness
Telecommunications
Travel
Web Services
Amazon.com and eBay are two large affiliate programs within which you could shape your own specialty area. There are many that are smaller and more focused.
Your Search—Focused
But let's say you already have a site or that you have a particular interest in mind from the start. You can still use an affiliate program directory and just be more selective about your categories. But what would you want to select?
If you have a product for sale yourself, say a gadget you invented and patented for hanging trousers without imprints or creases, try to choose complementary products that either:
• work with your product
• are thought of in connection with your product
• make your product necessary
• extend the use of your product
For your ingenious trouser hanger, this might lead you to clothiers and closet designers. BUT . . . you would want to avoid anyone selling a competing hanging product that your visitor might choose in lieu of yours: no reason to give your competitors free advertising! The connection between your product and the advertised product will ensure that visitors to your site are highly likely to be interested in the products of the merchants you're affiliated with.
One way to come up with good ideas is to visit the websites of your competitors. Look around and see what types of affiliate links they have. You may want to imitate them or one-up them. In either case, the research might give you some fresh ideas. It's also a good idea to visit the merchants sites and see who they link to: this might give you some more ideas.
If you don't have a product, but do have a website, you may have a little more flexibility about what you choose, because your topic focus is likely to be a bit broader than one gadget. In this case, try to think of the different types of people who might be interested in your site and what other products would appeal to each distinct group.
For example, if you show Maine Coon cats and have a website devoted to the breed, you might get visits from cat fanciers, on the one hand, and families who are simply looking for information while considering purchasing a pet on the other hand. The specialists and the folks with a more casual interest is not an unusual split for this article has all rights reserved and is copyright by 100 Best a website to draw, so think about both. In any case, be sure to choose products and services that you can stand behind with enthusiasm.
Whoa, Nelly!
Signing up for affiliate programs may seem very attractive, so make sure you don't get carried away. Doing it right means a time investment, and if you have separate tracking for each program, this will mean extra time sorting out the analysis of each merchant's product or service and making plans for your next campaign.
What to Look For
Of course, another important aspect of your search is the terms of affiliation. Here are some good questions to consider as you contemplate joining an affiliate program:
• How much is the commission?
• What action is required for the commission to be triggered?
• What is the number of "Return Days"?
• How often are checks issued?
• What kind of tracking is used and what do the reports detail?
• How is the problem of click fraud and other types of fraud being handled?
• How available is the merchant?
• Is the merchant interested in working with affiliate-generated ideas and concepts?
• Is the program one-tiered or two-tiered and how exactly do the payments work?
• Does the merchant have a good reputation with existing affiliates?
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