It is very difficult to make affiliate sales if no one knows who you are or what your expertise is. Many Internet buyers have been scammed, conned or burned by the unscrupulous, so their trust level is very low. This means that you have to work even harder nowadays to create an Internet presence and build your credibility as an affiliate marketer.

Squidoo is designed as a platform to display your knowledge, interests and expertise. You can create as many multi-media websites (lenses) as you desire at no cost.

Here are 5 key ways to build your credibility and affiliate income through Squidoo:

1. Build an authority site (lens) on Squidoo

Seth Godin, the Creator of Squidoo and Internet marketing expert, maintains that everybody is an expert - in something. Squidoo is a platform designed to enable you to display your expertise, whatever it is. In this way you can build your credibility as you recommend related affiliate products.

2. Develop an autobiography on Squidoo

The "SquidWho" lens template enables you to very quickly share who you are, what interests you and what you have contributed - your personal contribution to Internet marketing or affiliate marketing or to a school, community, charity, social cause or your own family. You can integrate photos, videos and illustrations with the click of a button. Squidoo thus enables you to present as a real person.

3. Build a Squidoo lens ring

When you develop a number of Squidoo lenses around a central topic or theme, you demonstrate a depth of expertise. Squidoo provides a number of mechanisms to inter-link related lenses and thus enhance your readers' perception of your expertise.

4. Create a Squidoo Lensography

A lensography is a catalogue of your lenses grouped under various themes. This enables you to display the range of topic areas that interest you or are relevant to your life history. It gives the reader further insight into who you are and why you are promoting particular affiliate products.

5. Develop a Squidoo Group around your expertise area

Squidoo enables you to develop Groups where people can congregate to share ideas around a specific theme. You can build your own group on any topic and invite others to submit their ideas and relevant lenses, thus building your credibility in the process.

Affiliate marketing is made more difficult with buyers becoming increasingly wary. It is an uphill battle if you have not established a sound profile (brand) and solid credibility.

Squidoo, courtesy of Seth Godin, provides a free platform to help you grow your credibility, visibility and affiliate income.