Computer and Internet

1. Reputable Sponsors & Products

Make sure the affiliate program you choose works with reputable sponsors who are selling products that you would be comfortable buying yourself.

2. Product Prices

Choose an affiliate program that offers products in a price range that is high enough so you'll actually make money from them but not too high that none of your readers can afford them. Choosing products in the $10-$500 range is generally a good balance.

3. Commissions

In order for an affiliate program to be worth your while, the commission attached to the product you advertise on your blog has to be adequate. Look for commissions > 20%.

4. Payout Schedule & Method

Before you join an affiliate program, make sure you'll be paid at least once per month. Also, check the minimum payout amount. $100 is typical for a minimum payout amount. Naturally, payout amounts less than $100 are even better. Finally, ensure that the payout method (PayPal, check, etc.) works for you.

5. Tracking

Choose an affiliate program that provides adequate tracking tools, so you can see where your earnings are coming from and tweak your participation to maximize future earnings.

6. Customer Support

If you have problems with your affiliate program, it's imperative that you can get the assistance you need in a timely manner. Be certain that the affiliate program you choose offers adequate customer support via email/telephone, so you can get the help you need when you need it.

Examples of Companies Offering Affiliate Advertising Programs to Bloggers:

• Amazon: You can choose from a wide variety of ads such as text links, banner ads & more. If you’d like, you can also select the exact Amazon products you’d like to feature on your blog.
• eBay: You can choose from eBay’s auctions & find the specific products you want to advertise on your site.
• AllPosters: You can choose from 400,000 products to advertise on your blog.

What is an Affiliate Directory?

You could sign-up to monetize your blog through an affiliate directory where various online merchants post their affiliate ad opportunities. You can review the ad opportunities and apply to host a specific ad on your blog.

Most advertisers on these sites will have restrictions related to the blogs they will work with. Typically those restrictions are related to how long the blog has been active & the amount of traffic the blog receives. For those reasons, an affiliate directory is most helpful if your blog is well established.

Take some time to research each affiliate directory to find the right one for you and your blog. Different affiliate programs offer different payments & credibility. Take your time & investigate your options before you jump into anything.

Examples of Popular Affiliate Advertising Directories:

• Commission Junction
• Associate Programs
• Affiliates Directory
• Refer-It

Factors to Consider When You Select an Affiliate Advertising Program to Monetize Your Blog

1. Read all the details about the opportunity including the pay, the terms, etc.
2. Select affiliate program ads that are consistent with your blog’s content. Ads that don’t match your content will undoubtedly be clicked on less frequently (meaning less revenue for you) & can decrease the credibility of your blog (meaning fewer readers will return to your blog because it's cluttered with irrelevant ads).
3. Don’t go overboard with affiliate ads. Too many ads not only make your blog look suspiciously like spam to readers, but search engines will think so, too. Sites that are covered with affiliate ads & little additional original content will be marked as spam by Google & other search engines which will hurt your traffic & page rank overall.
4. Don’t expect big profits (at least not at first). While many bloggers can generate a decent ancillary income from affiliate advertising, most bloggers can’t boast those kinds of results. Boosting your income through affiliate advertising takes time & practice. Don’t be afraid to test new ads, placement, programs & more until you find the best mix to meet your goals for your blog.

Here's How:

1. Determine your blog's primary focus

Google AdSense ads are most effective when they are served to people who are interested in the products & services those ads offer. With that in mind, Google AdSense tends to work best on blogs that are about niche topics such as a specific product/hobby. Consider how you can make your blog's topic more focused to better attract specific types of readers & specific types of ads.

2. Write consistent & focused content

Google serves ads based on the content on each of your pages. The more focused your content is on each page, the better Google can determine which ads are the most relevant to your readers. Write consistently & stay focused on a specific topic to increase the likelihood that Google will display ads on your blog that your readers are apt to click on.

3. Work to increase your blog's traffic

The more visitors to your blog, the more potential for clicks on your Google AdSense ads. Work to increase your blog's traffic to boost your chances for ad click-throughs. However, keep in mind that if you write focused content, the ads on your blog will be relevant to that content. The traffic that comes to your blog needs to be interested in your blog's topic & your content/they are not likely to be interested in your corresponding Google AdSense ads. Work to drive traffic but make a concerted effort to find traffic that adds value to your blog.

4. Research & test keywords

Google serves ads through its AdSense program based on keywords. Advertisers bid on keywords relevant to their businesses. Some keywords are more popular than others & therefore, drive higher bids. Higher paying keywords also mean higher payouts to you when your readers click on them. The ads served on your site are determined by the content on your site. If you're writing about topics related to higher paying keywords, then you're likely to earn more money from your Google AdSense program than if you wrote about topics related to lower paying keywords.

5. Test Google AdSense ad positions on your blog

You can display Google AdSense ads just about anywhere on your blog. Test a variety of positions on your blog to determine which work best for you in terms of generating click-throughs & maximum revenue.

Tips:

1. Check with your blogging software provider & blog host to ensure your blogging package allows you to place Google AdSense ads on your blog. For example, Wordpress.com doesn’t allow Google AdSense ads.

2. Don't fall victim to the allure of covering your blog in ads to generate income. Blogs that are cluttered with ads are difficult to read & readers typically don't return to blogs where the meaningful content is hidden in between ads.

3. Track your results to see what's working, particularly as you test keywords & ad positions. This will allow you to develop the best advertising mix to maximize your blog's income while staying consistent to your blog's brand image & overall message to readers at the same time.