So you're ready to take the plunge but you're not sure you want to sign up for an affiliate network like Commission Junction. Okay, no worries. With a little bit of Google magic you can find affiliate programs in just about any category you desire.

For example, perhaps you have a family friend Web site and would like to point visitors to some filtering software so that they can ensure that their children don't log in and visit sites that their parents deem inappropriate.

There are certainly applications of this nature in major affiliate networks, but let's see if Google can offer anything juicy.

I'm going to search for +"parental control software" +"affiliate program" +signup and see what I get.

Looks good! 105 matches to this query, and a paid advert right on the top for "Cybersitter #1 filter".

Looking at the link for this ad reveals that it's not being placed by the company, but by an affiliate: http://www.cybersitter.com/cs2001g.htm&sa=l&ai=AYgOS...
pretty scary link, but the point is that within seconds I've identified an affiliate program in my category.

A quick pop over to the Cybersitter Web site reveals that they indeed have a link to their affiliate program, cannily labelled "Reseller Info". Click on that and you'll quickly find that you can send them email requesting that you be signed up for their affiliate program. I sent the following message:

I'd like to sign up for your affiliate program. Please advise what is involved. The site in question is family friendly: http://www.etymologic.com/ Thanks for your help with this!

Dave Taylor

Your message will doubtless vary, but it's quite easy to do this, and just about every company will default to saying "yes" because after all they want to sell more product too, and even sales from the best affiliate program in the world still earns the company more than the affiliate!

While I wait for a response from Cybersitter, it's back to the Google search results to see what other sites are highlighted. But that's the subject of a different entry in the Free Web Money weblog! :-)