This is the fourth post in our Affiliate Marketing series and where we take a good look at what affiliate marketing is and why it's possibly the money-making solution for you.

Affiliate marketing is a business model where you bring buyers and sellers together in return for a commission if a sale is carried out. It's one of the most popular strategies online because it allows you to enjoy several perks.

As an affiliate marketer, you're handling only a segment of the tasks that a full-time Internet marketer creating products has to master. There are some tasks you both share, but there are many burdens that you don't have to tackle which makes affiliate marketing ideal for the beginner to this business.

• Both you (as an affiliate) and the product creator will be working on generating targeted traffic.
• You'll both be developing content that attracts the right audience.
• Both will ideally be building a list to become the go-to person to advise them in the niche.
• And both will be conducting keyword research while learning and sharing about your specific niche topic.

The product creator is responsible for the development of a solution. They will work on the creation of sales copy, handle product delivery and follow up customer support. Their investment is much more significant in terms of tools (like automated delivery) and services (such as graphic designers for their mini-site).

As an affiliate, you won't have to mess with any of that. You'll still be researching the niche because affiliates need to provide good guidance - and without research, you won't be able to pinpoint potential customer problems and solutions.

Keyword research will be conducive to you getting ranked better in the search engines so that buyers can find you. Plus keyword research helps you understand how your niche audience is looking for information online to get the help they need.

With the creation burden off your plate, as well as all follow-up customer service, you'll enjoy the process of connecting people with problems to the solutions that change their lives for the better, you some say, get the gravy portion of the relationship.

As an affiliate, not only will you need to begin mastering niche research, but you'll need to build your confidence in interacting with others as a leader. Being a leader doesn't mean you have to have a product of your own. It simply means you're a good guide who cares about your followers.

Some affiliates tend to stay behind the scenes, never wanting to put themselves out there. But if you're willing to brand yourself as the best guide in the niche, you can do very well simply recommending other peoples' products.

Eventually, the expertise you gain from researching and reviewing products - as well as getting feedback from your followers - might boost you into the product creation category yourself. It all depends on your talents and personality.

Many find simply dealing as an affiliate very monetarily and personally satisfying, but others wish to go to the next level and start creating their own products. Done right, you can then create an army of affiliates who will be sending a tsunami of customers your way - while you begin work on your next product!

Original Source: marilynthompsonsolutions.com