Associate programs ? also known as affiliate programs ? are just another way to make money online, not to mention simpler and easier as well. It will take only a few minutes of your time to understand how associate programs work. Afterwards, you can decide for yourself what option to take to start earning from whichever associate programs you join.

What is an Associate Program?

Technically, however, it would be better to ask the question ?what is an associate? since understanding what an associate is and isn't would immediately make you understand what an associate program is.

Now the best way to describe an associate's job is to compare it to what a sales agent is doing. A sales agent is commonly not part of any organizational structure but often works as a commission-based freelancing agent. This is the same for associates as well. Furthermore, online associates ? just like land-based sales agents ? can join as many associate programs as he wishes. How an online associate earns depends greatly on the agreement he has with the affiliate company, merchant, or vendor but more about that later on.

Joining Online Associate Programs

You can't become an online associate of a particular store or company just because you decided to do so. No matter how many leads, clicks, or sales your website has been able to generate for the said company, the latter is in no way obliged to pay you any commissions because you weren't part of his associate program.

Thus, you need to formally and officially join an associate program if you wish to become an online associate. Approval may be automatic or depending on the decision of the website owner. Once you've been approved, you will typically be given a link or button that will serve as your identification as another online associate. It is also used to direct customers from your website to theirs. Lastly, joining an associate program also facilitates the tracking of each and every affiliate's output.

How to Earn from Associate Programs

There are basically three ways for you to earn from associate programs as an associate:

Pay-Per-Click ? Nowadays, this is the least popular method of earning from associate programs because online merchants feel that it puts them at a great disadvantage. Clicks on the ads or links in an associate's website do not necessarily and regularly lead to sales so rewarding every click could easily lead to bankruptcy. Secondly, it would easily for almost anyone to cheat by clicking his own ads or links to increase his commission.

Pay-Per-Lead ? This is commonly used at present and is easier to succeed in compared to the last option available for online associates. In this case, an online associate earns for every visitor that goes to the other website from his will provide his contact details to the company to receive more updates or other things. It may not be an instant sale, but it could lead to one at least.

Pay-Per-Sale ? This is by far the hardest strategy to employ, but it also is the most effective in ensuring that a fair and objective pay system is enforced. Pay-per-sale also promises the greatest rewards for online associates. An online associate earns in this case every time a visitor from his website ends up availing of a certain product or service from the online associate vendor.

Tips for More Success from Online Associate Programs

Choose affiliate programs that offer products and services you know a lot about, are interested in and able to market and sell effectively. If you are a medicine student, for instance, then you're in the position to sell medications that your experience and knowledge deem as effective. And people will be inclined to believe you more than other associates because of your related background.

Consider maintaining multiple websites to increase your earning potential. It wouldn't hurt one way another since you'll be hosting ? and you should ? in a free web hosting provider.

Learn what affiliate arbitrage is and study on how you can effectively battle against it. Affiliate arbitrage can easily ruin all of this for you.

Becoming an online associate is not necessarily a difficult job to accomplish, but you need to work hard for it. Nevertheless, compared to other types of jobs, becoming an online associate is certainly a piece of cake! Good luck!