What Product Should I Promote?
Product Research*

As with niches, there are those who already have a product in mind they want to promote.  Whether it’s a product you love because you’ve used it and know its value, or because you see it’s potential, you should always research your product.

If you don't have a product in mind at this point don't worry, that's probably just as well.

Remember, you're looking for a hungry crowd of poeple to provide for.  (Tip: Look for the post on the forums with the most views and replies.   This will give you a lot of information.)

Once you have found what your niche wants, there are a number of different affiliate networks to work with when you’re looking for products to promote.   Here is a list of just a few:

• Clickbank – Offering only digital products but super easy to work with.   (There are affiliates making obscene amounts of money promoting only Clickbank products.)
• Commission Junction – A little more high brow, and more difficult to set up, but worth it.
• Linkshare – Like the first two, but Linkshare products are more service oriented.
• Regnow – is a great affiliate network.   You’ll find anything from e-books to virus software, to video and audio editing software.   Regnow is highly recommended.
• Shareasale – is more of a product oriented service, with over 2,000 products to promote from make-up to clothing.
• Performics – is another affiliate network, which caters to many of the large retailers such as Target and Adidas.

In addition to all the products offered by these networks, national chains like Wal-mart, Sears, and Amazon offer affiliate programs as well.

If you find any product on the internet you want to promote, chances are there is an affiliate plan associated with that product.

Just because you’re able to promote a product,
doesn’t necessarily mean you should.

Check to see how the product is rated.

• In Clickbank you can check the ‘gravity’ rating of a product.  (The higher the better.)

• With Commission Junction, check the publishers ‘network earnings’.  (Once again, the higher the better.)
• LinkShare has the LinkShare Premium Partner merchants.  (Those with stars have met certain criteria established by LinkShare – this system is not as well run as the others, but there are some quality merchants there.)
• With RegNow, you have the Earn Per Click Power Ranking.  (The higher the better.)
• Performics, has the payout rank.  (And again, the higher the better.)

In addition to these ranking systems, you should visit the sales pages of these merchants.   Make sure there are no sales leaks – such as:

• Some merchants selling on Clickbank for instance will have paypal links on their sites which don’t pass on the affiliate id – which means you don’t get paid.   Check the payment page and make sure your link ID passes through.
• Some merchants have AdSense or other widgets on the sales page which may siphon off some of the buyers you’ve worked so hard to get there.  Remember – AdSense and Widgets - Good . . . on a Sales Page - Bad -
• And though this is not a sales leak here is a convenient place to put this item , check the sales page URL in Alexa.  There is no hard and fast rule here, but if the Alexa ranking is WAY over 100,000 the site probably doesn’t get enough traffic to be all that strong a merchant.  (The higher the Alexa ranking, the fewer visitors that website has.   With that said, a newer merchant will probably not have a good Alexa ranking, so this rule does not always apply.)

If you merchant passes these test, you probably have winner.   You are now ready to do Keyword Research.

* Man, I bet you’re glad this article isn’t as long as Niche Research?  However, just like niche research, Product research is essential to making a profit online.