Are you searching for a way to make money on the internet and wondering what affiliate marketing is all about? You’ve probably seen claims of people making millions and offering to teach you to do the same — for a price, of course. So, want to know the truth about Affiliate Marketing? Read on…

What is an Affiliate Marketer?

In simple terms, an affiliate marketer advertises someone else’s product or service in exchange for a commission. Sometimes the commission is earned for a referral, but more often you earn a commission for a sale made through your referral link. Most often, it’s anywhere from a 33 to 110% commission on a single sale. But, sometimes, you earn monthly commissions if the product or service is a continuing purchase.

How Do I Become an Affiliate Marketer?

In most cases, there is no cost involved, you simply supply your name, address, phone number and social security number (for tax purposes). You can sign up as an affiliate for a single product by an individual, or with a company such as ClickBank which primarily sells e-books, or with a major retailer like Amazon.com. Many stores and websites offer affiliate programs. If there is a particular company you are interested in, scroll down to the bottom of their website and you’ll often find a link for either “affiliates” or “partners”.

How Do I Make Money as an Affiliate Marketer?

There are a LOT of ways to earn money as an affiliate. Some of the factors that will determine which route you go are:

the company you choose to affiliate with

the products you choose to market

whether or not you have a domain of your own

what your personal internet preference is

If you own your own domain, you have a lot more flexibility on how to promote products. If you use other free options on the internet (article directories, Squidoo lens, free blogs, etc.) there will be certain limitations on what and how you can advertise.

How Much Money Can I Make as an Affiliate Marketer?

As with just about any business, that depends largely on you and how much you are willing to work. If you are naive enough to believe the pitch of some of the affiliate sales letters out there, you may think you can simply slap a banner on your site and watch the millions start stacking up in your bank account.

In reality, it will depend on how much traffic you get to your piece of real estate on the web, and how appealing your content is to your visitors. If you work hard enough — and smart enough — you will start to see those checks arrive in your mailbox. But, I wouldn’t hold my breath, since it’s highly unlikely you’ll be an overnight millionaire.

Obviously, this article has barely scratched the surface of affiliate marketing. Want to learn more about making money on the internet through affiliate marketing? Be sure to read the other articles in this category and check the resources section for products that you may find useful in your Affiliate Marketing business.