Chapter 13: The Nature of Online Competition

Affiliate Marketing Assignment

ClickZ Network, an e-zine and on-line source of information about Internet marketing, hosts a regular column on affiliate marketing strategies. To access all the articles, visit the homepage [www.clickz.com ]. Using the pull-down menu, search the archives for articles on Affiliate Marketing. After reading the articles, decide whether affiliate programs make sense for the Web site you are developing (See Assignment, Chapter 1. Write a rationale explaining your decision. If an affiliate program does make sense, consider how it might best be implemented to benefit your client company. Include this information in your final report.

Two articles will get you started. The first, “ Affiliate Programs 101 - A Primer For Success” (December 3, 1999), provides historical background as well as an explanation of how the affiliate marketing programs operate. The second article, “Seven Deadly Sins Of Affiliate Programs” (December 10, 1999), highlights some pitfalls to avoid when designing a program.

To get a feel for the breadth of affiliate marketing programs, read, “Promoting Your Affiliate Program,” ClickZ Network, January 21, 2000. Here you will find a list of directories of affiliate programs, as well as the name of a company that will submit information about your affiliate program to the directories. Visit some of the directory sites and learn how these programs work.

Another article, “A Primer on Affiliate Metrics,” addresses how to measure the results of your affiliate program.

A final article, “This Year’s Model,” (January 7, 2000), discusses recent additions to the affiliate marketing strategy.

Affiliate Marketing Assignment

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