How it works: You, as an advertiser, provide text and graphic links to your website which will be placed on other sites (known as publishers). You agree to pay these other sites for the performance of the link traffic they have generated for you. You may choose to pay-per-lead where the person that clicks-thru simply fills out a form and the publisher gets credited with a commission. The other type of commission is based on a sale, either a percentage of the total or a flat amount or a combination of the two.

You have the ability to screen the potential partners so that only websites matching your criteria are allowed to join your affiliate program. Imagine, a whole network of websites operating as your sales force!

Now, how do we track the leads and sales so you know how much you owe your salesman? There is a third party in this arrangement, known as Commission Junction. Their website is the medium that enables your future partners to search for and find an advertiser like yourself whose program matches their criteria. They will be able to read a description of your website and the specifics of how your affiliate program operates. Commission Junction tracks the number of click-thrus to your site as well as the leads, sales, and earnings.

It's a win-win situation and probably the most powerfully dynamic marketing strategy you can employ. Powerhouses like eBay and Amazon are fueled be their affiliate partners who bring them droves of web traffic. If you have the budget to get started, I strongly recommend using Commission Junction in addition to keyword advertising to bolster your return on investment (ROI).

Join the Commission Junction Network as an Advertiser today!