Kirk Forney   INTERNET MARKETER
The internet has become a wide open landscape ripe with opportunities to make money. It?s the new frontier for entrepreneurs of all kinds, writers, marketers, artists; aspiring business owners and creative thinkers have nearly infinite possibilities for creating their fortune. But one of the most popular methods for cashing in on cyber-land is affiliate marketing. The beauty of this process is that savvy sellers, don?t ever need to deal with products. With a website and the right content there are commissions to be made for passing on customers. But what does it take to truly set your affiliate site apart? Being a doorway to a bigger business is one thing, but becoming a destination for shoppers is another. So even though it may seem like as an affiliate you can leave the branding to the site actually doing the selling, but the best affiliate sites are the ones who are their own brand.
What Is Branding?
Branding is more than simply how we package a product; it goes beyond our color choices, and fancy catch phrases. Branding has become an essential part of marketing strategy and at its core; it?s about encapsulating the heart of a business. It is a unique and complete message that encompasses a company?s entire vision of themselves. Everyone in the free market now has an eye toward branding, from bloggers, to schools to government entities. Branding incorporates elements like name, logo, tangible materials, presentation, personality and purpose. It is all of these things, but above all it is the consistent voice of any individual or institution.
Why It Matters
The point of branding is not just to create a gigantic corporation. Even if your business is a one-man op that you run while wearing a bathrobe you can still benefit from branding.  A good brand can help a person or a business to increase their credibility, inspire interest and maintain continuity. For an affiliate site, it really is about creating an identity which is separate from the end site which actually delivers goods and services. Without that identity, why should a consumer be inspired to go through a third party to make their purchases? Why not by pass the middle man and go directly to the name they recognize? These are questions affiliate struggle with every day, because in the end the brand recognition of the larger company often wins out in trust.
How to Do It
That?s why an affiliate site can benefit from the perception that good branding can create. Of course this means that the message of the brand must incorporate some element which elevates it beyond simply being a gateway. It takes more than slapping a logo and color scheme on a site and calling it a brand. The site must add some additional value to the shopping experience and must reach out beyond its own site to become a community presence.
Creating useful information can be as simple as reviews, commentary or encouraging user generated content about various products or services. And the decision of how to create that value is a cornerstone of branding. If a site can provide additional insight which aids customers on their journey to making informed decisions then it becomes a crucial part of the experience rather than an unnecessary detour.
It?s also important to interact with the online world via social media and collaboration with other sites. The ways in which a company promotes it self are another vital part of branding. If you frequently partner with other sites, if you build an active social networking by contributing worthy information to relevant conversations then your brand becomes personable and helpful. Both of which are traits which instill consumer confidence and loyalty.
Creating a brand doesn?t take a giant marketing department or a huge budget. All it really takes a clear vision, a solid belief in the unique perspective you bring to the capitalist table and the discipline to stay true to your own message.
Jana spends much of her time writing for quality logo products a website offering promotional products for businesses. She has worked as a marketer, a blogger and a brand consultant for several years.javascript:nicTemp();
Nov 25th 2010 14:38