Affiliate marketing has been a powerful force on the Internet for about two seconds less than e-commerce has. Many a company has successfully used affiliate programs to drive traffic and increase sales. That said, many a company has also run into affiliate related problems. You can avoid these problems though, with a little bit of planning.

Simple things like paying...and paying on time can go a long way toward keeping your affiliates happy. Less common tips like sending a bonus or making a phone call to top sellers can also go a long way toward building great relationships.

The beautiful part about using a good affiliate program to promote your business is that there are legions of highly skilled search marketers out there that will latch on to a good affiliate program and use it to earn income. Their drive ends up earning the affiliate company plenty of money as well.

Learn more about the best ways to run an affiliate program and attract new marketers in today's article: "What Affiliate Marketers Want" by Todd Mintz.