Satellite TV has exploded on the scene during the last decade, providing expanded channel offerings and new technologies that were not previously available from regular television. When the "mini-dishes" were developed and the satellites put in place by Dish Network and Direct TV, satellite TV became available to almost everyone. Now, more than 23 million households subscribe to satellite TV with thousands more joining all the time.

The major players in satellite TV have moved some or all of their operations online, prompted both by the cost-effectiveness of automating systems and the relatively inexpensive advertising market available. Many satellite TV providers have developed affiliate programs to increase their visibility and sales online, and that is why you are reading this article. Below are five things to consider when building a satellite TV affiliate website. This list is not comprehensive, but will at least get you started down the right path.

Identify and cater to your audience. Satellite TV service is relatively inexpensive, and there are few Americans that seem to be able to go without a television blaring somewhere nearby. The result is a huge, very diverse market for you to target, including people with different socioeconomic statuses, geographic locations, and programming desires. If you try to cater your affiliate website to everyone, you risk not effectively targeting anyone. Choose one demographic to target and provide them with the type of information and content about satellite TV you expect hem to ask about. If you can resolve some of their doubts before they click through to he sponsoring website, you will have increased your likelihood of receiving a check.

Mask your affiliate links. This may seem like a no-brainer to some of yo, but don't risk losing a potential sale simply because you forgot to mask or camouflage your links. Some people shopping around online for satellite TV service may not be wary of affiliate links, but others may, so it is best to be overly cautious. Searching in Google for "mask affiliate links" will yield several tutorials of how to do this important task.

Publish quality content. Do you subscribe to a satellite TV provider? Perhaps you know more about one service than you do about the other. Put that experience you already have to good use by writing quality content about the service you use. As potential customers find your website and have many of their questions answered by you, they will be more likely to click through the link and make a purchase. Without copying and pasting from the sponsoring company's pages about their products, you can use their information to create quality content of your own. Remember, for every dollar they pay you in commission, they are earning several themselves. It is in their best interest that you succeed.

Stay up-to-date on sales and specials. The satellite TV market is so big and so lucrative that companies are constantly offering reduced rates, different equipment deals, and other special offers. Don't lose commissions to a competitor just because you don't have the most recent deal or best offer available to your visitors. Check with your affiliate manager often to make sure you're staying current and on top of the game.

Give people a reason to come back. No matter how good of a deal you are able to offer on your affiliate website, subscribing to satellite TV service represents a big investment that people may not be ready to commit to after just one visit to your website. Don't give up on them. Give people a reason to come back to your site - maybe you can blog or offer a news feed, or perhaps you can promise and deliver new content published weekly. No matter what it is you do to keep people coming to your site, a few of the repeat visits will translate into commissions for you in the long run.

Affiliate websites are still a great way to make money, and there are few other markets that offer the generous payouts that the satellite TV industry does. Work hard and be patient and the success will come.

Nick Smith is an internet marketer specializing in network marketing. For more information about satellite TV or to order, visit Dish Network Products.