The beauty of Google affiliate marketing is its simplicity. In its most elemental application an individual can earn marketing dollars for simply agreeing to sidebar ads on a personal web or group site. This process is easily accessible as it is offered as an option whilst developing the page.

For those wanting to earn a bigger buck it’s a little more complicated, but not much. Anyone with a functioning URL and valid account information can apply to be a Google affiliate, either as a publisher, someone with a site to offer, or as an advertiser, someone with something to advertise.

Whether you are a publisher or an advertiser, the concept is really easy to understand, publishers take on advertisers; site visitors click on links and, if the visitor buys a product or service the publisher gets a commission.

What is Google Affiliate Marketing?

• It is a means of advertising products or services using banners or links on appropriate websites. The advertisers in turn pay a commission for every hit, sign-up or sale they receive directed from the site.
• It is an opportunity for site publishers to generate, drive and direct visitor traffic for profit.
• It is also an opportunity to create relationships between advertisers and publishers for mutual benefit.

How much will I make?

How much a site makes is dependant on a number of variables; how many ads the site advertises and the commission rates of the advertisers on your site. There is no cost or obligation in being a marketer/publisher so a little experimentation with the number of ads, types of ads and specific advertisers will help to tweak marketing to suit individual needs.

Publishers can choose which advertisers can post on their site which gives an element of financial risk control. The Google affiliate marketing network is non-proprietary, so publishers can mix and match combining other network advertisers with Google advertisers.

What sorts of advertisers/publishers should I look for?

The advertiser publisher relationship is a two way street. While you can accept or decline advertisers, they in turn can accept or decline your offer. Publishers with proven results for existing advertisers will attract the interest of the more lucrative advertising markets. For both party’s it makes sense to seek out compatible relationships. An arts store advertiser for example, will have greatest success and will sit appropriately on a site dedicated to artists.

Some advertisers have easy update banners’ meaning current advertising is being promoted all the time. This can help to keep the advertising and the site looking fresh.

Is Google Affiliate Marketing right for me?

Considerations when deciding if this network is right for you are:

• The sheer size of Google makes it the largest network available, the market audience is huge.
• A drawback may be loss of personal service in favour of size.
• Primarily Google connects advertisers with publishers; tools for tracking and reporting and an international audience for a product or service.
• There is no cost to the advertiser unless a conversion, or sale, is completed. That means no sales carry no costs.

Although the Google Affiliate Network has FAQ pages and extensive information on site, it does not provide a contact option for one to one communication and this goes back to the personal service issue. Before considering becoming an affiliate, one should perhaps think about how much homework they want to do to understand the program and the possible frustrations if all does not go according to plan.

Also, it pays to remember this is a working relationship. Although Google do some perfunctory inquiries into the legitimacy of both the advertiser and publisher, there is always a slight chance for the publisher that they will risk reputation on a shady product and for the advertiser; the possibility the publisher will find dodgy ways to fake sales. The probability is pretty minimal though and the benefits for everyone apparently far outweigh the risks.