An Overview of Affiliate Marketing

By | July 13, 2019

Image of notebook with affiliate marketing on screen

Some History of Affiliate Marketing

While affiliate marketing has been around for a while now, it is still a term that many people have no idea what it really means and thinks it’s something that happens on the Internet.

Actually, affiliate marketing was around before the internet.  You might have your own small business, maybe a hair salon, or a photography studio.  One of your current customers or friends helped you by “referring” new customers to you and in return you gave them a discount for free service or even some cash.


“When i had my own photography studio, I gave all my customers several cards to give to their friends and family as a referral to my business (the card gave the friend or family a discount on a photography session); my first customer (who could be called my affiliate) would get additional prints from their own previous photo session.  That made my customers ready to promote me to their friends and family because all three of the parties involved were winners.  I got new customers who received a discount and my older customer got free prints from one of their previous sessions. WIN, WIN, WIN!”

Entrepreneurs and opportunists all over have been looking for new and original methods to get money away from the bigger industries and earn their share of the profits. with many industries
hutting their doors, there is already one in existence that creates large volumes of money for people everywhere – affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing programs work by rewarding website owners for hosting materials and products on their site. The affiliates are then paid on a commission basis, as neither party pays anything to one another during the initial transaction.
Instead, the affiliates are paid as and when they manage to attract new customers to the primary site.

Entrepreneurs and opportunists all over have been looking for new and original methods to get money away from the bigger industries and earn their share of the profits. with many industries shutting their doors, there is already one in existence that creates large volumes of money for people everywhere – affiliate marketing.

Affiliate marketing programs work by rewarding website owners for hosting materials and products on their site. The affiliates are then paid on a commission basis, as neither party pays anything to one another during the initial transaction.  Instead, the affiliates are paid as and when they manage to attract new customers to the primary
site.

Since the 1990’s with the rise of the Internet and its fast growth and widespread use, affiliate marketing has become big online business.

Affiliate Marketing Today

The way most affiliate marketing is done today  – a business (usually a larger one) will set up an Affiliate Program and seek affiliates (people – maybe bloggers or someone with a personal website) to promote their products through their own website or blogsite.

IImage of notepad with an online marketing plan displayedf the affiliate wants to promote a product, they typically will write a blog article or a review article about the product and publish it on their own website or blog.  Within the textual content of the article, the writer will include an “affiliate link”, which when clicked by a site visitor, will direct the site visitor away to the large businesses website, set a “cookie” on the visitor’s computer and the visitor can choose to purchase the product at that time.  Or they may decide to not choose that product but like another product, they find on the large business website and purchase it.

Either way, the blogger (you or I) will get credit for the sale and receive a small commission.  That harmless “cookie” allows the big business to know that sale came through an affiliate so the affiliate can get the credit and commission.  The cookie is usually a temporary one and eventually expires.  But once one of your website or blog site visitors click on one of your affiliate links, and goes to the large business’s website, the cookie proclaims any sale is credited to you-the affiliate’s account until the specified time expires.  (Amazon’s cookie is only a 24 hour one for example, which many affiliates are not very happy with).

The first big internet company to use affiliate marketing was Amazon with its Associates Program as it is called.  This began in 1996 and other major businesses have jumped in and it is still exploding today with most large online sellers having an affiliate program.

Affiliate Networks

Commission Junction and Clickbank started their Affiliate Network businesses in 1998 which allowed many companies (merchants), even smaller ones to be pooled together under one managed “umbrella network”.   Merchants can pay a fee to belong to the network and the network would recruit affiliates to promote many products (through affiliate links) for a small commission.  There are many networks today.

Affiliate Marketing Works

Affiliate marketing is one of the best and most successful online advertising opportunities. It’s a program that runs on simplicity and efficiency, although in a way that works extremely well for both parties involved.

The industry of affiliate marketing is a cost-effective way for small and large companies to reach out and expand their influences. Instead of being restricted to one website, large companies can get noticed on hundreds of sites – and normally even thousands.

On the other hand, the affiliate industry is also a thriving source of income for millions.  Affiliates have been reaping the rewards of huge financial profits and the popularity that the industry provides.

Single affiliates can earn anywhere from 35% and below of the money generated by each customer they produce. With this type of revenue lasting for the entire lifetime of the site, an affiliate has virtually unlimited earning potential.

Unlike other online industries, there are no specific requirements to become an affiliate marketer. There are no strings attached, or any tricks, which is why millions of people are turning to affiliate marketing to make their income on the internet.  Check out my article with “Wealthy Affiliate Success Testimonies

What Skills does Affiliate Marketing Require?

I will describe the courses I have been taking and what they cover. This is a very complete and detailed training program.  I have learned so much and this training is the reason I can now make money with Affiliate Marketing.

Image of lessons in Level 1 of Online Certification Training courseImage of lessons in Level 2 of Online Certification Training courseImage of lessons in Level 3 of Online Certification Training courseImage of lessons in Level 4 of Online Certification Training course


Image of lessons in Level 5 of Online Certification Training course

These screenshots show the deep level of training I received through my Wealthy Affiliate (WA) Online training program.  You can get the same training I have for under $30/month, plus amazing hosting for up to 50 WordPress websites (25 paid domains and 25 subdomains), plus access to a network of over 1.5 million affiliate marketers, many of whome have reached their financial goals through affiliate marketing.

In Summary

Affiliate marketing has been around for a long time and today is big business for both the affiliate publisher and the affiliate seller (or company selling products online).  It is not a get rich quick deal but is an opportunity to make a passive income online from home, using skills that can be learned and applied to become successful with your affiliate marketing websites and blog sites.

Comments

I love to have visitors to my site and get your questions and comments, please leave yours below. Also share with your friends who may be interested in making money with affiliate marketing. -Shirley

NOTE:  This post contains affiliate links, which, if clicked on and an item purchased, I receive a small commission (with no increase in cost to you).

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