But some of these are better than others and if you want to keep up with the fast-paced business of affiliate marketing, you don't want to waste time with programs that rehash old techniques and strategies.

If you're new to the business and already have a website, it's tempting to go off willy-nilly and sign up with any merchant advertiser at a CPA network provider who will have you. You've cut and pasted their banners and text links into your page content and you're ready for the money to roll in. But hold on...

This method might make you a few dollars but it is never going to get you the sales and conversion rate you need to become a successful marketer. Your best recourse then, is to do some affiliate marketing training before you waste a lot of time with the hit-and-miss method.

What You'll Be Learning: the Basics

For one thing, the right learning tool will show you how to read the stats on a merchant's program and that in turn gives you an idea of which ones to partner with, and which merchants might be best avoided.

For example, do you know enough to review the return days of each merchant? If not, the merchant may offer only 10 to 15 day cookies and will be getting a lot of free publicity off unsuspecting partners. Never join a program that offers anything less than 30 days.

Your affiliate marketing training will also teach you to look for the best type of publisher agreement (hint: it's a 15% commission, no less -- with that 30-day or greater cookie).

Conversion rates are extremely important and those stats will also be listed by the network provider for every merchant (except new merchants who have recently joined the network). Those with excellent conversion rates are running ad campaigns that make it easier for you to earn commissions -- just as other partner affiliates are already doing with them.

What You Can Learn in Advanced Tutorials

Veteran marketers not only review the basics constantly, they also keep their edge on their competition by continuing their affiliate marketing training. They get tips on subjects such as link cloaking, search engine optimization, keyword placement, advanced keyword search tools, how to spot "parasites" among merchants (the ones who steal commissions via adware or pop-over form boxes), how to use coupons, as well as rebates, discounts and special promotions, and so much more.

Get Your Hands on the Tutorials

One program we recommend is Ken Evoy's SBI course in affiliate marketing training. It's one of the best written, niche-focused, and informative, of all the self-paced programs we've seen on the internet.

Also highly recommended is a book called The Affiliate Business Blueprint from Rosalind Gardner and Jim Edwards. You might also want to read Confessions of a Lazy Super Affiliate ($29.95) by Chris Rempel. Both of these books are written by internet marketing gurus who give a ton of tips and ideas, and they update these manuals regularly to reflect the changes that affect affiliate marketing.

Getting Advice From the Best

Much of the work involved in launching a website that is to be monetized for affiliate marketing is overcoming the lack of preparation. Using a primer course gives you the solid foundation to move up the ladder until you can eventually compete with the top marketers in your niche group. Without this advanced help, you'll be hopelessly lost, and not get past the beginner's hit-and-miss methods of slapping links onto a page and seeing if any money comes of it.

Those marketers who have gone before you will likely tell you that it isn't easy to succeed in this business since a money-making website takes time to build and promote. But if hard work and dedication don't scare you off, and you're looking to make a "fast start" in the business, then it's highly recommended you read as much affiliate marketing training books and materials as you can.