When reading about how to make money online, you may see the term "affiliate marketing" thrown around. But what is affiliate marketing? That is exactly what this page is designed to do; this is online affiliate marketing for beginners.
What is affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing has been around for a long time, even before the internet. It is, in its simplest form, a way to tell a company that you sent someone to their products, and in turn you get a commission! Affiliate marketing is a whole lot more complicated than that however, so read on to learn what affiliate marketing is in more depth.How do I get paid with online affiliate marketing?
The commission you receive from affiliate marketing can vary greatly, but usually the more expensive of a product you promote, the less people buy it, and you earn more money for each person. If you promote a low cost product, more people will buy it, and you will earn less money for each person. Generally something being sold in the $50-150 range works well for most people, but it can greatly depend on how and where you are promoting.
One big question that people want to know about online affiliate marketing is, how do companies know that you sent them to their website? Usually this is a tracking URL. This means that they give you a special link, and when someone clicks on that special link, they know it's from you.
How do I get started with online affiliate marketing?
Many companies that sell things online have affiliate programs. Even Amazon and eBay has an affiliate program. You can make money on eBay but other companies that sell anything from web hosting to clothing may have an affiliate program. This affiliate program will give you a link, and if any of your readers buy something from the link, you get a commission!
Every affiliate program has slightly different rules. For example, one affiliate program may put a cookie in someone's browser, so if they come back within 60 days and buy something, you still get a commission. Other affiliate programs will only pay if the user buys something as soon as they click the link.
Affiliate Marketing Terms
When you first sign up for an affiliate program, you will see a lot of new words, so read this so that you understand what they mean.An affiliate network is a middleman between affiliates (you!) and companies trying to sell things.
An affiliate marketplace is a place where you can find affiliate programs.
An affiliate link is a link that lets the company you are an affiliate for know that you sent them.
A commission percentage or a commission amount is how much the company will pay you for each sale. Either a set price, or a percentage of the price.
Two Tier Affiliate Marketing is when you invite someone to an affiliate program, and you get a percentage of their commissions.
A landing page is a special page that you send users to, which encourages them to sign up, or buy a specific product, instead of just showing the homepage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this illegal?Nope! Even Amazon has affiliate marketing!
Can I use AdSense and affiliate marketing?Yes! The adsense ToS does not disallow affiliate marketing.
How do I find an affiliate program?Use an affiliate marketplace. Google 'affiliate marketplace' to find one.
How much do I pay upfront for an affiliate program?Nothing. If they ask you to pay up front it may be a scam.
How much can I expect to make?It greatly depends on what products you are promoting, and where you are promoting them. Some people earn thousands of dollars a month from it, but you may only make $50 or so.
I hope this guide to affiliate networks and affiliate marketing for beginners was helpful to you. If you want to see more like this, then sign up for our newsletter!