The day I decided to go into affiliate marketing I was so excited. I knew my niche, I had my website ready, I was posting content and growing an audience. I signed up to the first affiliate network I came across and applied to any affiliate program that would accept me.
But if you ask me today if that was the best decision to make back then I’d tell you heck no!
I went about it all wrong. And the reason for that you ask? Because I didn’t think it through when it came choosing an affiliate network and programs.
Part of the selection process should include researching the right affiliate network and programs. That’s why I’m going to share four important questions you should ask yourself when choosing an affiliate, so you can avoid the same costly mistakes I made.
Four Important Questions To Ask Yourself When Choosing An Affiliate Network
Put the idea of making money aside. You have to put your customers first. Based on your niche, figure out what readers are looking for and what products you can offer them to meet their need. When picking an affiliate network I recommend asking yourself questions like:
Does the Affiliate Network have the products to support my niche?
This is important. You want to make sure the network you partner up with will have the products that coincide with your niche and it’s what your visitors are looking for and need.
Tip: Don’t be like me and apply to any program. You won’t gain anything if your visitors aren’t interested in them.
What companies are affiliated with this network?
While researching through affiliate networks check and see which companies have partnered with them.
Tip: The way I find out if a company I want to promote has an affiliate program is by searching for an affiliate or publisher link on their site.
What kind of support does the affiliate network offer?
Look for networks who can offer real-time support or phone support. Find out what are their hours of operation and how fast will they respond to your email.
What kind of ads does the affiliate network have?
Check what types of promotional items an affiliate network offers and see if they have different banner sizes in multiple styles. Find out if you they have contextual links and if you can you send product links to your email subscribers as well.
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There You Have It
As you can see, a lot should go into the thought process when it comes to choosing an affiliate networks. No matter which one(s) you decide to sign up for keep these questions in mind as part of your selection process and avoid the “back to the drawing board” phase of running online business.
Here is a list of affiliate networks I’ve partnered with. You can find products to promote and on your website and in some cases like ShareASale get great content.
eBay Enterprise Affiliate Network
Centerpoint Media
Chitika Partner Center
CJ Affiliate formally known as Commission Junction
Clicksor
Panthera Network
Rakuten (Linkshare)
Over To You
If you have anything to add to this list there’s a comments section below this post so you can share it with us. If you’re an affiliate marketer please tell us how it’s working out for you and what networks you belong to.
Do you know anyone who would like to become an affiliate? Please share this post with them.
Disclosure: This post has affiliate links. If you sign up to anyone of these networks I will receive a commission. If you do sign up, thank you!
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