Affiliate programs are a form of online advertising or marketing where publishers (affiliate partners) promote advertisers products or services on their Web sites in exchange for commissions on clicks, leads or sales that result from their Web site visitors. To find an advertiser you can search the Internet yourself and examine more than 1 970 000 pages (according to Google data), but the best and most efficient way is to join the networks of the affiliate service providers (ASP). The efficiency of this network can be summarized as follows:
- A comprehensive and permanently renewed lists of affiliate programs are available
- Single interface, one account, one password to manage multiple advertisers
- One monthly paycheck summing commissions from all transactions
- Payment available in various national currencies
- Real-time tracking and reporting all transactions
- Excellent choice of links and banners
- Free service and support
- Free sign-up.
How the affiliate program works
1) Join the ASP network, 2) apply to join the advertiser's programs, and upon acceptance, 3) select and place the advertiser's links and banners on your web site. When a visitor to your web site clicks on the link, makes an actual purchase online or fills out a form, that transaction is tracked and recorded, the commission from this transaction is added to your account. When a minimum sum of commissions is reached, you will receive a money cheque, or this sum can be deposited in the bank you specify (for the residents of the USA and Canada only).
In this review the networks of the leading affiliate marketing solution providers: Commission Junction, Link Share, ClickXChange, ReportingNet are considered. All these companies accept international applications from most countries. You can join these networks, no matter where you live: in America, Europe, former Soviet Union, Asia, Africa, Middle or Far East.
Commission Junction
Commission Junction is the leader of affiliate service. Webmasters can get started right now for free by signing up online and get paid in one monthly paycheck for all the online partnerships they develop through Commission Junction. Publishers can partner with more than 1500 advertisers and access thousands of ads from a single Web-based interface.
Registration
click the button or link www.cj.com. Upon loading Commission Junction window click Apply to Join.
Select language from the list.
Following information will be required, prepare it in advance:
Step 1: Site Information
- Web site or newsletter name:
- Site URL including http:// :
- Describe your site: a brief description of 1-3 sentences is enough.
- Category: select from the list
- Does your Web site offer incentives to visitors, donate a portion of proceeds to charity or require special approval from Advertisers?
- in most cases the reply is No but it depends entirely on you.
A special approval is required for sites for adults, with a porno and horror
content, etc.
Step 2: Contact Information
- Your Name:
- Title: e.g. Mr., Miss, Mrs., Dr.
- Phone:
- E-mail (used for login): your real e-mail. It is used for log-in to your
account and receiving important information about your password,
new merchants, programs, etc.
Step 3: Company Information
- Organization name (Your name if none):
- Street:
- City:
- State (Required for US residents only):
- ZIP code: ignore, if your country does not use it.
- Country: select from list
- Organization phone: (your phone for private sites).
- Organization fax: (your fax for private sites).
Step 4: Payment Information
- Checks payable to:
- Currency: if you choose the US dollars, the minimal sum to send you the
cheque will be $25, otherwise - $75.
- Minimum check amount: select from the list.
Step 5: Please Answer the Following Brief Questions
- How did you hear about Commission Junction? - select the answer from the list, or give yours.
- What is the main reason you are joining the Commission Junction network? - select the answer from the list, or give yours.
Step 6: Review the Publisher Service Agreement
Mark these fields that you agree with the service and rules of Commission Junction and you are at least 18 and click Continue. If everything is filled in correctly, you will see the reply Congratulations! You have successfully opened a publisher account with Commission Junction!
All entered data you can edit later from the Account page at Commission Junction.
Now activate your affiliate account. Check your e-mail inbox end receive password and URL address to log in to your account
Select the advertisers
Make sure your browser supports Java language. Log in, then click Get Links and find the advertiser to join. Visit its page and get acquainted with the business and offers, then click Join program - your site must be approved either instantly by robot, or later by the advertiser - you will be informed by e-mail about the decision.
Get HTML codes of links and banners
Click Advertiser's links, or join several programs and then click Account > Your advertisers and select Your Joined Advertisers.
Click Advertiser's links and select the links you should like to place on your site. Pay attention to the columns 3 Month Network EPC and 7 Day Network EP - they display the efficiencies of these links. Then click Get HTML, select the code, save it and place on your site. Use only simple text editor like NotePad, that does not change the code. Please, note that Front Page editor changes codes.
Tracking the transactions
Open your Member area home page at Commission Junction and click Run Reports, you will see all necessary information.
Regularly check your internal e-mail at the Commission Junction - you will get useful information about new merchants, offers, changes, etc.
To finish your session click Log out.
This is a brief introduction, necessary to start, the most complete tutorial you can find on the Commission Junction site, open folder CJU - Commission Junction University.
