Lesson #8: Finding Affiliate Programs First

I often say that if you can get in on an affiliate program early you have the best chance at making the most profit out of it. After all, at the start you’ve got way less competition in ppc & also in ranking in organic serps. So what’s the best ways to keep on your toes in the vastness of the internet?

Well, whilst I won’t call myself a total expert in this field I will share with you some of the techniques I use to keep on top of the game. If you guys know anymore then I can add to this thread

Google Alerts

Google Alerts is your friend. I use it on all my websites to find out if someone has been writing about me or my sites. I get notified the instant Google picks it up. You can do this for any search string you want. So why not use some search strings related to Affiliate Programs?

“new affiliate program”
“affiliate program launching”
“new affiliates”
“affiliate program”

These strings will bring up new & exciting updates whenever you need them. You can then suss out the information & put it to use however you choose.

Clickbank

To find about new products on Clickbank I use CBtrends, a nice free website that allows you to download all the new products listed within a specified timeframe in an excel format. Which can be great for building product related keyword lists also

When it actually comes to choosing a product to market, what I’ll usually do is draw up a shortlist from the excel file of products I think might be profitable. Then I’ll look & see if there’s any hype surrounding the product. I’ll also survey the competition & do a bit of delving. This is all part of the fun of finding the products to promote first, you can set the benchmark for all the other affiliates.

Commission Junction

This can be a tricky one, there’s no surefire way to find the best affiliate programs on here. I usually just keep tabs on what is launched every day. Then I’ll keep my eyes on the EPC for the program & how other affiliates are doing. But on CJ some of the programs I never would have thought could be profitable are my MOST profitable. Like Car Parts, Notebook Batteries & Concert Tickets As I always keep saying, think outside the box with these guys as you have the chance to be SO DIVERSE with the huge amount of products at your fingertips here.

More Niche

For those of you who don’t promote More Niche’s products then perhaps this is the kind of affiliate program you should have a good look at. They give you heaps of notice in advance when launching new products & creatives so that you have time to build your sites before it even launches. Check out the More Niche forums also, loads of good information about Affiliate Marketing for pros. These guys know how to build sites.

RSS Feeds

Add as many Affiliate News & Blog related RSS Feeds as you can to your reader within their own Group. Normally you can see when a product (or service) is starting to create a hype or a buzz. A good example of this was the Buttefly Marketing Manuscript or The Rich Jerk when they were first launched.

Network with Affiliate Managers

Possibly one of my favourites. Don’t be afraid to add your affiliate manager to your AIM or MSN. Talk to them frequently as they can be your number 1 source about new & exciting product launches before anyone else even has a whiff about it.

Get in Quick

Once you hear about something get in quick. Register Squidoo names, Blogspot Blogs, Domains. Get as much shit as you can together. Even if you don’t decide to promote the product there’s always the possibilty of SELLING those domains to someone that is for a much larger portion of cash than you bought them for.

With registering the domains, try & get as close to the original domain as possible. If you can benefit from type in traffic then you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank (unless you get an EFT that is )

I’m interested to hear what other methods you guys use to keep on top of new Affiliate Programs & CPA services. Drop a line in the comments