In the last article, we went
back to the basics, looking at the standard terms associated with affiliate programs. This
issue I would like to focus on 5 commonly held myths about affiliate programs that I see
afflicting many webmasters that are new to the web, and even some experienced marketers.
Here are the top 5 myths I see
many webmasters subscribing to:
1-Highest Commissions are Best
2-The More the Merrier
3-Just Add Banners
4-Up and Running in Minutes
5-Free Domains are Cost-Free
Lets take a more detailed look at
each:
1-Highest Commissions are Best
Many webmasters continue to base their decisions on which affiliate programs to join based
solely on which programs pay the highest commission rates. Although commission rates are
indeed very important, they are only one of the factors that lead to a profitable
affiliate program experience.
Even when comparing affiliate
programs in the same category highest commissions are not always best. Other important
factors to consider are the merchant's ability to accurately track sales, their criteria
on how referral sales are determined, the over-all professionalism of the merchant's site,
and the ease in which customers are able to place their orders.
A good rule of thumb is that when
evaluating an affiliate program look at it from the point of view of a customer: Is the
site easy to navigate? Does it inspire trust that it is a legitimate and responsible
company? Is secure credit card ordering offered? Is it easy to actually complete a
purchase? If the answer to any of these is no, it often won't matter what commission rate
they pay, since it will be difficult to convince your visitors to make a purchase.
