Affiliate Marketing Forum

AllanGardyne

Joanna and I recently hired a bookkeeper who helps us for a few hours a month. After taking a look at our books, our bookkeeper has suddenly become keenly interested in learning how to make money with affiliate programs.

I told him to go to the main page of AssociatePrograms.com and said that he'd find everything he needed there.

A bit later, I visited my site, trying to see it through his eyes. I must admit, I wasn't totally pleased with what I saw.

So I've written a one-page (it's a long page!) Affiliate Program Tutorial which aims to sum up my years of affiliate experience in one article. It gives the 18 steps I reckon an affiliate needs to take to succeed.

Would you like to comment on the tutorial, please?

I'd love to receive comments from both newcomers and veterans.

Is there anything in the article you don't understand? Anything that needs more clarification?

If things need more clarification, what do you think is the best way to handle that - a longer article, or links to simple pages that contain only one link, back to the affiliate programs tutorial?

It's been a big struggle, trying to keep the article brief while also trying to make it comprehensive enough to be useful. I've been polishing it for several days.

What important facts have I left out?

Affiliate Program Tutorial - http://AssociatePrograms.com/affiliate-program-tutorial.shtml
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Allan Gardyne
AssociatePrograms.com - You're here. Explore it!

jackson992 · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 97 Location: USA

Allen:

I'll take a look tomorrow and post my observations then:)
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Jack Mitchell
Jack's Retail - Online Shopping At Discount Prices

jackson992 · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 97 Location: USA

Interesting reading. The thing that I missed the most was the lack of emphasis on products rather than placeing text links in content. It is much harder IMO to make sales this way. Naturally, You prolly already guessed that I felt too much emphasis was placed on writing your own stuff.

The research part was very good as that is prolly the most important aspect for a newcomer. Do not start with a mall site LOL

I will admit I was surprised to see the bit about lifetime commissions as I've only run across a handful of affiliate programs that offer this. I wish more did.
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Jack Mitchell
Jack's Retail - Online Shopping At Discount Prices

Debs · Joined: 16 Aug 2003 Posts: 4296 Location: NY

jackson992 · Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 97 Location: USA

Unfortunately Links has to be on this list. The one thing I abhor abhor about Google. To me it should be based only on on page factors
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Jack Mitchell
Jack's Retail - Online Shopping At Discount Prices

AllanGardyne · Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2004 9:22 pm Post subject:

Thanks for your comments, folks!

MattGeri · Joined: 24 Oct 2004 Posts: 17 Location: Ireland

Great article Allan.

It made me realise I am jumping the gun with my affiliate websites and I need to slow down and do my research, which I honestly have not done too much of. I immediately just chose the product without doing the research.

I really enjoyed the read, and have bookmarked it Wink

Thanks.
Matt
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alhughes · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:06 pm Post subject: Affiliate Program Tutorial

Nice job Allan. It gives one the basics with links to in-depth tutorials such as the Affiliate Masters program at SiteSell (which is the meat and potatoes of an affiliate how-to book), Wordtracker, Overture, 5 Pillar Program, Adsense...the whole enchilada. And makes good use of your own affiliate links in the process.

This tutorial is a very good example of how to generate a report and increase your affiliate earnings in the process. You, as author, can get readers to click the various links in the report and for first-time clickers, receive commissions on any purchasing activity.

Excellent, well done!! 5 Stars!! It's a whole lesson unto itself.

Al Hughes
http://www.gotta-play-golf.com
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Phil Tanny · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 5:37 pm Post subject:

Great job as usual Allan. I think a plain spoken overview of the this business, all on one page, will be very useful for a lot of people, me included.

Less is so often more. One of the biggest problems many of us face is knowing too much. One gets swamped in all the details until brainlock kicks in. Having a basic outline you can keep returning to to keep yourself on track is great.

I'd hesitate to offer any suggestions for improvements given the gap between your experience with this and mine.

My personal buzz of the month is lifetime commission programs as it seems many or most of those making significant money focus on this.

Should one aim their first site at a life time program? Ideally yes. But if that slows the new person down and gets them off the track of writing about things they know about and enjoy, probably not.

Life time programs are probably beyond the scope and intention of your article. Perhaps that would be a good topic to introduce in a "Creating Your 2nd Site" article?

I really like your emphasis on starting with a modest acheiveable goal. My guess is that leap from 0 - $300/mo is the largest jump any of us will have to make. Once you've done that, repeat.

Your article seems perfect for that audience of people who are standing just outside the door, looking in and wondering what it's all about.

I've printed it and will share it with Kathy tonight so she can learn more about this biz from someone who actually knows what they're talking about.

Thanks!

Phil
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AllanGardyne · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:24 pm Post subject:

Hi Everyone, Thanks for all the feedback. Much appreciated.

Phil Tanny · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 9:47 pm Post subject:

Looking to old hippy songs for business guidance is probably one suggestion that should be left out of your newbies tutorial... Smile

Step 1: Grow your hair to middle of your back
Step 2: Lay around all day getting stoned
Step 3: Munchies!
Step 4: Wow man, profits, what's that???

I'm an expert at all this stuff, years of experience, see my upcoming new ebook for details. Smile

Seriously, my feeling and experience is that focusing on what you love is a great strategy for a first site. I did my nature sites completely all wrong, but because I had so much fun, I can get over it, learn and move on.

The next sites would seem to require a bit more reflection, as it wouldn't be hard to create 37 sites on topics that make almost no money.

How about look for a topic you love within the life time commissions arena first, but if you don't find what you need there, look elsewhere?

The main drawback I see is that it's one more concept the new person has to process. On the other hand, it's really just a matter of searching the lifetimecommissions.com directory instead of the associateprograms.com directory.

Dunno, that's what pops to mind...

Phil
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first4u · Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 74 Location: Vancouver, Canada

Thank you Allan,

I find your report very refreshing and as someone said above the simplicity is what makes it work.

After reading it I found it motivating to keep working on my websites and keep on track with my goal.

Thanks for taking the effort of putting all in 18 points and I will be referring to it to remind me that I am on track and to stay motivated when I need it.

Denise
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Declan OReilly · Posted: Fri Nov 05, 2004 12:35 am Post subject:

Hi Allan,

I thought the tutorial was very easy for newcomers to follow and hype free as is your style. I liked the way you interspersed postive encouragement such as...

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