Affiliate marketing - Definition and Overview

Affiliate Marketing is a widespread method of promoting a website, in which the webmaster who promotes a site is rewarded for his/her efforts for every visitor, subscriber and/or customer that he provides. Some e-commerce sites such as Amazon.com have its own affiliate programs while other e-commerce vendors use a third party such as CommissionJunction.com, LinkShare.com, and BeFree.com to track the sales that are referred from affiliate sites. Many websites have financed their operations through affiliate marketing, and many online vendors have boosted their sales through affiliate marketing programs.

Many Internet users hold negative opinions of affiliate programs due to the tendency of their users to use spam for their own gain. In the past, affiliate members have spammed the Internet with their affiliate ID in an effort to earn money or credit.

External links

• Share Results Affiliate Network (http://www.shareresults.com) - Affiliate network based in Canada.
• Commission Junction (http://www.CJ.com) - Third party affiliate program manager.
• Link Share (http://www.linkshare.com) - Affiliate program manager.
• Performics (http://www.performics.com) - Third party performance based marketing
• Shareasale.com (http://shareasale.com/) - Third party affiliate program manager.
• Clixgalore.com (http://clixgalore.com)- Affiliate program manager.
• Affilate Marketing Forums (http://www.revenuesource.com/) - Forums disemminating industry news, program reviews, and SEO / Marketing tips.
• Affiliate marketing resources (http://www.affiliatemanager.net/index.shtml)
• Goyami (http://www.corante.com/goyami) - Affiliate and search marketing news.

UK Resources

• Affiliate Window (http://www.affiliatewindow.com) - Affiliate Network.
• Affiliate Marketing Forum (http://www.a4uforum.co.uk) - UK affiliate forum.
• Tradedoubler (http://www.tradedobler.com) - Affiliate Network.