Affiliate marketing is basically getting a code from a company, pasting it into an advertisement and receiving money, when you make a sale. That’s the basics. The depth comes in when you try to use PPC and they won’t let you advertise your affiliate link. Keep in mind I only use PPC for split testing things, in the beginning. You can function with out a web site although it is better, when you have your own for tracking purposes.

The best advertising is free advertising. I suggest article marketing and forum marketing. It's a big ocean as one person has already replied. You'll need to research and make tests. Don't spend a lot of money because that’s not needed. You basically advertise your link one way or another.

But you can still use a number of other methods such as promote affiliate products using:

- Links from your own web pages
- Links from a blog. If you don’t have a blog you can start one free at Blogger.com
- Squidoo Lenses. You can set up Squidoo pages at zero cost.
- Writing free articles and linking to an affiliate landing page. You should post the article at free article directories such as EzineArticles and GoArticles.

Affiliate marketing is promoting a service or product over the internet for a commission. An affiliate joins an affiliate program. An affiliate link is then provided. These is unique for every product and affiliate. This link is what you use to monitor your affiliate commissions.

To make a profit out of it, it is best to have your own website where you can post your affiliate links. Most sites does not like affiliate links to be posted on their site.

With affiliate marketing, you don't earn anything unless someone makes an action on your affiliate link.

AS explained above, it's basically marketing for a commission.
:-)

Affiliate marketing is basically the situation where you marketing a product for someone else , you spend time and/or money and get paid only when there is a sale, like working on commission