by 10 people |
How Do You Make Money Online?
That does seem to be the golden question. Everyone has their gimmicks, tricks, scams, ebooks, and new programs coming out everyday. I am going to talk about what has worked and what has not worked for me. You may or may not agree with what I have to say but all I have to go by is my own personal experiences. This lens is about how I make money online in affiliate marketing.
So, What Is Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing is a method of promoting web businesses (merchants/advertisers) in which an affiliate (publisher) is rewarded for every visitor, subscriber, customer, and/or sale provided through his/her efforts.
Affiliate marketing is also the name of the industry where a number of different types of companies and individuals are performing this form of internet marketing, including affiliate networks, affiliate management companies and in-house affiliate managers, specialized 3rd party vendors and various types of affiliates/publishers who utilize a number of different methods to advertise the products and services of their merchant/advertiser partners.
Affiliate marketing - using one site to drive traffic to another - is the stepchild of online marketing. While search engines, e-mail and RSS capture much of the attention of online retailers, affiliate marketing, despite lineage that goes back almost to the beginning of online retailing, carries a much lower profile. Yet affiliates continue to play a fundamental role in e-retailers' marketing strategies.
Affiliate marketing is also the name of the industry where a number of different types of companies and individuals are performing this form of internet marketing, including affiliate networks, affiliate management companies and in-house affiliate managers, specialized 3rd party vendors and various types of affiliates/publishers who utilize a number of different methods to advertise the products and services of their merchant/advertiser partners.
Affiliate marketing - using one site to drive traffic to another - is the stepchild of online marketing. While search engines, e-mail and RSS capture much of the attention of online retailers, affiliate marketing, despite lineage that goes back almost to the beginning of online retailing, carries a much lower profile. Yet affiliates continue to play a fundamental role in e-retailers' marketing strategies.
The Right Start
Motive, Morals & Marketing
In order to win at Affiliate Marketing, you have to have the right start. Before you start making money, you will need to get your mind geared towards helping people. You have to become a problem solver.Motive - Why are you trying to make money online? Are you just chasing money or are you trying to build a long term business that involves helping other people and that will eventually lead to your personal freedom and financial independance?
If you just chase money, you will never make it. People do not like that Pushy Salesman that is more interested in himself. To get people to buy from you, you have to focus on them. The money you receive is the payoff that comes after you've done a good job of helping someone else out by supplying them with better information, better products, or by showing them something that added value to their life.
If you become good at helping people and building relationships, people will buy from you and you will ultimately receive your reward.
Morals - Would you rather have 100 people buy one product from you and be unhappy or would you rather have 100 people buy one product, then come back and buy a second product, a third, & etc.?
If you are trying to screw people over or rip them off, then you actually have to work twice as hard because after every sale you make, you lose that person as a customer and have to find new ones.
Be honest and truthful about the information and products you are selling. Customers will respond by buying from you over and over.
Marketing - This is one of those things that you to be honest with yourself about. Do you know how to market?
The first thing you must do if you want to become successful at affiliate marketing is to first learn how to market. The best website in the world with the best products on it is worthless if no one ever sees them. The same is also true if you bring thousands of people in to see your website or products and they are not buyers. To makes sales, you have to be able to connect with the people who already want what you are selling. This is where most people need training.
You Need Real Training To Be Successful!
Are You Buying Ebooks?
Take A Break From The Ebooks For A While.
There seems to be a common pattern these days when people start to look for a home based or online business. Everyone jumps on the internet and starts searching aimlessly for ways to make money without any real direction. After they have hit a few sites and signed up for the newsletters, they start getting bombarded by "The Gurus" selling ebooks that never lead to any real answers. If you have fallen into this category, let me give you some good advice:
Don't Buy Another Ebook Until You Are Ready To Use Them!
Now, let me explain. There are a lot of good ebooks on the market that have some valuable information in them. The problem is that the information is only good to you if you have already established yourself as a marketer. If you do not know how to market yourself or your products, you will not make any money. How many lawyers do you know that read a book and then started a successful law firm? How may doctors do you know that read a book and then started a successful practice?
You Need Real Training To Be Successful!
I buy ebooks now only to try and find new information or techniques to improve my current business.
Don't Buy Another Ebook Until You Are Ready To Use Them!
Now, let me explain. There are a lot of good ebooks on the market that have some valuable information in them. The problem is that the information is only good to you if you have already established yourself as a marketer. If you do not know how to market yourself or your products, you will not make any money. How many lawyers do you know that read a book and then started a successful law firm? How may doctors do you know that read a book and then started a successful practice?
You Need Real Training To Be Successful!
I buy ebooks now only to try and find new information or techniques to improve my current business.
I Am Guilty
I tried for 2 years doing it the hard way. I bought lots of ebooks. I signed up for lots of programs. I probably spent a couple of thousand and made about a hundred bucks during that time. It was a expensive education for me since I did not really have to money to be spending at that time.
After 2 years, I was still searching for that next big program or product that was finally going to do it for me. One day, I found Wealthy Affiliate and I quickly figured out what I was doing wrong all along. I figured out that I did not know how to market. I learned that it did not matter what you sold. You can make just as much money selling helpful products to pregnant women as you can selling Get Rich Quick Ebooks (actually more if you target them correctly).
After I joined Wealthy Affiliate, I completely changed my way of thinking about making money online.
Even if you check out Wealthy Affiliate and decide that it is not for you, please find some type of training that involves a support system where people answer your questions and help you succeed. If I were to still be doing it on my own, I would still be struggling.
After 2 years, I was still searching for that next big program or product that was finally going to do it for me. One day, I found Wealthy Affiliate and I quickly figured out what I was doing wrong all along. I figured out that I did not know how to market. I learned that it did not matter what you sold. You can make just as much money selling helpful products to pregnant women as you can selling Get Rich Quick Ebooks (actually more if you target them correctly).
After I joined Wealthy Affiliate, I completely changed my way of thinking about making money online.
Even if you check out Wealthy Affiliate and decide that it is not for you, please find some type of training that involves a support system where people answer your questions and help you succeed. If I were to still be doing it on my own, I would still be struggling.
The Process
After you have learned what you are doing and have equipped yourself with the tools you need, you can start making sales.
Here is what you do:
1. Find people that have specific wants or needs.
2. Help those people find the what they want.
3. Show them where to buy it.
The People
The people can be found right here online. All you have to do is pick a group of people and find out what they are talking about. Goto forums, social networking sites, product review sites, news sites, and places like yahoo answers where people are asking specifically for information.
Help Those People
1. Join a/some Affiliate Networks that sell products or information that match your target audience.
2. Setup a website/blog/lens that targets a particular product. Fill it up with information that helps the person reading it.
3. Write helpful articles about your product that lead back to your website/blog/lens.
4. Setup an account with Google, Yahoo, and MSN and make ads so that your site can be easily found.
Show Them Where To Buy What They Want
Make sure your page or articles result in showing the customer where they can get what they are looking for.
Here is what you do:
1. Find people that have specific wants or needs.
2. Help those people find the what they want.
3. Show them where to buy it.
The People
The people can be found right here online. All you have to do is pick a group of people and find out what they are talking about. Goto forums, social networking sites, product review sites, news sites, and places like yahoo answers where people are asking specifically for information.
Help Those People
1. Join a/some Affiliate Networks that sell products or information that match your target audience.
2. Setup a website/blog/lens that targets a particular product. Fill it up with information that helps the person reading it.
3. Write helpful articles about your product that lead back to your website/blog/lens.
4. Setup an account with Google, Yahoo, and MSN and make ads so that your site can be easily found.
Show Them Where To Buy What They Want
Make sure your page or articles result in showing the customer where they can get what they are looking for.
Affiliate Networks
What Is An Affiliate Network?
An affiliate network acts as an intermediary between publishers (affiliates) and (merchant) affiliate programs. It allows publishers to find affiliate programs, which are suitable for their website and it helps websites offering affiliate programs reach its target audience. [1]
For merchants, services can include providing tracking technology, reporting tools, payment processing, and access to a large base of publishers. For affiliates, services can include providing one-click application to new merchants, reporting tools, and payment aggregation.
The networks are free to join for affiliates. The merchant on the other hand has to pay a fee. Traditional affiliate networks might charge an initial setup fees and/or a recurring maintenance fees. This differs from network to network. It is common for affiliate networks to charge merchants a percentage of the commission paid to the affiliates as fee for their services.
Traditional affiliate networks allow the merchant to offer its publishers revenue share or cost per action as compensation method. The majority of merchant programs prefer revenue share over cost per action[2].
In addition to the traditional networks exist also lead generation and CPA networks. Lead generation networks are typically networks that next to performance based promotions (affiliate marketing) also offer CPM or CPC based display advertising. CPA networks on the other hand are often so-called "super affiliates" who are themselves affiliates of merchants via the traditional affiliate networks and recruit other affiliates to promote the merchant through them instead of directly via the merchants program at the traditional network.
CPA networks take advantage of the ability to get higher commission rates due to their high volume, which they pass in part down to their affiliates. Average affiliates get usually paid a lower commission if they promote the merchant directly, because they are rarely able to generate the required volume to reach the higher payout tiers.
For merchants, services can include providing tracking technology, reporting tools, payment processing, and access to a large base of publishers. For affiliates, services can include providing one-click application to new merchants, reporting tools, and payment aggregation.
The networks are free to join for affiliates. The merchant on the other hand has to pay a fee. Traditional affiliate networks might charge an initial setup fees and/or a recurring maintenance fees. This differs from network to network. It is common for affiliate networks to charge merchants a percentage of the commission paid to the affiliates as fee for their services.
Traditional affiliate networks allow the merchant to offer its publishers revenue share or cost per action as compensation method. The majority of merchant programs prefer revenue share over cost per action[2].
In addition to the traditional networks exist also lead generation and CPA networks. Lead generation networks are typically networks that next to performance based promotions (affiliate marketing) also offer CPM or CPC based display advertising. CPA networks on the other hand are often so-called "super affiliates" who are themselves affiliates of merchants via the traditional affiliate networks and recruit other affiliates to promote the merchant through them instead of directly via the merchants program at the traditional network.
CPA networks take advantage of the ability to get higher commission rates due to their high volume, which they pass in part down to their affiliates. Average affiliates get usually paid a lower commission if they promote the merchant directly, because they are rarely able to generate the required volume to reach the higher payout tiers.
Top 5 Affiliate Networks
Commission Junction - One of the most popular networks. Provides mainly physical products and services from some of the top companies. Commission Junction is a global leader in the online advertising channels of affiliate marketing and managed search. We drive quality results, deliver superior service, and develop sustainable relationships for advertisers and publishers through our performance-based solutions. Commission Junction operates the only truly global network in affiliate marketing while setting the industry standard for network quality and providing the most sophisticated reporting tools available.
LinkShare - LinkShare Corporation provides ecommerce businesses with a vast, high quality pay-per-action marketing network, along with expert consultative services and patented technology. LinkShare's cost-efficient pay per action (PPA) affiliate, search and lead generation campaigns acquire new customers, increase revenue and drive results. LinkShare clients are Fortune 500 and prominent companies doing business online, including J.C. Penney, 1-800-Flowers.com, American Express, Avon Products and Dell.
/www.shareasale.com>Shareasale - Established in 2000, Shareasale.com began on the premise that we could provide any merchant - large or small - with high quality, reliable tracking software - at a lower cost than the industry norm - with the added benefit of being plugged into a large network of quality affiliate sites. We believe in, and depend on - the strong relationship between a motivated salesperson (the Affiliate), and a Merchant. We are proud of our reputation in the industry for being fair, honest, and proactive to customer concerns.
Performics - Performics, the performance-based marketing division of DoubleClick, provides online marketing services and technologies for leading multi-channel marketers. Together, Performics and DoubleClick offer clients an unparalleled range of marketing solutions and are uniquely positioned to compare effectiveness across marketing channels for valued clients.
Clickbank - ClickBank is the Internet's largest digital marketplace, where thousands of the web's most popular products are sold every day. Whether you're looking to buy, sell, or promote digital products, ClickBank is for you.
LinkShare - LinkShare Corporation provides ecommerce businesses with a vast, high quality pay-per-action marketing network, along with expert consultative services and patented technology. LinkShare's cost-efficient pay per action (PPA) affiliate, search and lead generation campaigns acquire new customers, increase revenue and drive results. LinkShare clients are Fortune 500 and prominent companies doing business online, including J.C. Penney, 1-800-Flowers.com, American Express, Avon Products and Dell.
/www.shareasale.com>Shareasale - Established in 2000, Shareasale.com began on the premise that we could provide any merchant - large or small - with high quality, reliable tracking software - at a lower cost than the industry norm - with the added benefit of being plugged into a large network of quality affiliate sites. We believe in, and depend on - the strong relationship between a motivated salesperson (the Affiliate), and a Merchant. We are proud of our reputation in the industry for being fair, honest, and proactive to customer concerns.
Performics - Performics, the performance-based marketing division of DoubleClick, provides online marketing services and technologies for leading multi-channel marketers. Together, Performics and DoubleClick offer clients an unparalleled range of marketing solutions and are uniquely positioned to compare effectiveness across marketing channels for valued clients.
Clickbank - ClickBank is the Internet's largest digital marketplace, where thousands of the web's most popular products are sold every day. Whether you're looking to buy, sell, or promote digital products, ClickBank is for you.
Wealthy Affiliate Videos
Stay On Top Of Your Business
So, what do you do when your business takes off. You will need more than a checkbook register to keep it running smooth.
Below, you will find a list of magazines that I read to keep up to date on small/home business information. They are great for learning more about sales, marketing, others experiences, and basic business operations.
Below, you will find a list of magazines that I read to keep up to date on small/home business information. They are great for learning more about sales, marketing, others experiences, and basic business operations.
Entrepreneur Magazine
Details
Current Term: 12
Current Price: $11.97
Current Price Per Issue: $1.00
Cover Price: $4.99
Entrepreneur
With proven management secrets, financial advice and marketing tips, plus words of wisdom from other accomplished business owners, Entrepreneur provides its readers with everything they need to start and grow a successful business. Entrepreneur takes a hands-on approach, advising readers on innovative ideas and strategies to improve their business operations, as well as current issues and trends shaping the world of business today.
Business 2.0 Magazine
Details:
Current Term: 11
Current Price: $14.95
Current Price Per Issue: $1.36
Cover Price: $3.95
Business 2.0
A monthly magazine about business, technology, and innovation, dedicated to ferreting out what works in today's constantly evolving business environment. It provides readers with a firsthand glimpse of new and surprising ideas, the people behind them, and how to put them to work. The magazine delivers everything from conversations with top-level business leaders to insights on management, technology, media, and careers.
Home Business Magazine
Details:
Current Term: 6
Current Price: $14.97
Current Price Per Issue: $2.50
Cover Price: $3.99
Home Business Magazine
HOME BUSINESS MAGAZINE is edited to cover various facets of the growing and dynamic 425 billion dollar home-based business market. It contains editorial by well known authorities on business operations, sales & marketing, the home office, franchising, business opportunities, network marketing, mail order and other subjects to help readers select and competently manage a home-based business. It also contains a home-based business directory, and information on high-tech, the Internet, computers and the future of home-based business. Home Office editorial includes product descriptions and management advice as well as business opportunities, franchising and work-from-home success stories.
Small Business Opportunities Magazine
Details:
Current Term: 6
Current Price: $14.97
Current Price Per Issue: $2.50
Cover Price: $3.25
Small Business Opportunities
Small Business Opportunities is a how-to magazine for small business owners and budding entrepreneurs. It offers a step-by-step guide to starting and operating a business. It features profiles of successful entrepreneurs; previews of emerging growth industries; advice on franchising, mail order, legal affairs and financial planning.
Opportunity World Magazine
Details:
Current Term: 6
Current Price: $20.00
Current Price Per Issue: $3.33
Cover Price: $3.95
Opportunity World
A dynamic business magazine focusing on small businesses providing exceptional "how to" information in helping companies grow and improve their small and start-up businesses within the competitive marketplace. Learn from business veterans offering advice which include articles such as successful internet marketing, how to build a better website, which are the best businesses to start today, how to work with the small business administration, how to promote your business on a shoestring, how to write a business plan, how to sell on eBay and much, much more.
New Guestbook
Like this lens? Want to share your feedback, or just give a thumbs up? Be the first to submit a blurb!
New RSS: Add Your Own Feed
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byby -Ron-
Hello. My biggest interest and the reason I am on squidoo is to help people by sharing what I know. I will talk about Wealthy Affiliate alot beca...
(more)
