Sunday, January 18, 2009

Quality is Important in Affiliate Marketing


If you're new to affiliate marketing, you may be wondering what constitutes a quality affiliate program and what doesn't. With so many different programs out there, it's sometimes difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, but if you are considering promoting a particular program, there are a few things you need to consider.

Before you decide to devote your time, energy and resources into marketing an affiliate product make sure the organization behind the product is a quality one.

Does this particular affiliate program provide a quality product that does what the company says it does? Usually, the only way to know for sure is to order the product and try it out yourself. If what the company says about the product matches what the product does, then you can be fairly confident the company is reputable.

There are too many affiliate programs out there that think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread, when actually, what they are the crumbs left on the table. A poor affiliate program says one thing about a product, while the product says something else.

Think of how it annoys you to purchase something that doesn't deliver. It will annoy the people who click through your affiliate link from your website and purchase an inferior product just as much. Remember, your site's reputation is at stake -so make sure the affiliate product or service is of high quality.


The next thing to consider when looking for a quality affiliate program is the commission offered. You'll most likely spend time advertising and distributing articles to promote this product. You will not be paid directly for these marketing efforts and since your income will come from product sales, you'll want your commission to be at least 20% or more.

You need to secure a high enough commission to pay for your time investment in marketing the affiliate product. Writing and submitting articles takes time and effort. So does learning about the product and keeping up-to-date on product enhancements. A fair commission is your only compensation for these efforts.

In addition, the best affiliate programs also offer recurring commissions on sales, which means you'll receive commission when that customer buys again. And if you can hook up with a program that pays you a recurring commission on the sales of any 2nd tier affiliates you recruit, you've just discovered an affiliate marketers dream - passive income.

Another thing to look for when considering a quality affiliate program is the support you receive from the program manager. A quality program provides you with a knowledgeable affiliate manager to help you succeed.

When you are new to affiliate marketing, you need that mentor/trainer who will guide you in your marketing efforts. You also want an affiliate manager who provides resources to help you promote the product better and helps you identify certain niches suitable for your product. They can give you valuable information concerning the product, including updates. This information can then become the content for your article marketing efforts.


Finally, a quality affiliate program pays you on a regular basis without fail for the time and effort spent on marketing their product. Don't wait six months for payment, the best programs pay monthly.

Quality affiliate programs are out there. However, you must take time to find them. Choose a program with the above considerations in mind and you have a better chance to select one of the better programs out there.

Keep the wind behind your sales,
Jim Slader

Jim Slader manages the Affiliate Program at Article Marketer. He provides training and advice to article marketer affiliates. If you're looking for a quality affiliate program with all of the benefits mentioned above and more, check out Article Marketer.

Sharon McPherson
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