Affiliate Tools Online

Just about everybody who’s new to internet marketing, starts out by doing affiliate marketing.  Why? Because you don’t need a product and it’s easy to start.  And if you already have a web site or blog that is getting lots of visitors, it can also be free to start.

More and more merchants are catching on to the concept of affiliate marketing - and how beneficial it is to their bottom line.  So many merchants already offer affiliate programs - and they’re usually (and should be) free to join.

There are different ways to get started with affiliate marketing.

First, if you already own a web site or blog and are catering to specific audience … then you can search for affiliate programs to compliment your site.

For example, I have a site about trout fishing.  Trout fishers are always in need of more fishing gear.  So I’ve joined many of the more popular trout fishing gear sites and posted banners on my site - as well as look for ways to work in affiliate links to specific gear in my blog posts.   This method is easy and free.

If you don’t already have a web site, then to be a successful affiliate marketer, you will need to do a lot of keyword research to find out what products (or solutions to problems) people are interested in.  The goal here is to start by promoting something folks are already looking for.

How do you promote affiliate products without a web site?

There are a couple of answers to this question.  One is to promote products using Pay-Per-Click campaigns (linking to directly to the merchant’s site).  There are pros and cons to this method, but it works.  The eBook Google Cash gives step by step instructions on how to do this.

Another method is to build a niche web site and promote related affiliate products.  Review sites are a common example of this method of affiliate marketing.

Finding affiliate programs to join is pretty easy.  You can start by signing up at some of the more popular affiliate networks like, ClickBank, LinkShare, and Commission Junction.

You can also the internet for affiliate products in your field or go directly to a merchants web site and search for information about affiliate programs.   If you don’t see any information on the merchant’s web site, contact them and ask directly.

One last thing to remember …. the most successful internet marketers do regular keyword research so that they can stay on top of what people are looking for.  This way, they can better cater to their existing audience or look for new streams of revenue.