Affiliate Guide

If you don't already have a web site, then you should read our step-by-step guidance below on just how to set up a web site and promote your affiliate programs in a way that will make you successful and earning a lot of money quickly!

I am going to walk you through this step by step. I have designed this site to be simple and direct so that you can do this all by yourself, regardless of your experience in affiliate programs and eCommerce.

Step One
Choosing An Affiliate Program

You will need to choose the affiliate program(s) that you want to begin working with. The best way is to start with one affiliate program that you want to begin working with and of course I highly recommend ours!. Once you have gotten comfortable with how it all works, you can set up more affiliate programs, or expand the one that you have chosen to begin with. We provide additional affiliate programs that we recommend and have found great success with ourselves. You can find this information on our "Other Programs" link on the left side of all of our affiliate pages. There, I will review affiliate programs that I highly recommend and tell you why I recommend them, but first let me tell you what most affiliate programs will need from you for you to join.

Most affiliate programs, such as ours, will ask you for you name, address, phone number, web site address (explained in step two), eMail address, your social security number, and the name of the person you want the checks made out to. This is standard, and you will need to have all of this information available when signing up. As I mentioned affiliate programs usually will want a web site address that you will be using to promote their products. I am going to assume that you do not have one yet, and in step two I will show you how to set one up and how to purchase hosting, etc. with minimal costs involved.

Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D. Holistic Wisdom Founder Affiliate Director

What To Look For In An Affiliate Program

An affiliate program should be beneficial not just to the company that is sponsoring it, but to the affiliate. It can be a dog-eat-dog world out there in becoming an affiliate and you can get burned really easily if you are not careful. There are many affiliate programs that will mistreat, lie to, and even scam their affiliates. There are also the potential hazards of signing up with an affiliate program, earning a lot of referral fees and then watching in horror as that company goes out of business. It happens a lot to dot com companies, and you have got to look out for the company that is about to go under.

It is important to go with an affiliate program that is reputable, and in good financial standing. They should also treat their affiliates with as much respect and consideration as they treat their clients and their own employees. Affiliates like you and I are bringing them their bread and butter and they should be thankful that we are providing them with so much business. Their gratitude needs to be expressed in keeping us informed, showing us our sales with good tracking, and paying us well. That is why we treat our own affiliates so well.

After you have decided to go with a particular affiliate program you will want to get a domain name (web site name/address) that will suite the products and services that you will be promoting. It is important to get a domain name if you are wanting to appear professional and more importantly gain respect from search engines. To read more about this you can read my article on domain names.

Now you will want to figure out what to name your site. For example, if you wanted to work as an affiliate for us selling online sexual health videos, eBooks, and videos you would want to get a name like "www.SexualHealth.com," or be even more specific to one of our products like "www.FemaleEjaculationProducts.com." Something that will tell people what you are selling. It is best to choose a name that is also a description because search engines will actually use your web site address (URL) as a way to rank you.

It is really easy to purchase a domain name, but it is harder to find one that is not yet already taken. I do recommend tying to get one with a .com at the end as those are easier to remember if someone where trying to find your site and had not book marked it. However, if you have a name that you really like, you can always go with a .net or other ending to get the name you desire. Search engines don't care either way, so if it is about getting the name you want, or going with one you don't like just to get the .com ending... I'd go with the name you like.

Now you will have to choose what kind of hosting you want to get. It is usually best to get your domain name at the same time so that you can get that hooked up as quickly as possible. Below are places I recommend to get your domain name, and web hosting. I I have ranked them in the order of their performance and outlined what you get when you choose to go with one. Remember that is you are selling adult products like ours you may want to go with an adult web host because you can get kicked off one that does not allow for such content.

The programs out there that are for the non-web designer are called template builders. The problem with these types of programs is that they usually require that you have a banner ad promoting their services.

When you start getting visitors, and better yet, customers... reliability and up-time become a major part of your vocabulary. Even with the major companies you will experience some downtime. And believe me its nerve-wracking to say the least. But many of the better ones will have 24/7 technical support to work on these issues and keep them to a minimum.

For The Professional-

You can also read my article on web hosting to find out the difference between budget web hosting, and full service web hosting. I have found the best web host for your money that provides excellent customer service, user friendly services, and awesome options. They are called Adult Friendly Web Hosting, and you can not go wrong by signing up with them.

Here are my reviews on the best and the least expensive options of-

Adult Friendly Web Hosting

We personally use Adult Friendly Web Hosting for ALL of our web sites and I can report that we have never had a single complaint! Tom Mercing the president is the most customer friendly person I have met and is always prompt to reply with any questions or issues you may want to run by him. Not only that, but he is really flexible in meeting all of your hosting needs and provides services that are a downright steal for the money! This is the best web host and the only one I recommend for adult web sites. You won't go wrong with this one!

If you decide to go with this company... eMail or call Tom and let him know that HolisticWisdom.com referred you and he will make sure to get you the best deal and get you up and running lightening fast!

Here is a list of just a few of the features you can rely on from Tom's cool web hosting company-

~ Toll Free 24 Hour Live Tech Support
~ Lifetime Price Guarantee - Your Rate Never Increases
~ No Setup Fees On Virtual OR Dedicated Servers
~ No Contracts Required
~ 99.9% Uptime Guaranteed
~ 24/7/365 Network Operations Center
~ Highly Secure Guarded Facility
~ Uncapped Burstable Bandwidth Insures Top Speed
~ 24 Hour Server Monitoring
~ Anti-Hack Firewalls Installed

Best Place You Can Get Domain Names

GoDaddy

This is the one of the cheapest places to get a domain name. I don't recommend their web hosting as it is about $10.00 a month, and you can do a lot better for your money get a lot more than what they offer.

Remember you will have to still get web hosting and transfer your domain name to the web host that you want to go with. When signing up with GoDaddy for your domain name they will ask you where you want to "park" your domain name. Basically they are asking you if you have a web host, if you want to use theirs, or if you want to just "park it" until you have a web host set up. Select the just "park it" option and then when you have ready to sign up with a web host just transfer it over to your web host during the sign up process.

For The Beginner

An Easy Template Web Site Builder & Host To Use

Homestead.com

This company is great in that they offer a 30-day FREE trial and they are EASY to use. Their software to build your site allows you to create, edit and publish your site quickly and easily. You can learn more about how to use their software by using their interactive guide.

To sign up for a homestead account you will need to follow the steps on their site-

1) Select a web site option.

2) Enter a domain name which will include the homestead name or put in your own (best place to get one is with GoDaddy.com as they are the cheapest).

3) It will then let you know if the name you selected is approved. (Remember to write down what your web site address (URL) is so that you can look it up on the web later and have the web site address to submit to the search engines).

4) Fill out their application with your name, eMail address, etc.

5) Once ready to build the site you can choose a template or build it from scratch from a blank template builder. It is easy to use, and will download automatically. You can begin building your site.

6) Once you are finished building you site, you will click on the submit button and it will make your web site live on the Internet.

Web site Design

If you are not already able to build your own web site, then the Homestead template builder or something like it is going to be the quickest way for you to get the site up. Your only other options are to learn web design through such programs as DreamWeaver (which is what we use), Front-page, and others. That or you will have to hire someone which can be expensive.

You must make sure your site is in perfect condition: optimized, using little javascript, no frames, high keyword density, perfect metatags, etc. to be successful on the web. . If you hire a web designer, don't hire someone without eCommerce skills... anyone with some artistic talent and knowledge of professional web design programs can create a beautiful site for you... but beware! If they build you a site that is beautiful, but not "eCommerce friendly," you may be losing sales because of it.

Did you know that the average web surfer will only wait about 4 seconds for a home page to download before they lose interest. If you have a web site that is not optimized well... your potential client may not even wait around to see your beautiful sight.

Here are some tips to assist you in creating a beautiful and optimized site, or at least knowing the right questions to ask of the person designing it for you

Lack of Biographies
Web studies showed that users want to know the people behind information on the web site they are visiting. In particular, biographies and photographs of the authors help make the your site a less impersonal place and increase trust.

Slow Server Response Times
Slow response times are the worst offender. There are several reasons for this in web site design. The top two reasons are-

1) Bloated graphic design, too many graphics or too of big graphics;
    or using applets where plain or Dynamic HTML would have done
    the trick.

2) Slow server time from your web host.

Users don't care why response times are slow. All they know is that the site doesn't offer good service: slow response times often translate directly into a reduced level of trust and they always cause a loss of traffic as users take their business elsewhere. So invest in a fast server and get a consultation with a performance expert such as myself or with another reputable company to review your system architecture and code quality to optimize response times.

The main page of your web site should load in 8 seconds or less with a 56K modem. According to two surveys, conducted by Forrester Research and Gartner Group, eCommerce sites are losing $1.1 to $1.3 billion in revenue each year due to customers click-away caused by slow loading sites. If a page takes too long to load, your potential customer will not wait. Ultimately costing you business.

Banners
Try to avoid placing banner exchange banners at the top of your page. These can instantly take your customers or even be indexed by Search Engine robots. Limit the number of banners on your site to no more than two per page.

Web surfers have also developed "banner blindness," which means that they avoid fixating their eyes on anything that looks like a banner ad due to shape or position on the page.

Animation
These can be very distracting and can cause your page to look unprofessional. In addition, animated graphics cause your page to load more slowly. Fancy graphics won't make the sale. Your main page should specifically let your visitors know exactly what you're offering. How many times have you visited a site and never figured out exactly what they were selling?

Web surfers have also developed "animation avoidance," which means that visitors to your site will make attempts to ignore areas with blinking or flashing text or other aggressive animations. Give your user some peace and quiet to actually read the text!

Too Many Or "Non-Cookie" Pop-up Windows
Pop up windows really work when done correctly. If however, you keep them small, concise, and you only provide one or two on your site. You must also install your pop up windows with cookies so that they do not keep popping up when your users go from one page to another. When that happens you end up annoying your potential clients rather than appealing to them.

Opening New Browser Windows
Designers open new browser windows on the theory that it keeps users on their site. But the strategy is self-defeating since it disables the Back button which is the normal way users return to previous sites. Users often don't notice that a new window has opened, especially if they are using a small monitor where the windows are maximized to fill up the screen. This will just leave a user who tries to return to your site, confused by a grayed out Back button.

Using Frames
Using frames in a web page is very confusing for users since frames break the fundamental user model of the web page. All of a sudden, you cannot bookmark the current page and return to it (the bookmark points to another version of the frameset), URLs stop working, and printouts become difficult. Even worse, the predictability of user actions goes out the window.

Gratuitous Use of Bleeding-Edge Technology
Using the latest technology before it is even found reliable, is a sure way to discourage users. If their system crashes while visiting your site because of your programming, you can bet that many of them will not be back. Unless you are in the business of selling Internet products or services, it is better to wait until some experience has been gained with respect to the appropriate ways of using new techniques.

Complex URLs
Even though machine-level addressing like the URL should never have been exposed in the user interface, it is there and we have found that users actually try to decode the URLs of pages to infer the structure of web sites. Users do this because of the horrifying lack of support for navigation and sense of location in current web browsers. Thus, a URL should contain human-readable directory and file names that reflect the nature of the information space. Also, users sometimes need to type in a URL, so try to minimize the risk of typos by using short names with all lower-case characters and no special characters.

Orphan Pages
Make sure that all pages include a clear indication of what web site they belong to since users may access pages directly without coming in through your home page. For the same reason, every page should have a link up to your home page as well as some indication of where they fit within the structure of your information space.

Long Scrolling Pages
Only 10% of users scroll beyond the information that is visible on the screen when a page comes up. All critical content and navigation options should be on the top part of the page.

Lack of Navigation Support
Don't assume that users know as much about your site as you do. They always have difficulty finding information, so they need support in the form of a strong sense of structure and place. Start your design with a good understanding of the structure of the information space and communicate this structure explicitly to the user.

Outdated Information
Maintenance of your web site is a cheap way of enhancing your content since and keeping visitors coming back to see your "fresh" material.

Contact Information
Always, include your contact information on each page of your site and try to reply to all comments and suggestions within 48 hours. This will help promote good business relationships. Your business relationships are the key to your success.

Grammar & Spelling
ALWAYS check and double-check your site for grammar and spelling errors and make sure your images and links are all working properly. If you have several errors, this will make your site appear to be unprofessional, and keep you out of directories like Yahoo! If you are designing your site using an HTML editor, use spell check.

Text Content (Copy)

To develop your site content you will want to look at what other SUCCESSFUL web sites have done in their techniques as well as their content. You obviously can not copy someone else's site (as that is copyright infringement and is now a felony) so you will need to simply take examples and use your own creativity. I often recommend you think of what it is that would make you interested in purchasing a product. What is it that makes you feel you must have something? When you begin to think of the psychological components, finding the right wording can be fairly easy.

Make sure your content is geared toward supplying enough information to move your customers to buy. Give them detail and convince them what you're selling is the best solution for their particular problem. Explain in vivid detail, go point by point and detail every benefit the product offers. Use powerful, benefits-based content to leave even your toughest customers no choice but to cave when you ask for the order.

Graphics

You may use any picture from our web site, but you can not sell or make people pay you to see it. In addition, ever graphic image needs to be linked to our site so that should someone run their mouse over it they can click on it to come to our site.

If you use other graphics I recommend that you make sure that you have the permission of the creator to use it or make them yourself.

Stats Tracking

A good way to measure how many visitors are coming to your site is to use a stats program to put on various pages of your site. The best one we have found and whom we use for all of our web sites is- 3dstats.com

They truly give you the best for the least amount! Starting packages are just under $20.00 a month. This allows you to view all of your web pages, see who is on your site when they are on it and what pages they go to. There are so many other cool options that you should just visit their site to see a demo rather than me go on and on for days about them.

Loading Your Site To The Internet
(For those who are not using template sites.)

The best way to send your site to your web host is by using a program called
Cute FTP. Used by millions worldwide, CuteFTP® is the easiest way to transfer files between your PC and remote computers. Whether publishing a Web page, downloading the latest digital images, music and software or transferring large files between your home and office, CuteFTP will get the job done quickly and easily, even if you are a beginner.

The first question about search engines that I get from clients is "Which are the top search engines to submit to?" Because all search engines do not bring in the same amounts of "traffic" you will want to make sure that you submit to the biggest search engines/directories to ensure the most traffic to your site. Let's start with the search engines you will want to submit to~

What will keep you from being accepted in Search Engines and Web Directories

~ Having pages with text that is not easily read,
   either because it is too small or is obscured by
   the background of the page.

~ Having pages with off-topic or excessive keywords.

~ Submitting your web pages more than once a month.

~ Subletting the same pages from multiple domains,
    or submitting the same content from multiple hosts.

~ Using machine-generated pages with minimal or no
    content, whose sole purpose is to get a user to click
    to another page.

What will help you get accepted in Search Engines and Web Directories

~ Your site must be in English and be of use to an audience
    located in the United States.

~ Your site should have original content.

~ You are solely responsible for ensuring that the content and
    activities on your site are in compliance with all applicable
    laws and regulations.

~ Your site must contain sufficient pages and recognizable
    content.

~ Your site must be up and running seven days a week and
    24 hours a day.

~ Your site should not be under construction, and all links
    must be working.

~ Your site must be quick to load.

~ Your site cannot mirror or redirect to another Web site.

Paid Search Engine Submissions: Quick Traffic

If you want to get traffic to your site quickly, then you should try pay-per click search engines. You should note that many pay-per-click search engines are out there and only a few offer protection to their clients. For example, let's say that you go to a no-name pay per click search engine, and you submit a key term... what is to stop someone from going to your listing and clicking on it many times drying up your funds? It happens. Especially your from your competition. Companies like Yahoo.com and the others listed below have special protective programs designed to keep that from happening. So, if you decide to do a pay-per click marketing campaign... remember to be careful whom you list yourself with. Here are the programs I recommend-

Google.com’s AdWords Program

Google.com is one of the largest and most popular engines on the Web today. Just thinking of the thousands of searches that are conducted on Google.com every day using keywords related to your site is enough to send you there in a hurry.

Google.com offers a new advertising service, AdWords, which allows you to purchase search terms. When a user enters these terms, your text ad, appears on the search results page. The price you pay for your AdWords is based on the position in which the results appear on the results page. And Google.com determines this position according to how many users click on those particular words over time.

The key is to buy highly targeted keywords, so that only those web surfers that are searching for specific information will be exposed to your ad. Having your ad shown only to those who are genuinely interested will increase your conversion ratios (traffic to sales).

Pay-Per-Click with Yahoo.com

Yahoo.com is a powerful pay-per-listing search engine. The key is to pay for a position within the top three. Depending on your product, how much gross profit you make, and what your conversion ratio is, you may be able to profit very well with the top spot. Why is the #1 position so important? Yahoo.com is actually a relatively small search engine compared to the others, but its power comes from search partners with which Yahoo.com is affiliated. Yahoo!’s top search results reach 75% of all Internet users, through their affiliate partner network, which includes Yahoo!, Microsoft Internet Explorer, EarthLink, Lycos, and AltaVista! But these partner sites only show Yahoo.com's top one to three results for any search - so bid for the top spot if you can afford it.

The good thing about Yahoo.com is that you only pay when someone clicks on your link. Top spots can cost you anywhere from 0.10 cents to over $4, depending on the keyword, and your listing appears in around 3 days. It’s more effective to buy about 20 highly targeted keywords, than it is to have just one very expensive but more general keyword. So, with pay-per-click engines like Yahoo!, it’s worth doing your homework and compiling a number of very specific and targeted keywords.

Pay-Per-Click with Miva.com

Miva.com is similar to Yahoo, but with less traffic. Still it is significant enough that they are worth submitting terms to. Due to the lower traffic, the cost of bids is lower. Like GoTo.com, the good thing about Miva.com is that you only pay when someone clicks on your link. Top spots can cost you anywhere from 0.05 cents to over $2, depending on the keyword, and your listing appears in around 3 days. It’s more effective to buy about 20 highly targeted keywords, than it is to have just one very expensive but more general keyword. So, with pay-per-click engines like Miva.com, it’s worth doing your homework and compiling a number of very specific and targeted keywords.

DirectHit/AskJeeves

DirectHit/AskJeeves offers a paid text ad system similar to Google.com's. Your linked ad appears alongside the search results for every search topic you sponsor on the AskJeeves site. Your ad also accompanies relevant search results on all Jeeves Text Sponsorship Network participating sites, including MSN, Searchalot, Bomis.com, SuperCyberSearch, and Direct Hit. Your ads appear within a few days, and a minimum deposit of just $35 will get you started.

*** This part of the article was updated on April 2007. Prices may have changed since then,
     so check with the pay-per-click search engines for current fees.

eMail Autoresponders

This service sends out many eMails at one time, or to have automatic eMails sent out to your clients. If you would like to learn more about autoresponders and other eCommerce marketing strategies that will increase your sales an bring you great financial success... keep reading.

The Basics On How To Be A Successful Affiliate

Set Realistic Goals
You can manifest whatever you desire, but you will need to do the things that have to be done in order to get it. What do you want to accomplish? Create goals, document them, and set a goal date for reaching them. Set realistic short and long term. Work consistently towards accomplishing your goals each day, each week and each month until you reach your short term goals. When you have attained your short term goals, create more, and continue to focus on your long term goals. If you do not start with figuring out what you want, you will never get to know how to obtain it.

Discipline Yourself
Get ready for your work as if you were working outside your home for a company. Have a list of all the things you want to accomplish during the day to give you an organized approach to each day.

Motivate Yourself
Provide rewards for yourself when you are able to accomplish your goals. Use positive thinking will literally be your key to success. You have to convince yourself that you can succeed at whatever you desire, because you can.

Create A Schedule
Plan your work then work your plan.

Set up an office
Creating an atmosphere of a work space will assist you in feeling prepared and inspired for the tasks you have to accomplish.

Create A Budget
Set up a written budget. Allow for taxes, expenses, and make sure to put money back into your business to continue it's success.

Give Yourself TLC
Get plenty of sleep, eat right and take some time to stop and smell the roses, and remember to be patient. Often the most successful people have several set backs under their belt first.

Contact Your Affiliate Program Directors For Advice!