Affiliate schemes offer payment to webmasters who direct customers to a website.

Normally the payment will be a percentage commission of any sales that customer makes in a given time period after the referral (monitored using cookies). Schemes can vary from a simple banner that the affiliate displays on their site to more complicated systems that allow specific products to be promoted on a site.

Affiliate marketing works best in context, i.e. a site about e-commerce that advertises computer books and software or web hosting.

Some affiliate networks include:

Tradedoubler

Commission Junction

Amazon offer a comprehensive scheme called Amazon Associates which allow you to place banners, specific Amazon products or 'Amazon Recommends' boxes on your site.

Google Adwords/AdSense is an affiliate scheme that offers cash in return for 'clicks'. The affiliate displays an ad box on their site with one or more sites on it. If a visitor clicks on one of sites advertised in the box, the site pays Google a fee and in turn Google pays the affiliate.

e-CommerceGuru.co.uk partner site affiliate schemes.