Quote:
Originally Posted by newdipshit
Wasn't really looking to get my own pay site started at this time.. I'm more interested in the whole "Affiliate" idea. How do you get started?
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I don't think he is talking about starting an Affiliate Program guys (he doesn't have a paysite yet!)- he wants to become an affiliate himself to get some cash coming in for him and his preggo wife.
My advice would be to research, research, research and then see what cheap inexpensive ways you can put a toe in the water. You can spend fortunes as a newbie affiliate on buying gallery spots, etc . . but if you don't know what you're doing you will probably lose more than you'll make.
Anyway, the answer to your question "how do I get started" is that first you sign up as an affiliate to some sponsors (look at the bottom of paysites home pages for the links to WEBMASTERS). Then you can check out their promo tools (Hosted galleries, Hosted FLVs, RSS Feeds, etc . .) to see how you can promote them.
Some cheap ideas to get you started? Well, here's a few:-
1. Become an affiliate for some niche sponsors and then post links to some of their FHGs on niche-specific forums - making sure you can make the post sound current. Cost: ZERO.
2. Start a blog. You could automate this by setting it up and going with sponsors that have morphing RSS feeds but it would do better if you hand wrote the content - depends how much time you have. Cost: just your hosting charges.
3. If the sponsor has hosted FLVs you can try posting these to legal (note that word LEGAL!!) tube sites (i.e. tube sites where you can sign up and have a banner or link back to the sponsor next to the video - which carries your affiliate code of course. Cost: ZERO.
Those are just a few to get you started but certainly don't expect a full-time income just from them - think "trickle" more than "waterfall". Some of them might work, none of them might work. Unfortunately making money as an affiliate isn't "easy peasey". You need to try things out and see what works and once you find something that works, bang it like a cheap whore - lol!
I would certainly agree with the guys on here who are advising you to go with what you know and try selling your content if you're a photographer - that's definitely a good way to start in the business too.
Good luck!