The internet has changed the way that businesses do business in many ways. Those that try to take their "brick and morter" ideas to the net are often faced with an abrupt awakening. However, all business still needs advertising and allocate a percentage of sales toward that activity.
Offering an affiliate program allows their message and easy access to their products or services to be available throughout the internet to a multitude of readers. They pay you a percentage of the sales generated through your site just like they pay for advertising in the "brick and morter world". This is an easy, low maintenance way to begin generating an additional income stream from your site.
One of the quickest ways to get started is to join the free LinkShare Referral Program. Over 400 affiliate programs are registered there and you can apply to numerous programs from that same location.
Choose affiliate programs which are related to the theme of your own web site. Reseach has shown that a text link, woven into your own information, produces much better results than plastering your pages with banners. A few well-placed banners, which are attractive, can lend to eye-appeal, however, when used in conjunction with the text links.
Some affiliate programs I have reviewed are listed below. It is a good idea to actually look at each one's site. Several times I have gone to a site and found other information there which has worked well for me.
Web's Biggest Directory
of Associate Programs
