A
New Affiliate Model
Over
the last year, affiliate marketing has grown to encompass a variety
of different commission models. Most individual programs pay on
a per-sale model. Many use a pay-per-lead model, where commissions
are paid even if a sales isn't made or when the product is given
away free. Large networks have arisen using the pay-per-click
model, with some even supporting pay-per-impression (CPM) model.
Other programs combine several of these models to create hybrid,
dual-income programs.
With the new DealPilot.com
program, a new model has been created, what I am terming a pay-per-referral
model. At first glance the DealPilot.com program (formerly Acses)
looks a lot like a pay-per-click program. Matter of fact, a brief
glance at their web site would have most affiliates thinking it
is.
But upon further review, DealPilot.com offers something quite
different, and quite unique. And potentially quite lucrative.
DealPilot.com's difference from other pay-per-click programs is
that you DO NOT receive a commission when your visitors click
through from your site to the DealPilot.com web site. Instead,
you earn commissions when a visitor you refer to DealPilot.com
performs a search for a product, and then clicks through to one
(or more) of the merchant sites. In other words, you earn commissions
when you refer a visitor THROUGH DealPilot.com to one of their
partner merchants.
So, what is the benefit to you for this extra step visitors must
take before you are paid? DealPilot.com offers two benefits to
help sweeten this deal, potentially making it even more lucrative
then a standard pay-per-click program.
First, you receive a commission for each click the visitor generates.
For example, if the visitor performs a search for a particular
movie, and then clicks through to 4 different merchants to check
their prices and ordering options, you would earn between $0.40
and $0.80 total (based on DealPilot.com's $0.10 to $0.20 commissions
per merchant visited).
Second, when you refer a visitor to DealPilot.com, they are permanently
marked as your referral. Any time they come back to DealPilot.com,
you will earn commissions for each click-through they generate
to a merchant. This makes DealPilot.com one of the few programs
that gives you the opportunity to earn follow-up commissions,
even if the visitor you refer never visits your site again.
Another program is already fast on DealPilot.com's heals emulating
this commission model, but also adding it's own unique, and highly
valuable advantages. The program is called Affinia,
and still is in beta testing (look for a full review once it goes
live). Affinia allows you to create attractive online stores in
a matter of minutes, all from your web browser.
You simply log on to their site, create an account, and pick or
search for products you would like to list, and feature prominently,
in your online store. You can then easily control such things
as page colors and welcome messages.
What makes Affinia unique, and different, from other online stores,
is that they use the pay-per-referral model. Similar to DealPilot.com,
you refer your visitors to your Affinia store (hosted free by
Affinia) and receive a commission ranging generally from $0.02
to $0.25 each time they click from your Affinia store to the actual
merchant's web site. Whether or not they order, you receive your
commission. But, similar to DealPilot.com, again you do not receive
a commission simply for sending visitors to your Affinia store.
Only when your visitors take that extra step, and click through
to a merchant, do you receive commissions.
In summary, and what really makes the pay-per-referral method
potentially lucrative for this new breed of pay-per-referral programs
is that you can receive multiple 'click-through' commissions for
referring just one visitor. With standard pay-per-click, you earn
one commission for each unique visitor that clicks through to
a site. From there, it doesn't matter if they leave within 15
seconds, spend hours at the site, or make a purchase. With pay-per-referral
that same visitor you refer may indeed earn you nothing (if they
don't follow through and investigate a few other merchant sites),
or could earn you several dollars if they click-through to many
merchants as they shop online.
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