How to spot a GOOD affiliate program

I’ve been talking a lot lately about affiliate marketing and affiliate programs because its something I’ve recently become interested in. It started out as just wanting to help out some friends by promoting their products.

After doing this a few times, usually by retweeting for them on Twitter, one of them said to me “You should sign up for my affiliate program!” I’m sorry…your what? So after she explained it to me, I found out some other friends had affiliate programs as well as some of my favorite websites and blogs.

Now I’ve branched out a little and I’ve started joining other affiliate programs, especially the ones I truly believe in and have no problem supporting and promoting, like SparkplugU and Wonderful Web Women. But I’ve also been doing some research and trying to find good affiliate programs. But how do you know what a “good affiliate program” is?

Finding a good affiliate program can make the difference between making pennies and making a good income from your affiliate recommendations. This is especially true if you are new to affiliate marketing, like me, and need a little hand-holding and support to get you started. Unfortunately, if you are new it can be a little daunting to try and figure out what you need from an affiliate program.

Here are three quick starter tips to help you ensure that your affiliate recommendations are always solid.

A solid product

It’s best if you’ve had a chance to experience the product you are considering promoting first hand. Like I said, my interest in affiliate marketing started out with finding products that I was already familiar with and enjoyed. This is often much easier with inexpensive e-books and other products with a low price point. If you can’t afford a product that you’d really like to promote, don’t be shy about asking the affiliate manager for a review copy. You may not always get a positive response, but it’s worth it to ensure your recommendations are always solid. And if the affiliate manager doesn’t provide review copies, some of them have free products – newsletters, ezines – that you can check out. For example, Moms Talk Network offers a free guide at Hot Mama Makeover that you can download and then promote as an affiliate.

A solid reputation

Do make a practice of being diligent in researching the products and companies you plan to recommend. As I mentioned, the first affiliate programs I signed up for were through people I already knew and that had a good reputation. But when you’re expanding your affiliations, do your homework. A quick search should ensure that the products you are considering have a solid reputation for quality and customer service. You don’t want to erode the trust that others have placed in you by recommending those with questionable histories. If it’s a new product or company, and you’re new to affiliate marketing, it’s likely best to pass unless you have a personal connection to the founders that assures you of their integrity.

Do they provide more than just a link to a sales page to help you promote the product?

A sales page might be a fine start if you’re an experienced affiliate marketer, but most newcomers need more promotion resources. Look for programs that provide you with graphics, sample emails, reprint articles and special reports. In other words, look for programs that provide marketing support and materials. Those are a great way to get you started until you’re comfortable writing about the products on your own. You can also use them to fill in or supplement your own promo writing if you’re having a bit of writer’s block or just don’t have the time to write your own.

To learn more of the basics of affiliate marketing, grab your free registration to Moms Affiliate Expo.