Affiliate marketing works nearly the same as internet marketing because it employs the use of the common online advertising methods like email marketing, pay per click, search engine optimization and any display advertising but it is more of a performance-based marketing. People commonly mistake it with referral marketing, which is based on trust and relationship. You can quit your day job since affiliate marketing provides an alternative way to earn extra cash. In this type of marketing, the advertisers do not have to pay large amounts of money in situations where they are not sure if they will make profits. You can work from home and still be able to earn a full time income since the payment comes in after a result or a sale. Some main parties are responsible for making affiliate-marketing work: Publisher The publisher is the affiliate marketer or the partner. The publisher is the person who advertises the goods or services of a business or the advertiser in order for the publisher to get commissions on all the sales, clicks or leads. The publisher's work is to promote the advertiser by showing advertisements, which, if it leads to a sale the publisher is paid a commission. Advertiser The advertiser is the merchant or the brand, which is the company that is responsible for selling the goods or services. They work with the publishers in order to increase their sales and the number of leads. Affiliate network An affiliate network is a commission bank, which provides the platform for the publisher and the advertiser to connect. The network has the technology that can track, report and manage payments. The common ways in which affiliate marketing works In order for you to earn the extra cash, you need to follow these simple steps: 1.You as the affiliate should sign up for the advertiser's affiliate program, in order for you to obtain an affiliate link, which is a special URL that has your username. 2.When you refer to the advertiser on your website, you will use the affiliate link. 3.Then when a customer visits your website, they will click on the affiliate link, which will direct the customer to the advertiser's website. 4.Then the advertiser releases a cookie to the customer's computer. 5.After the cookie reaches your customer's computer, your customer can order for a good or a service from the advertiser's website. 6.When your customer is completing the process, the advertiser can check the cookies placed on your customer's computer. 7.The affiliate cookie found by the advertiser that belongs to you can be credited to you for the sale. 8.The reports are updated that contain traffic and the sales generated from your affiliate link by the advertiser. 9.Lastly, they pay the commissions on a monthly basis. Affiliate marketing provides a platform that is usable and can provide a means to earn a living and be able to work from home. You can even quit your day job and join others who make this their main source of income.