This question just got asked of me today at one of the forums where I hang out and offer my advice. It's a question that I get asked a lot. For some reason, I don't believe I've ever put my thoughts down in article form before. So for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of getting the straight scoop on affiliate programs, this article might just be one that you'll want to read. It's a little controversial, as not everybody agrees with this, but it's based on over five years of experience as an affiliate marketer.

So let me get the answer to the question out of the way right here. No, there is NO best affiliate program. It doesn't exist. A program is only as good as YOU make it. In other words, if you don't know how to promote something, it doesn't matter what it is. Heck, pure junk can be sold if promoted the right way. Think I'm kidding? Then obviously you haven't heard of the Pet Rock and Google Ads For Free. Both of those products had absolutely NO real value to them, but they had great promotional campaigns.

Having said that, to give yourself the best chance of making a sale with the program or product you're selling, you want to find one that has a good reputation, either through the product itself or through the creator. Some people have such great reputations that they could sell just about anything. That's not to say that they'd create something that's garbage. If they did, they wouldn't have a great reputation. So that's the first thing you want to look for...somebody who people rave about.

The next thing you want to look for is a product or program that pays well. It doesn't make sense to promote something that only pays you a few dollars. Forget about ad costs. Your time is worth something too. And if I'm going to promote something by writing a ton of articles for it and putting up a blog or whatever, then I want to know that I'm going to get a decent return on my investment. So I look for products that come with a pretty hefty price tag, unless it's something I've created myself. That's the only exception. I also want to make sure that the product converts well. I want the highest return for the least amount of work.

Affiliate marketing is not easy because most people go about it all wrong. In my signature you'll find a book that will turn you into an affiliate marketing expert. I am almost 100% sure of that.

Is there a best affiliate program? Yes, the one that YOU make the best.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim