What is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a form of promotion that benefits the company offering the product to be marketed and the person actually doing the marketing. Think of it as a reverse franchise: with franchises YOU the franchisee pays for the privilege of having that company's brand, products and logo.
In affiliate marketing, YOU get paid by the company offering the product. This typically amounts to a percentage of sales. There is absolutely no fee that you incur from becoming an affiliate.
Now, before you go to your favourite search engine and look for affiliate marketing, let's outline what's required:
- Website
The reason why you require a website is that when you join an affiliate programme you will receive HTML code that you include on your webpage. - Different Forms of Websites
Your website can take any form; you may have a blog type website where you review products and recommend to others what you have found and have links to where you are affiliated. You can have a traditional website; you can have just a 'landing page' where visitors 'land' and can take advantage of your content and affiliate links. You can also have a whole website dedicated to affiliate programmes. - Continuous Marketing
Just because you have a website and affiliate links doesn't mean that you will automatically make money. Affiliate marketing is a job. Your job might keep you in your house and on your computer, but it still is a job. Affiliate marketing is just that: marketing. If you don't have visitors who are using your affiliate links, you won't be making any money. - Patience
Affiliate marketing requires patience. Money won't necessarily come overnight. If you've decided to become an IM (Internet Marketer) or an AM (Affiliate Marketer) it takes time to establish yourself. - Establishing Strong Business Relationships
People need to be able to trust what you say and the products you're promoting. If people believe in you, selling is the easy part. They'll trust your integrity and your opinion in helping them solve their problems.
Freestart.com will recommend the website package that you need to get started in affiliate marketing. You can begin your affiliate marketing by becoming a Freestart.com affiliate. Click here to read more on how you can start earning as a Freestart.com affiliate.
