Commerce on the web has received a major thrust with various Internet applications and technologies that have been developed in the last couple of years. Information and technology and marketing companies are testing new marketing tools and techniques to get to their audience. The popularity of networking has also supported the cause of this new generation of marketers.

Internet has been used as a channel of marketing for more than a decade now. The penetration of Internet has played a significant role in the maturity of Internet marketing and discovery of new methods. Popular web marketing methods that have found their place besides the known practices include search engine marketing, social media marketing, affiliate marketing and e-mail marketing.

Affiliate marketing network is that method of marketing wherein the advertising and publicity related service is provided by affiliates or web site publishers. These web site publishers partner with the merchants or advertisers and do promotions for them.

The main character in a typical affiliate marketing process is the affiliate marketing network. Affiliate marketing network provides the networking service for advertisers and publishers.

Affiliate marketing networks have been very successful in some developed countries in West, like UK. After UK, it is the US where affiliate marketing has been well received. Many of its variants have reached to Asia and the services can be found as being provided by networks established in China and India.

Affiliate marketing network are known for business networking. They provide solutions and interfaces to help the publishers have the requirements from the advertisers. Affiliate marketing networks, therefore, are responsible for initiated the interaction or business relationship between the advertisers or merchants and the web site owners.

Affiliate marketing networks have different business models. Some networks have their programs customized for a given set of affiliate’s resources. Others have their services customized to given locations and regions of the world. Affiliate marketing networks also have programs for different profit sharing schemes like PPC, CPA, etc.

With networking and certain other services provided by affiliate marketing networks, it has become all the more easy for publisher and advertisers to take part in this kind of marketing phenomenon.