Why your Affiliate Marketing Business loves Cookies

Affiliate marketing is the process of earning a commission by promoting and selling another company's products or service. Becoming a successful affiliate marketer means understanding cookies. But this has nothing to do with the favourite sweet treat! It's how your affiliate marketing business ensures you get paid for any sales you generate.

What is a Cookie?

An HTTP "cookie" is a type of message that is given to a web browser by a web server. This is used to identify users and web surfers, customize online experiences and track information. Cookie technology works for numerous things. For instance, it works when your computer "remembers" your password when you log in to one of your online accounts.

How do Cookies work for Affiliate Marketers?

Cookies are an affiliate marketer's best friend. When you promote a product as an affiliate, the product owner will allocate you a unique affiliate URL or affiliate link.

When someone clicks on your affiliate link, a cookie is placed in their browser. This means that their computer stores the information that says you are the person that directed the visitor to that website. If that person makes a purchase, the affiliate company can track that sale back to you and pay you your commission.

Not all Cookies are created equal

From the first time someone clicks on one of your affiliate links, you can earn commissions for the designated cookie length.Different affiliate programs have different lifespans for their cookies.

For example, if you promote products as an Amazon affiliate, your cookie will only be valid for 24 hours. That means that the website visitor needs to buy within 24 hours if that sale is to be credited to you.

This is why you should choose your affiliate companies very carefully. Some affiliate marketing models allow for 30, 60, 90 day or even 1 year cookie duration. Some offer lifetime cookies!

Marketing Affiliate Programs

When somebody buys something from a website that you, as an affiliate, have directed them to, the cookie shares your affiliate ID. The product owner then knows that you are the affiliate and that any commission from that sale should be paid to you. Obviously, it's extremely important that you use the correct affiliate ID on all your links to ensure you get your commissions.

The one issue to be mindful about with cookies is that if a potential customer uses a different computer to search again to buy the product, your affiliate ID will not be saved on that machine. It's not a major problem though as most people use the same computer, laptop or tablet to buy products and services online.

By Jon Allo

Source

5 ways to spot an Affiliate Marketing Expert

Affiliate marketing is a proven online business model where you earn money selling other people's products or services. You don't need to create a product, deal with online payment programs or organise product delivery.There are many online entrepreneurs who have become leaders in their chosen niche by using this business model. They put high quality products and services in front of people who will want to buy them. If the prospect buys, the affiliate marketer earns a commission from the product owner.

So what separates an affiliate marketing newbie from an affiliate marketing expert?

1. They know their audience

The job of an affiliate marketer is to help consumers find the products they need. An expert will know their audience. They will know what problems their audience have and then find products that solve those problems or make the lives of their customers easier.

2. They work with affiliate managers

When a product or service has an affiliate manager, it's a sign of a great product. An affiliate marketing expert will let the affiliate manager know how they plan to promote their product. After all, the more sales an affiliate makes, the better it is for the product owner. Often the product owner will have extra marketing collateral that can be used to help sell the product.

3. They know it's not a get-rich-quick scheme

Becoming an expert affiliate marketer takes time. Don't forget, as you move forward in your new online business ventures, that success isn't going to happen overnight. The profits that you see the experts making have taken time to achieve.

4. They are good at writing product reviews

An affiliate marketing expert is good at writing product reviews. There's a big difference between someone who will promote anything to anyone and someone who values their reputation enough to make sure they only recommend the best products for their audience. 

Let people know the truth about the products you are promoting. Your obligation is to your audience, not to the product owners who will only talk about the good points.

5. They are themselves

One of the best online business strategies is to let your audience see who you are. Let them see you as a normal person, not a hard sell sales-person. It's how they'll come to trust your thoughts and opinions. It's what will make then open and read your emails. It will bring them back to your website and it's what will encourage them to click on your affiliate links to make a purchase.

By Jon Allo

Source    

How to make money online by doing nothing at all

Is it really possible to make money online by doing nothing at all? It's not a strange question. After all, there are a ton of online marketers that claim they have the "secret" system that will allow you to do very little work, or no work at all by simply plugging in their system and pressing go. So, when I hear students of mine ask the question, " how can I make money doing nothing?" Well, the shocking answer is - you can't. Even if you just bought the "magic pill", you've still got to take it. Even if you bought the magic pill, you've still got to put it in your mouth, get some water, and drink it. It still takes some effort. It just doesn't magically happen because you've got it. You have to put in the time and effort to make money online. So that's one important point I want to share. You've got to take action in order to see results.

Many people new to online marketing sometimes are not aware of the intricacies involved in having a profitable online business. Why should they? After all, so many people are tooting the next best thing or the newest product that will make you rich, without you having to put in the hours and hours of work that it normally takes most people to start an online business. As long as you have the money to spend, they're happy to sell you their latest and greatest product. But the thing you need to realize is that nothing happens overnight.

Typically, the way that it pretty much works is you have a site, you drive traffic to the site, and it creates some kind of an outcome. I'm a big email marketer and one of the best decisions that I have ever made initially when I started online, was to put up my first opt-in page in 2001.

In order to be serious about building an online business and making a

comfortable living from it, you need to build an opt-in page to capture

the names and email addresses of your visitors.

This opt-in page is meant to collect data and information from those individuals who visit your website. So, if you can drive traffic to your website and collect data about those people, you're then able to market to them, over and over again. You can do this with any niche or market. So, if you want the secret, that's the "magic formula" that I personally believe and have grown to know over the years having been online for so long. As long as you have the drive and can put in the time and effort it takes to plan, strategize and take action, you should have no problem succeeding online.

There are many strategies to making money on the internet, but nothing makes sense unless you have a big list. Email Marketing is the most profitable way to make money on the internet. When you build a list of hot and hungry prospects you control your future.

By Matt Bacak

Source

How to make money online

Take action. That's it. That's how to make money online. I know, you were expecting something a little more sophisticated, like an eBook that explains a process step-by-step or a series of videos so you can look over the shoulder of a guru. But, in the end, you simply need to take action. So, let's take a realistic look at how to make money online by taking action.

Ultimately, someone has to spend money in order for you to make money. If you are selling your own product, you get to keep all of the money they spend. If you are promoting someone else's product, you get to keep only some of the money they spend. This is a simple concept.

In either case, your primary responsibility is to drive traffic to the sales page. The Internet is a huge place with billions of pages. Your sales page will not be accidentally discovered by any of the millions of people surfing the web. The odds against someone accidentally finding your page are astronomical. So, your primary function as an Internet marketer is to drive traffic.

The primary action you need to take is to drive traffic.

You need to become a traffic maniac, a trafficholic if you will.

Your Internet marketing plan must center around driving traffic to a website (or to multiple websites). The good news is there are lots of ways to accomplish this objective without becoming an SEO specialist.

Pay Per Click (PPC) is generally the fastest method of getting people to take a look at your sales page(s). However, PPC is not the best method for most of us to use because it is rather complicated and, without constant monitoring, can become very expensive. If you have an interest in learning how to generate traffic using Pay Per Click, use Google to find detailed information.

The most foolproof way to send people to a website is by submitting articles to directories. This is generally referred to as "Article Marketing". The concept is fairly simple but requires that you take action in order to create online income. All you need to do is to write an article and submit it to a directory such as EzineArticles. Your article will include a short bio at the end, in which you include a link to your website. Readers can click on the link and will be immediately taken to your website. This allows you the opportunity to expose the reader to your offer and (at least conceptually) will result in sales as some of the people will purchase the product or service being offered.

The other primary benefit of submitting articles to directories is to create links back to your site. These backlinks are viewed as "votes" for your site by the search engines. Ultimately these backlinks result in "organic" or free traffic to your website as it moves up the rankings in search engines. As your site moves toward the top of the rankings, more people will click through to your site.

So now you know how to make money online. Simply take action. Do the tasks which create traffic to your offers. You will find that your online income will increase in proportion to the action you take. I wish you well!

By Blaine Maxwell  

Source

How to make money on YouTube (4 simple strategies)

Wow, over 2,500,000 views! What do you think guys?

How to make money online in 6 easy steps

A staggering $2.1 billion in affiliate marketing fees were paid to blog and website owners in 2008. This finding in a recent study by Jupiter Research confirms what many savvy Internet marketers have known for a while: Affiliate marketing has become one of the top business opportunities online because the startup costs are so low and the income you generate can be mind-blowing.

Affiliate marketing involves having your own site and sending your traffic to someone else's site to buy their products or services. For every sale initiated by a link from your site, you earn a percentage--an affiliate sales commission.

Affiliate marketing can be done on a part-time basis, and many are so successful that they've made it their full-time job. Equally exciting, you can get in the game in just a few hours. But how successful you are is based on the amount of time and effort you devote. Here is how you can make money online with these six tips:

1. Create a website or blogg

To start as an affiliate marketer, you must have a site on which to place links to the products or services you recommend. There are many inexpensive website services such as Hostgator and GoDaddy. It's also easy to set up a free blog through services such as Google's Blogger blog network. I also use Namecheap for domains and Hostnine (get a reseller account) for hosting.

2. Decide your product/service niche

Affiliate marketers help companies and entrepreneurs sell everything from jewelry and cell phones to website services and how-to e-books. Choose an area you're familiar with or one you're enthusiastic about learning. You'll be more likely to do the work and less likely to get bored before the money starts rolling in.

3. Find products and services to promote

Many affiliate networks exist to connect merchants with affiliate site publishers who can help sell their goods. Companies such as:

• Clickbank, E-junkie and PayDotCom lead the pack in connecting the creators of e-books and software with affiliates to help sell their digital download products.
• Commission Junction is popular for those who want to sell more traditional wares ranging from travel services to janitorial franchises.
• Google AdSense, which doesn't require your involvement to result in a sale. Your income is realized on a pay-per-click basis, just for leading your traffic to click to a merchant's site. PPC affiliate programs pay a lot less than programs where your referral must result in a sale. Keep in mind that a site peppered with ads and no authority or trust can look and feel like spam, and you won't get good results.

4. Affiliate site content

There are two main approaches or business models to choose from when setting up an affiliate marketing site:

• Resource Sites - These sites are focused on offering lots of how-to articles and posts, and then provide affiliate links or banner ads to click for more details. Frequently adding fresh related content is vital because it gives people a reason to return to your site--and click some of your money-making links.
  
• Review Sites - You've tried the products in your niche, now you write them up and rate them to help your site visitors decide what to buy. For each product you review, you provide a link or banner ad that clicks through for sales on your merchant partner's site. Less frequent content updates are necessary--just tweak your site about once a week to let the search engines know your site's still alive, and always try to build links.

5. Affiliate sites must attract lots of targeted traffic to succeed

Most people visiting your website or blog won't click your affiliate links. That's why it's crucial to employ a mix of marketing tactics to increase traffic--highly targeted traffic--to your site.

There are four main ways to get more site exposure and attract more potential customers:

• Paid Advertising - This is most effective when your ad copy headline, call-to-action message and graphics come together just right to compel people to click through and buy.
• Free Advertising Sites like Craigslist and US Free Ads are but two of many popular places that accept links and banner ads for free. These tend to be affiliate marketing sites themselves, earning the owner money whenever you click their ads.
• Article Marketing - This popular marketing method offers several benefits. You're building credibility as a reliable source in your niche, gaining a higher search engine ranking by increasing the number of links leading to your site, and pulling traffic to your site. Work in an organic manner and don't spam using software engines. Ezinearticles is a great place to begin.
• E-mail Marketing - Every visitor to your site is valuable, so capturing their names and e-mail addresses to stay in touch is important. Many people might not buy your affiliate products until the third or fourth time they hear from you. So it's crucial to place an opt-in subscription box on your site for people to start receiving a weekly or monthly newsletter from you. My personal favorite is aweber, but many quality ones exist.

6. Learn the ropes in forums

These are online communities of like minded people who exchange insights and ideas. Join at least one of these free affiliate marketing forums to benefit from advice shared by other newbies, intermediates and gurus alike:

• Digital Point Huge, with about 25,000 active members. An excellent place to learn affiliate marketing tips, plus other techniques that impact your success such as link building and SEO.
• aBestWeb - One of the largest affiliate marketing forums, with nearly 100 sub-forums. Covers the broadest range of affiliate marketing-specific subjects, with heavy participation by numerous go-getter merchants and serious affiliates.
  
• Warrior Forum - A killer networking forum for beginners and advanced alike. Set up a profile, start participating, ask questions and promote as well.

To do well, read all you can about the opinions, tool and strategies of both experts and peers. But before you even start, choose a niche about which you're passionate. The more you truly enjoy what you're immersed in, the more likely you are to transform your affiliate marketing and money-making venture into a huge success.

By Jon Rognerud

Source

13 best survey sites that pay cash: Your turn to get paid

Thanks to the Internet, it’s now easier than ever to make money from home.

And, one of the easiest ways to make money online, that doesn’t require any investment or experience, with little effort, is  taking part in paid surveys.

There are plenty of legitimate survey companies that allow you to earn money simply by giving your honest opinion on services and products ts you use in your daily life.

All you need to do is give your honest opinion, making surveys a fun way to earn extra cash from the comfort of your home.

Depending on the type of survey you do, you can earn a variety of rewards.Many sites don’t offer cash and provide other rewards, like free products, discounts, and gift vouchers. But many people prefer to get cash in return for completing surveys.

But many people prefer to get cash in return for completing surveys.

To help you, we’ve compiled a list of legitimate survey sites that reward you with cash.

1. Pinecone Research

Arguably the best survey company out there today, Pinecone Research is a great option for those looking to make some real cash.

On the site, you can take online surveys, but you can also test products and take part in focus groups, to earn money too.

Generally, you can earn $3.00 per survey and you’ll be paid cash via check.

2. Toluna

If you enjoy trying new products, as well as taking part in surveys, then Toluna is the site for you.

Toluna is a reputable survey panel that will pay you with points for the surveys you take and the products you test. Generally, you’ll get between 3000 and 6000 points for each survey.You can redeem your points for free merchandise, Amazon gift vouchers, and, of course, cash.

3. Global Test Market

Global Test Market is an international survey panel, meaning that wherever you’re from, you’ll be able to take part in the site’s surveys.

With Global Test Market, you earn points in return for completing online surveys.

You can then redeem these points for Amazon gift vouchers, free merchandise and cash.

4. Opinion Outpost

Arguably one of the best survey sites around, Opinion Outpost is a great place to earn some extra cash. On the site, you’ll earn points simply for completing surveys.

You can redeem your points for gift cards and cash. Cash payments are made via PayPal or check.

With Opinion Outpost, you don’t just earn money through the surveys you complete, but you can also win extra prizes. The site enters its members into its monthly draw, giving them the chance to win prizes. The more surveys you complete the better your chances of winning.

5. Survey Savvy

Survey Savvy is a reputable, well-established survey company that pays cash. It’s operated by Luth Research, and has been around since 1999. Based out of California, Survey Savvy pays cash for surveys you complete, and it pays via check.

The amount you are paid depends on the length of the survey.

6. Ipsos I-Say

Earn cash for taking online surveys with Ipsos I-Say. One of the biggest survey panels around, Ipsos I-Say works with a wide range of big brands and leading companies. On the site, you are rewarded with points for the surveys you take.You can then redeem these points for cash, gift cards, and free prizes.

Cash will be paid via PayPal or check.

7. Survey Spot

Take online surveys and test products in return for points on Survey Spot. It’s a legitimate site, which gives you points for each survey that you take.

You can redeem these points for Amazon gift cards and cash. Cash is paid to you through PayPal.

You must be at least 18 years old to participate.

8. My Survey

A popular survey community, MySurvey is a good place to earn some extra cash quickly, and easily. This site awards you with points for each survey that you complete.

MySurvey allows you to redeem these points for store certificates, gift cards and cash, which is paid through PayPal.

To participate, you must be at least 16 years old.

9. Paid Viewpoint

One of the most trusted survey panels is Paid Viewpoint. On the site, you can earn money just by taking short, simple surveys. But, best of all, you’ll even be rewarded for taking the screening survey, which isn’t something that most other survey companies do.

With Paid Viewpoint, the bigger your trait score, the more you’ll earn. When it gets to more than 7,000, you’ll earn more per survey.

You be paid in cash through PayPal.

10. MintVine

Another great website for earning money quickly and easily is MintVine. It’s a legitimate survey site, where you are paid simply for giving your opinion.

Payments are sent via PayPal, or you can request gift cards and other prizes.

11. iPoll

Provide feedback about products and services, and get paid in return on iPoll.

With this site, you simply provide a few details about yourself, and it will match you with the surveys that are best suited to you.

You’ll then be paid for any surveys that you complete, and, as an added bonus, you’ll get $5 just for signing up.

12. MindSwarms

MindSwarms is a survey site that takes a little more effort to participate in, but it pays much larger amounts than others.

With this site, you’ll need to participate in a webcam study, which lasts for about 15 to 20 minutes. Mindswarms also offers a mobile app, so you can take surveys on the go.

You’ll be paid $50 per study, through PayPal.

13. Darwin’s Data

Another well-established survey site that’s been around for a while is Darwin’s Data. With this site, all you need to do is take surveys by watching videos about legal disputes.

You’ll be rewarded $25 in cash or in gift cards for each survey that you take.

You must be at least 18 years old and reside in the US to participate.

How will I get paid?

How you get paid will depend on the site you use. Sites pay in a number of different ways, such as through direct bank transfer, check, virtual prepaid Visa Card, and PayPal.

Sites pay in a number of different ways, such as through direct bank transfer, check, virtual prepaid Visa Card, and PayPal.

Generally speaking, most survey sites that pay cash do so through PayPal. PayPal is a quick and convenient way to receive cash. It’s free to setup a PayPal account and it’s a safe way to get paid.

It’s free to setup a PayPal account and it’s a safe way to get paid.

Overall…

Taking surveys online is a super effective way to earn some extra cash and get a few free gift cards, all without even having to leave the house.

And if you like to be paid in cash, join a few of these survey sites that pay with cash and earn yourself a little extra cash in your free time.

By MoneyPantry


Source

Message from the Universe: Thinking outside the box

"All deliberate change first comes from denying 
the logic that most gives you comfort."

Think OUTSIDE the box. We all seek comfort in things that we are familiar with, such as not pursuing something because it is unknown to us. We fear that unknown, fear of an outcome that we have no ultimate control. We then get complacent with what we have and do not progress. 

We keep doing the same thing over and over again so we avoid surprises. It might be helpful at first but you will eventually get tired of it. The same goes with insanity. You keep doing the same things over again and expecting different results. Doing the same as others will stop you from progressing and be something or someone different. Explore outside of your comfort level.

When looking at different options, you open your mind to different possibilities. What seems logic today might be looking totally illogical in a few days or month from now. Your perception of life will be different as you open your eyes to new opportunities. When being stuck in a cocoon, you get familiar with your environment and feel no change is needed because you are familiar with what is around you.

Butterflies break out of their cocoon and explore the world. This is what every human should do. Explore the unknown. Yes, it is scary, unforgiving at times but if you don't try, you will never know what you are missing out on. Focus on your goals and do everything it takes to make things happen and never give up, no matter what.

By Dr Dan Amzallag, PhD, MBA, CLC   |   Source

Make money writing online: 13 sites that pay for articles

If you’ve got writing skills, put them to work helping you make money online. But with so many sites to choose from, where should a wannabe freelance writer start?

Sites that pay for articles usually fall into one of two main models. The first is revenue-sharing, where the website pays you a certain amount for every view or ad click from your post. This method can earn you some pocket money, but it’s not quite as lucrative as the second option.

You’re more likely to make decent money writing for sites that pay up front. These sites are often more reputable and established in their niches, and pay you a fixed fee per article instead of the pennies that roll in from rev-share sites. The upside is that they often have a decent following, so you’re reaching a broader audience in addition to getting paid. However, the challenge is that they’re often harder to break into; you’ll need to bring your A-game to get published on many of these sites.

Ready to make money writing online? Here are 15 sites to try pitching:

Revenue-Sharing Sites

1. Hubpages

This site is simple to use. You’ll need to have your article approved, but as long as it is 700+ words and free of grammatical and spelling errors, there shouldn’t be a problem.


The only drawbacks is you need to apply for your own Google AdSenseaccount, which can be hard to get approved. Hubpages pays writers by check with a minimum of $100.

2. Teckler

On Teckler, writers get paid 70% of the revenue their articles, or “Tecks”. One cool feature? You can share not only articles but also videos, audio clips and photos.

The best part of Teckler is its low minimum payout of $0.50. You can also add affiliate links to your Tecks to boost your earnings. 

3. BubbleWS

Bubblews is a mix between a revenue-sharing site and a social network. You get paid $0.01 for every view your post gets, and $0.01 for every comment, like or social media share, and you’ll be paid through PayPal once you’ve earned $50.

You can earn a lot and it’s nice seeing the pennies stack up, but there are many rumors of the site not paying its users. I’ve had a similar experience: I requested a payment once, didn’t get it, and haven’t written for BubbleWS since. However some people have been paid by Bubblews. Keen? 

4. Dailytwocents

Dailytwocents operates on a similar model to BubbleWS, though with two differences. First of all, payments are issued every month at a minimum of $5, not $50. However, you’re also paid less — only $0.005 per view, which must be more than 30 seconds to count. Also, they allow you to use affiliate links to legitimate products. 

5. ShoutMeLoud

ShoutMeLoud is a blog about blogging, SEO, WordPress, making money online and other web-related topics. You’ll place your Google AdSense code on the articles and get paid by AdSense every month.

You don’t usually earn much, maybe $1 to $3 per month, but hey, it adds up, especially as you publish more articles. 


Fixed-Rate Sites

6. iWriter

You don’t have to apply to this site, and you earn a fixed rate for every article. The rate is around $1.25 for a 150-word article, and the minimum payout is $20.

Note that clients on iWriter do not have to approve your article — if they reject it, you don’t get paid. Here’s my experience: I’ve been paid for around 80% of my submitted articles, had to rewrite 5% of them, and had 15% rejected.

Doing great work will help you earn more money on this site. When you receive 4-star reviews for 30 articles, you’ll become a premium writer (doubling your pay), and when you hit 30 articles with 4.5 star reviews, you’ll triple your pay as an elite writer. 

7. Textbroker

Textbroker has a few more hurdles than some other sites on this list. It’s only for US citizens, and you’ll need to submit a sample article when you register. The site’s staff will review your article and give you a rating from 2 to 5 stars. You can earn from $0.007 to $0.05 a word, depending on your rating. The minimum payment is $10, once a week, by PayPal.

8. Pukitz

Pukitz is looking for “niche bloggers”, which means you will focus on one specific niche — at least until you’ve written 30 posts. The site owner, Chris, will edit and publish each article, and you’ll earn $0.50 per article, per month. The minimum word count is 500.

All articles are “rented,” so you still own the content. If you want to repost it elsewhere — say, on your own blog or on another site — you must inform Pukitz staff so they can take the article down. 

9. Tuts+

Are you an expert at coding, web design, web development, and creating apps, games or logos? Tuts+ helps people learn and earn online, and they pay well: from $50 for quick tips to $250 for full-length tutorials.

You can either apply through their official “Write for Us” page, or find their contact email and Skype. Tuts+ is a relatively high-profile site, and you’ll need to have some experience in your niche to get in!

10. Worldstart

Good with computers and technology? Know the best Microsoft Office tips and Windows 8 tricks? If you can share practical tips for technology, apply to write for Worldstart here and you can earn from $25 to $50 per article. They publish articles on the blog and in daily and monthly newsletters.

11. About.com

Chances are, you’ve visited this site before! About.com is the 94th most-visited website in the world, and it pays good monthly rates to its writers.

The site offers hundreds of different positions in many micro-niches, such as “Playing Tennis”. You can apply here. It’s probably the toughest site on this list to break into, but it’s also the most rewarding and gives you the most exposure.

12. Listverse

Listverse focuses on all types of top-10 lists, such as “10 Mind-Altering Facts About Memory”. Submit an interesting list that’s at least 1500 words, and you could earn $100 via PayPal. 

13. Your Own Website or Blog

Grab a domain, get web hosting, install WordPress and start your own site! It’ll likely cost you less than $5 per month. The possibilities are endless, and top bloggers earn more than $5,000 per month — though many experts caution that you should set more realistic expectations.

Consider some of the many ways to earn money through your website, such as ads (Google AdSense, Chitika, Infolinks, BuySellAds), paid reviews (ReviewMe, PayPerPost, Neoreach), ebooks, forums, and more.


Your Turn: Do you earn money writing online?

By Ryan Chang

Source