Setting up Your Affiliate Accounts
There are a wide range of affiliate schemes you can join. They all work in pretty much the same way. You create an account by going to the website and filling out an on-line form. Some affiliate schemes ask you to pay a small fee to create the account (usually in a few dollars) which is really to deter people who aren't really going to try to sell some products. Once the account is created you'll then have access to the members area where you will be able to search their database of merchants to find products you want to sell.
Once you find a product or range of products from a single merchant you will need a set of codes to allow your customers to be tracked as they make purchases. Some affiliate schemes ask you to apply to be allowed to sell the product, some allow you to sell anything they offer immediately. This application process tends to be for larger, branded merchants (e.g. high street retailers). Whatever you do make sure you don't start sending customers to the merchant website on till you've got your codes and had any applications approved. If you do you won't get the commission for the seals you generate.
So which affiliate schemes should you join?
Clickbank.com
This is one of the most popular affiliate marketing programmes. It specialises in digital products which are one of the best for you to market. Digital products include software, e-book's, websites, etc. As there are usually very low production and delivery costs the merchants can offer very high commission rates - 75% or more. This compare is very very favourably to the 5% or so you'll get from merchants offering physical goods.
Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
Amazon has a massive range of products, usually at very competitive prices. Thier affiliate scheme provides lots of help and advice to help you sell the products and their commission rates increase as you sell more and more.
Amazon.com (US) scheme
Amazon.co.uk (UK) scheme
There are lots of other affiliate schemes that you can join. I'll be adding more to this list as this website develops.
So now you joined some schemes lets work out what you should be selling.