Now that you've got things set with your site, you're producing content, and driving some traffic, it's time to find some affiliate programs to monetize your site.
But where do you find the right affiliate programs for your site?
In the 2011 Affiliate Summit AffStat Report, where over fourteen-hundred affiliates were surveyed, we asked, “How do you most often find out about an affiliate program and then join?”
The affiliates responded with a wide variety of methods for finding affiliate programs to promote, including affiliate directories, search engines, and being contacted by affiliate managers.
I will go through all of the ways mentioned by affiliates, so you can experiment and find out which is most useful for you.
Before you start trying to find affiliate programs, be sure to focus on those that are relevant to the topic of your site.
Don't be seduced by high commissions. You will want to test ads for products and services that make sense for your audience.
Here are the most popular methods for affiliates to find affiliate programs:
- Advertising in print publications
- Affiliate directory
- Affiliate network
- Affiliate Manager contacts you
- Affiliate marketing blogs
- Affiliate Manager is active on message boards
- Affiliate Manager is on Twitter
- Affiliate Marketing Conferences
- Search Engines
In addition to focusing on relevance for your affiliate ads, you don't want to put too many ads up on your site. Less is more!
when will you be posting chpter 9??? i’ve learned tremedous amouts of usefull info.
I just started chapter 8, and will be detailing all of the items in the bullet points above for this chapter.
Hi Shawn,
i’ve been wondering about the ‘Affiliate manager active on message board’ option. What message boards in particular are meant?
This changes from time to time – a few I would suggest looking at now are http://www.abestweb.com/forums/, http://www.wickedfire.com/, and https://www.imgrind.com/forum/
Thank you, Shawn, that’s very helpful!
Hey Shawn- Considering this was based off a survey in 2011, I’m curious what the numbers would look like today… things change so quickly online. I started an affiliate program directory http://www.AffiliateLister.com and wonder if 25% of marketers still use associate directories to search for programs to promote. My guess is the number in this category went down.
Anyway, thanks for the post + insights!
Hi Steve –
You can see the 2013 data at http://issuu.com/affiliatesummit/docs/affstat-2013 and we will have the 2014 edition out very soon.
Hi Shawn, what do you think of an online marketing franchise license?
What is being franchised?
The affiliate marketing business model like the one on this site http://incomesocietyhub.com/opportunity
That kind of “system” is exactly why I created Extra Money Income, because I hate seeing people victimized by the mirage of easy money.
The link “In the 2011 Affiliate Summit AffStat Report” pointing to the URL “http://www.scribd.com/doc/58120327/2011-Affiliate-Summit-AffStat-Report” does not work.
Any other source where I can download it, other than the .swf file at “http://issuu.com/affiliatesummit/docs/affstat2011report”?
That report is sort of obsolete at this point – try http://affstat.com/ for the latest edition.
Hi Shawn Collins, It’s a nice post, I am beginner in this field, Is there pdf guide for the same.
There is not a pdf, but it is available on Amazon Kindle.