If you're new to affiliate marketing, you may be wondering what constitutes a quality affiliate program and what doesn't. With so many different programs out there, it's difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. If you are considering becoming involved in a particular program there are a few things you need to consider. Before you decide to devote your time, energy and resources in marketing an affiliate product make sure the organization behind the product is a quality one.

The first thing to consider when choosing an affiliate program is the product. Does this particular affiliate provide a quality product that does what the company says it does? The only way you will know for sure is to order the product and try it out yourself. If what the company says about the product matches what the product does, then you know the company is reputable.

Too many affiliate programs out there think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread when what they are the crumbs left on the table. A poor affiliate program says one thing about a product, while the product says something else so-to-speak. Think of how that annoys you to purchase something that doesn't deliver. Think how that will annoy people who click through to your website and purchase an inferior product. Remember, your site's reputation is at stake. Make sure your affiliate product is high quality.

The next thing to consider when looking for a quality affiliate program is the commission offered. You'll spend time in article promotion and article distribution to promote this product. You are not paid directly for these marketing efforts. Your income comes from product sales. Therefore, your commission should be 20 percent or more.

You need to secure a high enough commission to pay for your time investment in marketing the affiliate product. Article writing and article distribution takes time and effort. Any web content you write to promote your products takes time and effort as well. So does learning about the product, using the product and keeping up-to-date on product enhancements. A fair commission is your only compensation for these efforts.

In addition, the best affiliate programs offer recurring commissions on sales. Poor programs give you a one-time commission from a buyer and do not reward you when that customer buys again. A quality program rewards you for subsequent sales from the person. A quality affiliate program also gives you commission on the sales of down-line members you recruit. This second level commission is a reward to you for someone you brought to the marketing team.

Another thing to look for when considering a quality affiliate program is the support you receive from the program manager. A quality program provides you with a knowledgeable program manager to help you succeed. When you are new to affiliate marketing, you need that mentor/trainer who will guide you in your marketing efforts. You also want an program manager who provides resources to help you learn the product better. An affiliate manager may even help you identify certain niches suitable for your product. They can give you valuable information concerning the product, including updates. This information may become the content for your article marketing efforts.

You also want an affiliate program that provides you data on how you are performing. The best programs allow access to data to track sales. Adjust marketing efforts when you see sales are flat. With timely statistics, you will not spend time on unprofitable marketing efforts. Current statistics prevent you from getting complacent about your business. See daily how your marketing program is actually going instead of "wondering" how it is going.

Finally, a quality affiliate program pays you on a regular basis without fail. For the time and effort spent on marketing your affiliate product, don't wait six months for payment. The best affiliate programs pay monthly.

Quality affiliate programs are out there. However, you must take time to find them. You may want to consider other criteria; like product price and variety. They are important, too. You may have other considerations peculiar to your situation and particular website focus. These are some of the main things to consider when you want to select a quality affiliate program. Choose a program with the above considerations in mind and you have a better chance to select one of the better programs out there.