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by Dan Gray

Keyword search is one of the most popular activities on the Net. Thankfully, there's an easy way for you to capitalize on the popularity. This month, you'll learn how your Web site can earn affiliate commissions from traffic sent to GoTo.com, the search engine with the motto "Search made simple."

New York City-based emarketer.com provides global Internet surveys with a focus on world commerce and Internet growth. With over 750,000 page views and as many as 50,000 unique visitors per month, emarketer.com's Web site showcases the company's unique statistical reports. emarketer.com's customers range from one-person startups to the world's largest corporations.

emarketer.com uses GoTo.com's Search in a Box in the navigation column at the left side of the Web site's front page. This prime location -just below the internal search field - enables a steady flow of traffic.

What brought emarketer.com to enroll in the Be Free administered GoTo.com affiliate program?

"We weren't interested in creating a revenue stream," says Terry Chabrowe, emarketer.com's Director of Finance. "We were concerned with putting an effective search engine on our site." The revenues are a nice bonus for emarketer.com. Every bit helps, as the start-up is fully self funded.

emarketer.com stands apart from the crowd; the company's been profitable since breaking out of the gate in the spring of 1998. "We're bucking the trend," says Terry. "We actually make money on every sale."

Having search on the site helps to enhance the visitor experience. "GoTo.com search boxes complement emarketer.com content, while delivering enhanced functionality to their Web site," says Susan Bridgers, GoTo.com's Affiliate Network Manager.

In addition to Search in a Box, GoTo.com provides Integrated Search and the Super Box with Hot Spots. These capabilities allow you to provide Web search functionality, without having to build it from scratch.

The GoTo.com affiliate program is based on click-through and powered by Be Free's BFASTsm technology. Each click-through from an affiliate site earns three cents for the affiliate. Program statistics are updated daily on Be Free's Reporting.net. In just a short time, the program has become one of the most popular on the Net. Launched in December 1998, it now boasts over 100,000 affiliates.

There's a lot more to it than just commission checks, although the additional revenue stream is an important element of the program. The GoTo.com search engine adds a huge amount of convenience to your site. "Our program provides an easy flow of revenue and great site functionality," says Susan. "It's relevant to most sites and appeals to a wide demographic audience."

End note: emarketer.com was so intrigued by the affiliate marketing model that they decided to launch an affiliate program of their own. The emarketer.com affiliate program is slated to take flight in mid November 1999, via Be Free.

If you are interested in joining GoTo.com's affiliate program or other Be Free merchant affiliate programs,click here to sign up today.

We'll see you next month, with an extra special holiday column, packed with ideas to help cover those gift-giving indulgences.

Cheers,

Dan

http://geekbooks.com