Advertisers, web site owners, affiliate networks, merchants, almost everyone in affiliate marketing industry are concerned about developing and making up enhanced affiliate programs. The marketing agencies have started launching their own programs and the web development establishments have been working upon the complimentary and value added services.

Affiliate marketing program is developed to entice or invite web professionals to take part in the marketing process of the program provider. Therefore, the first target is the web professional. After the web site owners or publishers pioneer for the responsibility, then it is the target audience. Affiliate marketing programs as such should be customized both for the web publishers as well for the targeted audience that will come through the affiliate.

Affiliate marketing programs may also be developed as contingency plans. Sometimes there is overproduction or excess of the goods that needs to be cleared out. The manufacturer or producer may go for multiple channels of selling and marketing. Internet can be one good medium to sell the products and in the minimum possible time. The merchant may compromise on his own profits and give better returns to the web site publishers. But the stocks will get cleared soon.

There are three kinds of tasks that affiliates can do and based on them there are three types of affiliate programs. In the first kind, affiliates do the advertising for the merchants. Programs based on this model are optimized for online advertising. There is little sales aspect or any other promotions involved. This kind of program is good for start ups who want to establish their brands. Maximum visibility is the main concern.

In the second type of program, the merchant goes for advertising and paid promotions. The affiliate is responsible for placing advertisements, provide appropriate content like press releases and sales letters to the online audience.

In the third kind, the merchant is only concerned about sales. The whole set of activities are for generating online sales and leads. These are the three kinds of affiliate marketing programs that you can easily find on the web.