| A CPA network (a cost-per-action network) is a | | | | people are genuinely interested, making it more likely |
| network of affiliates and vendors who make money | | | | that they will become repeat customers. |
| by having visitors complete certain actions on a | | | | So, how do you get approved by a CPA network? |
| vendor's website. The way affiliate marketing often | | | | Well, it's not too difficult, but there are some things you |
| works is that someone will try to sell a product through | | | | should know before you dive right in. First of all, your |
| affiliates' websites, and any time someone clicks on a | | | | website or blog should be up and running already, and it |
| link from an affiliate to the vendor's page, the affiliate | | | | should have the appearance of at least a |
| makes a cut of the profits. While this can be very | | | | semi-professional website. One key is to always tell |
| lucrative for everyone involved, it also can be pretty | | | | the truth about your site and your situation. If you lie, |
| difficult to do well with, if the visitors aren't buying when | | | | you're likely to get kicked out, and honestly, if there's |
| they go to the vendor's site. | | | | something so bad about your site that you have to lie |
| This is where cost-per-action comes in. When | | | | about it, you should probably be addressing it before |
| someone on an affiliate's website is convinced to visit | | | | you seek CPA networks out. |
| another website through the link on that affiliate's web | | | | You should know ahead of time what your domain is |
| page, the affiliate gets paid if the visitor performs a | | | | (and be sure it's active), the email address you want to |
| pre-specified action. Often, this is just signing up for | | | | use, how you plan to send traffic, other affiliate |
| more information. As an affiliate, it's much easier to | | | | networks you're involved with, payment information, |
| convince your visitors to sign up for more information | | | | tax information, details about your website's niche or |
| than to buy someone else's product. Therefore, you | | | | target demographic, etc. You should also be prepared |
| tend to make more money, and the vendor has the | | | | to verify that you're the website's owner. If you are |
| opportunity to send out offers and information to an | | | | aware of these steps before you start and don't lie |
| ever-growing mailing list. Best of all, many of those | | | | about anything, you're pretty likely to be accepted. |