An affiliate network acts as an intermediary between publishers (affiliates) and merchant affiliate programs. It allows website publishers to more easily find and participate in affiliate programs which are suitable for their website (and thus generate income from those programs), and allows websites offering affiliate programs (typically online merchants) to reach a larger audience by promoting their affiliate programs to all of the publishers participating in the affiliate network.
Traditional affiliate networks enable merchants to offer publishers a share of any revenue that is generated by the merchant from visitors to the publisher's site, or a fee for each visitor on the publisher's site that completes a specific action (making a purchase, registering for a newsletter, etc.). The majority of merchant programs have a revenue share model, as opposed to a fee-per-action model.
For merchants, affiliate network services and benefits may include tracking technology, reporting tools, payment processing, and access to a large base of publishers. For affiliates, services and benefits can include simplifying the process of registering for one or more merchant affiliate programs, reporting tools, and payment aggregation.
Affiliates are generally able to join affiliate networks for free, whereas there is generally a fee for merchants to participate. Traditional affiliate networks might charge an initial setup fee and/or a recurring membership fee. It is also common for affiliate networks to charge merchants a percentage of the commissions paid to affiliates.
Which Affiliate Network?
If you're looking for an affiliate network, there are many possibilities. The choice depends upon the product and the category of persons you want to reach. Some affiliate networks are free, others not. You can also register the same product in more than one affiliate networks, ensuring a greater promotion. InternetCheckpoint.com doesn't want to influence your choice, but there are two choices that are certainly valid:
- Paydotcom is one of the largest affiliate networks. It's free for both sellers and affiliates. Register a product and put it in the marketplace is simple and free. The payments are managed securely through PayPal. The sales are paid directly to your PayPal account. Opening a PayPal account is free. This affiliate network allows affiliate tracking and real-time monitoring of sales. Paydotcom only requires the payment of a fee of about thirty U.S. dollars if you decide to sell more products simultaneously with the same account.
- Clickbank is another large affiliate network, perhaps one of the most popular. It deals only digital products. It is especially suited to those who sell ebooks. The affiliates are paid automatically by the network. The activation cost for a seller account is about fifty dollars. Payments are made every two weeks by check or bank deposit.
Other recommended affiliate networks:
Register to Clickbank: click here
Register to Paydotcom: click here
