|
|
Is it Expensive to Run an Affiliate Marketing Business?On the surface, affiliate marketing one of the best start-up businesses around, as it requires very little in the way of capital investment and all you really need to get started are a computer, electricity, and an Internet connection (all of which most of us already have). Plus a lot of elbow grease and creativity, especially in the early days. You can definitely bootstrap your way into the world of affiliate marketing, especially at the very early stages. Some affiliate programs (including potentially lucrative ones like poker affiliate programs) don't require that you have a dedicated domain to sign up with their program, so you can create an affiliate account and use their banners and links on free hosting sites or free blogging platforms like Wordpress or Blogger. Plenty of affiliates have gotten their start that way, as it lets you learn the ropes and how the world of affiliate marketing works without investing a penny of your own money. Slowly but surely you learn what works as far as the correct mixture of content, topics, and ads. Most affiliates start part-time as they already have a day job, so you excitedly rush home from work to noodle with your site, breathlessly checking your stats to see if someone, anyone bought something and made you money (and doing your most awesomest air guitar victory solo when you make your first money as an affiliate). At a certain point you graduate to the next step up, which is paying for a basic hosting account and registering a dedicated domain name. A lot of affiliate programs require that you have your own hosting, so setting up a domain on your own Web hosting account opens up more possibilities as far as the affiliate programs you can promote, plus it frees you from having to use standard layouts and designs provided by the free services. With basic hosting packages costing $10/month or less, getting your own hosting package is a no-brainer at a certain stage as you can easily justify the cost based on the profits you're pulling in. Sure, $10 is a lot to spend if you're only making $50/month as a fledgling affiliate, but it isn't really your money anyway, as it's all pure profit. Running your own domain also opens up scripting and other software possibilities, as now you can install various widgets and programs that let you incorporate things such as forums into your affiliate sites, add social networking tools, and other cool toys that help you develop and market your site. Before you know it, you find yourself saying: "Ah, this is easy. My blue widget site is ruling the world. What I need to do now is expand and start a new site about purple blodgets." So you do. As well as a site about yellow flidgets, and another about blue stupaks. Suddenly you're running 100+ affiliate sites and upgrading to a dedicated server hosting package, while trying to find freelancers to write content for you, and a graphic designer, and an accountant, as you're too busy managing your affiliate business, testing campaigns, and negotiating deals with affiliate networks. In the blink of an eye you're writing bigger checks to pay your overhead each month than you made in the entire first year as an affiliate marketer. To actually answer the question: no; but hopefully some day yes, yes it will be. Contributing writer Jonas Adamson runs AffiliateTips.com: a guide to affiliate marketing. AffiliateTips has been in the affiliate business since 1999 and is one of the most experienced affiliate guides out there.
More Useful Articles and Reviews Articles:
✔ Review: Verticus for iPad
iOS gamers everywhere are familiar with the genre of infinite forward progress apps - Mega Jump, Canabalt, and a host of other run/jump/fly-until-you-die...
✔ Review: Clear Spot Voyager 4G wifi hotspotClear Voyager 4g HotspotI'm constantly on the go and with just about every site I visit available via secure SSL connection, I typically...
✔ Review: Dropcam HD wifi video cameraWhether you're security paranoid, want to keep an eye on the nanny, have a summer or winter home you'd like to peek in...
✔ Audiovox Car Connection ReviewI have the smartest house on the block with a wifi-enabled thermostat and garage door opener, along with a complex web of wireless...
✔ Review: Slingbox 500I should start with a candid admission: I'm not a huge television watcher. I catch soccer matches on Fox Soccer Channel, and watch...
Let's stay in touch!
Sign up for my weekly AskDaveTaylor Newsletter and you'll receive even more tech and gadget help
right to your inbox, along with exclusive news and industry updates. It's good stuff. I promise!
Categorized:
Articles and Reviews
,
Building Web Site Traffic
,
Business and Management
(Article 9363,
Written by Dave Taylor)
Tagged: affiliate programs, building traffic, business management, gambling Previous: How do I fix a Foursquare location? Next: Review: Smart PDF Converter Pro for Windows Reader Comments To Date: 9Mike said, on June 11, 2011 10:10 PM:
Most big hosting companies will allow you a free domain for life in exchange for buying hosting. =) Mike said, on June 14, 2011 11:45 PM:
I spent plenty when I stated up my affiliate marketing business, over $1000 for sure. Most of that was wasted money due to "learning experiences" Steve said, on June 21, 2011 1:47 PM:
I laugh every time I see those "buy my program and i will show you how to make 3K a month from nothing" offers. Like any other business, it takes money to make money! Peter said, on June 22, 2011 11:37 PM:
Great article. So, so true. It's fair to say I am at the "Air Guitar" stage but hope to be writing out the big checks one day. Josh said, on July 9, 2011 1:19 AM:
I used to do article marketing as another way to run affiliate campaigns without a website. used to work great, but anymore it seems like articles just don't rank high enough. Pete said, on September 28, 2011 2:35 AM:
Gee Dave... that all looks pretty easy when you set it out like that. ha ha. lasj01 said, on October 4, 2011 12:25 PM:
Great post! I'm adding your url to my website's blogroll. Affiliate marketers need all the help they can get. shawn manning said, on January 28, 2012 9:43 PM:
Thanks for the affiliate marketing tips.. good stuff
I do have a comment, now that you mention it!Check This Out Too... |
Recent Entries
Look for Answers
Recommended
All Our Categories
Apple iPad Help
Articles and Reviews Auctions and Online Shopping Blogs and Blogging Building Web Site Traffic Business and Management Computer and Internet Basics d) None of the Above Facebook Help Google Gmail Help Google Plus Help HTML, JavaScript and Web Site Programming Industry News and Trade Shows iPhone and Cell Phone Help iPod, Sony PSP and MP3 Player Help Kindle Fire Help Mac OS X Help Pay Per Click (PPC) Advertising Pinterest Help Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Shell Script Programming Tech Support Video Help The Writing Business Twitter, LinkedIn and Social Network Help Unix and Linux Help Video Game Tips and Help Windows PC Help Find Me on Google+ ADT on G+ |
I just wish that my affiliate business cost a lot to run! I could use that kind of income. In the mean time my affiliate programs only cost me my time since I already pay for hosting etc on my blog.