So you want to be an affiliate marketer eh?

When someone asks me about working from home, they generally are looking for something with minimal start-up costs that can be mostly ran online. I point them in the direction of affiliate marketing. Why?

Because it takes very little money to start. And it can be run entirely online. And affiliate marketing allows for the potential to make a lot of money.

Oh yes, and did I mention… it takes a lot of work?

Affiliate marketing is the act of marketing another’s product and/or service and receiving compensation for doing so.

For example, I am an affiliate for a company that registers domain names. If you visit this company to register a domain name using my special link, I receive a portion of the sale. Sounds great, right?

So how to you get started? Here is a quick course into getting started with affiliate marketing. When I say quick, I mean short. When I say basic, I mean it.

Getting started with affiliate marketing is easy. Here are the BASIC steps:

1. Choose an affiliate program to promote
2. Register a domain name
3. Set-up a hosting account
4. Create a website
5. Write articles promoting the product
6. Wait for your check to arrive

Decide what you want to promote. There is a vast assortment of programs to join out there. You can promote pretty much anything that you please you from animal treats, to books, to internet services (like domain names and hosting), clothing, dating services, communication products (cell phones, long distance plans), etc.

I recommend choosing something that either interests you, or something you are already knowledgeable about (or are at least willing to become knowledge about).

Once you have decided on what you would like to market, you can begin signing-up for programs. **Some programs require you to already have a website live – if this is the case, skip to the next step and come back to this later.

Where do you find affiliate programs? A majority of companies with websites offer affiliate programs. Look at the bottom of their website pages, you will typically find a link there. You can also run over to Google and type in affiliate program “your keyword” (obviously replacing “your keyword” with the topic you have chosen – example: shoes)
Another option is to join an affiliate network. These networks manage affiliate programs for hundreds of companies, allowing you to belong to multiple programs. The networks provide you with links and lump earnings from all programs into a single monthly payment. I personally belong to Commission Junction (CJ), oneNetwork and Link Share.

Advice: There are too many free options out there. Never pay a fee to join a program.

Once you are all signed up, you can begin the actual marketing part. You can usually market these programs online or off, but since most people who ask me want an “online only” business, we’ll focus on online marketing.

This is where affiliate marketing is going to cost you some money. Relax. Remember I said minimal start-up fees. And when I say minimal, I am talking less than $20.

You will need to first register a domain name and set-up a hosting account. There is no way around this. You cannot use a free service. This is a MUST HAVE investment.

I personally recommend (and use) GoDaddyto register your domain name. It will cost you a little over $10 for a .com extension. Choose your domain wisely. I won’t go into lengthy details but choose something that reflects your topic and utilizes your keywords. Once you register your domain name, you will need a web host. I use HostGator myself, paying under $10 per month for excellent service with the ability to host unlimited websites. You can find cheaper hosts, and more expensive. You can read reviews of web hosts I have used and make your own choice.

Now that you have your domain name and hosting all ready to go, you can create your actual website. If you have web design experience, good for you. You are one step ahead of the game and will save yourself a lot of time and money. If you do not have web design experience, you have a few options.

1. Hire a web designer. This option can be costly, but if you do not have the knowledge to do it yourself, it will save you money in the long run.

2. Design your own website using free templates and website builders. This will be cheaper than hiring a designer, but will be time consuming.

3. Install a blog script. This option is free, easy and the best way to go if you have no design experience (read how to set-up a blog here)

After your website is set-up, you can move on to the meat of your website. The content. Obviously, you will want the content of the site to revolve around the program or programs you are promoting. For example, if you are promoting party supplies, your website could focus on party planning tips, party theme ideas, etc. You don’t want your website to be a blatant ad for whatever you are promoting, so you need good ORIGINAL content. This content can come in the form of articles, checklists, etc. You should include your affiliate links in articles you write. You can also place banners and/or product images on your website pages, etc. But remember, you want your links to flow with the website, not overpower it.

For more information on adding quality content and optimizing your website to do well in the search engines, you can browse through my previous posts.

Like I mentioned before, this is a very basic overview on how to get started with affiliate marketing. There is a lot of work behind choosing programs, creating and optimizing your website and promoting it in the search engines.

It can take time and effort to do well but the payoff can be big.

Minimal investment. Online business.

Is affiliate marketing right for you? It just might be.

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