How to find Affiliate Marketing Programs

If you are new to affiliate marketing, you may be surprised to
learn that finding an affiliate program to promote is actually
quite easy. Many companies are aware of the benefits they
receive with having an affiliate program; in fact, it is hard to
find a company that doesn’t offer one.

Affiliate networks, such as Commission Junction (www.cj.com)
and Linkshare (www.linkshare.com) manage the affiliate programs
for a vast number of companies. The benefits of going through an
affiliate network are: you can find products to suit a wide
variety of target markets; you only have to visit one website to
create links and track information; and your paychecks will come
from one company.

There are downsides, as well. For instance, the company that is
offering the affiliate program has to pay the affiliate network
a fee for handling their program. This takes away from the
amount of money they can offer you. You may be able to earn more
by promoting a product that is made by a company that handles
their own affiliate program.

You can also find programs simply by visiting the website of a
company you would like to partner with as an affiliate. Start
scanning the site for a link that says something such as
“affiliates”, “associates”, or something along those lines. This
may be found at the bottom of the home page or you may have to
click on “about us” or “contact us” to get to the right link.

Once you find the right link, there should be information on
how you can sign up as an affiliate. There may be a sign up page
on the site or the site may refer you to visit another page
where you can sign up.

When you fill out the sign-up form, you will either be accepted
right away, or the company will let you know they are reviewing
your site. Some programs are very selective. They may require
that your website have a certain amount of traffic, for
instance, or they may want to make sure the content on your site
is appropriate for the type of products that they offer.

If you do not get accepted into a program right away, do not
worry. There are many other programs to choose from. If you have
your heart set on a certain program and you are denied, take
some time to build up the traffic on your site and apply again
in the future.

If you visit a company’s website and you cannot find any
information about their affiliate program, send them an email
and ask if they have one. Maybe they have been thinking about
starting one and they just haven’t gotten around to it yet. By
joining as one of their first affiliates, you may be able to
negotiate your commission terms.