How To Start An Affiliate Marketing Website

Before I get to the tips let me say a few things about domains.

First, domain names are very important to your success. Luckily, they’re still extremely cheap to buy so if you pick the wrong domain name early on it’s not going to become one of those budget-busting mistakes that can kill your business.

Just pick another domain name and keep moving.

Secondly, the days of finding simple, short, and concise domain names are long gone but that doesn’t mean that you can’t find that perfect domain name that can help you make big bucks online as an internet marketer.

So don’t get discouraged initially when you find that all one-word domains and most two-word domains are already taken or for sale. You’ll find a good domain name that will work just fine.

This is where the fun starts and where you affiliate marketing business starts to take shape.

Domain names are important but like choosing your niche, if you make a mistake its not the end of the world.

Domain names are cheap so don’t get stuck on this step trying to come up with the perfect domain name.

Domain Name Tips:

1. Research keywords and search terms being used in your market

Use Google Keyword Planner (which has replaced the Google Keyword Tool) or another service to determine what phrases and keywords people are searching for now to locate your niche products and services.

Write down 5-7 keywords and phrases being used in your chosen niche that can help you pick your domain name. Take note which version of your words get more searches – singular or plural (i.e. boat vs. boats).

2. Try to include your niche keywords in your domain name

Search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo) like keywords in the domain name to let searchers know at a glance what the site’s content is about.

There is much debate about whether its better to have keywords at the beginning of the domain name instead of at the end (i.e dogtrainingexperts.com vs. bestdogtraining.com) but I have yet to see enough evidence to convince me either way. Just make sure they’re in there somewhere.

3. Choose a dot.com name if possible

Dot.com is still the place to be. People automatically type in “whatever keyword they’re looking for”.com out of habit and only look elsewhere if they cannot find it there.

It will take more work to find a good .com name but they’re still out there. More on this later.

4. Keep the domain name as short as possible

I know. That’s rich coming from a dude using the very, very short domain name highpayingaffiliateprograms.com right? There are exceptions.

In my case, my domain name tells visitors exactly what they’ll find here. But as a general rule a shorter domain name is better. Which leads me to this…

5. Narrow and specific words are better than broad and general words

Choose a name that narrows down your topic to your sub-niche if possible.

For example, if you plan to sell affiliate products such as furniture targeting women buyers don’t choose a broad domain name such as bestfurnituredeals.com. Instead select something like furnitureforwomen.com. Lame example I know but I think you get the point.

6. Avoid hyphens, numbers, or any other funky characters in your domain

Not necessarily because they don’t rank well but because people have trouble including them when they’re looking for your site.

Make it as easy as possible for people to find you and your site.

7. Choose a domain that is easy to spell

If your chosen niche is selling xylophones then I guess you’re shit out of luck. Other than that make sure people can spell it right the first time.

When you tell someone what your domain name is they should be able to type it in right the very first time.

8. Be careful not to violate copyrighted names or brands

Be very careful if you plan on using a brand name of an affiliate product or service. Most companies will not allow this and in fact can be illegal.

When in doubt contact the company first and ask them if you can use it. Or search the uspto.gov trademark name database yourself here. It’s free to use.

9. Don’t follow the latest domain name trends.

Trends come and go and your goal should be to make your website relevant and timeless. One trendy example I can remember is when everyone was buying domains such as best”insert-your-market-or-product-here”.com sites.

That trend worked well in the search engines for awhile until Google sniffed it out and put an end to it just like they will the next trend.

Follow the simple tips above and don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. In fact, one of the best strategies online is to do the exact opposite of what the herd is doing.

This makes you stand out and you may find other people copying your strategy after a while. But that’s another topic for another day.