subject: The Three Simple Steps to Affiliate Marketing for Beginners [print this page] The Three Simple Steps to Affiliate Marketing for Beginners
There are thousands and thousands of companies, both big and small, who will pay people like yourself to promote their products and services. But why would they do this? The answer is simple. They are much better off having 1000 individuals, or affiliates, spending their own time and advertising money than it would be to spend the company's time and money on promotions in house. Not to mention that having 1000's of affiliates promoting a product gives a company a LOT more reach to connect with potential customers. This is a great benefit to their companies.
The affiliate, or affiliate marketer, benefits from this relationship as well. The thing that you, the affiliate, need to understand is that you DO NOT need your own their product. Furthermore, the companies' affiliate programs are free to join. The affiliate programs are either directly with the company (such as Amazon or eBay) or through an affiliate program service (such as Commission Junction or Linkshare). And the best part is that these companies are willing to pay you a commission.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's talk about the very basics of affiliate marketing for beginners such as yourself.
The Basics of Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing for beginners really comes down to two things. First, there are the customers. Secondly, there are the products that will help satisfy the customer's need or wants. Your job, as an affiliate marketer, is to bring those two parts together. In a way you are introducing customers to the products for them to potentially purchase. Affiliate marketing for beginners is really that simple.
How Affiliate Marketing Works
To elaborate on this simple concept we can break it down into three steps as shown in the picture.
Step 1. In this step the customer is searching online via a search engine for information about a product or service. The customer finds a link that is relevant to their search; i.e. their wants or needs. The link directs them to a website that was created by an affiliate marketer. The website is filled with relevant information pertaining to a company's product or service.
Step 2. In this part of the process the affiliate's website, by providing relevant, value added content, provides suggestions to the products and services that will meet the customer's needs or wants. Within these suggestions the affiliate marketer includes links to the company's website. These links are specially tailored for each individual affiliate marketer. This is how the company tells one from another. More importantly, this is how your "sales" are tracked so you get paid you commission.
Step 3. Finally, if the customer buys the company's product or service the affiliate gets paid their commission for aligning the customer with the company.
Conclusion
So, as you can see affiliate marketing for beginners really isn't that complicated or difficult. HOWEVER, you've only scratched the surface. My advice to you is to continue your education through reputable services. Please see my bio for a one such source.
