How do affiliate programs work: affiliate classroom has the answers
Ranked #3,714 in How-To, #36,943 overall | Donates to Acumen Fund
How do affiliate programs work?
For my first few years in affiliate marketing I spent a lot of time and money on unfocused activity. Then I discovered Anik Singal's Affiliate Classroom.
As a member of Affiliate Classroom, I learnt to develop my internet profile, identify my niches, write and publish articles, create press releases, develop my Affiliate Marketing Coach Blog and produce e-books and reports.
TRIAL OFFER : Download to your heart's content for 14 days for $1.
Click Here to find out how affiliate programs work.
You can access and download any or all of the following from Affiliate Classroom:
* comprehensive step by step affiliate marketing guide
* more than 60 affiliate marketing tutorials
* recorded teleconferences on affiliate marketing
* affiliate marketing case studies
* affiliate marketing ebooks and software.
There is a wealth of information here that will answer any question you have about how to do affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Marketing on Squidoo
Giant Squid, PotPieGirl, reveals her secret approach to affiliate marketing on Squidoo:
CLICK HERE to learn how to make real money with affiliate programs
Link to Us Here
How affiliate programs work: the process
Affiliate programs involve two key players - the merchant and the affiliate. The merchant engages the affiliate to promote their products and/or services on their behalf.
The affiliate undertakes to promote and sell the merchant's products/services in exchange for a share of the income from those sales.
Affiliates can be paid on many different bases including pay-per-lead (for each person who signs up to a subscriber's list), pay-per-referral (for each person who pays as a member of the merchant's program), pay-per-sale (a % of the sale price of a product or service) and pay-per-click (paid for each click on a merchant's advertisement).
Affiliate commissions can be one-off or involve recurring monthly income. Commissions can also be paid over a number of levels - e.g. you can be paid for a person you recruit to a program and also for each person they recruit. This is described as affiliate commission over two levels (or two-tier commissions). Some programs involve payment over multiple levels.
Affiliate Classroom pays commission from monthly subscriptions over two levels in the form of recurring monthly income.
The affiliate undertakes to promote and sell the merchant's products/services in exchange for a share of the income from those sales.
Affiliates can be paid on many different bases including pay-per-lead (for each person who signs up to a subscriber's list), pay-per-referral (for each person who pays as a member of the merchant's program), pay-per-sale (a % of the sale price of a product or service) and pay-per-click (paid for each click on a merchant's advertisement).
Affiliate commissions can be one-off or involve recurring monthly income. Commissions can also be paid over a number of levels - e.g. you can be paid for a person you recruit to a program and also for each person they recruit. This is described as affiliate commission over two levels (or two-tier commissions). Some programs involve payment over multiple levels.
Affiliate Classroom pays commission from monthly subscriptions over two levels in the form of recurring monthly income.
Step by step affiliate marketing with Affiliate Classroom
Affiliate Classroom provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide that is computer assisted and enables you to map your progress in a logical sequence.
You identify your areas of interest and strength and work to develop a detailed marketing plan aided by the step by step guide to affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Classroom also provides reviews of affiliate products by category explaining the offering, the history and the basis for commission. These affiliate product reviews are invaluable and provided by experts.
The affiliate product reviews also include suggested strategies for marketing the affiliate program or product.
You identify your areas of interest and strength and work to develop a detailed marketing plan aided by the step by step guide to affiliate marketing.
Affiliate Classroom also provides reviews of affiliate products by category explaining the offering, the history and the basis for commission. These affiliate product reviews are invaluable and provided by experts.
The affiliate product reviews also include suggested strategies for marketing the affiliate program or product.
Affiliate Marketing Myth (1) - Follow the leader
When you follow the leader or Affiliate Program Manager, you are in danger of losing your identity. You end up building the list of the program owner and not your own.
One of the key ingredients to affiliate marketing is credibility. People will buy from you when they trust YOUR expertise and your integrity. If you follow the leader and don't differentiate yourself, you are missing the opportunity to establish your own credibility and profile.
If you have been on the internet for some time you will have come across some interesting profiles - Bob the Teacher, The Blog King, The Money King, Dr. Mani - and approaches such as Bum Marketing and Butterfly Marketing.
Ewen Chia in his Super Affiliates Blueprint describes this as "Brand Building"
In the following affiliate marketing article, I explain the reasons why you need to establish your own internet profile:
Affiliate Marketing: 6 Great Reasons to Build Your Internet Profile
Affiliate Marketing Principle (1) - Build Your Own Internet Profile
One of the key ingredients to affiliate marketing is credibility. People will buy from you when they trust YOUR expertise and your integrity. If you follow the leader and don't differentiate yourself, you are missing the opportunity to establish your own credibility and profile.
If you have been on the internet for some time you will have come across some interesting profiles - Bob the Teacher, The Blog King, The Money King, Dr. Mani - and approaches such as Bum Marketing and Butterfly Marketing.
Ewen Chia in his Super Affiliates Blueprint describes this as "Brand Building"
In the following affiliate marketing article, I explain the reasons why you need to establish your own internet profile:
Affiliate Marketing: 6 Great Reasons to Build Your Internet Profile
Affiliate Marketing Principle (1) - Build Your Own Internet Profile
Free Affiliate Classroom Magazine - Back End Sales and High Ticket Promotions
This is the best free resource on the Internet for affiliate marketers. It is unmatched in terms of professionalism, timeliness and insight.
The September 2007 issue is all about back end and high ticket promotions.
Cover Story - How to Promote High Ticket Back End Offers
Plus...
* Why Aren't You Promoting One Time Offers?
* Offline Retail Tactics for Online Affiliate Marketers
* Starting An Affiliate Program for Your Own Product
CLICK HERE to access your copy of the September 2007 Affiliate Classroom Magazine.
Affiliate Marketing Myth (2) - You have to master every affiliate marketing strategy
Well the reality is that most of the top affiliate marketers are noted for one key marketing strategy...which they have developed and refined through constant research and action.
Here's some examples:
Jim Edwards - ebook marketing
John Reese - traffic building
Rosalind Gardner - niche websites
Anik Singal - viral reports
Perry Marshall - Google Adwords
James Grandstaff - downline building
Jack Humphrey - SEO and Web 2.0 traffic
Ewen Chia - Website conversion
Jinger Jarrett - article writing
Yaro Starak - blogging for profit
The secret is to find an affiliate marketing strategy that builds on your strengths, is in line with your personal interests, and is appropriate for marketing your affiliate product or affiliate program.
For example, I learned to develop blogging as a marketing strategy through my membership of the Affiliate Classroom.
Once you have mastered one affiliate marketing strategy, you can move on to develop another affiliate marketing approach. Often you will develop an understanding of other approaches as you focus on your first approach. Many of the strategies are interlinked.
Affiliate Marketing Principle (2) - Develop an affiliate marketing strategy that builds on your strengths.
Here's some examples:
Jim Edwards - ebook marketing
John Reese - traffic building
Rosalind Gardner - niche websites
Anik Singal - viral reports
Perry Marshall - Google Adwords
James Grandstaff - downline building
Jack Humphrey - SEO and Web 2.0 traffic
Ewen Chia - Website conversion
Jinger Jarrett - article writing
Yaro Starak - blogging for profit
The secret is to find an affiliate marketing strategy that builds on your strengths, is in line with your personal interests, and is appropriate for marketing your affiliate product or affiliate program.
For example, I learned to develop blogging as a marketing strategy through my membership of the Affiliate Classroom.
Once you have mastered one affiliate marketing strategy, you can move on to develop another affiliate marketing approach. Often you will develop an understanding of other approaches as you focus on your first approach. Many of the strategies are interlinked.
Affiliate Marketing Principle (2) - Develop an affiliate marketing strategy that builds on your strengths.
FREE - Blogging Profits Blueprint
Affiliate marketing through blogging - how to build your traffic and affiliate income
Well Yaro has done it again. This free blogging report by Yaro Stark is better than either of the two $47 ebooks on blogging that I have acquired.
Yaro is from Brisbane in Queensland and is one of the top 10 bloggers in Australia. He averages $5000 a month from blogging. Yaro shares some amazing information in this report.
It is chock-a-block with usuable information. I have just listened to the mp3 version on my iPod and plan to read the PDF version as well to absorb all the wisdom he shares. He gives you the basic steps to create a great blog and a huge readership and he tells you in detail the top income sources for his blog.
If you want to learn how to make affiliate marketing work through blogging, this ebook is for you.
Check it out now - it's FREE:
Blog Profits Blueprint
Affiliate Marketing Myth (3) - Be an overnight success
Yes it does happen - overnight success. However, this is the exception rather than the rule. If you read the story of most successful affiliate marketers today, you will notice some common elements:
1. I was really hard up on my luck - I just had to succeed
2. I spent thousands of dollars on ebooks and software trying to educate myself as quickly as possible
3. I spent three, four or five years searching for that one big breakthrough
4. Each time I tried something different I learnt something new and I used that knowledge to continuously improve what I did
5. I realised that affiliate marketing is a building process - one step at a time - incremental improvements that collectively have a major payoff eventually
6. I persisted exploring, learning, improving and refining...and persistence paid.
In the following affiliate marketing article, I explain some of the reasons persistence pays:
Affiliate Marketing: Persistence Pays
Affiliate Marketing Principle (3) - Persistence Pays - Luck follows persistence
1. I was really hard up on my luck - I just had to succeed
2. I spent thousands of dollars on ebooks and software trying to educate myself as quickly as possible
3. I spent three, four or five years searching for that one big breakthrough
4. Each time I tried something different I learnt something new and I used that knowledge to continuously improve what I did
5. I realised that affiliate marketing is a building process - one step at a time - incremental improvements that collectively have a major payoff eventually
6. I persisted exploring, learning, improving and refining...and persistence paid.
In the following affiliate marketing article, I explain some of the reasons persistence pays:
Affiliate Marketing: Persistence Pays
Affiliate Marketing Principle (3) - Persistence Pays - Luck follows persistence
Web 2.0 Marketing - Free ebook by expert Jack Humphrey
All I can say is WOW! This free, 64 page e-book by Web 2.0 expert, Jack Humphrey, is something special.
It gives you the complete list of Web 2.0 resources you need to generate a steady stream of qualified traffic. Jack shows you how to get high volume traffic by submitting your blog posts to the high ranking Web 2.0 sites.
Jack discusses blogging, RSS marketing, social bookmarking sites, social media sites, video marketing and provides the Big List of Web 2.0 Resources (with hotlinks). Well, Jack should know - he gets 5,000 visitors per day to one of his sites (and 850,000 page views in a month). Get your copy of the Authority Black Book:
Free Web 2.0 Marketing Ebook
Affiliate Marketing Myth (4) - It's all about selling
People are becoming increasingly resistant to the hard sell whether online or offline.
Successful affiliate marketers now engage in what has been described as magnetic sponsoring or permission marketing.
Affiliate marketers have to learn to be authentic and giving of themselves and their expertise. This naturally attract others. This means understanding the problems and issues of your target market, personally exploring solutions and sharing your experiences.
Elsewhere I have spoken of the need for affiliate marketers to:
* make themselves accessible
* use language that their audience can understand
* promote collaborative learning and sharing
* model sharing of ideas and resources
* encourage and support
* be responsive
* disclose something of themselves
I elaborate on these principles in the following affiliate marketing article which applies equally to your relationship with your downline, your prospects, your subscribers and your readership:
Affilaite Marketing: A Little TLC goes a long way
Affiliate Marketing Principle (4) - Effective Affiliate marketing is more about giving than selling.
Successful affiliate marketers now engage in what has been described as magnetic sponsoring or permission marketing.
Affiliate marketers have to learn to be authentic and giving of themselves and their expertise. This naturally attract others. This means understanding the problems and issues of your target market, personally exploring solutions and sharing your experiences.
Elsewhere I have spoken of the need for affiliate marketers to:
* make themselves accessible
* use language that their audience can understand
* promote collaborative learning and sharing
* model sharing of ideas and resources
* encourage and support
* be responsive
* disclose something of themselves
I elaborate on these principles in the following affiliate marketing article which applies equally to your relationship with your downline, your prospects, your subscribers and your readership:
Affilaite Marketing: A Little TLC goes a long way
Affiliate Marketing Principle (4) - Effective Affiliate marketing is more about giving than selling.
Clickbank Affiliate Confessions - Free resources for Clickbank Affiliate Marketers
FREE MP3 and eCOURSE on ClickBank AFfiliate Marketing
Codrut Turcanu tells you the top 10 mistakes you must avoid to generate great ClickBank commissions.
This FREE MP3 and 10-part eCourse also cover:
* top ClickBank money-making secrets
* Clickbank affiliate tips, tricks and tactics
* secrets of the top ClickBank affiliates
* breakthrough ideas on how to make money with ClickBank as an Affiliate Marketer.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE COPY NOW!
Codrut Turcanu tells you the top 10 mistakes you must avoid to generate great ClickBank commissions.
This FREE MP3 and 10-part eCourse also cover:
* top ClickBank money-making secrets
* Clickbank affiliate tips, tricks and tactics
* secrets of the top ClickBank affiliates
* breakthrough ideas on how to make money with ClickBank as an Affiliate Marketer.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR FREE COPY NOW!
Affiliate marketing posts from my blog
My Affiliate Marketing Coach blog provides affiliate marketers with resources, tools, articles, software, program reviews, tips and tactics. You can visit my blog here:
http://www.affiliate-marketing-coach.blogspot.com/
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byFree Viral Traffic Generator
LAUNCHED 13 November 2007
This is the whole box and dice developed by Brett Ingram and marketed with his partner, Stephen Ayer, owner of the long-standing and highly respected Traffic Roundup Traffic Exchange.
This is a very simple viral traffic program that is web-based and builds off your existing advertising efforts. You don't have to do a separate promotion - all you have to do is create an ad (like an Adwords style ad), enter your target url and then promote the new link that is created for you.
Every time your new link is clicked by someone you get credit which then means that your ad gets shown on another website.
Simply use the new links, and every time your new Viral Tracking Links are clicked, the target web page is displayed followed by a small, user friendly, unblockable flyin window on the bottom right that displays 3 ads and earns you 10 credits. The ads you created will then display on the flyin ad when other members' links are clicked! As long as you have credits (keep using and promoting your Viral Tracking Links) your ads will continue to display!
The beauty of this is that it is totally viral. Your own Viral Traffic Link affiliate link is promoted along with the other ads. As more people join under your affiliate link, you generate more credits as they promote their links...and so your traffic grows and grows.
Why not give it a try...it's free and and builds on what you currently do anyway:
CLICK HERE to access Viral Link Tracker now
P.S. Check out the One Time Offer (OTO) when you sign up - I took it up. I have so often regretted not making the most of new launches by failing to get in on the ground floor at bargain prices for PRO (Diamond) membership.
Autoresponder - Aweber.com review
I have used Aweber.com since September 2006. I have found them a very reliable service with excellent delivery rates. They provide a range of innovative options such as delivering blog entries directly to your subscriber base as you write them
The autoresponder options are great and you can create web opt-in forms with ease. I got stuck recently on some html code provided by one of the Giveaway programs and I used the live chat with Aweber to sort it out very quickly.
I have found their support staff to be very knowledgeable about their system.
Aweber.com also gives regular hints and tips on email marketing to increase your results.
The autoresponder options are great and you can create web opt-in forms with ease. I got stuck recently on some html code provided by one of the Giveaway programs and I used the live chat with Aweber to sort it out very quickly.
I have found their support staff to be very knowledgeable about their system.
Aweber.com also gives regular hints and tips on email marketing to increase your results.
Videos on how do affiliate programs work
I strongly recommend the video by Peter Koning "exactly how to set up a blog for affiliate marketing". This video is quite profound and insightful.
One of his recommendations is to add RSSGround to your blog which I have done since watching his video. RSS Ground gives you a ClickBank RSS feed with your ClickBank ID embedded. You can choose any keyword to display relevant products.
For more free videos on affiliate marketing visit my niche video site:
How to do affiliate marketing
One of his recommendations is to add RSSGround to your blog which I have done since watching his video. RSS Ground gives you a ClickBank RSS feed with your ClickBank ID embedded. You can choose any keyword to display relevant products.
For more free videos on affiliate marketing visit my niche video site:
How to do affiliate marketing
Affiliate Cash Secrets: Helping Newbies Get Started with Affiliate Marketing
Runtime: 9:53
9195 views
10 Comments:
Recommended Traffic Exchanges
Note: most traffic exchanges will not accept Squidoo lenses because they break out of frames and have adsense ads on them. According to one Traffic Exchange Webmaster it contravenes Google's terms to have sites with adsense ads appearing on Traffic Exchanges.
However, you can advertise your blog and/or website on Traffic Exchanges and link them to your Squidoo lens and get traffic that way. My blog generates a lot of traffic for my lenses.
However, you can advertise your blog and/or website on Traffic Exchanges and link them to your Squidoo lens and get traffic that way. My blog generates a lot of traffic for my lenses.
- WebBizInsider
- Great traffic exchange that is noted for its professionalism, the ability to purchase downlines, high level of unique hits and very useful Pro membership.
- Traffic Swarm
- This is more an add exchange - you can link your ad to your Squidoo lens. You create Adwords - style ads with links to your site. For each ad you click on you get one impression in exchange. This is one of the largest and most respected "traffic exchanges".
- Traffic Syndicate 25
- Also known as TS25 - has 100,000 members. Provides a unique way of rewarding active surfers. You don't build a downline - you join a syndicate and get bonus hits the higher your syndicate is placed. At the time of writing, TS25 does not accept Squidoo lenses because they are frame-breaking. Accepts blogs including Blogger.com blogs.
- Top Surfer
- Top Surfer is a great community. It has a superb wholesale membership which is a paid monthly fee but you can sell wholesale memberships and get the full fee back yourself. I have sold many monthly memberships and used the income to buy more traffic and more downline members- yes you can even buy downline members as well.
Pay Per Click (PPC) Guidelines - Affiliate Classroom Magazine
This introduction to PPC cuts through the fluff and explains the pros and cons of this important marketing method.
Plus...
* The Many Uses of PPC Marketing
* How to Write Winning PPC Ads
* AdWords: The Ultimate Niche Research Tool?
For free access to the current and back issues of this professional monthly magazine, CLICK HERE
Ron's articles on Ezinearticles.com
Ron is an expert author on Ezinearticles.com and his articles cover Squidoo Marketing, The Inner Game of Tennis (linked to affiliate products)and Affiliate Marketing.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byEmail marketing - Free Affiliate Classroom Magazine
This issue of the Affiliate Classroom Magazine focuses on email marketing as an affiliate marketer. It covers issues such as what merchants look for in email affiliates, RSS for affiliates, making money through relationships and how to best use your autoresponder.
For free access to the current and back issues of this professional monthly magazine, CLICK HERE
Email marketing - Aweber.com blog
Aweber.com provides a very professional and responsive autoresponder service. The online support via chat and audio is superb.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byClickbank No1 Seller: this will change how you do affiliate marketing!
six hours of audio
STOP PRESS - 12 Month Millionaire Package becomes Clickbank's No 1 seller
Russell Brunson has just released six hours of audio recordings (mp3) of his interview with the guy who was his mentor. He includes the pdf transcript in the bundle of offerings and access to his affiliate program that pays 75%.
This package sold 4,800 copies in three days. Even Gary Ambrose (List Bandit) said he learned heaps out of these audios which stress the power of off-line marketing. He stated that "Russell has opened a lot of eyes to the power of direct mail, and offline advertising techniques ..."
The interviews are specifically targeted at people who want to supplement their online activity with offline methods.
Check it out now:
http://www.12monthmillionaire.squidoomarketingstrategies.com
Russell Brunson has just released six hours of audio recordings (mp3) of his interview with the guy who was his mentor. He includes the pdf transcript in the bundle of offerings and access to his affiliate program that pays 75%.
This package sold 4,800 copies in three days. Even Gary Ambrose (List Bandit) said he learned heaps out of these audios which stress the power of off-line marketing. He stated that "Russell has opened a lot of eyes to the power of direct mail, and offline advertising techniques ..."
The interviews are specifically targeted at people who want to supplement their online activity with offline methods.
Check it out now:
http://www.12monthmillionaire.squidoomarketingstrategies.com
Blogs about affiliate marketing - Google results
- Web retailers, states tussle over tax rules
- Rather than gearing up to collect taxes, Amazon and other Web retailers are simply shutting down their affiliate marketing programs. ...
- GameOn Marketing launches GameOn Affiliates
- By Jenni Shuttleworth Galanis has more than four years' affiliate marketing and manager experience and will be leading GameOn to provide its gaming clients ...
- Search Marketing Expo SMX Selects NETexponent for Affiliate ...
- SMX, produced by Third Door Media Inc., has partnered with NETexponent to promote SMX events through the launch of a new affiliate marketing program in the ...
- babyage.com Co-founder Cites 10 Guiding Principles
- Affiliate marketing is great, but we're also doing some really neat work with comparison engines that give us CPA-style rates. ...
Monetize Your Site - Affiliate Classroom Magazine
This issue of the Affiliate Classroom Magazine monetizing your lens/site. It covers issues such as boosting conversions, creating upsells and SEO.
For free access to the current and back issues of this professional monthly magazine, CLICK HERE
Affiliate Marketing on Amazon.com
Successful Affiliate Marketing for Merchants (Que-Consumer-Other)
Amazon Price: $20.08 (as of 07/03/2009) 
List Price: $27.50
The Complete Guide to Associate & Affiliate Programs on the Net: Turning Clicks Into Cash
Amazon Price: (as of 07/03/2009)
List Price: $21.95
How to Start Your Network Marketing, Modern Party Plan or Web Affiliate Company
Amazon Price: $169.00 (as of 07/03/2009)
List Price: $169.00
Affiliate Cash Flow Marketing
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 07/03/2009)
List Price: $19.99
Subscribe to my FREE Squidoo Marketing Strategies Email Course
Free 7 day email course on Squidoo Marketing Strategies. Receive weekly follow-up emails with the latest Squidoo marketing tools, techniques, tips and strategies. Email support also provided to help you build and market your Squidoo lenses.
To subscribe to this free email course, created by the author of the Squidoo Marketing Strategies eBook, CLICK HERE
STOP PRESS - Squidoo Affiliate Destruction Released
Newly released e-book shows you how to earn affiliate cash on Squidoo. This very detailed e-book (165 pages) shows you how to create lenses to attract buyers to your affiliate products and make real affiliate income on Squidoo.
CLICK HERE to get your copy now and take your affiliate income to another level.
Article Marketing Exposed
Anik Singal spills all his secrets!
Learn how to get targeted visitors through article marketing.
CLICK HERE now to boost your affiliate income
Guestbook - Please leave your comments
rydigga wrote...
Hi Ron,
Excellent lens. Very informative with plenty of useful information. 5*
Thanks for sharing :)
Ryan
Posted March 29, 2009
staples wrote...
Hey really like this lens! Another site i found that shows how google sucks
Posted November 14, 2008
cannedguds wrote...
Hi Ron! I have found another one of your great lenses in affiliate marketing! I really can't get enough of all the information you have shared in all your lenses! Thank you so much for them! Just the same, hope you can visit some of my lenses and some of them have featured lots of personal checks including LSU checks , dog checks, Barbie checks & Photo checks where you can put some photos of your choice! Hope to read more lenses from you!!!! Great job!
Posted October 02, 2008
Lensmaster
Keaka77
We just picked up an affiliate program at my work and it has been going really good.. Thanks Ron
Posted September 10, 2008
alicesy wrote...
Excellent lens ! I like the quality insight you have provided here about Affiliate Classroom. Keep up the good work.
Please check out my Police Jobs blog.
Posted June 27, 2008
by ronpass
I am a life member of Affiliate Classroom and have been involved in affiliate marketing since 2003.
I established my affiliate marketing blog in 2005....
(more)Related Topics
ronpass Recommends...
- The #1 No BS Online MLM Making Money Resource
- Squidoo Marketing Strategies: Help To Develop and Market Your Squidoo Lenses
- AffSphere: article directory that pays and gives you traffic credits for article writing
- AffSphere: review of the new affiliate-friendly, article directory developed by Affiliate Classroom
- Internet Marketing Directory
