Affiliate Marketing - because we all need friends

Relevance

As with all advertising, the success of an affiliate campaign is dependent on relevance. The more relevant an affiliate program is to the affiliate's audience, the more likely it is to be successful. For example, a site about holidaying in Cape Town might consider joining affiliate programs that advertise accommodation, car hire, day trips, travel insurance or travel guides about Cape Town.

Returns from a relevant and well-managed affiliate campaign can be much higher than any CPM (cost per thousand impressions) online advertising.

It's a Win-Win Situation

The advantages of the affiliate program for the merchant include:

Reaching a larger online audience by advertising on many sites
Free branding on affiliates websites
Not paying for advertising unless a lead or sale has occurred

The advantages for the affiliate include:

Earning regular revenue through their website without having to sell anything themselves
Access to advertisements and a tracking system
Advice and support on how to run and improve the campaign

So, whether you are a merchant, with a product to sell, or a website owner with an audience to sell to, you can benefit from starting or joining an affiliate program.

Coming soon: Chapter 10. What should you expect?

Conversations about brands take place daily on the Internet; are you listening to what is being said and responding? The next chapter of the eMarketing 101 series, WebPR and ORM - blah blah blah conversations, will equip you with the basic information you'll need to start participating in these make or break online conversations.

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