Starting as an affiliate marketer

... yet another starter question

[le_gber]

Hello to all the affiliate marketer lurking around,

I want to try and start to make some money in the affiliate market - just to be able to say that I tried it. I have been contemplating this idea for quite some time now and was hoping that I could get some of yous guy/gal input.

I am not sure if I did this the right way round, but I went to some of the Aff prog website and looked at some of the merchant they had. I found some where I beleive I could generate some sales. I am thinking a mix of PPC and SEO.

The thing is that I wanted to create some sites especially for these programms (i.e. I haven't any site to put these on yet) and how you guys got around this? Do you usually have a site on a subject and go and hunt for the aff prog, or do you choose the aff prog and then create your site?

Also if you haven't any site up and running do you create it and then apply for the aff prog or do you apply and then create the site?

Finally as an affiliate are you allowed to freely design, and promote your site or do you have to comply with the merchant guidlines, i.e. if their aff prog is based on banners can you create a site with your own info and then link to them using your own links or not?

Thanks

Leo

[ska_demon]

Hi, More often than not you will need to have an existing site that will be evaluated by the merchant before you can join the program. That doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be a massive site with huge traffic. Just something that fits in with the aff program you wish to promote. Could be a hobby site or just a couple of pages.
I personally look for programs that i would like to promote and then build a site based around those programs. The affiliate link should really be secondary to your sites content.
You can pretty much design your sites any way you like so long as you do not breach the guidelines of the merchant.
Gotta get back to my real job, boss giving me stares.
Ska

[le_gber]

Thnaks ska_demon

Anybody else got some insight?

I am sure I've heard people looking for affiliate program, applying and then creating (or having somebody else) create the site for them>

Leo

[andla]

Are you thinking of promoting affiliate program directly via Adwords?

I'm thinking that it would be a good idea just to have a website advertising you as an adword marketer. This way you don't have to have a page with content for the specific affiliate program. You can choose any program you like. The Affiliate Program Provider just want to se your credibility to accept you as an affiliate.

/Andla