How does affiliate marketing work, and how do people make money from it?

There are various types of affiliate marketing "techniques" to make money, but the most common way is to join a company's affiliate program and start getting people to go to their website through link you may have on either a basic website, blog, or social media site etc... The links that you provide for people click on to go to an affiliate company's site tell the affiliate vendor's what web site sent them the customer and will track how much commission the affiliate marketer will get (which usually based on sales) and will send payment to the affiliate who directed the customer to them.

Many affiliates who are profitable at this business will use their websites to harvest emails "legitimately" first. They do this by providing good content on their sites that readers are interested in. They then will ask for an email address to which they might send a free e-book, have a newsletter to subscribe too, or perhaps have a very educational video that can be watched. Many good marketers will then send good legitimate content to their potential customers that is useful to them, then "soft sell" sell them a product that will give them a commission for sending their buyer to the seller's site.

The Super Basic Steps of Affiliate marketing in 5 steps:

1. Put up a website
2. Sign up for an affiliate program that you feel has products that you have the ability to promote well
3. Add the affiliate links that are provided from the affiliate program you signed up with to your website.
4. Continuously work to Optimize your site to be found in the major search engines and get visitors
5. Find more products and keep promoting and building your site

Affiliate marketing is a REAL business. If you take it seriously and work hard at it, I honestly feel anyone can succeed. It's hard work, but well worth it. I heard that 99% who attempt internet business of people never make any money, and it's mostly because they quit too soon.

There are many books you can get at local libraries that can get you educated on the subject.

By the way, when doing your research, be warned that affiliate marketing "educational" websites are usually trying to sell you something and can be VERY persuasive. Try not to buy anything if you can help it unless you are 100% ready to proceed.