Being an affiliate is a critical step in making big money on the internet. As an affiliate, you advertise the products or services of others. This is convenient because you dont have to go through the hassle and time of creating your own products. You can simply place a Google Ad which directs the reader to the website that you are representing.

The biggest challenge in becoming an affiliate is deciding which affiliate program to use. First, decide what type of product youd like to promote. Find out what is popular by using programs like Wordtracker or Overture (www.overture.com) to see what people are searching for online. A good rule of thumb is that products that are popular offline will be popular online as well. Try to find products or services that people need and use, that are profitable and that are personally interesting to you. If you already have a website, choose programs that are within that niche or area to complement your site. If you are starting from scratch, be willing to be offbeat in your affiliate program choices. Look for topics that arent oversaturated with affiliates (like online marketing products). Find the hidden nuggets online where the competition is not as tough.

The best program sites offer a money back guarantee to customers, have testimonials for satisfied customers, accept online payments and offer secure online ordering. You should seek a company that allows you to join their affiliate program for free. Getting set up with their affiliate program should be easy and hassle-free.

Also, look for a high commission program. As an affiliate, its just as easy to earn $20 as it is to earn $1. Remember, your time is valuable. Choose companies that pay every 2 weeks instead of those that pay every 2-3 months. Finding a program with lifetime commissions is also to your advantage. With this type of program whenever a customer that you referred purchases something, you get paid again no matter how long it has been since you referred them. You also want to go with a program that pays you to recruit others so you can double your efforts. The ideal program should be able to show you real time statistics about your sales.

One of the choices is an affiliate program that only requires the customer to sign up or register. If the prospect doesnt have to buy anything and only needs to sign up than your chances of getting your commission are greater. For example, many lending institutions pay affiliates for directing traffic to their sites and getting customers to fill out an application.

Look at the companys website. Does the site look professional? Would you want to buy from them? Is the sales copy persuasive and does it motivate people to buy? A professional website with a great sales pitch will make money for you. You also want to be able to reach someone at the company if you have questions. Try sending a test e-mail to the company to see what response time is like. Any company that responds in 24 hours or less is a good bet.

Do a Google search and find out what other affiliates think about the company. Just type in the company name and study the reviews. This will give you an idea of what being an affiliate with them will be like. You can also contact the top affiliates in your chosen program and let them be your mentors. They can show you how to best work affiliate programs.

There are several affiliate programs that you want to avoid. Dont waste your time on get-paid-to-surf programs, send-cash-in-the-mail programs, gifting programs, chain letters or programs that offered guaranteed traffic.

Affiliate networks are a good option for finding reputable programs and services. When you sign up for an affiliate network, you gain access to thousands of products. The two biggest networks are Clickbank and Commission Junction. Clickbank offers digital products that can be downloaded by the customer in minutes. Being an affiliate of Clickbank has several advantages. The products have high commission rates (sometimes up to 75%), the checks come every 2 weeks and Clickbank gives their affiliates real time statistics.

Commission Junction offers physical goods and services. Their programs include some of the largest online and brick-and-mortar companies. The commissions vary depending on the program. They also offer pay-per-lead programs which only require customers to fill out a form.

When you are just starting out with affiliate programs, its important to avoid spreading yourself out too thin. Dont sign up with too many companies at once. Focus on one program at first and iron out the kinks. Once that program is well-established and making you money you can move on to the next program.