There isn't a magic formula to follow but you just have to do the right things. You might be able to create a great site and get a high ranking on Google and start to get some decent traffic but the conversion might suck. You might be losing your affiliate commission too. Here is a proven strategy that will work

Building Relationship.

If you really want to succeed you have to change your mindset from trying to make a one-time killing to "building a relationship". Forget about making six/ seven-figure income. Think of how you can give a perceived value to your visitors even if that will mean to empty your bank account. Once you have their trust money will follow.

Testing.

Spend a lot of time testing your ads, those that work continue to promote and cut off the losers. This is the only way to succeed as an affiliate. I know from experience that more than 95% of programs I promote are losers but the 5% are the one that keep me in the game.

Keywords.

As an affiliate spend your time to choose incompetent keywords that have high traffic. There are many keywords out there that are still unknown but very profitable and this is the reason you have to think before you do anything on the Internet.

If you don't have a focus you will run around like chickens with heads cut off. You have to decide what you want to do and then make a strategic plan to do only that until it is finished. If you try to do everything you will eventually lose everything. You will lose most of your money /time without a significant return.

Competition.

You have to stay away from competition and this includes the products you choose to promote. There are a lot of niches out there that are not very competitive but there are very few affiliates promoting them. If you take your time to find these niches you will always become a winner.

Promotion.

One thing that most affiliates overlook is the idea of indirect promotion. What I mean here is to use an approach from one industry (say losing weight) into another related industry (say beauty). The idea here is this, “people who want to lose weight, they want to be attractive”. This is a very powerful way of tapping the opportunity. In fact you can use this technique to joint venture with your competitor without directly compete.

Every one knows that dating is multimillion-dollar industry but most affiliates have forgotten that those who are looking for a date have some ex bad memories in their mind that needs to be removed. Imagine yourself as an affiliate who will be promoting this dating related niche. Just think about how many people divorce these days. Don't you think that they will need some help with being happy again?

A smart affiliate can spot money from a distant; he/she can smell a profitable niche when it is still untapped. Since you have been reading this far you must be one of those smart one or you are about to become one.