I'm on a tight budget here

[powerbiz13]

Can't afford an SBI site yet, but reading with much interest about Popshops and datafeed. I really like the look of the Great Skin site, but I'm confused about their terms of needing a MSQL database on my server and running PHP scripts. I don't have a server ! Does Popshops cover all that?
Also, do I need to register my own domain name first?
I could do it through go-daddy, get a free website builder and add the datafeed from Great Skin to it?
I'm enjoying reading all this great information, but I'm still confused.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Powerbiz,

Well you need a domain and web hosting to do things right either way.
Chances are you need a site up that can be reviewed to even get approved by Linkshare and GreatSkin.

Most good hosts that you can get for 9 a month or less should have MSQL database on my server and PHP. But even if you get a domain and free website builder from GoDaddy you still need a hosting account like I mentioned above.

If I were you I would learn a little more before proceeding so you don't go off on a tangent that wont be productive. It sounds like you are possibly rushing in and not clear on some things. I THINK, but am not sure - if you use Popshops you don't even need to deal with MSQL and PHP if you are using the free option. I think all it is, is javascript.

I assume when you mention MSQL and PHP thats referring to what you need to pull and display their product feed? That would require software and programming and also I think Linkshare still charges you to pull a feed.

I think William is the GreatSkin affiliate manager at AMWSO. So contact him GreatSkin Skin Care Affiliate Program and make sure you know the best options for starting out.

 

[RedHat39]

I can tell you from experience Powerbiz that free webhosting Go-Daddy will give you for registering a domain there is just about useless. It doesn't even come with CGI access - thats an "upgrade" cost.

They may be cheap for domain regs but they nickel and dime you for everything on their hosting.

 

[powerbiz13]

Thank you Linda for your honest reply - I do need to keep reading and start out a little slower I think.
RedHat, the info on Go-daddy is enlightening, appreciate the help.

 

[Linda Buquet]

"I do need to keep reading and start out a little slower I think."

One thing I'd like to also point out is that when you 1st start out it's
VERY EASY when you see all the cool sites and things you can sell
to be like a kid in a candy shop. Your eyes get all big and you start
dreaming and think - that's so cool, I want to sell that.

You could easily think that about 100 affiliate programs and spin your wheels and get nowhere and give up.

So even though I think GreatSkin is a GREAT affiliate program,
I wonder if you thought it through.

Do you know alot about skin care and are you passionate about it?

If you had a site up today (dont think about how it was built)...
If I GAVE you a beautiful site, how would you get traffic to it???
How would someone find your site over all the other pro affiliate sites
that are already out there?

I say this not to discourage you but to help you learn that starting off with the right niche - a smaller, less competitive niche about something you know about, love will make it so much easier to start. If you can find something you are PASSIONATE about then it makes generating content and doing all the hard work to build and doing all the marketing SO much easier.

Getting your 1st site up can be hard work.
So be sure its something you really know or want to learn about
so you can stay committed through the early time before the money starts.

Study the stickies in the newbie forum. Then start reading the niche forum.
Once you find the right niche then the whole site building process could be different. So 1st find the right niche. It cold be GreatSkin, but my sense is you need to learn a bit more to be sure thats the right way to start.

Another note - AFTER you learn what you are doing - AFTER you get that 1st site built and start earning - you can jump into anything that makes sense.
Its just when you are brand new you need to be careful you start on a project you can handle.

Just thought of a great analogy. If you decided you wanted to be a brain surgeon, would it be wise for them to train you by doing brain surgery on a real person your 1st week? They make you read and learn alot, then you probably operate on rats, then a cadaver and then after years of study you finally get to assist in a real surgery.

Now affiliate marketing is NOT brain surgery but you get my drift.

Learn to walk before you run. Datafeed sites are not the easiest
place to start for a WIDE variety of reasons. Way more reasons
than I can cover in this post.

Hope this helps!

 

[andreww]

Hi,
I'd suggest starting out in aff mktg, you should have a budget in mind.

It's true you can use a whole bunch of free services like freewebs for web hosting and there's some autoresponder out there which gives you up to 500 free subscribers, but really in the long run, if you're looking at building a long term business, I'd set aside $500-1000, just to get things like domain names, webhosting, autoresponder, and affiliate tracking software.

You might also want to use google analytics which is free or the heatmaps at crazyegg.com to figure out the efficacy of your landing pages. Plus a keyword tool and a split tester.

I personally don't use SBI, preferring front page or xsitepro. I used to use NVU and there's a number of free website builders out there.

I think Teli's suggested Microsoft's Expressions Engine previously.

But likely the most important is having a solid foundation in affiliate marketing basics. I like "Web Marketing for Dummies" a solid 400+ reference which I go back to often.

It'll probably be the best $25 investment you'll make in your IM journey.