Affiliate Programs

Affiliate Programs is a system in which you will get some commission if someone buys Product through your blog. When you sign up for Affiliate program you will get a link or banner to post on your blog. If someone clicks on that link/banner, he/she will be taken to that product's website. If the person went through your blog buys that product then you will be paid part of product's price. The commission is depends on the Affiliate programs. Affiliate programs also include subscription for services, buying products online etc. In subscription type of affiliate programs you will get part of revenue generated when the person signs up for their program.

Personaly I feel that Affiliate Programs are not that easy to earn money. You must have strong content to support these programs. Simply putting any affiliate banners or links on your blog may affect your blog/website's credibility and hence you may lose visitors. Always be careful while chosing affiliate programs. Many people sign up for affiliate programs and they remove the links or banners when that does not work for them. Few people put so many affiliate links/banners on there blogs and they end up with no profit from any. You can analyze and decide which programs suits best for you.  I am listing few points to consider before chosing any affiliate program:

1. Chose Affiliate Program if it is related to your blogs content:

Your audience will visit your blog when they find the content on your blog worth reading. So if you provide links or advertisements related to your audience's interest then you are there.  This is what Google Adsense do and that is how they are hit. Similarly chose Affiliate Programs related to your blogs content.

2. Analyze whether the Product is really buyable?

Always analyze the quality of product your promoting. If the quality of product is not good or the services you are promoting are not worth for your audience then its better not to go for that affiliate program. Always think like your audience.

3. Where to place Affiliate links/Banners?

Its very important to position your Affiliate link on your blog. The place should be chosen such a way that reader will have peak interest to click on it. Some bloggers place the links in between there posts. This is also good idea to place ads in between your posts. If you know little bit of HTML and stuffs like that then that will be of great help. 

4. When should you go for Affiliate Programs?

Few Affiliate Programs chose bloggers bases on blogs content and visits. So first take some time to develope your blog and increase the hits. Once you find that your blog is drving constant hits and unique visitors are increasing then go for affiliate programs or Pay Per Post Programs(I will write about this in another post).

5.  How to track your earnings?

All the affiliate programs come with statistics/reporting tools. Always keep track of your visits and earnings. This also gives you the idea about your audience's interest and you can tune your blog accordingly.

That is for now and if you know some more points then please drop a comment now!