CLICKBANK: A VERY POPULAR AFFILIATE PROGRAM

The proliferation of the Internet as a business tool has been a boon to millions of would-be entrepreneurs seeking to exploit a phenomenon many of them will never fully understand. But technological prowess in no longer necessary in a field that, to paraphrase an old camera commercial, is so advanced that it's simple. Opportunities that 10 years ago could never have been imagined have come to the attention of hordes of web surfers. Affiliate programs, which entice people with the concept of passive income, are the bellwethers of this Internet opportunity. Clickbank, although one of hundreds of affiliate programs, has rapidly risen to the top.

The basic idea is that by adding hypertext links which direct web surfers to products for sale, the affiliate earns commissions each time one of the sponsored products is purchased. In Clickbank's case, the products are generally e-books and other texts that can be downloaded for a fee. This virtually eliminates overhead, allowing retailers to offer affiliates from 50% to 75% commissions. Becoming a Clickbank affiliate is free, and the entire process takes less than five minutes.

Clickbank's marketplace lists products under nine categories Business to Business, Health & Fitness, Home & Family, Computing & Internet, Money & Employment, Marketing & Ads, Fun & Entertainment, Sports & Recreation and Society & Culture. In addition, you can further break down your search into sub-categories, of which each main category has about six to eight. A general keyword search under "All Categories" is the most effective way to find a suitable product. Once you locate a product that you want to sponsor, you can "create a hoplink," which will direct readers to a web site where they can make a purchase. A typical hoplink will look like this

Click Here ,/a>

but like this to readers: Click Here!

You might opt for the "shotgun approach" to Clickbank. By creating a hoplink directly to the marketplace, you can earn commissions whenever someone purchases any product from Clickbank through your hoplink. This is kind of a crap shot, as you have no idea what the readers will buy or how much commission you will earn.

At Clickbank, you don't have to do any bookkeeping; they keep track of your daily sales and will mail you a check when your commission reaches an amount predetermined by you. The minimum payout amount is $10, and the maximum is as high as $10,000.

• 1
• 2
• next page >>

---

Add your voice

Know something about Understanding Internet affiliate marketing businesses?
We want to hear your view. Write now!