We've all heard the fairytale stories about people who have struck it rich by doing nothing more than setting up web sites. It sounds too good to be true, but the fact is it is more than possible to make money online without ever having to sell a product personally.

If this sounds unbelievable, don't worry, it's not! Thousands of people are making money 24 hours a day as people around the globe visit their web sites and take part in checking out affiliate web sites and their wares.

The fact of the matter is, as the Internet grows in popularity and use at an exponential rate. Affiliate marketing programs are enabling savvy web site owners to cash in on some very big bucks. Learning how to make money with affiliate programs isn't even all that difficult, but it will take some dedication to be truly successful. These programs pay out either by how many times their ads are viewed or how many times people click through on them. Sometimes, affiliate sites will only offer payment if a referral results in a sale.

There are two main ways to get an affiliate web site up and running. The first is to convert an existing web site into one that accepts affiliate advertising. The other is to create web sites specifically to cater to topics that go along with an affiliate advertiser's niche.

Let's look at both:

Existing web site -

Are you a webmaster with an existing web site you enjoy working on, updating and keeping fresh and interesting? Do you get at least a modest amount of traffic each day? Week? Month? If so, it's possible you can find an affiliate marketing program to help you turn that site into a money maker.

If you intend to do this with your existing web site and you already have a lot of content up and traffic coming in, it's best to seek out an online affiliate program that matches the site's focus. The options out there are pretty amazing, so finding an affiliate web site program or several that fit your site's niche shouldn't be too difficult. If your site is dedicated to parenting, look for affiliate programs that involve children, toys or educational opportunities. If you like to write about computer games, for example, go that route.

The key in making an affiliate business work with an existing web site is to find those programs that compliment the site rather than detract from it.

New build -

Many people who endeavor to make money through the online world seek out web affiliate program opportunities first and then build sites to fit. This means choosing a niche affiliate marketing program or several of them and then building a site and loading it full of relevant content. The idea here is to tailor content around the affiliate program's topic. Content - articles, pictures and posts - is the key to drawing in traffic.

Building a site from the ground up and then ensuring traffic will be present will take some time. The key here is to create content that keeps the site fresh and interesting that also happens to entice visitors to pay affiliate business sites a visit after viewing yours. The hitch here, however, is that content on the affiliate site generally cannot direct sell the affiliate marketing ads.

Going the new build route will take a little time, but it can pay off in an affiliate advertising site that makes a whole lot of money for its owners. As long as the information is good, the content is interesting and the site is kept fresh, it is very likely traffic will come.

It might seem like a pipedream, but the reality is virtually anyone can make money on the Internet by getting involved in affiliate marketing.