Did You Read the TOC?

You have your website. You did your research and you found the products and services you want to promote. Do not forget the most important part of your information: the merchant's Terms and Conditions (TOC). Make sure you understand the rules for promoting their products or services before you sign up.

Each merchant makes their own rules. Many are similar but you have to read each set for each product or service to make sure there are no differences and that you understand what you can and can not do. You should create a folder and bookmark them so you can refer to them. Some merchants do not update their terms or conditions on a regular basis. You may want to check every quarter to see if there has been a change.

There are some terms you need to be aware of. Not all merchants have the same requirements but these you should check for:

• The URL for your website can not have the brand name in it.
• Your page can not rank higher in Google than theirs.
• You can not promote certain products.
• Your website can not have certain types of content.
• You may not be allowed to have banners for competing products.

If you have multiple websites, you may want to invest in affiliate software to keep track of your programs. Each merchant or third party affiliate network will assign you and ID number and/or a password. You need to have these handy when you want to review your reports or look for new programs.

Affiliate marketing is a business. If you want to be successful, you have to manage it.