Okay, you have your website or websites set up. And you are ready to start becoming an affiliate marketing entrepreneur. The next question is how to choose the right programs?. Well to start out with the obvious answer is to go with programs that have proven track record, and require little or no sign up fees.

Two of the biggest and most trusted names in affiliate marketing are Google and Amazon. Google has several Affiliate Advertising programs, the grandfather of them all Google Adsense. With Google Adsense , basically you are leveraging the most powerful and popular Search Engine on the net, by placing Google sponsored ads on your website. The ads are for products of related content to your site. In other words if you put up a website dealing with “Men’s Health Issues” you would receive affiliate ads with links to men’s products.

There is an approval process to become a Google Adsense affiliate, and what they are on the look out for is people who just put up sites to serve as “Virtual Billboards” for Adsense and other Affiliate or “click through” programs, and have no real content to speak of. There is no cost to apply, and you can be up and running in a couple of days once accepted. .

Amazon being one of the original and major players in Internet marketing and e-commerce, it is only natural that they now are one of the biggest players in successful Affiliate Programs. Like Google, Amazon also offers several different affiliate programs. But basically with Amazon Associates, if you qualify you will be making money as a direct “e-tailer” of the books, music, and other products that Amazon sells, and all you really need to get started as an Amazon associate is to have a website.

It works very simply, Amazon provides you with formatted links to sales of some of the most popular products on their site. The Affiliate Marketing Program with Amazon also offers Associates other marketing options like aStore, where you can set up an actual “on-line” store to sell Amazon products. And just like Adsense the best part about becoming an Amazon affiliate or associate is that it is completely free. It does not cost anything to apply, and you can be up and running once approved in just a few days.

Besides these two check out any of the other Affiliate Programs listed on this site. They have already been researched and are legitimate and proven to be moneymakers, and best of all most of them are free to sign up to so it cost you nothing!