When it comes to affiliate programs and PPC, which ones you should consider, not all are created equal or not all are worth the effort of implementing their code into your sites. For those interested, here is my breakdown or review of the affiliate programs worthy of pursuing:

Adbrite – this is the poor cousin to Adsense and Yahoo and their payouts reflect the fact they do not entice or enjoy having the best advertisers willing to pay higher dollars to utilize their distribution network. Minimum payout $5.00

Google Adsense – The premier pay per click advertiser/publisher. We dislike their reporting as they purposely keep some data hidden from publishers. Because they are #1, they have a tendency to act like they can do no wrong and are weak in customer support related issues. Still, Adsense is considered #1 in the PPC marketplace and at the very least worth being tested as some sites achieve higher CTR.  Minimum payout $100.00 with payment made the month after you reach this threshold.

eBay – This program pays out and if you can find the right niche can be quite profitable. The objective is to entice your readers to visit eBay and hopefully purchase something. We like the eBay program, their features and payout schedules. Minimum payout is $5.00 unfortunately starting in August 2009 it will be $25.00.

CJ or Commission Junction – Has never really done anything for me.  Minimum payout $100.00 and after they take their fees usually leaving you with little in return. It may be we have not found the right niche, however, to date we have found this middleman not worth the effort.

ClickBank – Has numerous opportunities, it too has seen little results when tested in our network. Having said that, we understand they do have some good performers. Two to consider:

1. Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle
2. Credit Repair Secrets Revealed

Based on our experiences, what we can share with you is to sell your own wares. If you have an eBook or a product which you are passionate about, market and sell it directly to your own customers. The benefits are:

• you receive payments directly into your own bank account at time of sale, not 60-90 days later, which provides working capital to facilitate site or product improvements
• you see the results and have better control of your demographic. Some programs do not advise where and whom your clientele is.
• no middleman
• no minimum payouts
• no fees
• business longevity and control is in your hands

If you are wanting to test the market without incurring alot of debt, develop a Wordpress site, add your wares, use PayPal and if you need a digital delivery script or shopping cart there are free ones out there. We use a free digital delivery script called Digisell and it is by NG Coders.

The above are only a few of the many affiliate programs out there. Be cautious and if being online is a goal of yours, initially to avoid being disappointed, stay away from highly competitive products and focus your efforts on subjects you are passionate and knowledgeable about.

Filed under: Website Tools, affiliate programs, programs, review, what to sell online