Microsoft’s Product Manager for developer monetization, advertising and Dev Center in the Windows Apps and Store team, Bernardo Zamora, has taken to the Windows blog to highlight a new way for app developers to get more revenue out of their products: through the Microsoft Affiliate Program.

In Zamora’s own words, the program is “a performance-based referral program that lets you earn commissions by referring customers to paid and freemium digital content in Windows Store and paid content in the Microsoft Store.” This is done by providing a special “Affiliate link” on your website to the app on the Windows Store; when a customer clicks on the link and go to the Windows Store, you earn money. The detailed commission rates are as follow (you can visit Microsoft’s complete list for more details):

For the first 24 hours, you earn 7% commission on Windows Store sales

For the first 14 days, you earn 7% commission on in-app purchases from apps and games purchased above; you’ll also earn $5 on every Groove Music Pass subscription, and a variety of commissions on other devices and software sales at microsoft.com/store

There are a number of ways for one to earn money throug the Affiliate program; provided examples include Shazam’s links to songs in Microsoft’s music catalog, and German Microsoft enthusiast Martin Geuss, who promotes his app Dr. Windows. As can be seen, Windows developers are at the best position to take advantage of the program, as they can continue promoting their apps while earning money for it.

Developer’s revenue has always been a debatable point for Microsoft’s Windows app store, as user numbers are reportedly usually not enough to generate revenue continued app support. The affiliate program, then, is hitting two birds with one stone, and will hopefully keep developers on the Windows board a bit longer for Windows to catch on with app users. Signing up is as easy as going to the Microsoft Private Affiliate Program and follow instructions. Microsoft also provides additional tools to make generating Affiliate links easier, which you can check out in the original link.

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