Sounds like an ad but really it isn't. Yahoo! Search Marketing announced earlier this month the expansion of its partner programs to reach smaller search marketers and web professionals who manage or refer clients to Yahoo!. This enhanced offering provides a variety of options for businesses that want to earn cash commissions for referring clients to Yahoo! Search Marketing.

"After four successful years, we're excited to announce that we're building on our commitment to this community by introducing a new Yahoo! Search Marketing Alliances program, specifically designed to help agencies, search engine marketers (SEMs) and Web professionals earn money and grow their businesses," says says Dan Boberg, Senior Director, Strategic Alliances at Yahoo! Search Marketing.

Manage Client Accounts
Yahoo has opened up their Ambassador program, formerly only available to larger firms, to smaller SEMs, agencies and individuals that manage client campaigns. It includes the following benefits:

• Elimination of the minimum spend requirement to become an Ambassador
   
• New online training and testing to increase your search marketing expertise
   
• The program logo to display on your site and business communications
   
• Commissions on all Sponsored Search and Local Sponsored Search referrals
   
• Promotional credits on Yahoo! Search Marketing that can be offered to your clients
   
• Customizable marketing materials

Refer Client Accounts
Those wishing to refer customers to Yahoo! Search Marketing without actively managing their sponsored search accounts have two options - the Certified Affiliate Program and Affiliate Program. Certified affiliates receive web-based training, a Certified Affiliate logo to use on their web site and business communications, customizable marketing materials, sign-up commissions of up to $80 per referral and promotional credits to offer to their clients. The standard affiliate program offered through Commission Junction, offers cash commissions for publishers referring new Yahoo! Search Marketing sign-ups--up to $80 per referral.