Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Learning About the Most Popular Affiliate Networks

Before you get started as an affiliate marketer, it can help to know what the most popular affiliate networks are so you can align yourself with the best. There is a reason that so many people have chosen to promote these networks throughout the years. These are some true powerhouses that can be sure bets as you start earning an income through affiliate marketing.

Some of these top affiliate networks are focused on physical products while others are focused on digital products (such as downloadable ebooks and software). You will have to take a slightly different approach in the way you promote the products you choose depending on the type of product it is. For now, it's essential to read an overview of the most popular networks out there before getting started.

ClickBank -- ClickBank is one of the most popular digital distributers online. The products sold here are all completely downloadable. You'll find everything from products detailing how to cure acne, to how to win an ex-girlfriend back, to registry cleaner software downloads. The great thing for you as an affiliate is that commissions on ClickBank products tend to be high (generally over 50%), so you can earn quite a bit of money per sale. Entering into a niche based around a hot selling product can be a great way to get your start as an affiliate marketer.

PayDotCom -- PayDotCom is not as popular as ClickBank since it is a newer network with a different set of products. Still, there are many advantages to going with this network. They have many high-quality products that you can promote for high commissions. You may want to choose a product to promote through PayDotCom if you can't find something you're interested in at ClickBank. It is always a good idea to test different products in the same niche (for example, you might try to promote one product geared toward helping people clear their acne and then choose another in the same niche to see what converts better). PayDotCom can help you do that, and to expand your marketing efforts

Ebay Partner Network -- the Ebay Partner Network (EPN) is very popular with affiliates. That's because eBay is such a well known and popular auction website! Their payment model for affiliates has changed recently, so you can get paid for each click you send to eBay through your EPN links. How much you are paid per click depends on the quality of your traffic (EPN does not fully disclose how this is calculated). Note that the individual payouts are not as high as what you'd get with a digital network (like ClickBank), but you can usually make up for the smaller commissions in volume. Many people make a lot of money with eBay!

Amazon Associates -- the chances are very good that you have purchased something through Amazon before. That's because they carry nearly everything you can think of and they generally have the lowest prices. As an affiliate, you can promote anything they sell on their website (even things that are sold through a third-party) for a commission. The commission starts out fairly low at around 4% and can rise to over 8%, depending on the volume of products you sell. Earning a full-time income with Amazon Associates is definitely possible once you start getting a lot of traffic to the site!

Commission Junction -- Commission Junction (CJ) is a very flexible affiliate network. This is not just one store, rather it's a conglomeration of a variety of online stores. You'll find many well known brands and products you can promote through Commission Junction. In general, you can easily sign up for the stores you are interested in promoting through this network. Some stores will allow automatically approve you, while others will manually approve you based on your track record of sales and the type of website you own.

There you have it -- these are some of the most popular affiliate networks around for a reason! Think about what you want your business model to be -- whether it be promoting digital products such as those found on ClickBank or PayDotCom, or physical products from well-known names like eBay and Amazon. Every affiliate has their preference and you're sure to develop yours. All you need to keep in mind for now is that it is possible to start earning some life changing income with any of these affiliate networks.

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