| If someone had asked me six months ago to build a | | | | content is important! Whoever clicks on your page is |
| website from scratch, I'd never have thought I'd be | | | | looking for something specific, and you don't want to |
| able to do it. Now, I have several up and running - and | | | | disappoint them. Your first job is to get their attention, |
| making me money! | | | | but then you need to help them out - or at least point |
| I'm talking about affiliate marketing. All you have to do | | | | them in the right direction. |
| is get your own web pages, and have them linked to | | | | In fact, because of the competition out there, you have |
| businesses looking for low-cost advertising. When | | | | to get a little clever with the words on your page to |
| someone uses your webpage to find a site that they | | | | set yourself apart from the multitudes. Google actually |
| buy something from, you get paid by the merchant | | | | has a nifty little keyword suggestion tool - it's free - |
| who sold it to them. Sometimes, you get paid for | | | | that helps you to be unique and still make sense. All it |
| every window shopper, too - it all depends on the | | | | takes is a different way of saying something - |
| merchant and the arrangement you have with them. | | | | sometimes just a different order of words - to stand |
| Building your own website is pretty easy. If you know | | | | out a little. |
| HTML, or are willing to learn it, you can design your | | | | There are also affiliate management programs that |
| website with one of many free programs available. | | | | are the ad-agencies of the virtual world. While they do |
| One of them is called HTML Writer, which comes with | | | | take a cut of any job they find you, the important point |
| a comprehensive tutorial that's great for beginners. | | | | of this sentence is that they DO find you jobs. Many |
| There are also sites like BlueNova and Homestead | | | | websites also offer direct links to their own affiliate |
| that offer the complete package: hosting services, | | | | opportunities. |
| page templates, and consulting services to take you | | | | As bigger businesses turn to affiliate marketing, the |
| through every step. | | | | need for outsourced labor grows - now anyone can |
| Once you have a page or two, you need to fill them | | | | work from home and still make a living. If I can do it, |
| up - you can't just make up any old thing; you have to | | | | anyone can. |
| offer something, even if it's only your thoughts. Your | | | | |