5 Easy Ways To Get Your Creative Juices Going

Writing an article doesn't just mean putting random thoughts into words then typing and writing it. You need to put your thoughts down in a cohesive and creative manner in order to capture the interest and imagination of your readers and get them to keep reading. You need to capture their attention and pique their curiosity.

The main ingredient to cooking up an article is a large dose of creativity. While creativity may come naturally to some people, many writers may have difficulty getting those first words down on paper (on computer, whichever manner you choose.) Many writers have literally torn their hair out when they get writers block and just can’t seem to get their creative juices flowing.

Changing words into images in the readers mind is an art. A clear and crisp depiction requires a certain flair that only creativity can provide. Similes and metaphors help a lot, but the way an article weaves the words into sentences and then paragraphs is what develops the essence of the article.

So just what do you have to do when nothing comes to mind? There is no surefire ways to get the perfect ideas but there are many ways to get your creative juices flowing. No one can guarantee you of having the perfect mindset but many methods may aid you in achieving that state of mind.

1) Keep a diary or a journal with you at all times.
Ideas can be triggered by anything you may hear, see, or smell. Your senses are your radar in finding good ideas. Write all of them into a journal and keep it with you for future reference. You may also write down anything that you have read or heard, someone’s ideas could be used to develop your own ideas. Remember that ideas and creativity can come from anywhere; it’s the development of the idea that makes it unique.

2) Relax and take time to sort things out.
A jumbled mind cannot create any space for new ideas. You need to have a clear or calm mind in order to generate your creativity. Get rid of all obstacles that can be a hindrance to your creativity. If you are bothered by something, you cannot force your mind to stay focused. Try to relax and think about your experiences and interactions with others. Your experiences are what shape your mindset and opinions, which could be reflected in your writing. Find out what triggers your emotions. Discover what inspires you and what ticks you off and use these emotions to help you in expressing yourself and your ideas.

3) Create a working place that can inspire your creativity.
Your work place can be a hindrance if it doesn’t make you feel happy or relaxed. Creativity comes from your state of mind and a messed up workplace that causes distraction won’t be conducive to writing. Surround your working place with objects that makes you happy and relaxed. Put up pictures, or scents, objects that inspire, or anything that can get your creativity cranking. A clean and well organized workplace also rids your mind of distractions and unwanted hindrances. With a good work place, you can write in peace and never notice the passage of time.

4) Set the mood.
There are many ways to set the mood. Some writers have been known to use a little sip of wine to relax and stir up the imagination. (Notice I said 'a little'.) Some like soft mood music while others prefer something a little more raucous to get their imagination working. There are those who let the lighting of the environment create the mood, and still others who enjoy walks or enjoying nature.

5) Go on a getaway and just do something unlike crazy.
Letting yourself go and have fun produces adrenaline that can make your imagination go wild. Take an adventure or even a nature hike. Whatever it is that is different from your daily routine might be what you need to get out of your rut. Whatever it is that strikes your fancy, your subconscious will make use of that experience and get your imagination working overtime.

How to Create an Outline for Your Article

We've done it through junior high, it expanded on it through high school and continued on into college. No matter how many times a person has done it, writing articles can be a task many of us prefer to avoid. Now at a time when writing articles is necessary for your work, facing the job at hand can be a daunting task.

While there are a great number of people who do not have a problem writing, others would rather walk on piping hot coals than do some article writing. What sets these two opposing factions apart from each other is the level of preparedness that each group possesses.

One tool that can help you write that article you are avoiding is to start by creating an outline. Creating an outline for all your articles gives you a starting point. You have an idea of what to do first and can make a plan for your succeeding steps. This helps make the job easier and faster.

An outline can act as the design or blueprint for your article. This will guide you in creating the introduction, body and conclusion of your article. The outline is where you write down your ideas and sentences that you feel will look good in your article and provide a focal point that will help make your article creative, interesting and appealing to a reader.

A carefully planned and prepared project will ensure a worry free procedure that can help you to virtually breeze through writing an article in no time at all.

Do some brainstorming and jot down your ideas. Think of some ways to attract the interest of your reader. Designate a time frame for your finished product. By this point, you should have completed all the research about your subject and have all your information jotted down. Review and reread your ideas and notes so that you have sufficient familiarity with your topic so that what you write is not stilted or copied.

Write a short introduction that will entice your reader. It doesn't have to be long, just enough to grab their attention and draw them into reading the rest of  your article. The next step is to figure out your sub topic and sub titles. These are the frames or skeleton of your article, now its time to 'flesh' it out. Write an introductory sentence for each topic and sub topic that you can use to connect them and allow them to 'flow'. (Flow is a very important component to an article as this ensures that one sentence leads to another.) These sentences will form the body of your article.

Once you have your outline you are ready for your first draft. This may take more than one attempt but remember that it is called a draft for a reason. This is where you figure out what you want to say and how you want it to read. Always refer to your outline so that you stay on track. It's easy to get caught up and lose track of what you wanted to say in the beginning. One you start writing, you will find that it is easy to add tips and points that bolster your initial idea.

When you have completed this step, you will need to write a short conclusion for your article to sum up everything you have written. It's great to have an article that is chock full of information, but you don't want to leave your readers in the lurch. A conclusion provides a place to reiterate your initial points, pros and cons, reason for buying etc.

By using this method, article writing won't seem like such a daunting task. Having a starting point makes it easier to say what you want, and by planning your project, you will be able to write an interesting article that makes sense from beginning to end.

The 4 Things ALL Articles Must Have

The importance of articles in today’s websites and Internet based companies are immeasurable. They can dictate the success by the amount of traffic they can drive to one’s site. It has become a key element in making a site work and generating a profit.

Articles have been known to be the driving force in generating traffic to a website and helping to provide high rankings in search result pages. The higher a site ranks the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie he gets. With a huge number in traffic flow, there are more profits and more potential for other income generating schemes as well. But, it is not just about stuffing your site with articles; there are certain requirements. These requirements must be met to obtain the maximum benefits an article will provide. A well written article will catch the interest of your customers and keep them coming back for more as well as provide incentive for referrals.

Here are some tips to help you and assist you with writing your articles which in turn can make your website into a traffic generating, profitable business.

Keywords and Keyword Phrases.
An article must always be centered on keywords and keyword phrases. There are generally two types of website visitors; those who are just merely browsing for information, and those who are looking for a specific product. In both cases, a visitor usually goes to a search engine and types in the keywords they are looking for (e.g. Toyota Camry, Meningitis, Tax Lawyer, etc).

This is why you need an article that has the keywords that are related to your site. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you need to have articles about cars and their parts. There are many tools on the Internet that can help you when determining what keywords and keyword phrases are specific to your site.

Keyword Density
Once you have your keywords and keyword phrases, you need to 'salt' your articles with the phrases. An article must have good keyword density for a search engine to “feel” its presence. Articles should have at least ten to fifteen percent of keyword density in their content for search engines to rank a site high in their search results, however, don't simply use one or two keywords. You need to use related keywords as well. You don't want your article to be completely centered around one or two phrases.

Keyword density is the number of times a keyword, phrase, or long tailed keyword is used in an article. An effective article must have a keyword density that is neither too high or too low. With a very high density, the essence of the article is lost and may turn off a reader as well as the search engines. It comes off as overeager and poorly written, whereas a low number may be ignored by the search engines.

Good Article Content
As I have already stated, you cannot just riddle an article with keywords. They must also provide good reading material.Well written articles should keep your visitor interested, as well as provide good information. They should be checked for correct spelling and good grammar. Nothing turns a visitor off quicker than an article that reads like a 'spun' or rewritten work that contains little to no useful information and a ton of keywords. If you want people to trust you, take the time to write something that is well thought out and interesting. People respond well to figures, facts and statistics, so do your best to provide them with good information and as many facts as you can. A well written article will boost your reputation as an expert in your chosen field and inspire believability and trust..

Linking Articles
Another important point to remember, if you are going to submit articles to Ezines and/or contribute your articles to newsletters and other sites, never, ever forget to include a link to your site. A little resource box with a brief description of your site should always be placed right after your article. If people like your articles, they will most likely click on the link directing them to your site.

Article Marketing Explained

One way of promoting your website and product can be achieved for FREE. As an additional bonus, this “free” method can boost your sites and sales, doubling and even tripling your income. Articles.

One of the easiest ways to promote your website in order to generate traffic and increase your earnings.
How does this work? Write articles relating to your website and submit them to “free content” submission sites. Easy to do, takes little time and can increase your website traffic, sales and of course, your income.
How can article writing boost traffic and income?

The article on the free content site contains a link to your own website. Readers, after reading your articles, may choose to click on the link and pay you an unexpected visit. Having them on the free content sites is also making these articles available to other webmasters who may wish to publish that article on their site.
If they do, your article will include a link back to your site. And anyone who reads the article on that site can still click on the link to visit your site.

As the list of your published articles grow larger, and more and more of them are appearing on different websites, the total number of links to your site increases also. Major search engines are placing a lot of significance on incoming links to websites so they can determine the importance of a certain site. The more incoming links the website has, the more importance search engines attaches to it. This will then increase your website’s placement in the search results. If you site is into promoting a product or service, the links that your articles have achieved will mean more potential customers for you. Even if visitors only browse
through, you never know if they might be interested in your offer at a later date.

There are also those who already know what they need but cannot decide yet between the many choices online. Chances are, they may stumble upon one of your articles, become interested, go to your site and
became enticed by your promotions. See how easy that is?

Search engines do not just index the websites, they also index published articles. They also index any article that is written about your own website’s topic. So once someone searches for that same topic, the list of results will have your site or may even show the articles that you have written. And to think, no effort on your part was used to bring them to your site. Just your published articles and the search engines. It is no wonder why many webmasters are suddenly reviving their old writing styles and taking time to write more articles about their site than doing other means of promotion.

Getting their site known is easier if they have articles increasing their links and traffic and making it accessible for visitors searching the Internet. Since many people are now taking their buying needs online, having your site on the search engines through your articles is one way of letting them know about you and your business.
The good thing with articles is that you can write about subjects and items that people want to know about. This can be achieved in a light, but professional manner, with a little not-so-obvious sales pitch added.

If you think about it, only a few minutes of your time is spent on writing one article and submitting to free content sites, and in a short period of time, they are distributed to more sites than you can think of. Even before you know what is happening, you are getting more visitors than you previously had.

If you think you are wasting your time writing these articles, fast forward to when you will see them printed and wide-spread on the Internet. Not to mention the sudden attention and interest that people are giving your website and your products or services. Try writing some articles and you will be assured of the sudden surge in site traffic, link popularity and interest. Before you know it, you will be doubling and even tripling your earnings. Nothing like getting benefits for something you got for free!

How To Avoid The 3 Most Common Affiliate Mistakes

Here are some hazard signs and dangerous waters you shouldn’t be treading in the affiliate marketing scene!

Affiliate marketing is one of the most effective and powerful ways of earning money online. This program gives everybody a chance to make a profit through the Internet. Since these affiliate marketing programs are easy to join, implement and pay a commission on a regular basis, more and more people are now willing to jump into this business.

However, like all businesses, there are lots of pitfalls in the affiliate marketing business. Committing some of the most common mistakes could cost the marketers a large portion of their profit.

Mistake number 1: Choosing the wrong affiliate.

Many people want to earn from affiliate marketing as fast as possible. In their rush to be part of one, they tend to choose a bandwagon product. This is the kind of product that the program thinks is “hot”. They choose the product that is in demand without actually considering if the product appeals to them and this is not a very wise move.

Instead of jumping on the bandwagon, try to choose a product in which you are truly interested in. For any endeavor to succeed, you should take some time to plan out your actions. Pick a product that appeals to you. Then do some research to see if it is in demand. Promoting a product you are more passionate about is easier than promoting one for the sake of the earnings only.

Mistake number 2: Joining too many affiliate programs.

Since affiliate programs are very easy to join, you might be tempted to join multiple programs to try and maximize your earnings. You may think that there is nothing to lose by being part of several affiliate programs. While this may be a great way to have multiple sources of income, joining multiple programs and attempting to promote them all at the same time could prevent you from concentrating on each of them individually. This can result in not realizing the maximum potential of your affiliate program and not generating as much profit.

The best way to get excellent result is by joining just one program that pays a 40% commission at the very least. Then give it your best effort by promoting your products enthusiastically. As soon as you see that it is  making a reasonable profit, then you can join another affiliate program. There is really no need to rush into things, especially with affiliate marketing - make sure you do your research.

Mistake number 3: Not buying the product or using the service.

As an affiliate, you main purpose is to effectively and convincingly promote a product or service and to find customers. For you to achieve this purpose, you must be able to relay the pros and cons of your product to your prospective customers. This can be difficult to do when you have not tried the product you are promoting.

Try the product or service personally first before you sign up as an affiliate to see if it is really delivering what it promises. Once you have, your credibility as a living testament to the product's effectiveness can then be honestly and truthfully relayed to your customers.

Many affiliate marketers make these mistakes and are paying for their actions. Take the time to analyze your marketing strategy and see if you are in the right track. If done properly, you will be able to maximize your affiliate marketing program and earn higher profits.

Top 3 Ways To Boost Your Affiliate Commissions Overnight

The world of affiliate marketing does not require having your own website, dealing with customers, refunds, product development or maintenance. It is one of the easiest ways of launching an online business and earning  profits. Assuming you are already into an affiliate program, the next step would be to double, or even triple, your commissions, but how do you do that?

Here are some powerful tips on how to boost your affiliate program commissions overnight.

1. Know the best program and products to promote. Obviously, you  want to promote a program that will enable you to achieve the greatest profits in the shortest possible time. There are several factors to consider when selecting such a program. Choose the ones that have a generous commission structure, have products that fit in with your target audience, and has a solid track record of paying their affiliates on time. There are thousands of affiliate programs online which means you can afford to be selective. After all, you don't want to risk losing your advertising dollars.

Write free reports or short e-Books to distribute from your site. Remember that you are competing with other affiliates who are promoting the same program. If you start writing short reports related to the product you are promoting, you will be able to distinguish yourself from the other affiliates. Make sure you provide some valuable information for free, and if possible, add some recommendations about the products. With e-Books, you gain credibility and customers will be enticed to try out what you are offering.

2. Collect and save the email addresses of those who download your free e-Books. It is a known fact that people do not make a purchase on the first solicitation. You may want to send out your message more than six times to make a sale, which is why you should collect the contact information of those who downloaded your reports and e-Books. This way you can make follow-ups for these contacts and hopefully provide enough curiosity to purchase your products.

Get the contact information of a prospect before sending them to the vendor’s website. Keep in mind that you are providing free advertisement for the product owners. You get paid only when you make a sale. If you send prospects directly to the vendors, chances are they would be lost to you forever, but when you get their names, you can send other marketing messages to them and hopefully earn an ongoing commission instead of a one-time sale only.

Publish an online newsletter or e-Zine. It is always best to recommend a product to someone you know than to sell to a stranger. This is the purpose behind publishing your own newsletter. This allows you to develop a relationship based on trust with your subscribers.

This strategy is a delicate balance between providing useful information and a sales pitch. If you continue to write informative editorials you will be able to build a sense of reciprocity in your readers that may lead them to support you by buying your products.

3. Ask for higher than normal commission from merchants.
If you are already successful with a particular promotion, you should try and approach the merchant and negotiate a percentage commission for your sales. If the merchant is smart, he or she will likely grant your request rather than lose a valuable asset. Keep in mind that you are a zero-risk investment to your merchant; so do not be shy about requesting a larger commission. Just try to be reasonable about it.

Write strong Pay Per Click ads. PPC search engine is the most effective means of advertising online. As an affiliate, you can make a small income just by managing PPC campaigns such as Google AdWords and Overture. Then monitor them to see which ads are more effective and which ones to dispose of.
Try out these strategies and see the difference it can make to your commission checks.

Using Camtasia to Increase Your Affiliate Checks

Since there are already lots of people getting into affiliate marketing, it is no wonder that the competition is getting stiff. The challenge is to try and outdo other affiliates and think of ways to be able to attain this.
There are also many tips and techniques being taught to these affiliate for their program to work effectively so that more earnings will be achieved.

What better way to wow your prospects and customers than to record and publish top notch, full motion and streaming screen-captured videos. There is nothing like feeling your hard work has paid off than by having your customers jumping to buy your product right there and then.

This is Camtasia in action. It is a proven fact; giving your customers something they can actually see can explode your online sales instantly.

You do not need to have training or a college education to be able to know how this system can work for your affiliate program. Anyone can create stunning videos, from multimedia tutorials and step-by-step presentations available online. The process is like having your customers seated next to you and looking at your desktop, as you show them the things they need to see and hear. All this is done step by step.

So how does Camtasia work?
1. It can record your desktop activity in a single click. No need to have to save and compile all your files because it is recorded right there and then.
2. It can easily convert your videos into web pages. Once converted you can have your customers visit that page. Videos are easier to understand while reading text can often be confusing.
3. Upload your pages. Publish them through blogs, RSS feed and podcasts. There is nothing like being visible in many sites and pages to advertise yourself and get your message seen.

There are other things you can do with your affiliate program using Camtasia. You can…

• Create stunning multimedia presentations that are proven to increase sales because all the senses are engaged. This also has the tendency to reduce skepticism among hard-to-please customers
• Reduce refunds and other customer issues by demonstrating visually how to use your product and how to do it properly. Complaints will also be minimized because all the facts and the presentation are there for the customers to see.
• Promote affiliate products and services using visual presentations. This is an effective way of redirecting your viewers straight to your affiliate website after they are finished with the video. Make the most of the presentation by putting your site location in the end and make them go there directly if they want more information.
• Multiply your online auction bids exponentially when you give your readers a feel of what you have to offer. Based on reports, auctions that include pictures increases bidding percentage by 400%. Imagine how much higher it will be if it were videos.
• Publish valuable infoproducts that you can sell for a much higher price. It will be all worth the price because of the full colored graphics menu and templates that you will be using.
• Minimize miscommunication with your customers. Instantly showing them what you want in the first place will help them clearly understand the essence of your affiliate program.

These are just some of the things you can do with Camtasia that can be very helpful in your chosen affiliate program. The main purpose of using Camtasia is to boost the income that is generated from your affiliate program.

Using Product Recommendations To Increase Your Bottom Line

In affiliate marketing, there are many ways in which you can increase your earnings and maintain the account that you have worked so hard for. Most of the techniques and tactics can be learned easily. They are available online, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

One of the more important ways of increasing affiliate marketing bottom line and sale is through the use of product recommendations. Many marketers know that this is one of the most effective ways in promoting a certain product.

If the customers or visitors trust you enough, then they will definitely trust your recommendations. Be very careful in using this approach, though. If you start promoting everything by recommendation, your credibility will actually wear thin. This is seen especially when recommendations are seemingly exaggerated and without much merit.

Do not be afraid to mention things that you do not like about a given product or service. Rather than lose any points for you, this will make your recommendation more realistic and will tend to increase your credibility. Furthermore, if your visitors are really interested in what you are offering, they will be more than happy to learn what is good about the product, what is not so good, and how the product will benefit them.

When you are recommending a certain product, there are some things to remember about how to make it work effectively and for your advantage.

Sound like the true and leading expert in your field. Remember this simple equation: Price resistance diminishes in direct proportion to trust. If your visitors feel and believe that you are an expert in your niche, they are more inclined to making that purchase. On the other hand, if you are not exuding any confidence and self-assurance in endorsing your products, they will probably feel that same way and will go in search of another product or service which is more believable.

How do you establish this aura of expertise? By offering unique and new solutions they would not get anywhere else. Show proof that what you are promoting works as promised. Display prominent testimonials and endorsements from respected and known personalities. Avoid hype at all costs. It is better to sound low key and confident, than to scream and seek attention. Besides, you would not want to sound unprofessional and have that thinking stick to your potential customers and clients, now would you? Best to appear cool and self-assured at the same time.

Remember; prospects are not stupid. They are actually turning to experts and may already know the things that you know. If you back up your claims with hard facts and data, they would gladly put down hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on your promotions. But if you don’t, they are smart enough to look at your competitors and what they are offering.

While recommending a product, it is also important that you give out promotional freebies. People are already familiar with the concept of offering freebies for promoting your own products. But very few people do this to promote affiliate products. Try to offer freebies that can promote or have some information about your products or services.

Before you add recommendations to you product, it is a given that you should try and test the product and support. Do not run the risk of promoting junk products and services. Just think how long it took you to build credibility and trust among your visitors. All that will take to destroy it is one big mistake on your part. If possible, have recommendations of products that you have 100% confidence in. Test the product support before you begin to ensure that the people you are referring it to would not be left high and dry when a problem suddenly arouse.

Have a look at your affiliate market and look at the strategies you are using. You may not be focusing on the recommendations that your products need to have. You plan of action is sometimes not the only thing that is making your program work.

Easy Profits Using PPC In Your Affiliate Marketing Business

PPC or Pay-Per-Click is one of the most cost-effective ways of targeted Internet advertising. According to Forbes magazine, PPC or Pay Per Click, accounts to 2 billion dollars a year and was expected to increase to around 8 billion dollars by the year 2008.

Let 's take a quick look at how PPC Search Engines work.
These engines create listings and rate them based on a bid amount the website owner is willing to pay for each click from that search engine. Advertisers bid against each other to receive higher ranking for a specific keyword or phrase.

The highest bidder for a certain keyword or phrase will then have the site ranked as number 1 in the PPC Search Engines followed by the second and third highest bidder, up to the last number that have placed a bid on the same keyword or phrase. Your ads then will appear prominently on the results pages based on the dollar amount bid you will agree to pay per click.

How do you make money by using PPC into your affiliate marketing business?
Most affiliate programs only pay when a sale is made or a lead was delivered after a visitor has clicked through your site. Your earnings will not always be the same as they will be dependent on the web site content and the traffic market.

The reason why you should incorporate PPC into your affiliate marketing program is that earnings are easier to make than in any other kind of affiliate program not using PPC. This way, you will be making profit based from the clickthroughs that your visitor will make on the advertiser’s site. Unlike some programs, you are not paid per sale or action.

PPC can be very resourceful of your website. With PPC Search Engines incorporated into your affiliate program, you will be able to profit from the visitor’s who are not interested in your products or services - the same ones who leave your site and never come back.

You will not only get commissions from those people who are just searching the web and finding the products and services that they wanted, you will be able to build your site’s recognition as a valuable resource. The visitors who have found what they needed from you site are likely to come back and review what you are offering more closely. Then they will eventually come back to search for other products.
This kind of affiliate program is also an easy way for you to generate additional revenues.

For example, when a visitor on your site does a search in the PPC Search Engine and clicks on the advertiser bided listings, the advertisers’ account will then be deducted because of that click, and you will be compensated 30% to 80% of the advertisers’ bid amount.

PPC is not only a source of generating easy profits; it can also help you promote your own site. Most of the programs allow the commissions received to be spent for advertising with them instantly and with no minimum earning requirement. This is one of the more effective ways to exchange your raw visitors for targeted surfers who are looking to purchase your products and services.

What will happen when you integrate PPC into your affiliate program?
PPC usually has ready-to-use affiliate tools that can be easily integrated into your website. The most common tools are search boxes, banners, text links and some 404-error pages. Most search engines utilize custom solutions and can provide you with a white-label affiliate program. This enables you, using only a few lines of code, to integrate remotely-hosted co-branded search engines into your website.

The key benefits? Not only more money generated but also some extra money on the side. Plus a lifetime of commissions once you have referred some webmaster friends to the engine. Think about it. Where can you get all these benefits while already generating some income for your site? Knowing some of the more useful tools you can use for your affiliate program is not a waste of time. They are rather a means of earning within an earning.

Find out how you can use PPC search engines with your affiliate program to get in on a great opportunity to earn more profits.

Which Affiliate Networks To Watch Out For When Promoting

There are many horror stories about affiliate programs and networks. People have heard them over and over again, to the point that some are even wary of joining one. The stories they may have heard are those related to illegal programs or pyramid schemes. Basically, this kind of market does not have real, worthy products and you do not want to be associated with these schemes. It is obvious you want to be with a program that offers high quality product that you can readily endorse.

The growing number of those who have joined already and are succeeding is proof enough that there are reliable and quality affiliate programs out there.

 Why participate in an affiliate program? It allows you to work part-time. It gives you the opportunity to build a generous residual income. And it makes you an owner of a small business. Affiliate programs have already created lots of millionaires. They are the living testimony of how hard work; continuous prospecting, motivating and training others pay off.

Take note that you are getting into something that is patterned to your level of capacity. This is an assurance that you have the proper information to succeed.

 How do you choose a good affiliate program to promote? Here are some tips you may want to look over before choosing one:

1. A program that you like and have interest in. One of the best ways of knowing if this is the kind of program you wish to promote is if you are interested in purchasing the product yourself. If that is the case, chances are, there are many others who are also interested in the same program and products.

2. Look for a program that is of high quality. For instance, look for one that is associated with many experts in that particular industry. This way, you are assured of the standard of the program you will be joining.

3. Join the ones that offer real and viable products. Do some initial research. If possible, track down some of the members and customers to give you testimoniasl on the credibility of the program.
4. Find a program that is catering to a growing target market. This will ensure that there will be a continuous demand for your referrals. Make inquiries. There are forums and discussions you can participate in to get reliable feedback.

5. A program with a compensation plan that pays out a residual income and a payout of 40% or more would be a great choice. There are some programs offering this kind of compensation. Do not waste your time with programs that do not reward substantially for your efforts.

6. Be aware of the minimum quotas that you must fulfill, or sales targets that are difficult to achieve. Some affiliate programs impose pre-requisites before you get your commissions. Be sure you can achieve their requirements before signing up.

7. Select one that has plenty of tools and resources that can help you grow the business in the shortest possible time. Not all affiliate programs have these features.

8. See if the program has a proven system that allows you to check your networks and compensation at your convenience - preferably something that is available 24/7.

9. The program that is offering strong incentives for members to renew their membership. The affiliate program that provides continuous help and upgrades for its products has the tendency to retain its members. These things can assure the growth of your networks.

10. Be aware of the things that members are not happy about with a program. Like with the ones mentioned above, you can do your checking at discussion forums. If you know someone in that same program, ask if there are many downsides involved. Do your homework - make sure you have answered all your questions about the affiliate program and network you will be promoting. Knowing the kind of program you are getting yourself into will help you anticipate and prevent any future problems.

So Many Affiliate Programs! Which One Do I Choose?

Ask questions before you join an affiliate program. Do a little research about the choices of program that you intend to join.

Will it cost you anything to join? Most affiliate programs being offered today are absolutely free of charge. So don't settle for those that charge you before joining.

When do they issue the commission checks? Every program is different. Some issue their checks once a month, every quarter, etc. Select the one that is best suited to you. Many affiliate programs are setting a minimum earned commission amount that an affiliate must meet or exceed in order for their checks to be issued.

What is the hit per sale ratio? This is the average number of hits to a banner or text link it takes to generate a sale based on all affiliate statistics. This factor is extremely important because this will tell you how much traffic you must generate before you can earn a commission from the sale.

How are referrals from an affiliate’s site tracked and how long do they remain in the system? You need to be confident in the program enough to track those people you refer from your site. This is the only way that you get credit for a sale. The period of time that those people stay in the system is also important. This is because some visitors do not buy initially but may want to return later to make the purchase. Know if you will still get credit for the sale if it is done some months from the initial product launch.

What are the kinds of affiliate stats available? Your choice of affiliate program should be capable of offering detailed stats. They should be available online anytime you decide to check them out. Constantly checking your individual stats is important to know how many impressions, hits and sales are already generated from your site. Impressions are the number of times the banner or text link was viewed by a visitor of your site. A hit is the actual clicking on the banner or text links.

Does the affiliate program also pay for the hits and impressions besides the commissions on sales? It is important that impressions and hits are also paid, as this will add to the earnings you get from the sales commission. This is especially important if the program you are in offers low sales to hit ratio.

Who is the online retailer? Find out whom you are doing business with to know if it is really a solid company. Know the products they are selling and the average sales they are achieving. The more you know about the retailer offering you the affiliate program, the easier it will be for you to know if that program is really for you and your site.

Is the affiliate a one tier or two tier program? A single tier program pays you only for the business you yourself have generated. A two tier program pays you for the business, plus it also pays you a commission on the sales generated by any affiliate you sponsor in your program. Some two-tier programs are even paying small fees on each new affiliate you sponsor, much like a recruitment fee.

Lastly, what is the amount of commission paid? 20% - 80% (and some cases, 100%!) is the commission paid by most programs. .01% - .05% is the amount paid for each hit. As you can see from the figures, you will now understand why the average sales amount and hit to sale ratio is important. These are just some of the questions that need answering before you enter into an affiliate program. Make sure you have all the answers before signing on the dotted line.

How To Become A Super Affiliate In Niche Markets

Over the past years, web hosting has grown bigger than it used to be. With more companies getting into this business and finding the many benefits it can give them, the demand for web hosting has never been higher. These seem to be the trend of today.

38 million people put up their very first websites online in 2005 alone. It was estimated that by 2008, the Internet sales industry would top the dollar bank. And to think, the majority of those sites will be offering different affiliate programs for people to choose and participate in.

Support will be the number one consideration for people when choosing a web host. It will be obvious that traditional advertising will become less and less effective. Most people would rather opt for the web host based on things that they see and hear and the recommendations by those who have tried them and have proved to be a successful.

This is a great opportunity for web hosting affiliates and resellers alike. There would hundreds of web hosting and programs to choose from that the difficulty in finding the right one for them is not a problem anymore.

How does one become a successful affiliate in the niche markets using web hosting? If you think about it, everyone who needs a website needs a web hosting company to host it for them. As of now, there is really no leading hosting industry so most people choose hosts based from recommendations. Think of the product you will be promoting. Pattern them to the site and see if they are catering to the same things as you are.
When you have been with one host for quite some time and seem not to be making much despite all your effort, leave that one and look for another. There is no use in trying to stick to one when you would be before off in another one.

Try this out. If you are quite happy and satisfied with your web host, see if they are offering an affiliate program you can participate on. Instead of you paying them, why not make it the other way around; them paying you. The process can be as easy as putting a small “powered by” or “hosted by” link at the bottom of your page and you are already in an affiliate business.

Why choose paying for your for your web hosting when you do not have to? Try to get paid by letting people know you like your web host. Always remember that when choosing a web host, choose the one that is known for its fantastic customer support. There are also many hosting affiliate programs. Residual affiliate programs are also being hosted. This is the program wherein you get paid a percentage every month for a client that you refer. This can allow you to have a steady source of income.

There are a lot of niche markets out there just waiting for the right affiliate. Web hosting is just one affiliate market you could try out and make some good, continuous income. Just remember that to be successful on your endeavor also means that time, effort and patience is needed.

Nobody has invented the perfect affiliate market yet. But some people do know how to make it big in this kind of market.

The 3 Things All Affiliate Marketers Need To Survive Online

Every affiliate marketer is always looking for the successful market that gives the biggest paycheck. Sometimes they think it is a magic formula that is readily available for them. Actually, it is more complicated than that. It is just good marketing practices that have been proven over years of hard work and dedication.
There are tactics that have worked before with online marketing and are continuing to work in the online affiliate marketing world of today. With these top three marketing tips, you will be able to able to increase your sales and survive in affiliate marketing.

What are these three tactics?

1. Using unique web pages to promote each separate product you are marketing. Do not lump all of it together just to save some money on web hosting. It is best to have a site focusing on each and every product and nothing more.

Always include product reviews on the website so visitors will have an initial understanding on what the product can do for those who buy them. Also include testimonials from users who have already tried the product. Be sure that these customers are more than willing to allow you to use their names and photos on the site.

You can also write articles highlighting the uses of the product and include them on the website as an additional page. Make the pages attractive, compelling and include calls to act on the information. Each headline should attract the readers to read more and even contact you. Highlight your special points. This will help your readers to learn what the page is about and want to find out more.

2. Offer free reports to your readers.
If possible position them at the very top side of your page so they simply cannot be missed. Try to create autoresponder messages that will be mailed to those who input their personal information into your sign up box. According to research, a sale is closed on the seventh contact with a prospect.

Only two things can possibly happen with the web page alone: closed sale or the prospect leaving the page and never returning again. By placing useful information into their inboxes at specified periods, you will remind them of the product they thought they wanted later and be able to purchase it before the sale is closed. Be sure that the content is directed toward specific reasons to buy the product. Do not make it sound like a sales pitch.

Focus on important points like how your product can make things easier and more enjoyable. Include compelling subject lines in the email. As much as possible, avoid using the word “free” because there are still older spam filters that dump those type of contents into the junk file.

3. Get the kind of traffic that is targeted to your product.
If a person visits your website has no interest whatsoever in what you are offering, they will be among those who move on and never come back. Write articles for publication in e-zines and e-reports. Locate publications that are focusing on your target customers.

Try to write a minimum of 2 articles per week, at least 300-600 words in length. By continuously writing and maintaining these articles you can generate as many as 100 targeted readers to your site in a day. Always remember that only 1 out of 100 people are likely to buy your product or get your services. If you can generate as many as 1,000 targeted hits for your website in a day, that means you can make 10 sales (based on the average statistic.)

The tactics given above are not very difficult to do, it just requires a little time and an action plan on your part.

Try to use these tips for several affiliate marketing programs. You can end up maintaining a good source of income and surviving in this business, which is something not all marketers can do.