It doesn't matter what you plan on doing with your online business.
At some point, you will want (if not need) to get involved with affiliate marketing.
That's true whether you're planning on creating your own products or following some other model.
Affiliate marketing isn't just for full-time affiliates.
It's a weapon that needs to be in every Internet entrepreneur's arsenal.
What is affiliate marketing going to do for you? First, it's going to give you an additional potential method of income generation.
It doesn't make sense to saddle yourself to one Internet marketing model.
Affiliate marketing is a proven winner and it's something you can add into your overall mix to minimize over-reliance on other aspects of your business plan.
Second, it will provide you with a way to monetize web properties that others might need to rely purely on AdSense or other similar options.
When you can use those pages to drive traffic to affiliate product sales pages, you can increase your earnings a great deal.
One click might pay a nickel on contextual advertising.
One click might lea to a $200 sale with affiliate marketing.
Third, those who have experience and skills in affiliate marketing are able to take advantage of opportunities they otherwise wouldn't be able to exploit.
Let's say you're pitching your products via an email marketing campaign.
Wouldn't it be nice to hit your list with an email about a great product that isn't necessary one of yours if you could secure a 75% commission on every sale? If you're not set up to sell other people's products when the right moments hit, you're committing one of Internet marketing's greatest sins:You're leaving money on the table.
Fourth, it's going to be some of the easiest money you make online.
When you're an affiliate, your only real obligation is to drive targeted traffic to a sales page.
You get the commissions when your traffic makes purchases.
You don't have to deal with product creation, delivery or any of the customer service issues that can make other marketing techniques so time-consuming and that require additional effort.
Some people hear "affiliate marketing" and they think, "That's nice, but it isn't where you find the big money".
There's a little truth to that way of thinking.
All things being equal, you can generate more income by being on the top of any product's food chain.
However, if you use affiliate marketing the right way and become proficient with it, you can create some handsome earnings.
You can also use it alongside your other moneymaking strategies.
Additional revenue streams are always a good idea and spreading your risk as a business owner is a great way to protect yourself against temporary earnings drops.
If you've ever wondered, "What is affiliate marketing going to do for me?", you should be getting an idea of some potential answers.