How To Create A Money-Making Affiliate Website -- Using Free Website Templates
by Debbie, aka AlbertaRose Working Online

If you're looking to work online but you don't have a clue where to start or how, I suggest you follow these simple steps. It's how we got started back in 1999, and it's proven to be very successful for us.

First: Your Own Website:

Most Affiliate Programs tell you you don't need your own website to make money with their opportunity. And that's true. The problem, in my opinion, is that when a visitor clicks a link from a PPC (pay-per-click) or other advertising page and is directed to your "canned" affiliate website, they look at it and see no personality - no human face behind the offer - because they've visited the SAME page before! Different affiliate number but same information, layout, look, etc. Now, they have absolutely no impression of who the real affiliate is they're dealing with.

If they're a first-time visitor who has never seen this offer before, they may say, "Looks GREAT! This has real possiblities. I'll come back after I'm done checking out the other opportunities." They click the next link in their search, and guess what? It's exactly the same as the page they just visited! Will they go back to your Affiliate Page and join under you? Maybe, but the odds are not in your favor. After they're done checking through all the offers, and they decide to join, odds are they'll join up with the last Affiliate page they opened. After all, they're exactly the same.

If your affiliate program is a popular one, advertised everywhere, they've probably already seen it and rejected it. So, if you've paid for that person to click through to your Affiliate page, your chances of making a sale have just been minimized! Your prime objective is to get targetted traffic to your offer and close the deal - sales.

If you're promoting the "same" web page, it soon becomes "boring". To get around this obstacle, many affiliates create their own pages, adding their own personal touches - images, fonts, color, etc - giving the visitor a feel for who they're dealing with. It's the same offer with a new face.

If you're thinking "I don't know how to create a web page!" I say to you, you don't have to!

There are a lot of free website templates out there. Their only requirement is that you place a link back to their website somewhere on each template page you use. In fact, they've already inserted it at the bottom of each html page, so you can simply leave it there. This method is very time and cost effective for you!

AlbertaRose Home Gardening & Resources is an example of using a Free Website Template. The content is mine, but the template was supplied by In His Image, free of charge.

Second: How do you find these free templates?

Go to your favorite search engine and search for "free website templates" or use the Google Search box below. Visit each website and search through all of their free templates until you find one that meets your needs - style, available space for text, etc. Each template will show you where you can type in your information and links. It's that simple. Any other HTML you may need to know can be found easily online, free, by searching.

Third: Remember to RENAME your Document.

Before you start changing anything, make copies of each template index, naming them index.html, index1a.html, index1b.html, etc for the Main page, and page2.html, page3.html, etc. for any other pages that may be included in the Free Template you've just downloaded. Make as many copies as you need. (they don't have to be named index - they could also be the name of the affiliate program you're going to promote on that page ie: ad_land_pro.html - strong_future_internationa.html - etc.)

You can also make another folder, a working folder, and copy everything into that folder, giving you two sets of the original Free Template. Keep one set in its' original state so you can drag and copy one of the indexes into your working folder as needed.

When I'm making a new page, I open an existing page in my Editor then open "File" from the top menu. I then choose "Save As" and save the page with a different name so I don't over-write existing pages! ie: this page you're reading is called "free_report.html". When I create my next "Free Report" I will open this page, choose "Save As"   "free_report2.html" - BEFORE I begin working on the page.

Fourth: Contents

You have to be careful which affiliate programs you promote on the same page. For example: you are an affiliate for two different programs. One is Health and Beauty aids and the other is Vitamins and Minerals. These may cause a conflict because they're both in the same category. Much like MomExecs and MyMommyBiz. These should not be promoted on the same page. You risk losing your affiliate status along with any money that may be owed to you through your advertising efforts.

However, you can create folders within your website that are totally self-contained.

	Your Main Folder - This is your Root Directory Folder, your domain name, that contains your MAIN Index page that will supply links to the Sub Folders that contain your affiliate programs. Let's call your domain my_website.com. The URL would be something like this: http://www.my_website.com/index.html
	→	Sub Folder #1 - Contains all information for your First Affiliate Program (images, style sheets, html pages, etc). Let's name this folder Affiliate1 and the index you will be promoting affiliate1.html Your URL to promote this Affiliate program would look like this: http://www.my_website.com/Affiliate1/affiliate1.html Sub Folder Path Example 1: http://www.albertarose.org/SFI/index.htm
	→	Sub Folder #2 - Contains all information for your Second Affiliate program. Let's name this folder Affiliate2 and the index you will be promoting affiliate2.html Your URL to promote this Affiliate program would look like this: http://www.my_website.com/Affiliate2/affiliate2.html Sub Folder Path Example 2: http://www.albertarose.org/women/gardening/index.htm
	→	Sub Folder #3 - Contains all information for your Third Affiliate program. Let's name this folder Affiliate3 and the index you will be promoting affiliate3.html Your URL to promote this Affiliate program would look like this: http://www.my_website.com/Affiliate3/affiliate3.html Sub Folder Path Example 3: http://www.albertarose.org/Recipes/holiday/holiday.htm
	→	Sub Folder #4 - and so on...

Each Sub Folder is for all intents and purposes a Mini Website within one larger website. It's convenient and cost-efficient.

Never give up!