81 Useful Affiliate Marketing Resources
January 22, 2008 by
Steven
Filed under
Entrepreneurship
Whilst the idea of selling a product on behalf of another company or person has existed for a long time, affiliate marketing itself was born in November 2004, but has only really taken off in the past few years. New generations of affiliate marketers are raking in massive per month profits, and more people are starting to experience profits through this method. Here is a list (which is by no means definitive) to help you get started - please feel free to suggest anymore if you so wish!
Keyword Tools
If you are creating websites, or even pages, to target specific affiliate programs you will need to know what keywords to target. Additionally, many affiliates use PPC ads, which is heavily dependant on keyword research:
- 1. Google AdWords Keyword Tool - Get keyword suggestions with some search and competition stats.
2. Keywords Analyzer - One of the leading keyword tools, especially for PPC marketers ($97).
3. Wordtracker - Another leading keyword tool ($329 for one year subscription).
4. Wordze - Another subscription-based tool ($35/month).
5. Overture - A popular keyword selector tool.
6. SEOBook - Several different keyword tools.
Multiple Domain Hosting
Many affiliate marketers own a number of different websites. The cost of hosting these sites can be very affordable if you choose a host that offers multiple domain hosting. These are just a few of the options:
- 1. Host Gator - Shared hosting at $6.95 per month.
2. DreamHost - Great plans, great prices with loads of bandwidth and diskspace.
3. Bluehost - Affordable, Reliable, Web Hosting Solutions.
4. Carolina Hosting Service - Good Hosting Service.
5. Media Temple - Awesome recommendations, grid and dedicated hosting.
6. Rackspace - Managed, dedicated and scalable web hosting for businesses.
Domain Names
If you’re operating affiliate websites, you will need to purchase domain names. Here are a few of the low-cost providers:
- 1. GoDaddy - $9.99 per year (and lower).
2. NameCheap - $9.41 per year with free WhoisGuard.
3. Proud Domains - Cheap, affordable domain names.
4. AffiliateJackpot - Great registrar for domaining affiliates.
5. 1&1 - $6.12 per year with free private domain registration.
6. MyDomain - $8.75 per year.
Affiliate Networks
Affiliate networks manage the affiliate programs for hundreds or even thousands of different companies. They make it easier for you by combining payment from multiple programs into one check and by giving you one place to go to for management of your campaigns:
- 1. Commission Junction - One of the largest networks with a wide variety of programs.
2. LinkShare - Another large network that represents many well-known companies.
3. ClickBank.com - Exclusively downloadable products.
4. PepperJam Network - Read our review of PepperJam.
5. CX Digital Media - Claims to convert better than any other affiliate program.
6. AffiliateBot - Hundreds of programs to join.
7. 5 Star Affiliate Programs - Includes programs such as Microsoft adCenter.
8. Share Results - Includes Photobucket and Real Networks.
9. AzoogleAds - Claims to be the largest performance-based online advertising network.
10. NeverBlueAds - Another affiliate network with a number of choices.
11. AffiliateWindow - Represents a number of large retailers.
12. Affiliate Future - Represents companies in the US, Canada, UK, and Europe.
13. MaxBounty - Claims to have the highest paying CPA rates.
14. Copeac - A division of Intermark Media (internet marketing company).
Affiliate Program Directories
If you are searching for a specific type of affiliate program there are a number of directories that can help you find the right one:
- 1. AssociatePrograms.com Directory - Over 10,000 programs listed.
2. AffiliatesDirectory - Over 7,000 programs listed.
3. AffiliateScout - Almost 3,000 programs listed.
4. AffiliateMatch.com - Over 1,300 programs listed.
5. AffiliateSeeking - A few thousand programs listed.
6. 2-Tier.com - Directory of 2-tier affiliate programs.
Tools To Create PDFs
Many successful affiliate marketers create and distribute e-books with embedded affiliate links. As the e-book becomes widely distributed and read by hundreds or thousands of people, considerable commission is possible. Here are some resources to help you with creating a PDF e-book:
- 1. Adobe - Create your first five PDFs for free.
2. Open Office Writer - The word processor that is part of Open Office includes functionality for creating PDFs, and it is free software.
3. CutePDF - A free download for creating PDFs.
4. pdf995 - Another free PDF creator.
5. PDFCreator - Another free program.
Email Auto Responders
The top affiliate marketers have built large mailing lists with which to promote their affiliate products. Here are some of the options for setting up an auto responder and managing a mailing list:
- 1. GetResponse - One of the leaders, a turn-key email marketing service.
2. AWeber - Another leading program with all of the features.
3. FreeAutoBot - A free auto responder. Doesn’t have the features for managing a mailing list.
4. iContact - Email marketing and survey software.
Affiliate Marketing Blogs
Want to learn more about affiliate marketing? These blogs regularly produce content that will help you to improve your results:
- 1. Affiliate Marketing Blog by Shawn Collins
2. EarnersBlog
3. Entrepreneur’s Journey
4. Zac Johnson
5. Super Affiliate Mindset
6. Uber Affiliate
7. 45n5.com
8. Aojon
9. Affiliate Marketing Toolbox
10. CDF Networks
11. Here.org.uk
12. Fraser’s Affiliate Marketing Blog
13. 5 Star Affiliate Marketing Blog
Affiliate Marketing Forums
Forums are often the best places to get real feedback about your campaigns, and to talk about the latest affiliate marketing news. Here are a few of my personal favourites
- 1. Wickedfire
2. A Best Web
3. 5 Star Affiliate Marketing Forums
4. Affiliates4U
5. AssociatePrograms Forums
6. Earners Forum
Amazon.com
One of the oldest, largest, and most successful affiliate programs in the world. With Amazon you can promote just about any type of product you want:
- 1. Join the Amazon Affiliate Program
2. Amazon Media Manager - A WordPress plugin to help you manage and promote your Amazon affiliate links.
3. WP-Amazon - A WordPress plugin that allows you to search the Amazon catalog from your WP Dashboard.
4. Last Amazon Review - A WordPress plugin that will show your most recent Amazon review which includes your affiliate link.
Ad Rotators
If you are interested in rotating your banner ads to promote different affiliate programs there are several resources available:
- 1. WPAds - A WordPress plugin that will allow you to rotate banner ads on your blog.
2. AdRotator - Another WordPress plugin for rotating ads.
3. ASP Ad Rotator Component - Not a WordPress user? Here’s a script you can use.
4. JavaScript banner rotator generator - A tool to help you create JavaScript to rotate banners.
5. JavaScript Banner Rotator - Another JavaScript option.
6. PHP Buddy - A PHP option.
7. OIOPublisher - an awesome ad management system for Wordpress that costs only $37.
Software
- 1. Openads - An open source advertising community.
2. Bannersoft - Ad management and delivery software ($99).
3. adButler - Ad management program with free and paid (starting at $5.95/month) versions.
PPC Credits
If you plan to use pay-per-click ads to market affiliate products, here are two offers that you won’t want to pass up:
- 1. MSN adCenter - $50 in free credit.
2. Bidvertiser - $20 in free credit.
This post was written by Steven Snell.
Thanks for the great resource! I thought I was aware of all of these but there are a few I haven’t seen before.
Once again, thank you
Nice list you’ve composed there Adnan
EarnersForum isn’t as popular as it was when it first launched however, its under that category so it should be a shout.
Great post Adnan. Really comprehensive.
I never go through a post like this before that covered many aspects relating affiliates and affiliate marketing. Nice compilation.
99% of my revenue comes from CPC and I never tried affiliate before, bcos i didn’t know the potential. Your post was really an eye opener for me.
Once again thanks for the resources.
Wow, such a great resource Adnan! Thanks!
Scratch that… great post Steve. Adnan still gets a tip-of-the-hat for providing the forum to find it
Adnan added some of the resources on the list. It was a bit of a joint effort.
It really is an awesome list…
If I could add a couple here.. especially on the domains front - having a reseller account with someone like enom or resellerclub can pay good dividends over a period of time though you need a small bit of initial investment..
also on the hosting front asmallorange would be a great name to add here…
Steven, nice to see you contributing on blogtrepreneur as well, you’re doing a great job and I’m looking forward to other articles from you as well
Best wishes,
Alan Johnson
Your post could not have been more timely! I have just started researching affiliate income and this list will greatly reduce the my and improve the results. THANKS!
@ AdTracker: no problem mate - glad it’s useful.
@ Nick: yeah EarnersForum has become a bit quiet as of late - but there are still some good gems in the archives, so they shouldn’t be forgotten.
@ Self Defense Secrets and Fed: no problem guys - let’s hope you can use this info to make yourselves some nice moolah!
@ Brian - lol - it gets confusing when I have guest authors now - something I need to change in a new theme. Thanks for stopping by.
@ Steven: you get most of the credit - I only added a few resources, which was easy to do. Hopefully this post can go places (I’m talking about social media). Thanks again for writing such an amazing post.
@ fc: thanks so much for the suggestions - that’s what this list is about - continually updating it to provide you guys with the best resources - which is why you need to bookmark this page
@ Alan: On Steven’s behalf, thanks for the kind words
@ Coryan: awesome - glad this post has come in handy!
Alan,
Thanks for the compliments.
Steven,
You have outdone yourself again with this resource packed post. This post is gonna be a mainstay for those who are into or going into affiliate marketing!
Hi Pablo,
It’s good to see you here. I’m glad you liked these resources.
wow, what a great list.
its really good to see this list, it will help me a lot
thanks
Wow, great write up. Good work Steven and Adnan !
very very useful, thanks, i have bookmarked this page
Tibi and Charles,
Thanks for your comments, glad you liked it.
One nice blog that I really like for market research, is http://www.aboutsurveys.com this site is actually run by Qualtrics, the proclaimed #1 survey software. But this blog rocks. It has all kinds of tips and deals that are great for your company
For work with affiliate networks, you also need web service API.
Invaluable info. for a budding affiliate.
Great list of useful tools for affiliates. I also recommend to join wealthy affiliate university where you will find all the tools you need for a low monthly fee.
This is a Great! I love the Commission Junction Affiliate Network too … they always have great, quality items for affilaites.
A little disappointed though …. You didn’t have Site Build It on you Domain Hosting list It! Non-the-least … Excellent Information.
Awesome resource. Thanks for the great info….
Wow, thats a lot of resources, thanks for compiling.
Thanks for the list. This is awesome!
Thanks for sharing. This is very useful for me to starting affiliate business.
Nice post. Good info and affiliate resources. I’ll have to bookmark this site.
Thaqnks for the list.
Actually, I can’t get to use Ouverture keyword tool, it look like it’s down.
As for the autoresponders, the list is a bit short and the only free autoresponder has poor features.
I wrote a short report comparing 10 of the most used free autoresponders, based on the features they offer. If somebody wnats to check it, contact me.
Thanks for all the lists. This is awesome! I can use some of the info in my site.
This is great information! I am Web Designer / Web Developer by trade, but wanted to learn more about Affiliate Marketing and stumbled upon your Website via a blog on VandelayDesign.com. Hopefully I can use the resources you have here to further my understanding of how Affiliate Marketing works and how it can work for me. Again, thanks a great deal for this information. It’s a very good read.