Friday, May 04, 2012

Questions You Need to Ask before Saying Yes to Affiliate Marketing Program

So you've heard about the gold mine called called Affiliate Marketing. You check the online landscape and your eyelids keep flicking up and down at the numerous affiliate marketing programs online and  you are ever more tempted to sign up to as many as your heart's content. I don't want to burst your bubble, but you need to some research about these programs before filling the signup form of these programs. Some are good while others are scams. Researching these programs could help determine whether these programs could help you laugh all the way to the bank or sink you into major depression. Let me share with you questions you need to ask before saying yes to affiliate marketing programs.

Will It Cost Me Anything To Join the Affiliate Program?
The first question that should be topmost on your mind is "Will It Cost Me Anythingto Join The Affiliate Program?" Most affiliate marketing programs are free to join and if any affiliate marketing program asks you to fork out cash before signing up on its program, avoid it like the plague. They're just trying to steal your hard-earned cash.  Just look out for affiliate marketing programs that don't charge a penny and you cant join without blinking an eyelid.

When Are Commission Checks Payed?
Another question you do need to find out is "When Are Commission Checks Payed?"  You are in affiliate marketing to make money so you need to find out which part of the month the checks are sent out so you can set your mind at ease. Each affiliate program's payment schedule varies. Some pay once a month, others pay twice a month.  Some only pay when you've hit a pre-determined amount that you set for yourself when you joined the affiliate program.

How Referrals are Tracked and How Long They Remain in the System?
It's absolutely crucial that you know how referrals are tracked and how long the remain in the system. This is important because although visitors to your website may not purchase anything the first time, they may return to buy it a 2nd time upon comparing with other places. They need to window shop a bit before deciding whether to buy your product or not.  Even more important, you need to know whether you will get credit for the sale of the product to the repeat visitor. Some affiliate programs do, others don't. So make sure you are clear as to what the situation is.
What is the hit per sale ratio?
When we talk about the hits per sale ratio, we talk abt the the number of hits to a banner or text link that it takes a sale based on affiliate statistics. It also tells you how much traffic you need to generate to earn a commission from a sale. It also tells you whether your landing page is convincing enough for your viewers to click on your text link or banner.


Does Your Affiliate Program Provide Affiliate Statistics?
The issue of affiliate statistics is absolutely crucial. You want to know how much money you're making, how many clicks your banners or text links have record. Not to mention how may impressions  recorded on your site. For those who don't know, impressions refers to the number of times, visitors are viewing your text inks or banners. Your affiliate program must make this information available to you online at any time as you want to know how your products are doing.


That's a wrap on "Questions You Need to Ask before Saying Yes to Affiliate Marketing Program." These are  some of the questions you need to ask before joining an affiliate program.  If you start getting red flags in your head about an affiliate program, move on to the next one as there are thousands populating cyberspace. You are bound to run into an honest affiliate program.


If you are an affiliate marketing newbie looking to learn how the pro's do it? Download Super Affiliate Rosalind Gardner's Super Affiliate Handbook.








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