From an affiliate perspective, there are only a few 'deal breaker' type things that I insist any affiliate program that I join must provide me:
# Real-time reporting statistics
# Real-time email alerts upon each sale
# Payment on a consistent monthly basis
# High price-point products
# Package of articles that I can reprint on my websites and evinces
One strategy that many newbie affiliate program designers fail to offer is a package of articles that can be reprinted on my website along with my unique affiliate link. Of the tens of thousands of dollars I'll do this year as an affiliate, you would be shocked at how much of the revenue comes directly from reprinting articles of the affiliate programs I am involved in. This strategy works for me and it can work for you!
Here's what to do:
# Designate 10, 25, 50, 75 or 100 articles that will be made available to your affiliates as a dump (meaning all at once and immediately).
# Provide them with 3-10 articles per month thereafter that they can reprint along with their affiliate link.
# is certain to spell out the reprint rights of this type of affiliate article marketing so that your articles don't show up on bad websites you wouldn't want to associate with.
Here's what NOT to do:
# Allow your articles to be private labeled. This is a poor strategy and will dilute your credibility. They should carry your name or the name of your primary author brand.
# doesn't give out all of your articles for your affiliates to use. Best to designate a specific "lot" of them that can be used by your affiliates and the rest are yours to keep exclusively for your direct sales audience.
Why this type of article marketing is important for affiliate program managers and affiliates:
Articles are like "sales agents" in that they keep selling for you, day after day, year after year. They also help expand your reach as each article gets indexed by the major search engines. Lastly, they give you another reason to send an email to your list members about the articles available.
This is a credibility builder for the affiliate program manager and it's a "Give" before the "Take" which begins the reciprocation cycle in a positive direction.
