Learn About Types of Affiliate Programs - Affiliate websites are often categorized by merchants and affiliate networks. There are currently no industry-wide accepted standards for the categorization. The following types of websites are generic, yet are commonly understood and used by affiliate marketers.
* Search affiliates that utilize pay per click search engines to promote the advertisers' offers * Comparison shopping websites and directories * Loyalty websites, typically characterized by providing a reward system for purchases via points back, cash back, or charitable donations * Coupon and rebate websites that focus on sales promotions * Content and niche market websites, including product review sites * Personal websites. * Weblogs and website syndication feeds * E-mail list affiliates * Registration path or co-registration affiliates with offers from other merchants * Shopping directories that list merchants by categories without coupons * Cost per action networks
Affiliate Marketers Recruit Publishers - Relevant websites that attract the same target audiences as the advertiser but without competing with it are potential affiliate partners as well. Vendors or existing customers can also become recruits if doing so makes sense and does not violate any laws or regulations.
Almost any website could be recruited as an affiliate publisher, although high-traffic websites are more likely interested in low-risk cost per mille or medium-risk cost per click deals rather than higher-risk "CPA" or revenue share deals.
Locating affiliate programs
There are three primary ways to locate affiliate programs for a target website:
1. Affiliate program directories,
2. Large affiliate networks that provide marketing platforms
3. Bottom of eCommerce website itself. (Websites that offer an affiliate program often have a link titled "affiliate program", "affiliates", "referral program", or "webmasters" usually in the footer or "About" section of the website.)