The Complete Guide to Affiliate Marketing on the Web How to Use and Profit from Affiliate Marketing Programs By Bruce C. Brown The Complete Guide to Affiliate Marketing on the Web: How to Use and Profit from Affiliate Marketing Programs Copyright © 2009 Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc. 1210 SW 23rd Place • Ocala, Florida 34471 • Phone 800-814-1132 • Fax 352- 622-1875 Web site: www.atlantic-pub.com • E-mail: ISBN-10: 1-60138-125-5 (alk. paper) 1. Affiliate programs (World Wide Web) 2. Internet marketing. I. Title. II. Title: Guide to affiliate marketing on the Web. III. Title: Affiliate marketing on the Web. HF5415.1265.B763 2008 658.8’72--dc22 2008041330 LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Web site is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Web site may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Web sites listed in this work may have changed or disapeared between when this work was written and when it is read. A few years back we lost our beloved pet dog Bear, who was not only our best and dearest friend but also the “Vice President of Sunshine” here at Atlantic Publishing. He did not receive a salary but worked tirelessly 24 hours a day to please his parents. Bear was a rescue dog who turned around and showered myself, my wife, Sherri, his grandparents Jean, Bob, and Nancy, and every person and animal he met (well, maybe not rabbits) with friendship and love. He made a lot of people smile every day. We wanted you to know a portion of the profits of this book will be donated in Bear’s memory to local animal shelters, parks, conservation organizations, and other individuals and nonprofit organizations in need of assistance. – Douglas and Sherri Brown PS: We have since adopted two more rescue dogs: first Scout, and the following year, Ginger. They were both mixed golden retrievers who needed a home. Want to help animals and the world? Here are a dozen easy suggestions you and your family can implement today: • Adopt and rescue a pet from a local shelter. • Support local and no-kill animal shelters. • Plant a tree to honor someone you love. • Be a developer — put up some birdhouses. • Buy live, potted Christmas trees and replant them. • Make sure you spend time with your animals each day. • Save natural resources by recycling and buying recycled products. • Drink tap water, or filter your own water at home. • Whenever possible, limit your use of or do not use pesticides. • If you eat seafood, make sustainable choices. • Support your local farmers market. • Get outside. Visit a park, volunteer, walk your dog, or ride your bike. Five years ago, Atlantic Publishing signed the Green Press Initiative. These guidelines promote environmentally friendly practices, such as using recycled stock and vegetable-based inks, avoiding waste, choosing energy-efficient resources, and promoting a no-pulping policy. We now use 100-percent recycled stock on all our books. The results: in one year, switching to post-consumer recycled stock saved 24 mature trees, 5,000 gallons of water, the equivalent of the total energy used for one home in a year, and the equivalent of the greenhouse gases from one car driven for a year. Author Dedication This book is dedicated to my beautiful wife. Where would I be without you in my life all these years? Bruce C. Brown “In war there is no substitute for victory.” — The Godfather, 1972 ““Go — proclaim liberty throughout all the lands, and to all the inhabitants thereof.” — The Ten Commandments, 1956 Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Affiliate 101 – The Basics You Need to Know