Affiliate Marketing ? The Comparison Model

The value of an affiliate is nil in a customer's mind ? ok, so you've shown them where they can get a few products related to that niche, but there needs to be some sense in their mind that you have offered a genuine reason for choosing those particular affiliate partners. Are the chosen partners simply making you the most handsome commission? How do you turn a lifeless "I make money off you" affiliate link into an appreciated "These are the only products you want" recommendation?

Some marketers scatter freebies around their newsletters, such as valuable advice, hoping to build positive relationships with potential paying customers, then spring the partner links on them. Others cloak their ugly affiliate hyperlinks in a ".com" sub-domain name that makes people believe the partner site is in fact owned by them. This is an effective, if slightly immoral, option if you have no products of your own to promote, plus it will make your business look more established than it actually is.

There is, however, one method of promotion that capitalises on the income immediacy of affiliate programs and adds value for the customer at the same time ? Comparison sites. We've all used them, and they are a god send for consumers who want to shop around and find the cheapest place to buy. The beauty of comparison sites such as Pricerunner.com or Kelkoo.com is the visitor identifies that you, as a webmaster, have gone out of your way to find them the best websites ? you've cut their search time and saved them money. This service will instantly gratify people's shopping needs in a few clicks, distracting them from the fact you've embedded your affiliate link in the comparison results and you're making money from them. Yes, being obvious about making money from people is a big turn-off in commerce ? my advice would be to keep it under your hat. Some will ask "what's in it for them?" but will soon let it go.

I know what you're thinking ? "when will I ever have the time to create a site to rival Kelkoo?"

The answer; think small.

Don't forget the golden rule ? niche marketing. If your website or newsletter deals with "money making opportunities," draw up a page that compares five of the best money making opportunities, the best being your opinion of course, and embed your affiliate link into the "visit now" link. It works best when you do a "chart" or ranking because the number "1" automatically has positive connotations for most people. The number 1 site you can make money is? The cheapest place to get this service is? This site was ranked 1st by our team because?etc.

Visitors would also appreciate a small review or some form of analysis to make the comparison valid. Many affiliates prefer to actually sign up with the affiliate product or service themselves to rate the overall experience ? this is not a bad idea when you think about how in-depth your reviews could get if you know the product you're placing at the top of the rankings is genuinely the best.

If you don't have an existing website, it shouldn't matter. Pick anything in the world market and I guarantee you can add value to simply linking to products by comparing them and helping customers narrow down their choices. Having too much choice is the big off-putter for shop surfers. Help them out. The good thing is your "mini site" can be as mini as you want it to be.

Another tip would be to offer what I like to call an "income exit" ? sign up with Google's Adsense service and place a small Google search box on your mini-site. This way, especially if you've used Google Adwords, if visitors don't really find what they're after on your site, they can re-search in Google straight from your site. All has not been lost, as you make money on searches made from your Adsense search box.

The chances are, however, that your affiliate links will pull in some good income, most likely from your cheapest or "number 1" labelled product or service. There's a whole mindset with this which subconsciously places customers in debt to your service. I won't go into the psychology right now, but if you take the visitor off the search engine and place them in your capable hands, they will feel embodied by your service, not the search engine's, and will therefore feel they have already found a resolution and direction to their aimless window shopping.

Your options are seemingly infinite ? I've seen comparison mini-sites for those paid survey websites, spyware programs, computer RAM, autos, games, everything. You just need to find a service or product that there is an abundance of on the web so you can say "come to my site and I'll show you which one is the best / where the cheapest is."

Offer your customers some extra services, help them make decisions and build that relationship with them. Perhaps add a newsletter stating you have other services similar to this they would be interested in and you'll keep them notified in future emails. Big potential! Bottom line; always look to add extra value to the service you initially offer your customers.

Mike Beatham

If you enjoyed this article and want to know how to get started in affiliate marketing the RIGHT WAY, using methods that will stand you above the crowd you should sign up for my free multimedia e-course. Success and profit is the goal, which is why I've put together an e-course that brings together the best of the web's affiliate marketing tips in one easy to follow course. Don't pay for your affiliate marketing school, get it free at: http://www.futureaffiliate.com

---

Keeping Your Sub-Affiliates From Quitting

One of the biggest if not the leading problem for... Read More

Free and Effective Affiliate Marketing Using Articles and Traffic Exchange Sites

Affiliate marketing is an extremely tricky subject and so is... Read More

10 Tips To Help You Create Your Own Money Making Affiliate Program

1. View your affiliate program as a partnership between you... Read More

Multiple Income Streams From Niche Markets

Multiple income streams; exciting words, but what does it mean... Read More

Expanding Your Business With Affiliate Programs

Many people think that they can only get involved in... Read More

How To Create A Lifetime Income With Affiliate Programs By Changing Your Focus!

"How To Create A Lifetime Income With Affiliate Programs... Read More

Affiliate Marketing - Ten Excellent Reasons Why You Should Do It

There are many opportunities to make money working on the... Read More

Back-End Selling

If you ask me, residual (also known as passive income)... Read More

You Deserve a Check Today

Perhaps the fastest and easiest way to prosper online is... Read More

Grow Your Business with Affiliate Marketing

To generate additional business income, consider expanding your business through... Read More

Secrets of Super Affiliate

Most affiliate program owners say 80% of their affiliate sales... Read More

Free Affiliate Marketing Page Pays $755 in Commissions From its First 100 Visitors

Affiliate marketing is an easy way to get started making... Read More

What Puts The Super In Super Affiliate?

To be super at anything means to excel beyond the... Read More

Is It Possible To Make A Living Being An Affiliate Marketer?

It may sound cliché but it is worth repeating. Affiliate... Read More

Who Says Affiliates Cant Use Joint Ventures To Make Money?

This is a technique I teach almost every day. Yet... Read More

One Little-Known Secret to Wealth the Gurus Never Told You About!

When I started my internet marketing career, I knew that... Read More

Why You Dont Succeed As An Affiliate ?

Affiliate Program have exploded on the internet. Thousand of people... Read More

5 Affiliate Marketing Mistakes To Avoid

Many people with the best intentions fail at affiliate marketing... Read More

Affiliating Correctly - Only Work With the Winners

You need to do a bit of research on which... Read More

10 Things WalMart Teaches About Affiliate Marketing

We already know about wal mart because of their ads... Read More

Are You Being Ripped Off By Clickbank Merchants?

I see affiliates from two perspectives.Firstly as an affiliate, I... Read More

Affiliate Web Site Pros, Cons and Getting Traffic

With the web these days growing at a substantial rate,... Read More

Three Easy Ways to Become a Super Affiliate and Earn Cash Quickly

If you want extra cash every month, you have to... Read More

The Secret Shady Practices of Affiliate Marketing

You've probably heard it a hundred times...affiliate marketing is a... Read More

Making Money Online With Affiliate Programs

If you are like most work from home internet business... Read More

Affiliate Marketing--Huh?

In my search for a presence on the internet, I... Read More

WEBMASTERS - Earn Money With Affiliate Links

If you have a website with some traffic, you can... Read More

Two Quick Ways to Make Your Copy of Merchants Data Feed Different From All Other Affiliates

Product data feeds are really popular among affiliates because they... Read More

Are You Making These Costly Affiliate Mistakes?

There are many ways to generate sales, but there are... Read More

Discover The Affiliate Program thats Right for You

Are you looking for a profitable Affiliate Program?When you start... Read More

Affiliate Marketing Secrets that You Can Use

Affiliate marketing is a very hot topic on the web... Read More

Theres a Tween In Your Future - Are You Ready?

Within 15 minutes of coming through the door from school,... Read More

The Google Adsense-Adwords Automatic Money Machine

Have you ever tried to make money through affiliate programs... Read More