Affiliate Marketing Explained

Three Affiliate Marketing Myths

Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, there are a few frequently posited arguments against affiliate-based marketing approaches that people still repeat regularly. Let's look at these three myths in an effort to get to the truth about a great way to make money online.

You're Building Someone Else's Business Instead of Your Own

This is a frequent criticism of affiliate activity, and it has some "on face" appeal. After all, you are supplying customers to other businesses when you act as an affiliate. In that sense, you are building someone else's business. It doesn't logically follow, however, that you're not simultaneously building your own.

If you're doing things the right way, you're not just earning those healthy commissions by referring traffic. You're also creating well-trafficked websites that you own and control.

A top affiliate may not be in the product creation business, but that doesn't mean he or she isn't running a business. You can use your sites and lists to promote a variety of product options in a lasting and profitable manner.

There's Not Enough Money in Affiliate Marketing to Make it Your Business

As an affiliate, you're probably going to secure a commission that will range from between 10% to as high as 75% with every sale. Those numbers are nothing to sneeze at. Although it is true that a produce owner/creator may keep 100% of his or her sales, that doesn't make affiliate marketing a bad deal.

Think about what you're avoiding by acting as an affiliate. Product creation, customer service, product delivery and a host of other responsibilities aren't part of your daily activity. When you account for the relative time expenditures, there's plenty of money in affiliate marketing.

It's true that a product creator may make more money than a single affiliate with any one promotion or campaign. A well rounded marketer operating as a referrer, however, will be dealing with multiple products at all times.

Affiliate Marketing is for Beginners Only

It's true that the reduced level of responsibility and low barrier to entry make this model attractive for new marketers. That does not, however, mean that it's strictly a "newbie" strategy.

The bottom line is what we should be looking at, not the method used to get there. If an affiliate can earn a substantial income (and that happens all the time), there's no reason to regard the approach as something too simple or basic to use as a key moneymaking component.

There's nothing wrong with creating and marketing your own products. It can be a fantastic way to earn a living as an Internet marketer. At the same time, however, there's plenty of room to build a legitimate and successful business as an affiliate marketer.