Were you aware that affiliate marketing was around even before we actually had affiliate marketing online? Affiliate marketing is income sharing at its best, but to be perfectly honest with you this idea has was around for many, many years. Revenue sharing is nothing more than giving other entities a commission for referring people to this sale. By no means is this new to the world.

Think about it, how long have firms such as Mary Kay or the many of other similar firms that exist been around? The concept, though slightly different, is relatively the same. They pay their affiliates or consultants as many of them like to be called, a commission to get the word out about their products.

To be honest with you, these firms were in existence before I even really knew what the web was all about or even had my first personal computer. Affiliate marketing on the web started with the adult industry. Those participating in the adult industry would pay a commission to advertisers as a pay per click type of deal.

online affiliate marketing began outside of the adult industry with the first non-adult website in 1994 with CDNow. With their program, web site owners were able to promote various artists and their CD’s linking directly to CDNow and earning a commission on those sales.

The next leap in the Affiliate Evolution came when Amazon entered the stage. By allowing advertisers to place text links or banners on their site, Amazon could boost revenue and pay a commission to the advertisers at the same time. Of course, these are the big instances, but there were many others who had started various kinds of affiliate marketing.

In the next several years, you would find several firms jumping on the affiliate marketing bus. Everyone from those selling products to adult websites and even to gambling websites began to leverage the power of affiliates. They rapidly learned that where others recommended their products or websites, profits were certain to follow.

At the same time, not only were they paying commissions to their old affiliates, but they were finding that other people wanted to join in on the fun as well and wanted to become affiliates themselves. This allowed the affiliate marketing industry to grow at an enormous rate.

Today with blogs, communities, and the various technologies available to the everyone, affiliate marketing is growing and continues to change. To be honest, the Affiliate Evolution will likely continue for a long time, it will continue to growand realize better opportunities and methods. Now, we have the mobile phone which allows for greater exposure and business.

Don'tnew directions as the world itself continues to change as well. The Affiliate Evolution continues.

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