Q: What are some ways to promote my affiliate links online?

A: Affiliate marketing in fact was created for web promotion which makes it very easy to promote your affiliate links online.

Here are some basic tips for both free and paid promotion:

* Use your website and blog to advertise your links. These are some of the best ways to increase your earnings with affiliate marketing. You can also place graphic ads on both sides of your web pages. Most people will not even realize these are affiliate ads; and might think the company has purchased ad space from you.

* Post text links on your web pages. These can also take the form of ads placed on the sides of the web pages. You can also include links in articles and blog posts as well. For example, if your article is about wireless technology, include a link to a retailer that sells wireless products. Do the same with your blog.

* Mailing lists is also a tool you can use for affiliate marketing. Check with the affiliate program you belong to and make sure they allow you to send links through email. For instance, let’s pretend you are offering an e-course with travel tips for families. Each day, you include a tip and a link to a complimentary product. Make sure you coordinate the subject material. You don’t want to offer travel tips, and put a link to a website about hair coloring. Make sure your links are in sync with what you have offered.

* If you use a signature line with you email program, make sure you include an affiliate link. This can also be included when posting on message boards that allow signature lines. Whenever you post a message, your signature line will be displayed in your post. Make sure you check the forum rules, as you might be able to include affiliate links in those signature lines as well.

When paid advertising comes in to the picture, a pay per click can be a great option. You can use services such as Google Adwords to bid on keywords that your target market may use when searching for the type of product or service you are promoting. If the user searches for a term you are bidding on, your listing may show up in their search results. You only pay for the ad if the person actually clicks on your ad.

Another alternative is to buy ad space on websites, blogs or ezines that belong to other people. This can take the form of a sign-up form to your newsletter, an ad for a specific program, or a general ad for your website.

Affiliate Marketing Sweetie teaches you how to make the most of your affiliate marketing efforts.