Affiliate Marketing has transformed businesses radically via online affiliations between web sites or networks of web sites. These affiliates direct traffic or potential customers to a particular merchant web site or network that sells a product/service online.
While the affiliate is paid a commission/finder’s fee for every visitor, subscriber and/potential customer that he directs to the merchant site, the merchant increases his leads manifold and has terrific chances of converting this highly qualified traffic. Compensation to the affiliate is based on clicks received, registrations, subscriptions, memberships or sale.
Performance Pays and How!
Call it Pay Per Click, Pay Per Lead or Pay Per Sale, it is a performance-based model. The merchant parts with the commission to the affiliate only after the sale is made.
Many online businesses have attested to a 15-20% increase in online revenues after signing up for Affiliate Marketing. True to its promise, Affiliate Marketing has also proved to be a cost-effective, reliable and easily track-able method of delivering long-term results.
Online merchants have a wide choice of affiliate marketing solutions to augment and enhance online sales. These include customized software, third party affiliate networks, hosted services, affiliate-sponsored shopping carts and more.
Many ways to make the most from Affiliate Marketing
Many e-businesses enrol for stand alone affiliate programs while others go for third party services provided by intermediaries who track traffic or sales that are referred by affiliates. There are also multi-level marketing type of affiliate programs that distribute commission into a hierarchical referral network of sign-ups and sub-affiliates.
Affiliate Network also acts as a third party between the merchant and the associated affiliates. They deliver the merchant’s campaigns and offers and also collect commission from the merchant and pay affiliates who are part of the network.
Affiliate Marketing is a mutually beneficial proposition for both the merchant and the affiliate. It is easy to run an affiliate program and the costs involved are also minimal. The merchant gets to decide how much he is willing to pay for each sale through an affiliate lead without overshooting his budget. He can plan well in advance and work accordingly.
Affiliate Marketing becomes a full-time income source for the affiliate, provided he is able to connect the merchant’s wares to the right user base from his traffic.
Network
