Affiliate Marketing/Drop Shipping
Tutorial
Affiliate marketing is a fast growing and easy way to make money on-line. Big name-brand companies, as well as smaller niche companies, will pay you a percentage of all sales made through your website. The key is to find a way to get customers to your website - that's where the work is. You never have to handle or ship product. Visitors simply click through to the vendor's website from yours, and you get credited with the sale.
The first thing you need is an idea for a website that will draw in customers. In order to attract customers, you must have compelling content. Try to choose a niche subject that you are passionate about and know a thing or two about. The internet is still growing rapidly and if you search on any subject, you can see the millions of search results for any given subject or keyword. Decide how your site will stand out in the crowd. Decide on your niche, and then work hard to produce the most compelling content on the internet using your own expertise, feedback from visitors, and information from your chosen vendors.
The more distinct your subject matter and content, the higher it will rank in the search engines. However, nowadays you need to also use other methods besides search engines to draw in traffic. Check out our Promotion Hub for ideas and resources to promote your site.
Once you decide what content your website will provide, you need to develop the site first. See Getting a Website for information and tips on how to build your website. Then, return here and apply to become an affiliate of your favorite brands and services through the Affiliate Programs below. Once accepted into an affiliate program, the vendor provides you with banners and links that can be placed on your website, with a unique ID that will track visitors who click through to their site. Be sure to read all the terms of service as each vendor varies.
Remember to include affiliate links for related products. For instance, if your site has information about hiking the Appalachian Trail, include products like GPSs, gourmet trail mixes, etc.
Articles
For more information about affiliate marketing, check out these articles.
Affiliate Programs
Some retailers run their own affiliate programs, most have contracted their affiliate programs to one of the aggregators listed below. Go to your favorite websites and if they have an affiliate program, there is usually a link to it at the bottom of their home page. Sign up with the vendor, or, if the link leads you to an affiliate aggregator, you only have to sign up once to apply to many programs. You can also go right to the aggregator, apply for membership, and then select vendor programs that suite your site from their list.
Next Steps
Steps to starting a business
Tips for getting your website
Browse our Promotion Hub for ideas to promote your on-line business
