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Direct vs Indirect Affiliate Promotion

Broadly speaking, there are two ways to promote affiliate products:

• Direct linking
• Indirect linking

The first approach is the easiest to get started with, and doesn't require a website of your own. All you have to do is use your affiliate link (which the person you're promoting for should provide) to link to the website you're promoting. Another method is to buy your own domain and then use a URL redirect at your registrar to redirect to your affiliate link. The second approach comes in two flavors:

• Review page linking
• "Squeeze" page linking

Review page linking is the simpler of the two. With this flavor, you write a review of a product or service you're promoting. Nothing fancy, just your thoughts about the product. Of course, it helps if you've used the product successfully and can point to your actual results (if they're impressive, you'll get more affiliate referrals). At the end of your review, give the reader your affiliate link to refer him to the product sales page.

"Squeeze" page linking requires a site of your own, but it's very similar to review page linking. All you do is set up an opt-in page on your site, and (typically) offer a free item to entice people to sign up. When they do, you send them to the affiliate sales page via your affiliate link.

Which approach is for you is a matter of preference, skill and likelihood of success.

Direct linking is easy, quick and cheap. It's also not something most web hosts or domain registrars seem to like (GoDaddy.com doesn't seem to mind). Still, it's worth a look, especially if you can find online article banks that let you promote your affiliate link directly.

Review page linking is a fantastic approach, and works extremely well. You have to have your own site (in most cases), but the page we're talking about is extremely easy to create. All you need is some text and an affiliate link. Graphics can help, but even those can be simple. Offer your review, refer people to the affiliate sales page, get paid. The downside? You're sending people to somebody else's site, rather than building your own customer or subscriber base. So…

"Squeeze" page linking is the superior approach for most people. Review page linking gets you paid, but only once. With a "squeeze" page, you capture email addresses up front, so you're building a list you can promote to over time.

You also can combine review page linking and "squeeze" page linking by putting a "squeeze" page in front of your review page. If your review is good, you'll maximize your affiliate referrals without giving away all those potential future customers.