The Best Free Online Affiliate Program - Traits to Look For

By Valencia Boudreaux

What separates a typical affiliate program from the best free online affiliate programs out there? There are several factors you should consider when searching for a strong affiliate program with which to partner.

1. Second or third tier sales. This is a doozy. The best free online affiliate programs offer you the ability to sign up affiliates below you - so called "sub affiliates." You make money from everyone below you.

2. Lifetime commissions. Some affiliate programs will give your residual commissions for the entire time a customer buys from them. This is a great way to earn passive income indefinitely.

3. Generous commissions. The best free online affiliate programs pay well. It's difficult to promote products if your profit margins are low, which is why it's a good idea to partner with professional, high-paying programs.

4. Strong niche. The more rabid a fan-base a particular niche has, the more likely you are to generate a tremendous amount of profit from it. You don't have to select gigantic sectors, like mortgages. Sometimes the simplest products will have have a strong, permanent demand.

5. Good branding. The best free online affiliate programs usually are recognized as the best because they've done a great job promoting their product or service, and draw in a large number of affiliates who want to promote it. Success breeds success.

6. Set payment schedule. Programs that pay whenever they feel like it do not build the confidence and trust of their affiliates. Many of the top-tier programs out there will publicize their pay schedule so that their affiliates can count on being paid at a regular time every month, whether that schedule is weekly, bi-weekly, or only monthly.

7. Good communication. Keeping in contact with affiliates is a great way to build up a professional relationship. The best free online affiliate programs will contact you every once in a while to see how you're doing, and to offer suggestions on how to improve your sales. Take their advice, they're the experts on what works best for that niche.

8. Special offers. Affiliate programs will often have promotions for their affiliates to entice higher sales. For instance, some will offer large bonuses to affiliates who make a certain number of sales.

9. Larger slice of the pie. Affiliates who have a track record of consistent, high sales can negotiate for higher commission percentages. The best free online affiliate programs out there will gladly oblige, as they're likely rolling in a lot of money from their best affiliates.

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