I was on Twitter today and saw a shortURL come up from someone’s account I didn’t recognize, we’ll just say @unknown. I didn’t pay it much attention. Then, not a minute later, I saw: @zaibatsu RT @unknown new shortURL and, I must admit, I clicked on it. Why?

Visibility: I am used to seeing @zaibatsu on Twitter. His metal mask profile picture is on my twitter stream all the time. He is part of my Twitter experience. I don’t know him but I feel familiar with him based on just seeing his profile picture often.

Consistency: @zaibatsu Twitters everyday. I know certain names on Twitter- @zaibatsu, @guykawasaki, @buzzedition, @mashable—because these power users are constant in the Twitter stream. They are consistent. They tweet quality news and I see them interacting with other Twitter users every day.

Visibility + Consistency = TRUST.

Power users are visible and consistent—I don’t see any affiliate marketing power users. But let’s say @zaibatsu came out with a product, or endorsing a product- I would give it a long, hard look. Why? Because I trust him.

I wrote about Trust Agents in response to a new book from Chris Brogan about the evolution of social media on the Internet. There are a lot of factors that go into the social media presence for an affiliate marketing network, but I think they basically boil down to these two elements that create Trust in something big.

Affiliate marketing is all about exposure—the more people who know who you are the wider your network and, presumably, the more sales you will generate, or at least the more leads you will generate.

I advocate for anyone with an affiliate marketing network to start building a Twitter profile, not with a sales or pitch focus but with the focus to be on building relationships through Visibility and Consistency.

If you are in affiliate marketing and just starting out on Twitter, please contact me and let me know what you understand about Twitter and how you intend to use it!