Designing Your Website For Affiliate Marketing

If you want to be successful as an affiliate marketer, you have to have your own website. It doesn't have to be fancy, but it does need to look professional.

Have you seen those websites that are completely filled with banners? I call them banner farms. How many of those banners do you think that YOU would click on? Enough said!

Now that you know that you need a website, how do you get one? The first thing you need is a domain name. Ideally, it should contain the main keywords of your website's topic. But, you can start with using your own name - or a variation of it.

You will also need website hosting. Somewhere your website files can reside. There are many web hosting companies, but be careful that you get one that is reputable. Ask some of your online acquaintances who they use.

What about the design itself? I believe that simple is best, especially when you're not quite sure what you are doing. All you really need is a nice header set in a simple template.

One of the most difficult tasks for a new affiliate marketer is to learn how to create and maintain his or her own website. But, there is software available these days that makes it almost easy. You can also use Microsoft FrontPage or Macromedia Dreamweaver. Dreamweaver is pretty expensive, and difficult to learn, for a beginner. You could also host your website with a company that has a "Site Builder," complete with design templates, included with the package. You just point, click and type in your content.

Some affiliate programs will provide you with an affiliate website that you can promote. The problem with these sites is that there is no way to build your own mailing list. Building your list is the number one reason you need your own website.

If you really believe that it's impossible for you to learn how to "do it yourself," there are many designers that you can find online that you can hire to do it for you. However, you still should learn how to add your content and affiliate product html codes yourself because it can get very expensive to have a designer do it for you.

You can do a Google search for "website designers" to find someone. There can be quite a difference in their fees so do a comparison among them. Look at their design portfolio and then make a list of the top ten (or so) companies or individuals that you are interested in. Record their fee, what all is included in their design package, and their contact information. Contact them to see if they are responsive to your inquiry. Compare them and then choose - carefully- the one you want.

In the long run, it doesn't matter how you get your website built, as long as you build one. It IS necessary to your long-term affiliate marketing success.