The Real Definition Of Affiliate Marketing

By Rachel E Spencer       

Have you heard of the term "Affiliate Marketer" and wondered what does that mean exactly? In recent times it has become a very well used term, especially for those people who are searching for a way to increase their income or give up their full-time job. The simple definition is that, an affiliate marketer is a person who builds a business relationship with a merchant selling goods or services, and who is then paid a commission on the sale of goods that they promote for the merchant. For example, if you are promoting a specific product or service on your website and a visitor clicks on your link and then proceeds to buy the item in question, you are paid a percentage of that sale, as a commission, from the merchant.

As an affiliate, you can choose to act on behalf of one specific merchant and set up an arrangement directly with them, or alternatively, you can sign up for one of hundreds of affiliate programs that offer a wide range of products and services and then simply search through the offers available and pick the ones you are interested in. If you decide to go with the latter option, instead of being paid directly through the merchant, you are generally paid by the Affiliate Program Company each month.

Affiliate marketing has become increasingly popular for those wanting to build-up an extra source of income, typically because there is little or no outlay to start-up and you do not need to have a great technical background. Before making any decisions as to whether you would like to promote an individual merchant or be part of a larger affiliate company, it is a good idea to study and learn about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of affiliate program out there.

Another thing to think about is whether you would like to sell physical products or digital products. Go to sites like Amazon and eBay; familiarize yourself with popular products that are currently selling. If digital products are more appealing to you, sign up for ClickBank or PayDotCom, have a look at gravity and number of affiliates. You can guarantee, if a certain product is being promoted by a lot of affiliates it must be selling. After all, experienced affiliates are not going to promote something that is not getting sales.

It is vital to have the right mindset when you start to set up your affiliate marketing business. Do not just jump in and expect instant riches, no matter what ads and emails you see promise seven-figure incomes within seven days or at the click of a few buttons. It absolutely does not work that way. An affiliate marketing business is exactly that "A business". It should be approached with that mindset.

Draw up a business plan setting out your goals, time-frames, and how much time you are prepared to spend on your new business. Do not rush in, you need to equip yourself with some knowledge first, take the time to join and learn from some of the more experienced forums, like the Warriors Marketing Forum. Read expert blogs, do your research, understand exactly what path you what to follow.

Ninety-five percent of marketers give up when they don't make their money right away or see the results instantly. Why not aspire to be one of the very successful five percent by just following the above suggestions.

  

Article Source:  EzineArticles  expert: Rachel E Spencer