One of the best ways to makes money online is through affiliate marketing.  But, like most online ventures, it's not as easy as it sounds.  Affiliate marketing takes a lot of work, a lot of dedication, and more than a little time.  The people who've become successful with affiliate programs have done so because they were dedicated to the program… and not just trying to make a quick buck.

Screen Glare, a site dedicated to affiliate marketing, has published an article called "Why YOU Will Never Succeed at Affiliate Marketing" that speaks directly to the max-money minimum-time crowd of affiliate marketers and looks at some of the likely reasons that most affiliates fail.

The article starts with a sobering message for new affiliates: 

Let’s face it, most people get into affiliate marketing thinking they are going to get rich quick.  Unfortunately, most affiliates lose more money then they earn. Some affiliates will make some pocket change, but soon quit because the time, effort, and dedication necessary to make it rich as an affiliate does not align with their need for instant gratification and success.

Following that brutally honest opening, the author offers 6 possible reasons for the lack of success that many affiliate marketers experience:

• Many people jump into affiliate marketing to make money instead of offering a service to users.  Successful affiliates create sites and services that people find useful.  The pursuit of money doesn't usually lead to successful affiliate selling.
• A lot of the people with unsuccessful affiliate businesses have little or no prior business experience.  This can easily be compensated for with a little investment of knowledge.  That means study.
• Unsuccessful affiliates fail to see themselves as salespeople.  Learn what makes people click on ads or buy products and then become a salesperson… and market your affiliate wares accordingly.
• One site isn't going to cut it.  Multiple sites are necessary to make any real money with affiliate programs.  Taking the time to learn how to create multiple sites in a timely manner will greatly increase your chances of success.
• When it comes to business, no one can go it alone.  No affiliate marketers know it all, but unsuccessful ones will try to go it solo.  The author makes a great point here:  do what you do best and find other people to do what you can't.
• Time.  It's all about time.  If you get discouraged after 2 months and quit, you probably won't make it as an affiliate marketer.  Businesses of any kind or size take time to grow.  Investing in yourself and your business today can bring you more success and more profits tomorrow.

The most important thing to remember when starting an affiliate marketing program is the education.  Unless you were a brilliant affiliate salesperson in a past life, you're not going to automatically know what you're doing.  Screen Glare suggests spending two hours a day, every day, for six months on nothing but research and testing.  I think that's a great idea.

The more you know the better off you'll be.  And as I've said a million times, one of the best ways to learn is through the experiences, trials, failures, and successes of others.