What Affiliate Program should I Choose if I Know Nothing about Affiliate Marketing?

When you’re just getting started – and there are so many different business models to choose from – you may not be sure if you’ll enjoy (or profit from) some of them. But basically, if you are new to affiliate marketing, I suggest you go with selling “real” stuff that people need like promoting Amazon or Ebay products.

It will be easier because first people need to buy necessities, and why not buy from Ebay or Amazon through your link? Secondly, it will be easier for you to review and promote the products now that you might have used them every day in your life. For example it will not be too difficult for you to teach and share with people what to look for in choosing coffee makers, home theaters, or running machine, etc. But it will be difficult for you to come up with a good and resourceful review on SEO products if you were not a techie.

If you are more passionate about selling info products, you might want to start with ClickBank because of its instant approval(yes, just fill in the form and get approved right away to start your affiliate career).

If you really don’t like to promote selling anything, then I suggest you go into CPA marketing. What is CPA indeed? Well, CPA refers to “cost per action”, you don’t need to promote any products or services, you help the advertisers find who are interested in their products/services (which is called “leads”) and bring the leads to them. When the leads fill in the form, or ask for samples to send to them, or require more information for the advertisers, you get paid. So basically, there is no sales involved, and your customers get the information or products they want for free, or at least at a much discounted trial price. You help the seller to expand their customers base and get paid, that’s all about CPA marketing. If you just start out, it might be difficult to be approved by a CPA network. It’s free to join, and you will have an affiliate manager to work with, so it’s important that you appear professional and willing to adhere to their TOS. Few networks are willing to work with newbies, and please don’t apply to every CPA network you know of. Once you are rejected, it’s even harder for you to join. So stick to the one that accepts newbie like PeerFly.   

 When you find a strategy that requires no or low cost like affiliate marketing, it lessens your financial risk. Some business models require a huge investment up front – and then, not only are you wasting time and effort if it fails, but you’re hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in debt.