A Domain + Solid Hosting + Ebay Affiliate Program = Big Blogging Profits

Have you ever wished you could get a giant, whopping check from Ebay? Most of us have, if we’re honest with ourselves, but unless you want to go combing through garage sales and flea markets or become a craigslist weirdo creeping through the ads, it is hard to turn a buck on there these days with any regularity. The fact is, for most of us, the ideal way to make a bit of cash on Ebay is to use their affiliate program, the Ebay Partner Network. Think about it, Ebay is a company connected not only with PayPal, but they also have a quarter stake in craigslist. They make billions and they are one of the most powerful sites online because they have a brilliant business model. If you want to make cash on the web yourself, then you need a brilliant business model, as well. If you leverage the vast power of the Ebay Partner Network then you are going to be able to rake in the dough thanks to this article you’re reading right now.

Here’s how the Partner Network works: you sign up, you help Ebay make a sale and then they pay you for helping them. You can have the money sent straight to your PayPal account, of course, since Ebay and PayPal are real good friends. If you get tired of waiting for the slow speed of other affiliate programs then this is a pretty nice thing to have, but remember that you still have to wait a month after you’ve accumulated enough to get your first payment sent to you. This is the agonizing part because you want the money right away, but that is just not how it works in the affiliate marketing industry.

The money you earn is based on a commission and since this changes quite frequently with Ebay it is beyond the scope of this article to address that part of the program, but you will want to keep a close eye on how things work. Ebay Partner Network tends to update their Terms of Service quite often so pay close attention because you do not want to miss out on some change they have made which could invalidate the sales that you send to them. It isn’t very fun to find out you made some money and then basically watch it disappear. Be on guard at all times so you can stay profitable.

So in order to get an Ebay Partner account, you generally are going to need to have a website set up already in some form or another. It should be something like a blog, so you are going to need solid web hosting, first and foremost. You most likely already have your own domain, but if you don’t then things are about to get tricky so stick with us. Not having your own site yet, in regards to working with Ebay, is a bit like not having a horse and wanting a cart, you see. You really will need a domain with some content on it before you can sign up. Even a simple personal blog will do and it should not be on free hosting, either. You need a quality host that lets you have your own domain name because that is what the program requires. If you don’t already have a domain, this is a quick exercise to help you determine a good domain name to choose.

This part is for the new folks, so if you already have a domain and great web hosting, you can skip this paragraph. Those of you who are new, here is how it work: think of what you might like to sell on Ebay. It’s better if you pick something you really love and it does not matter what it is. Anything you are fascinated by will work. Got that concept? Good. Now, go buy yourself a domain name that relates to what you want to sell through the Ebay Partner Network. Here’s an example: if I wanted to sell baseball cards then I would try to get a domain name like BaseballCardLoversCorner.com or something similar. You can use any name you like, but having your domain name describe what you want to sell is a great idea. Get your domain set up on your hosting and install WordPress. You will need it for this next part of the advice.

Now, it is certainly possible that you can put Ebay Partner Network to work for you with some other platform, but WordPress is a very simple way to get started. All you need is the right plugin. Be sure that you have a nice domain with the keyword you are targeting right there inside it, somewhere. This will give you a nice boost in Google once your site is indexed and start bringing traffic your way. Then, you need to get yourself a decent Ebay plugin. There are several free ones for WordPress so we’ll run through a quick list of them:

Wordbay – This plugin has a ton of features and is very advanced in what it offers. If you want the full suite of options then this is the way to go. Wordbay is fairly simple to use, but it is not really SEO friendly so if you want a cheap solution that is easier for a beginner, this is a great place to start.

Open Auctions – For those who have a bit more experience, here is another solution. This plugin will let you have PepperJam Network ads, but you will need to have PHP code running on your blog. Are you not sure what having PHP code on your blog means? That’s a good indication you should choose Wordbay. This is a more advanced plugin so save it for when you know a bit more about how advanced features in WordPress plugins work, if you are a beginner.

These are the two most trusted plugins at the time of this article’s writing, but more will most likely arise. There are also plugins you will need to pay for, but they are not the focus for right now. Mainly, get your blog set up and have the plugin of your choice working. Then, all you really need to do is create interesting blog posts about the different items you want to show up on your blog. Use your plugin to target specific topics that tie back into what your site is about. If you are covering baseball cards, then do a post about Jose Canseco or another player. You get the idea, and it really is that simple. Now you will have to get a little bit of traffic coming in, but if you focus on something that people truly want and that Ebay has for auction then you are bound to make some very nice cash for creating a blog that helps people find what they are looking for. Spread the word in forums and by commenting on blogs. Tell people what you put out there and share your passion. That’s all you have to do – other than have a little bit of patience.

Simple concept, right?

So was Ebay!

Laurence Flynn is the CEO of HostNexus, a web hosting company celebrating almost 10 years in the industry. HostNexus is a leading provider of Linux Hosting and reliable Windows Hosting. Find out why thousands of webmasters switch to HostNexus every year. Check out HostNexus today!