How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs

If you’re excited about affiliate marketing, and you should be, make sure you take the time to properly research any company you are thinking of doing business with as an affiliate. While there are hundreds and hundreds of affiliate programs from which to choose, it will be wise to be selective so that you are getting the best possible revenue from all of your hard work.

Read Everything

Make sure you read all of the policies and Terms of Service for each affiliate program you are applying to represent. Usually, you will have to fill out an application and wait a couple of days for it to be approved, especially if you are submitting a website that you will place affiliate links on. When you access the application, you will have an opportunity to read all of the requirements. This can be a pain, but do read these terms and conditions for two reasons: (1) You want to make sure the Terms of Service are satisfactory to you; that is, do you want to represent this company and promote their products? (2) You want to make sure you comply with all the requirements and avoid doing anything that would get your site banned from the program. After all, if you don’t know what the rules are, how can you be sure you are following them?

Stick with Well Known Companies at First

If you’re new to affiliate marketing, you might want to stick to well known companies until you learn the ropes. Unfortunately, although the Internet is full of money making opportunities, it also has its share of scams. Fortunately, there are so many well known companies that participate in affiliate marketing that you couldn’t represent them all if you tried so you will still have a large menu to choose from.

Be Aware of How and When They Pay

When you read the Terms of Service, you’ll read about how often you will get paid, the rate of commission at which you’ll be paid, and which method you will be paid with. Many affiliate programs pay through PayPal; others send out checks. Also, be aware that many of these programs have a threshold that you must reach in order to be paid. For example, you may have to earn $100 in commissions before you are paid at all. While many affiliate programs have a minimum you must earn before you will be paid, some of them are as low as $10 or $25.

Do They Offer a Money Back Guarantee to Their (and Your) Customers?

Customers like to shop with companies that offer a money back guarantee. It makes them feel more secure and you will likely do better if you promote products from companies that offer such a guarantee. Also, notice what kind of customer service the company offers. After all, if they don’t take care of their customers, they won’t have many customers to take care of. That means you won’t have many customers either.

Do your homework, read the Terms of Service, and if all else fails, you can always move on to another affiliate program. You may try several in the beginning until you find the ones that suit you the best.