To maximize effectiveness, affiliate sites need to keep in mind some common sense suggestions:

1) Resist temptation to add too many affiliate links. Affiliate link overkill confuses visitors and hurts credibility. You want your visitors to view your site as a value-adding destination and not just a cheesy sales site. Recommend links to products you have tried, or that come from good, solid companies. Don't recommend something you don't know just because you're getting paid. Give your visitors best advice and they will reward you.

2) If you write articles for your website, try not to include affiliate links in body of your articles: it will give impression that you have a vested interest in recommending them. You want your visitors to trust your advice, so don't turn your article into an excuse to promote products and make a commission. It's OK to include affiliate links, but do it on a side bar or on a resource table. Whenever possible, link to your affiliate partners with text links (since banner ad click-through is at its lower rate ever, and people tend to ignore banners).

Sound about right?

It can happen to you.

You really can develop an online business where vast majority of your sales come from others who are eager to share your product with their customers and subscribers.

Unfortunately 95% of affiliate programs out there don't follow success patterns and they pay price -- no sales, inactive affiliates, lots of administration.

Here's truth about average affiliate programs...

1. On average, 5% of your affiliates will be active -- which means 95% will NEVER generate ANY traffic or sales. 2. Less than 2% will be SUPER affiliates which will drive BIG sales 3. For most affiliate programs - less than 1% will stay with you over 6-months

But wait...

There are some set principles you can follow to make your affiliate program a massive success -- and when you do -- you really can sit back and enjoy incredible results.

Try these now.

Success Tip 1. Arm Yourself With Affiliate Tracking Software

There are quite a few options out there.

What you need is a system that allows affiliates to sign up, see their statistics (hits, repeat hits, returns, sales, commissions, payment status, etc...)

You want a system where all of this is automated, that you can use to offer multiple products, that you can customize commissions (for special joint venture endorsements) and that you can track commissions to be paid and those that have been paid.

Based on personal experience, my preferences are either...

Ultimate Affiliate Software - $200 http://www.infoproductcreator.com/part/groundbreak

OR...

AssocTrac - $677 http://www.infoproductcreator.com/part/assoctrac/

There are also programs where you pay a monthly fee, but generally these require you to pay out over 15% of each sale -- OK if you only make a few sales each month, but if you bank on being successful, you'll want your own software.

Success Tip 2: Actively Pursue Super Affiliates

Massive success with affiliate programs depends on you seeking out "super affiliates"

You have something great to offer webmasters, business owners, ezine publishers -- they just don't know it yet.

Approach them with partnership in mind - open door by complimenting their business, send an offer they can't refuse and follow up to maintain relationship.

Use tools like toolbar from http://www.alexa.com to help find sites that have a good supply of traffic.

Every market has a buying cycle.