How do I choose an affiliate program for myself?
There are a lot of affiliate programs out there. It seems like just about everyone who is anyone has an affiliate program. Even some who are not especially ‘anyone’ has an affiliate program. So the major point seems to be - how do I choose one that is okay with me?
There are some standard questions you might consider asking before joining one.
1. Will it cost me anything to join? Most are free—just sign up. There are a few that are not free. There are a lot of free programs so why pay when you don’t have to?
2. How do they pay? Some send you a check and some send your money to paypal. If they use pay pal, you can get an account there for free.
3. When do they pay? Some affiliate programs pay as you make a sale, some every other week, some on the first and the 16th of the month. Pick a payment schedule that you prefer. There are some programs that pay only after you have made a certain number of sales.
4. What is the hit per sale ratio? Basically, this is the average number of hits to a link before a sale is made. This factor can help you determine how much traffic you need to generate, on the average, before you make a sale.
5.
How are referrals from an affiliates’ site tracked? How long are those referrals kept in the system? If you get a hit today and the person only looks but comes back next week or next month through someone else’s site, who gets the credit for the sale? This is important because some people do not buy the first time they see a site. Some programs keep no records and others keep records up to a year. There are even a few who keep it forever.
6. What statistics are available for you? You are going to need these to make sure you are getting the impressions, hits and sales. It will help you with your costs, especially if you are using ppc to advertise.
7. Does the affiliate program pay for hits or impressions? Some do—most don’t.
8. Who is the online retailer? You definitely need to know who you are in business with.
Check the person out and make sure they are honest and reliable. Do they have a good reputation and do they have integrity? Check them out.
9. Is the program a one or two tiered program? A one tiered program just pays you.
A two tiered program pays you a bit of the earnings of everyone who has joined the program under you.
10. What is the amount of commission paid to you? This is very important. I personally do not recommend any affiliate program that pays under 40%. My reasoning is you are paying for the advertising out of you budget and to make a profit you must receive at least 40% of the cost of the product. This amount should keep you in business if you continue to test and tweek you advertising. This is true, especially if you are using ppc to advertise.
1. Will it cost me anything to join? Most are free—just sign up. There are a few that are not free. There are a lot of free programs so why pay when you don’t have to?
2. How do they pay? Some send you a check and some send your money to paypal. If they use pay pal, you can get an account there for free.
3. When do they pay? Some affiliate programs pay as you make a sale, some every other week, some on the first and the 16th of the month. Pick a payment schedule that you prefer. There are some programs that pay only after you have made a certain number of sales.
4. What is the hit per sale ratio? Basically, this is the average number of hits to a link before a sale is made. This factor can help you determine how much traffic you need to generate, on the average, before you make a sale.
5.
How are referrals from an affiliates’ site tracked? How long are those referrals kept in the system? If you get a hit today and the person only looks but comes back next week or next month through someone else’s site, who gets the credit for the sale? This is important because some people do not buy the first time they see a site. Some programs keep no records and others keep records up to a year. There are even a few who keep it forever.
6. What statistics are available for you? You are going to need these to make sure you are getting the impressions, hits and sales. It will help you with your costs, especially if you are using ppc to advertise.
7. Does the affiliate program pay for hits or impressions? Some do—most don’t.
8. Who is the online retailer? You definitely need to know who you are in business with.
Check the person out and make sure they are honest and reliable. Do they have a good reputation and do they have integrity? Check them out.
9. Is the program a one or two tiered program? A one tiered program just pays you.
A two tiered program pays you a bit of the earnings of everyone who has joined the program under you.
10. What is the amount of commission paid to you? This is very important. I personally do not recommend any affiliate program that pays under 40%. My reasoning is you are paying for the advertising out of you budget and to make a profit you must receive at least 40% of the cost of the product. This amount should keep you in business if you continue to test and tweek you advertising. This is true, especially if you are using ppc to advertise.
These are just some of the questions that need to be answered before you become an affiliate. One suggestion I have and I live by: buy the product yourself and check it out. I do not believe I can endorse any product I personally do not think is a good one. My own name and reputation are also on the line. Rose Brophy
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