The process of monetizing your website simply means finding ways to generate income through your website. One great way to do this is by working with a reputable affiliate program that will help you associate your business brand with other 'top dogs' that may be of interest to your customers while also helping your bottom line. Here is some small business advice to get you started.

Joining affiliate programs can do several things to help your web business succeed. One great benefit is your ability to create an income generating website by earning a commission when visitors to your site click on banner ads from your affiliate partners and buy. Additionally, if you select the right affiliate partners, you can benefit from the image you project by associating yourself with prominent, relevant businesses. The credibility gained by representing familiar brands that your customers trust, coupled with the convenience of providing access to desirable product lines, may help convert site visitors into customers.

Linkshare.com is a great example of an affiliate administrator that offers one convenient place to review multiple affiliate programs at once. When you visit Linkshare, you'll be asked for basic information about your site, including monthly estimates of the number of visitors and page views, and enough personal data to cut you a check for any commissions you earn. I should mention, LinkShare also administers Register.com's affiliate program.

When selecting affiliate programs to participate in, you are actually submitting applications to join them. Some require minimum website traffic levels, or that your site focus on specific subject matter; others manually review applicants' sites before accepting new affiliates. These programs may turn down your application if your site doesn't match their criteria, but most will approve you if your site appears to offer an appropriate environment for their products.

Once approved you will be prompted to select banners or links to place on your website. You're free to try different programs, different banners, and test different combinations to see which perform best for you. So through an affiliate program, you have the opportunity to create an income generating website by earning additional revenue through affiliate commissions and you will also become known to your customers by the company you keep.