A couple of days ago I was browsing on iStockPhoto, trying to find some images for an ebook I was writing. When I proceeded to purchase an image I liked the site told me I had no more credits left. “Damn,” I thought, “I’ll need to spend more money here.”
Then I noticed a curious message on the top right corner of the site. It said “Balance: $160.00″. I clicked there to see what that was about, and I discovered that I had earned that money through affiliate commissions. I converted that balance into new credits, and now I can buy 160 new images without spending a dime.
The interesting thing is that I didn’t even remember I had joined the iStockPhoto affiliate program. I went to check my archives, and I found the post that generated that money: Where to Find Images for Your Blog.
Needless to say I am glad I took the time to join their affiliate program back in the day (exactly 3 years ago…). I probably was not expecting to make any significant money, but over the time even small commissions can add up.
The takeaway message is: if you are going to link to a company or service that has an affiliate program, make sure to join the program and use an affiliate link. It will take an extra effort, but the 5 minutes you’ll spend doing it could bring a good amount of money in the coming years.
Friday, March 16, 2012
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