There are many different types of affiliate programs out there but some are better than others. There are also many different affiliate networks as well so your options are endless as an affiliate marketer.
It's very import and to figure out in the beginning what market you actually want to be in so that you can narrow down your list to a few different affiliate networks or in-house affiliate programs. If you like technology-related products like software and gadgets than what you would want to do is find the affiliate networks and products that have a huge variety of products for you to promote. Whereas if you decide to be in the self improvement market you may want to join an affiliate network that allows you to sell information products like e-books.
Two of the biggest affiliate networks right now are Commission Junction and ClickBank. Using the example above, we would probably join Commission Junction if we wanted to promote electronics or certain types of software. Another option for electronics is Amazon.com, because people trust Amazon as a brand. As far self-improvement goes they are many self-help e-books on ClickBank that you can promote to people with a variety of problems that they need to solve.
The most important step for you to take is to pick a network or an affiliate program that you feel comfortable with and that you've researched very well. The mistake most affiliates make is that they focus on which products or networks will make them more money without actually focusing on which network or product they will feel more comfortable promoting. This is why it's very important to do your research first and to find out exactly which affiliate networks paying on time and what type of products are sold on those networks. Keep all of this in mind when choosing what products you want to promote or networks you want to join.
After you've done all of your research, make sure that you create a game plan for yourself so that you will remain on track to maximize your affiliate commissions. The last thing you want to do is join an affiliate program or network and not do anything with it. Look at what other successful affiliates do, and do what they do, while still standing out from the crowd.