All of the guys that contributed to this affiliate guide have been chiming in and wanting to expand it.  So we will be quickly developing of some specific guides and tutorials.  If you have a suggestion for one please let us know.  Now on with it!

Social Media

Social networks have become a part of all of our lives.  Some of the more popular ones have established advertising platforms that have become an integral piece of affiliate marketer’s portfolio.  Here are the big ones but don’t overlook the smaller ones as well.

• Facebook - While started as something for strictly those still in an educational institution, Facebook opened to the public at large and grew  very quickly. With a simple, user friendly design and a generally different type of crowd than other social networks, it became a favorite of many people and advertisers alike.  They recently started allowing advertisers to buy placements on Facebook with an automated, self-serve system.  And yes, you can point these ads to your CPA offers.  Although this is a place a lot of newbs tend to cut their teeth, it is not as easy as some “guru” types like to tell you.  As Facebook grows the niches will become more and more competitive.
• Twitter – Should I keep this description under 140 characters?  Who knew a website like this would get as big as it did.  Well, some people knew.  Today, it’s becoming an important part of the social media landscape. And, of course, a place for Internet marketers to try to drive traffic to ads for commission.  I believe that over the next few quarters Twitter will begin to clean up a lot of the spamming that is going on with this platform.
• MySpace – This may be what most people think is the granddaddy of social media sites, but there are some who are saying it has jumped the shark. (Don’t know what that means? Google it.) Whatever you think of it personally, there is a lot of traffic that ‘drives through’ and inhabits this site on a monthly basis.  And with traffic come the opportunity to market to that traffic.  Their self-serve platform is still in its infancy, even compared to Facebook but none the less is an opportunity for all affiliate marketers.
• TNBG – What is the Next Big Thing? Who knows.  The Internet is changing constantly and quickly, which means what works today may not work in a few months or a few years.  So, when it comes to social media, it’s important to stay abreast of sites and events before the general population does (i.e. if you hear about it on Oprah or the mainstream media, you’re too late.)

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC)

Basically PPC or pay-per-click advertising refers to buying traffic. You purchase an ad on the Google network (or another one – Yahoo, MSN or even a second-tier) and every time someone clicks on it, you’re charged a variable amount. The amount you pay depends on a few things – the number of other advertisers competing for the spot, how well your ad performs, and the overall quality score of your landing page (where they go when someone clicks on the ad.)

• Set-up Account - Setting up a Google Adwords account is easy and straight-forward. You’re going to need a bank account or credit card to tie to the account. Other than that, it’s really easy to securely sign-up for an account at http://adwords.google.com
• Keywords – These are what you bid on at Google Adwords. Bidding for trademarked terms isn’t allowed in all cases, and the ads are subject to editorial approval. Beyond that, there are a few ways you can bid for keywords:

• Broad match =  your keyword – the keyword is found anywhere in the search phrase.
• Phrase match = “your keyword” – the keyword should match this phrase exactly.
• Exact Match = [your keyword] – the phrase matches the search exclusively.
• Negative Match = -”your keyword” – the keywords should not be included.

• Quality Score – When quality score was introduced at Google Adwords, it was met with a mixed reception. Some people loved it and some hated it. Basically, it attempts to take into account the website you are sending the traffic to – i.e. your landing page for the ad. If your website is relevant and well designed (including prominent About, Contact and Privacy sections) you’ll receive a higher quality score which can effect the price you pay per click. What is a good number? A 10 out of 10 is perfect, but anything over a 5 and you should be okay and better off trying to improve the ad itself to increase clicks.

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