Affiliate Marketing for Anybody

Whether you are an internet marketer or simply a person who is interested in how to make money online, affiliate programs are a quick and easy way to earn money. Some people, termed super affiliates, are able to make a very lucrative living solely by selling affiliate products online.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to monetize the time you spend online. You do not need to create your own product, maintain inventory, hire a sales staff, or to pay the overheads associated with a brick and mortar store. All you need to do is find products that you want to sell and promote them.

Affiliate products are sold simply by linking to them with your affiliate link, the link that contains and tracks your affiliate ID. When someone clicks and buys through your link, you earn a sales commission. Your affiliate link can be placed anywhere: websites, blogs, or even in the signature field of forum posts, often using either a simple text link or an eye catching banner image.

Affiliate programs are very easy to find. Most websites that sell products will have a link, usually at the bottom of the page, where you can enroll in their affiliate program. Many of these will be titled 'Affiliates,' 'Webmasters,' 'Promote _________,' or just even 'Make $$$.'

When choosing a product that is good for you to sell through affiliate marketing, the best advice is to start is with what you already have. Do you already have a website, blog, or forum? If you do, look for products in the same niche as what your site is about. Then, it is an easy matter of adding your affiliate text links or banner ads to your existing site.

Most affiliates promote their affiliate products through online stores or blogs. Some solely promote their affiliate products in free articles or through pay per click advertising like Google AdWords. If you do not yet own your own website or blog, I recommend starting one, as it is the easiest and most cost effective way to get started - Blogger/Blogspot is free.

Once you have your site, blog, or forum complete with your advertising in place, consider building your web presence by creating profiles on social media sites like facebook, myspace, and twitter to attract targeted visitors to your site, where they will be exposed to the products you are promoting.