Question
How does one add a referral program to a web site? What is needed to keep track of referrals etc. (assuming one gets them).?
TIA for your help.
Answer
Hi Cherokee,
Not sure what you mean, exactly -
Do you want to JOIN a referral program, and include links to participating members/businesses on your website, where you get paid a fee or percentage for clicks or purchases made via your links? Or you want to start your OWN referral program, and offer incentives to other sites,etc to link to or otherwise affiliate themselves with you and your website?
Dont know anything about the latter! But the first one I would say what you need to do is sign up with an affiliate or referral program. Two off the top of my head are linkshare.com and commissionjunction - http://www.cj.com/index.jsp They offer alot of different merchants to sign up with and they keep track of your referrals and payouts.
I've used both in the past which is the only reason I am mentioning them in particular. Hope that helps and is what you were after ...
~ gem ~
Answer
Hi gem and thanks for the info. Sorry my post is confusing.
What I want is to start my own referral program (actually is DH's referral program) and offer a reward to anyone who sends him a new customer. Any idea on how to do that anyone?
Answer
Hey Cherokee,
I was pretty sure thats what you meant but I had to doublecheck cause I am OFTEN wrong
Anyway I found a couple links for you - just using Google to search, so if you try narrowing down the search terms more specifically maybe you'll get something better. I haven't read through too many of them but you might find some useful info or at least get on the right track to what you want:
Article about starting a website affiliate program
(I got a pop-up on this page but just one and it closed easily)
He seems to recommend a program called QuickPayPro, but I assume thats beacause he's probably an affiliate for them - keep that in mind while you research, that alot of articles or recommendations will be sales pitches for a particular program or software. NOT ALL but you have to really read and pay attention.
Website Affiliate Program Software - Google search results
also try "referral tracking software"
Thats all I got for now...
~ gem ~
eta - this should probably be moved into the Website Marketing & Advertising forum, since it's more about that than actual site design ... just a suggestion
Answer
gem
Thank you! I'm off to read those links now. I think they might be exactly what I'm looking for.