Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards one or more affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate's own marketing efforts. The industry has four core players: the merchant (also known as 'retailer' or 'brand'), the network (that contains offers for the affiliate to choose from and also takes care of the payments), the publisher (also known as 'the affiliate'), and the customer. The market has grown in complexity, resulting in the emergence of a secondary tier of players, including affiliate management agencies, super-affiliates and specialized third party vendors.This is the 8 Step guide on how to start your affiliate marketing process and start generating revenue on your website.

1. The 8 Step Affiliate
Marketing Guide

2. Step 1: Create a Website
A website is a great place to start
affiliate marketing.The quickest and
easiest way to setup a website is
WordPress. A self hostedWordPress
installation is the perfect start for an
affiliate marketer.

3. Step 2: Choosing a topic (niche)
Choosing a topic for your website is
an important step.When starting out
it is suggested you choose ONE topic
that you are interested or passionate
about.This way it will be easier to
add content on your website.

4. Step 3: Build content on your website
You will have to add content to your
website on a regular basis. Using a
web platform likeWordPress makes
that easier.The content should be
high quality and original. Ensure that
content is helpful or interesting. High
quality, consistently added content is
the key to successful website.

5. Step 4: Find Offers
Find offers that match your content.There
are many different offers online so you can
monetize just about any passion. Most
major online retailers have affiliate
programs.
Some of the most popular affiliate
companies are:
Amazon, Ebay, Clickbank, Commision
Junction, Share a Sale, Linkshare, Google.

6. Step 5: Add your ADS / Links
These sites will give you affiliate links
or HTML ad code to put on your site.
Add the links / ads to your website. If
you usedWordPress you can add the
ads to your sidebar and/or individual
posts.

7. Step 6: Setup a clear Call to Action for
your traffic
When someone on your website clicks
an ad or a link and then buys - you
earn a commission. Some affiliate
offers don’t even require a purchase,
just an action like your referral signing
up for a free trial.

8. Step 7: It’s time to get PAID
You will get paid by whatever affiliate
companies you use to monetize your
website. Make sure you check the terms of
each network.There are different payout
thresholds, methods and requirements on
each site. Each site will also have it’s own
report system so you can check out how
many people are clicking your links / ads
and how much you have earned.

9. Step 8: Repeat what works
When you have a successful affiliate
website you know what goes into
making one. Now you can create
other affiliate sites based on different
niches. Just look what worked from
your first site and apply it to your
second.This will help you grow more
revenues exponentially.

10. For more conversations
www.twitter.com/nitinkarkara
www.linkedin.com/in/nitinkarkara

11. I am digital marketer with more than 16 years
of experience who has an infectious
enthusiasm for technology. Have received
industry recognition and awards by winning
various digital marketing activities for Coca-
Cola in EFFIES and IAMAI awards for
campaigns like ‘Sprite Teen Till I Die’ and
‘Facebook Feature Phone Campaign’ to
increase recruitment and frequency for the
brand among mobile phone users. Possess a
strong technical background by completing B-
Tech in computer systems and working as a
programmer. My hobbies include watching
Sci-Fi movies and reading books on business,
leadership, motivation and digital marketing.
ABOUT ME