What Do Affiliate Wants

Hi There! Welcome to this blog. Just in case you are new here, i advise that you look at my achive and read through my older post to enable you understand all we have done here.


Having learnt all that about internet marketing, and affiliate marketing, I want to quickly talk on the topic below;



WHAT DO AFFILIATE WANTS.

There are several key factors that affiliates are looking for when signing up for a new program.


Some of the factors are:

* You are offering a specific method of payment for each sale or predetermined action.

* The product or service you offer is of good quality, fits with the aims of their business and adds value for their customers.

* Linking to you will generate additional revenue for them and add credibility to their site.


Becoming an affiliate should involve more than simply signing up to a program and posting a link on your website. Merchants and networks must make being an affiliate attractive so that people will not only sign up but also recommend it, thereby growing the network.

One of the most important aspects of managing affiliates is to foster a feeling of partnership between the merchant and the affiliate. An affiliate who feels "part of the team" is more likely to actively promote the merchant's offerings. It is also important for the merchant to maintain an active partnership with its affiliates, even when those affiliates are recruited and managed by a third-party network. If the merchant takes a total hands-off approach to its affiliates, the relationship ends up being owned by the network and affiliates can easily start switching to other merchants in the same network.

As in all business dealings, the use of special offers and/or incentives can be an excellent tool in motivating affiliates to actively participate and promote a merchant's services. The greater the promotions and incentives, the more likely an affiliate is to join up and promote the service. Many affiliates look for incentive drive plans where the percentage commission increases as the revenue they generate increases.

Key to the development and maintenance of any business partnership is communication. Most affiliate programs and networks use both discussion boards and email newsletters to provide a forum for communications between merchants, network mangers and affiliates.

Discussion boards are generally hosted by the third-party network managers and provide an online forum where affiliates can ask questions, comment and receive answers and feedback from the community of fellow affiliates, as well as from the merchants and managers.

A good affiliate program manager will issue email newsletters on a regular basis, usually once a month, to keep affiliates informed of new campaigns, incentives etc. Most affiliate networks also issue email newsletters to inform affiliates of new programs in the network, as well as give feedback on existing programs.



Tips For Creating A Successful Affiliate Marketing Program:

Decide on your Niche Market - The Web makes it easier to find and market to audiences with special interests.

Find Suitable Partners - Once you have identified your market, locate and form partnerships with website owners and content providers that have a record and a good reputation in that niche. Offer potential partners something they need that they can incorporate in their own websites without disruption. The affiliate/merchant relationship should be a win-win for both.

Keep Searching - Keep looking for new partners that can help you spread the word. Consider partners that may have some peripheral but related connection to your niche market or product. The best affiliate programs are those that have organic growth.

Provide Good Copy - Give your affiliates marketing messages, images, ads, etc. that they would be happy to display on their websites. Provide snappy, well-written content for them to use. If you make the affiliates' job easier and provide compelling materials that lead to significant amounts of click-throughs, they are more likely to actively support and promote you.

Communicate - Keep your affiliates informed through email, newsletters, forums, etc. Listen to, and act on, their feedback. A well-informed affiliate will feel more a part of the overall team and develop a sense of ownership.

A good affiliate marketing program takes time to build, but it can be the most cost-effective investment in the marketing budget there is, leading to increased revenue for life for a minimal cost.

Thank you for coming to my blog and for taking time to read. Know that reading does to the mind, what exercise does to the body.

And remember, its about working smart not working too hard.

Bye for now.