Hitching your wagon to a star is a time-tested method of getting far. Advertisers need to lock on to powerful affiliate networks and further their cause through great affiliates. Win-win-for-all affiliate networks would be the order of the day for merchants seeking world-wide audience for their merchandise, especially of the software variety.

Most networks follow a revenue-share system with the advertiser. If he sells via the network affiliate, he will pay the affiliate as well as the network a commission. Commissions to the network could possibly be 20% or even 30% in some cases. Affiliates lend their own technology, reporting equipment and creative (banners, spot, and links) and also charge per click, per lead or per sale. Rather an expensive affair, if you are a merchant. You pay even if there is no sale.

What, then, is the ideal affiliate network for you? The solution is easy; an affiliate network with low operational costs and the commitment to go the extra mile. Luckily, affiliate networks all over the world are cleaning up their act. To start with, there is no installation fee, for advertisers and for publishers and there is free real time service and support and quick turnaround for advertisers. Then there are networks that charge no fee. They are simply just an interface. They generate their income from pop-ups on the publisher's display screen, at no extra price to the publisher. To make things simple for registered customers, there is a user interface reporting service where you keep track of your orders and payments.

Networks also do other useful things for members like putting 120-day cookies in the customer's browser. If he places an order throughout this period, the advertisers account is accredited. Affiliate networks are also progressively taking on accounting services as well as affiliate pay-outs for merchants. After all, they have organized support cells to deal with customer inquiries. Also, the convenient prepaid MasterCard's provided by some networks have wide recognition. Furthermore, check if the local affiliate network propels you easily into a global network. Do read through the FAQs on the network site to get the particulars of how they operate.

Networks have a directory of affiliate programs as well as publishers and also advertisers are free to strike an agreement with the other. Typically, the very best networks are the CPA variety (Cost per Action). As an advertiser you would pay the publisher only if your advertisement on his website sent the viewer to your website to make a purchase. You also get the benefit of the publisher's affiliate network. CPM and also CPC networks, where you pay the publisher for every lead produced (form filled) or every mouse click, accordingly, are more publisher-centric than advertiser-centric. The flip side is that there are higher commissions to pay on the CPA networks, though you gain on quantity.

All it requires is a comprehensive research to focus on a program that works out for your website.