Affiliate Marketing News: What Is It and Where To Find It?
This is the first in a series of articles I will publish in the next couple of weeks, explaining a step-by-step plan to successful affiliate marketing. This first article is aimed to introduce absolute newbies to the concept of affiliate marketing and to the different ways in which to find a product to promote.
If you are an experienced marketer, or if you understand the concept and know how to locate products, this article is not for you. The following articles will include more advanced steps and even experienced marketers may find them interesting.
I will start by explaining what affiliate marketing is. Well, I like to say that Affiliate Marketing is to the 21st century what the Gold Rush was to the 19th century. The gold is there – one only needs to find it. But, on a more practical note: Affiliate Marketing is simply an agreement between you and a merchant or a product publisher, that says that the merchant will pay you a percentage of each and every sale he or she makes to a customer that you have driven to their web site.
Roughly, you’ll find three types of products: material ones – from shoes to yachts; information products – videos, software, ebooks, that are instantly downloaded to the purchaser’s computer; and subscriptions to newsletters, registrations to a course etc. Thousands and thousands of sellers pay commission to affiliates for purchases and for leads.
So, you see, the gold is there, all over Internet Marketing World. The question is how to find it. And, indeed, many people who decide to try affiliate marketing discover that the first step they need to take, i.e. finding the right product to promote, is the most difficult part of the whole process.
Let me suggest a few ideas for starters:
1. Have you ever purchased a product online which you really liked? Why not try to become an affiliate? Go to the product’s site or sales letter, click on the “affiliate program” link. You’ll find there all the information you need.
2. Start thinking about your hobbies, things you are interested in, things you have knowledge about. Perhaps you are a member of some forums in which you discuss your passion. This will help you a lot later, in your promotions. Let’s say you like basketball; you know everything about the game, the teams, and the players. Start searching for products that are associated with basketball, find their affiliate programs and start promoting them.
3. Try to think of something that is very popular in the United States, but hasn’t reached Europe yet, register to become an affiliate and start a Google Adwords campaign in France or in Great Britain. And, vice versa. Perhaps you’ve been to Europe and discovered a great product that is not yet known in North America. Contact the production company and start promoting it in the US.
4. Follow the popular products on your kids’ list. Talk to them and to their friends or to any group of teenagers to find out what they like. These are usually best selling items.
5. Subscribe to or buy regularly some popular publications. Follow the reports on the newest fads and fashions.
6. And let’s not forget the obvious: register to become an affiliate at Commision Junction, ClickBank and other Providers of affiliate programs. Search their marketplace to find their best selling products.
See you in a couple of day with Part 2 of the step-by-step plan to successful affiliate marketing.
Filed under: Affiliate Programs