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Affiliates are other sites that are somewhat related to yours. They can be anyones site at all, a brother or sister or even just some random person you've been talking to. They are, in a sense, friends and I have seen them referred to as "siblings" or "sister sites". They are there to help you along, like giving you awards and being a "friend" but their main way of helping is giving you more hits!
Ok, sure you want to have popular site as your affiliates but think about it, what kind of site are they going to want to affiliate with? If you are going to apply at a site, make sure that your site is decent (e.g. not some site with three pages that don't even have any content) and that it is around the same standard of the site you are applying at. Your site doesn't have to be that good but at least try to affiliate with one that has the same ambition or theme as yours. Before applying, try to be active and care about your site and those who view it. You don't want to affiliate with a site that is rude and just doesn't care about it, do you? So why should anyone else?
So try to look at your site critically and ask yourself if the other site would like to affiliate with you? Why or why not? Write a list if you really need to!
A site will usually have some rules that need to be followed by affiliates. Actually reading the rules that the site has set down, would have to be the best idea that has come up.. Ever! Read them thoroughly, their every single tiny detail! I say this because some sites sneak a "eat my cheesy socks" or other expression, that has to be put into your application, or it says that you should have their button up before applying, if you don't, you will have probably been rejected straight away because you couldn't read the rules properly.
Along with that, make sure that your site actually fits the rules and regulations! If you don't and you send in an applictaion, it is another sign that you haven't read and followed the rules! Another automatic rejection, so beware and please read the rules! Always make sure that you fill out the form as honestly and as detailed as possible, it is a great courtesy and you will have a better chance with getting accepted!
The words or email you have been dreading to get are here and you have been rejected. Don't get too sad and definitely don't go and send a nasty email back, there is often a reason why you haven't been accepted (which the site owner will most likely have told you) so take a deep breath! First of all, think about some things:
Once you have thought these things over, keep them in mind for future applications! Secondly, if the site owner has given you any pointers, read them over, take them into consideration, improve your site as much as possible! Sending them an email to say that you are disappointed but thank them for their time, will make you seem a much better person then what you would look like if you sent that nasty email! Once you think that your site is ready to be affiliates with the other, then apply again (maybe in a month or two) no doubt, they will be happy that you have taken what they said and used it to improve your site, just make sure that you don't make any of the original mistakes again!
If you have been accepted, congratulations! Remember to put their button in your affiliates list (if it wasn't in it before), leave (nice!) comments in their news posts, give them advice and just be an all-round active visitor! It will show them that you wish to continue being their affiliate and value what they have done for you! Most of the time, they will do the same thig for you.
Just some extra things if you are accepted, make sure that you give your affiliates warning for any hiatuses you might go on, tell them if you are leaving on holidays or something and tell them of any new services (a forum, hosting, etc.) that they may be interested in, even if they aren't, some of their visitors might be!
Sometimes, an affiliate may give you an award for helping them get [x amount] of hits or just being a good affiliate! Thank them and put the award on an awards page, if you don't have an awards page - make one!You might like to send them an award too!
If you have any queries, feedback, comments or any information wrong? Feel free to send them to Emily! Good luck on future applications, you might even like to apply for affiliates at Glossy-Neo!
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