What Every Affiliate Marketer Needs to Know Part 2

In the first part of this series we talked about getting started with Affiliate marketing. In every start up business we need to consider both effectiveness and expense. Let's begin where we left off.

Article writing is a great way, although not the quickest way, to get your name associated with the 'niche' that you have chosen. If you spend 15 minutes reading articles about your 'niche' and 15 minutes per day writing an article about your subject, in 6 days you can submit 6 articles. That will soon add up to 24 articles per month and 288 articles in one year. You can increase this as you get more comfortable and knowledgeable about your 'niche.'

You've created a nice blog and populated it with articles about your 'niche.' Good start! Blogs are great because of the freedom that you have to write your opinion. Be aware though that the objective is to get people reading what you write. Give information, information, information. Do not fill your blog with 'ad copy' for posts. Build trust first by giving useful information. The more that you give, the more your posts and articles will be accepted and even anticipated.

We mentioned the Search Engine spiders in Part one of this series. These are the clever little software programs that rush out onto the 'net' and look for 'content.' Content is the information that you post on your blog and in your articles. This is spider food.

Now another little secret. You started a blog on WordPress.org. It looks good and you've posted several articles. You're off and running. Why not go to another Blog Community (Blogger, etc) and start another blog and simply spend a few minutes each day posting the articles (maybe with a little modification) that you have posted on your first blog and submitted to the Article Databases. Remember that our objective is not to simply sell a product but to sell your name as a trusted source of information. You are moving closer to the 3% winners circle.

After you have a little blogging time under your bely, now is the time to go out and search for Blog Directories where you can submit your blog(s) for listing in their directory. This also gives added exposure to your blog.

While we are on the subject of blogging, let's look at another aspect of blogging that will also get us noticed. Commenting. As you search through the blog directories and Search Engines to find information to fuel you article writing and blog posting, leave positive comments on the blogs that you encounter in the same or similar 'niches.' Most blog owners want you to comment. It adds substance to their blog. Again, most blog owners do not mind your leaving an URL to your blog as long as it is NOT an overt attempt to 'spam' their blog with ad copy. They like for you to actually read their posts and make relevant comments. This also gives you an opportunity to have a one-way link back to your blog (another tasty tidbit for the SE spiders.)

After doing this, you should consider starting an enewsletter and letting people sign up for your newsletter on your blog. As your traffic increases, your readership increases. Visitors (potential customers) begin anticipating the 'information' that you give them. I would suggest that you use a verified opt in service for distributing your enewsletter. Get permission to send them your information.

eNewsletters are great and you can even sell advertising space after you have built a good list. We'll begin discussing eNewsletters in another article. The important things to remember here are:

1.) research

2.) write

3.) post

4.) comment on other blogs.

You are on your way to building a good, substantial business. These are foundational steps. Every