If you have heard about making money with affiliate programs but believe that this may be some kind of scam then you have been misinformed. Truth of the matter is many people all over the world are making a very good living from affiliate programs just by learning exactly how the process works.

Affiliate marketing does not require any kind of top secret knowledge to get you started. All you really need to know are the fundamentals of what it is about and where exactly you can find the programs that offer these services.

First, let me share with you what affiliate marketing is...

Essentially, this kind of marketing is the process of promoting an external companies product or service on your website via the use of what is called an "affiliate link".

So what is an affiliate link?

These links are those that are provided by the merchant or affiliate network, that adds a tracking code to the link itself. By having this tracking code, it allows the merchant to establish where the sale has originated from and by doing so pays you a commission for the referral.

Where do I put this link?

Once you have your affiliate link, it 's as simple as adding it to your website. Affiliate marketing will work best if you target your affiliate product to a specific niche. For example; if I am promoting an eBook that teaches basketball players how to jump higher to get more shots in, then I would want to have a website that specifically focuses on basketball player training and techniques, rather than one that focuses on a broad range of sports.

The more specific and relevant you are, the higher chances of success you will have making money with affiliate programs.

Where does one find affiliate programs?

You can really find these programs anywhere on the Internet. Some of the bigger players include: Amazon Associates, eBay Partnership Program, as well as third party affiliate networks that house different affiliate programs for all types of niches. Some of the most common ones include, Clickbank, Commission Junction ShareASale and LinkShare.

There are many more out there if you needed them, but as a starting point the above mentioned are amongst the most popular and trusted ones that exist.

Learning about making money with affiliate programs can be a great way to begin your career in online marketing and really be able to build your career. With the technology that we have available it would seem almost a waste if we didn't leverage it to our advantage.

There are many programs on the internet that can really help you speed up the learning process, keep you focused, motivated and allow you to achieve your goals for a better lifestyle.

Find out more how I got started with affiliate marketing and the key benefits it brings to ultimately becoming your own boss. Click here today!

http://www.affiliatemashup.org/