| The concept of Affiliate Marketing is simple. Promote | | | | your website built properly in a month, then spend 6 |
| a merchant's products or services on your website | | | | months constantly fixing an amateur site that nobody |
| by joining their affiliate program and earn | | | | trusts (and hence makes you no money!). |
| commissions when a sale is made. It's completely | | | | Co-Brand an Affiliate Program Website |
| understandable that so many people want to give it | | | | There are Affiliate Programs that provide the option |
| a try. The problem however, is that unless you're a | | | | of co-branding websites. They are pre-built and |
| graphic or web designer, building the website can be | | | | ready-to-go with all the information about the |
| confusing and difficult. Even if you're a marketing | | | | product or service including your affiliate links! They |
| guru, you may still need help building your affiliate | | | | include pages of content provided by the merchant |
| website. Let's go through some different ways to | | | | so that you don't even have to write your own. You |
| get a stylish and functional affiliate website online. | | | | can literally have your complete affiliate website up in |
| Do-It-Yourself Website Design | | | | minutes. You can change your logo and text if you'd |
| If you have basic knowledge of web design or know | | | | like. |
| how to code and design websites inside and out, you | | | | The only downside however is that other affiliates |
| should consider building your website yourself. Not | | | | use the same co-branded website meaning your site |
| only can you save a lot of money, you can use | | | | is no different than theirs. I would recommend that if |
| programs like Dreamweaver or FrontPage to help | | | | you go this route, you change up the content and |
| you out. They will provide you with a nice graphical | | | | add your own so that your site has an advantage |
| view of your site as you design it as well as provide | | | | over theirs. Co-branded sites are not appropriate if |
| an easy method to FTP your files to your web | | | | you plan on including other affiliate programs. These |
| server. Of course, if you are familiar with web design, | | | | sites are targeted for one Affiliate Program, although |
| you can always use the 'code view' option. | | | | you can always add others in the future. |
| If and when you need help, there are many forums | | | | Blog About your Niche! |
| on the Internet to help get you back on track. It is | | | | The easiest way to get a website online quickly is to |
| important to recognize that if you don't have an eye | | | | start a blog. You simply sign up at one of the many |
| for colour, layout, or style, doing it yourself might not | | | | blog websites online and post content. There is no |
| be the best option. The point of the site is to | | | | need to know HTML code because everything is |
| generate trust with your visitors so they click your | | | | done via their graphical interface. The blog usually has |
| links and earn you income. If your site looks like it | | | | a pre-determined design but in some cases you can |
| was thrown together and is illegible, it won't be an | | | | customize certain aspects yourself or even attach a |
| effective affiliate website. You'll just be wasting your | | | | blog template to completely change the design. |
| time. | | | | Attach some banners and text links from your |
| Hire Someone to Build a Custom Website | | | | affiliate programs and you're good to go. |
| A custom website gives you the ability to design and | | | | Get a Website Template Online |
| structure the affiliate site exactly the way you want. | | | | Web Design Templates are no longer amateur looking |
| Look in your local phone book for web design | | | | websites with one colour down the left and across |
| companies or search the Internet. While hiring | | | | the top. They have come a long way and now there |
| someone to build your site can free up a lot of your | | | | are thousands upon thousands of professional and |
| time, it usually costs much more and takes longer | | | | stylish designs for any industry and can either be |
| (weeks to months). If you aren't in an immediate | | | | customized by someone else or customized by you |
| rush and you have no knowledge of HTML or | | | | using Dreamweaver or FrontPage. There are HTML, |
| website design, you might want to consider having | | | | Flash, blog and forum skins, and online store |
| someone else do the site for you and possibly show | | | | templates for ecommerce. They come complete with |
| you how to add new affiliate programs and content | | | | multiple pages already integrated so they're much |
| in the future. It's better to spend a more and have | | | | more than just template designs. |