Until you become familiar with affiliate marketing it may seem like a daunting challenge.
Don't worry, there are simple and easy ways to get yourself on the right track - the first time.
Here are three very basic principles I hope will help you as you begin your journey.
1.
- You must learn how to choose good website names - First of all, choose a name with the "dot com" suffix.
You can read my article titled, 'A "Dot Com" Website is Better Than a "Dot Net" Website - Here's Four Reasons Why' for more details on that, but for the purposes of this article, let's just say that a "dot com" is better for business.
- Keep it short and sweet.
The shorter the name of your website, the easier it will be for people to remember it.
If you sell hootsies for instance, it will be far easier for your customers to remember something like "HootsyGuy.
com" than it is for them to remember "TheWebsiteofThatGuyThatSellsTheHootsiesandStuff.
com.
" - Once you come up with an idea for a website name, say it out loud several times.
Use it in a sentence like, "I found this really great website called HootsyGuy.
com" as though you were telling a friend about it.
Does it roll off your tongue naturally? Or is it awkward to say? It may seem like a trivial point, but remember, one of your first goals is to make every aspect of dealing with you as easy as it can possibly be for your customer.
- Keep your website name relevant to what your website is all about.
Consider the search terms your target audience is most likely to type into their browser.
If the focus of your website is salt water fish, how likely will they be to find you if the name of your website is "coolstuff.
com"? 2.
- You must learn how to choose the right niche - There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of possible niche markets for you to explore.
So, where do you want to be? Asking yourself a few simple questions can help you to narrow down the field of possibilities drastically and turn choosing into a much easier proposition.
- What's hot? You may find eighteenth century taxidermy techniques to be the most fascinating topic since cave drawings, but I would bet it would be easier to build a business around the latest devices from a well known company like Apple.
- In what areas do you already have knowledge? You shouldn't choose a niche like building computers at home if you've barely learned how to turn your own computer on.
- Of the niche markets that meet the above criteria, which of them already have an affiliate program in place? It will be far easier to join an existing affiliate program than to work with a vendor to create one, although that is not entirely impossible either.
Just be sure it will be worth the effort.
3.
- Perhaps the most obvious thing you need to know when starting out in affiliate marketing, is how to promote your products and services - There are dozens, if not hundreds of ways to promote products and services.
And the best news? Many of them cost very little, or even nothing at all to use.
- If you are not already using social media such as Facebook, twitter and others, start using them now.
There are rules on these sites, so once you create your accounts, take the time to get to know the rules.
The most important thing to remember about these sites is what their intended purpose really is, and that's to build relationships.
becoming known as a shameless spammer will quickly get you banned.
- Blogs are a great way to gain valuable exposure.
You can start your own blog on your chosen field, or you can seek out the blogs of others and offer them content in exchange for allowing you to include a link to your website.
Many bloggers are quite happy to give you a link if you can provide relevant content.
- Forums are another valuable resource when seeking exposure for your products or services, as long as you use them correctly.
Whenever posting to a forum, be sure your post is relevant to the thread you are posting to.
If the thread is about the latest thing the president did, no one really wants to see a post that just says, "Buy hootsies from me, here's a link.
" Most webmasters will simply delete such posts.
You'll do much better by seeking out forums where participants are likely to discuss topics related to your field, becoming a member and posting valuable comments.
If you mind your manners, many webmasters won't take issue with the inclusion of your link.
- Reciprocal links, or back links as they are sometimes called, if used properly can be likened with turbo charging your car's engine.
The key to doing this correctly, is to make sure that every reciprocal link you set up forms a symbiotic bond between the two websites linked.
Here is an example: You've set up your new website for selling salt water fish.
During your research (and I know you are doing your research, right?) you came across a website selling aquarium filters.
So, now that your website is up and running, you contact the owner of the filter website and you agree to set up a reciprocal link.
You benefit by being able to offer your customers a resource for buying filters, and gaining exposure to his or her customers.
He or she benefits by being able to offer their customers a resource for buying fish, and gaining exposure to your customers.
The customers of both websites benefit by having resources for their additional needs handed to them on a platter.
Everyone wins, and that's a formula for success.
- Let's not forget about article marketing.
If you have a good base of knowledge in your chosen field, you are an expert.
Writing articles on topics that people are interested in is a great way to get yourself in front of the right people.
However, don't just write a sales letter and call it an article.
People read articles in order to find useful information.
Make sure that you give them some.
So there you have three important things to know about affiliate marketing, with related information and examples included.
What's most important about the techniques discussed, is to use them properly.
Using them incorrectly can get you banned from social media sites, deleted from forums and blogs, or at the very least, simply ignored by the very people you are trying to reach.
If you really are interested in learning everything you need to know about affiliate marketing, and internet marketing in general, the best suggestion I can make is to find a good mentor.
Below I provide a direct link to my own mentor, who has provided me with training I couldn't possibly place a value on.
Among other very important things, his years of experience have brought forth an arsenal of tricks for obtaining nearly every thing you need, for FREE.