Hitching your wagon to a star is a time-tested method of getting far. Advertisers have to hook on to robust affiliate networks and further their cause by means of illustrious affiliates. Win-win-for-all affiliate networks are the order of the day for merchants seeking world-wide target audience for their products, especially of the software variety.
Almost all networks follow a revenue-share model with the advertiser. If he sells via the network affiliate, he pays the affiliate as well as the network a commission. Commissions to the network may be 20% or even 30% in some cases. Affiliates lend their technology, reporting equipment as well as creative (banners, spot, and links) and also charge per click, per lead or per sale. Rather a costly affair, if you are a merchant. You pay even if there is no sale that happens next.
What, then, is the best affiliate network in your case? The answer is simple; an affiliate network with low operational expenses and the commitment to go the distance. Luckily, affiliate networks all over the world are cleaning up their act. To start with, there is no set up fee, for advertisers and also for publishers and there is free real time service along with support and speedy turnaround for advertisers. Then there are networks that ask for no fee. They are simply an interface. They generate their earnings from pop-ups on the publisher's display screen, at no extra cost to the publisher. To make things simple for registered customers, there is a control panel reporting service where you track of your orders and payments.
Networks also do other nice things for members like placing 120-day cookies in the visitor's browser. If he places an order within this period, the advertisers account is credited. Affiliate networks are also increasingly taking on accounting services as well as affiliate pay-outs for merchants. In fact, they have prepared support cells to deal with customer queries. Also, the handy prepaid MasterCard's offered by some networks have wide acceptance. Furthermore, check if the local affiliate network propels you easily into an international network. Do read using the FAQs on the network website to get the information of how they operate.
Networks have a list of affiliate programs and publishers and also advertisers are clear to strike an agreement with the other. Typically, the best networks are the CPA variety (Cost per Action). As an advertiser you would payoff the publisher only if your banner on his website sent the viewer to your website to make a purchase. You also get the advantage of the publisher's affiliate network. CPM and CPC networks, where you payoff the publisher for every lead produced (form filled) or every single mouse click, accordingly, are more publisher-orientated than advertiser-centric. The flip side is that there are higher commissions to pay on the CPA networks, though you get on volume.
All it takes is a thorough research to focus on a program that works best for your website.
