10 Steps to Get Started

1. Build Your Site
   One of the most important aspects of a website is the content and design of your site. Here are some helpful online resources for building your site: www.w3schools.com, www.webmonkey.com, and www.htmlcodetutorial.com.
2. Determine Your Affiliate Business Model
   Before you start your performance-marketing program, you should consider the content of your site and your site visitors. There are many different affiliate business models, click here for a list..
3. Creating Your LinkShare Channel
   After you set up your legal entity, you will be asked to log into your account and register your affiliate channel. An "affiliate legal entity" is your master account, while a channel is used to track transaction activity. Some affiliate legal entities will have multiple channels to manage multiple sites.
4. Choose Your LinkShare Network
   LinkShare has affiliates and merchants all over the world. With localized currency and language capabilities, LinkShare runs networks in the U.S., U.K., Japan, and Canada. To join one or all of these Networks, go to Update Profile in the Your Account tab.
5. Find Merchants
   When looking to join merchant programs consider your audience, the content on your site, and the types of merchants that you want to work with. To get started, select the Join Programs tab in the interface, you can use the search box and type in the name of a specific merchant or search by product category.
6. Join Programs
   Once you find a merchant program you wish to join, agree to the merchant’s Terms and Conditions and select Check to Apply. Once you have read the terms and conditions, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the button - Apply to all check programs.
7. Create Links
   Go to the Create Links section of the LinkShare affiliate interface and select the merchant you want to get links from the drop down menu. Once you find the link you want to use on your site, select the Copy Link button and paste the link code to your site.
8. Using LinkShare Programs
   LinkShare offers affiliates a number of different products and services to help you better manage your affiliate program. Visit the LinkShare Affiliate Resource Center for a complete description of all our products and services.
9. Running Reports
   Check your program’s results by clicking on the Run Reports tab in the interface. LinkShare offers two different reporting systems; the Interface Reporting System gives basic statistics, while SynergyAnalytics provides deeper analysis.
10. Consolidated Payments
    Affiliate payments are issued twice per month by LinkShare on or around the 8th and 22nd. Affiliates receive one check or direct deposit that includes all merchant payments owed to the affiliate. Click for more on payments.