I know many people that are trying to make money at home and marketing online. They dream of finding the right program to get involved with and many turn to affiliate marketing because it’s the easiest and cheapest way to start, but you have to know your target market for the niche you are promoting and where to find them. I have never been able to really think outside the box even though I have read numerous reports on how to be successful at it and over the years I have tried just about everything out there.

I see more and more people starting up the let me show you how to make money online blogs, but they want you to buy their report and most of them don’t even have a clue themselves their motto is “fake it till you make it.”  Or those plug and profit businesses in a box that are all the same. I got suckered in with the CBmall business way back and I never even see those anymore, but I’m sure it’s still around somewhere because I still get e-mails from the creator.

You can find a lot of blogs that cover affiliate marketing in depth for free don’t waste your money on reports if that’s something you’ve been considering, but there’s much to consider like your affiliate links being hijacked or removed so you don’t receive a commission. Like I said I do a few affiliate programs now, but nothing compared to when I first started.

8 years ago I thought the more the merrier maybe someone would click on something, but they seldom do because it’s too confusing. So do your best to keep it simple and direct and focus on just a few.

Most people online try to teach you how to stay home and make money and some actually do, but it simply doesn’t work for many. I make a few dollars here and there. If I had to support myself I’d be starving by now from the income I generate online. I could probably teach you how to lose money online and as far as I’m concerned that’s exactly what most of the opportunities to make money are all about.

I have learned that you need a user friendly web site with original content that people will find useful and helpful because the majority of people come online to find information or entertainment not to buy so if you provide good content and concentrate on only a few affiliate products the statistics I’ve read in the past say you will have a better chance of someone actually clicking through and purchasing something and making a sale. I doubt that you will be able to quit your day job unless your a brilliant marketer.

Most people like a simple, but professional looking website and If your blog or website has lots of advertisements and flashy banners and is full of affiliate links or ad blocks before they even see your content then they may get confused and not understand what your site is all about. I know when I visit a busy looking site if I don’t see what I’m looking for I simply close that site down and go to the next. Don’t make it so hard for your visitor to find your information and lose a possible sale.

I’ve been told by the experts that people will click on text links more often than the flashy banners.  I don’t like to add a lot of distraction for the viewers on the website I use for business. I try to keep it simple because people like to visit a site that loads quickly and they get very impatient and leave if they have to wait for graphics and videos to load, your load time is very important. I know people that have actual products they sell online and even they are struggling. I’m not saying they aren’t making sales, but many are barely able to stay afloat.

I have friends that want me to show them how to make a blog so they can sell their jewelry online and I try to explain to them that it’s not that easy to make those sales because of all the competition and it would be easier to make sales at a show. Many newbies though think if they build a website that they will be flooded with orders and make a fortune, sorry to say unless it’s a very unique product then it’s not going to happen. People don’t realize they have to spend money on advertising, getting targeted traffic, and so many other things.