Sick of Affiliate Marketing

[cc976a]

If I were you I'd sell a few of your under performing sites in lower profit markets, and use the money to pay for a designer (offshore to keep prices down) to build you a web page, blank template page and easy to update navigation bar script (for you to keep adding content) - and concentrate on a niche and model. Once the grows and becomes passive you can then move in to verticals (and perhaps Market to existing traffic) or branch out elsewhere using investment from your first sites profits.

I know most people go for WP and a template, and is an option - but I hate Wordpress personally.

The web is turning from search to referals and recommendations. I'd not necessarily say content is king, but a visually pleasing website, with a simple to use UI and clear call to action - whilst serving a demand - is a dynamic combination and is 'king'

Attract people, and social 'referals' and the search engines will come a knocking too.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

I'll still have a day job for a long time yet but it's certainly extra pocket money.

If you've got sites that are generating clicks that aren't converting, perhaps try optimising rather than assuming they just don't work. Try something new on there. Get a friend to look at your site(s?) and watch how they use them. Are they doing what you expect them to? If not, ask why. You'll often find some very obvious things you're doing wrong!

Are there clear calls to action? Are you selling known quality brands?

Sometimes it's easier to get lots of small commissions than a few big ones as people are more likely to buy lower value items on a whim. If you're looking to purchase something that costs about £20, you're more likely to just buy it there and then than if it was £200.

Try other things. Not everything works for everyone. I couldn't get the hang of PPC for ages then one day I hit upon a product that just worked.

Split test if you can, and take a good look at analytics.

I think you have managed to sum up everything I have been doing wrong in one post. My idea of affiliate marketing before today was:

Buy an inferior domain name on an inferior extension
Write some poor drivel and try and pass it off as useful content
Sign up to the first aff program I came across
Chuck up product links
Pay no attention to design or calls to action
Sit back and expect people to spend money

OK I may be being a bit hard on myself and I didn't do the above intentionally, my newness and naivety took me down that path. Yes I have made a number of little sales and 1 or 2 big sales over £200 each but via Amazon so only worth £7.

Although this thread started as me moaning I cant tell you how much good has come out of it for me as it really has focused my mind and helped me formulate a plan. I too do this part time due to work and caring commitments so it is great that I can make all of these mistakes and learn from them without my life depending on it.

Any newbies should take note that this is what Acorn is about, useful advice, insight and support.

Much appreciated.

Aiden

 

[keano]

I think you have managed to sum up everything I have been doing wrong in one post. My idea of affiliate marketing before today was:

Buy an inferior domain name on an inferior extension
Write some poor drivel and try and pass it off as useful content
Sign up to the first aff program I came across
Chuck up product links
Pay no attention to design or calls to action
Sit back and expect people to spend money

OK I may be being a bit hard on myself and I didn't do the above intentionally, my newness and naivety took me down that path. Yes I have made a number of little sales and 1 or 2 big sales over £200 each but via Amazon so only worth £7.

Although this thread started as me moaning I cant tell you how much good has come out of it for me as it really has focused my mind and helped me formulate a plan. I too do this part time due to work and caring commitments so it is great that I can make all of these mistakes and learn from them without my life depending on it.

Any newbies should take note that this is what Acorn is about, useful advice, insight and support.

Much appreciated.

Aiden

Once you get some success in affiliate marketing you tend to get a "feel" for what sort of product/service will sell and how to market it. Unfortunately in this day and age its difficult to get that sort of experience because in order to get sales you need to get rankings and to get rankings you need the quality content, aged content, useful info, user engagement, etc so its a bit of a chicken and egg situation.

For that reason, I'd say if you have the funds Aiden to try some small scale but targeted Adwords campaigns. That way you will get the advantage of immediate rankings in Google and you will be able to test keyword variations, products, and conversion techniques - at some point (hopefully early in the process) you'll find something that works.

You'll then have the product/s that sell, the keywords to target and a landing page that converts. You can then either carry on with the Adwords campaign if its successful or if the campaign is making conversions but it isn't profitable you can switch it off and use your newly found commercial info gleaned from the campaign and start to try to rank organically. At least that way you know you will be on the right track i.e. you know what will convert and (hopefully) the conversion methods that will lead to the sale.

Just my 2p's worth.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Just to expand on what we are discussing here are some sites I am talking about, feel free to comment on them as it may help others in the same situation. I know I am setting myself up for a hiding but what the hell!

All have made at least 1 sale since started but not necessarily in last 30 days, some have made 10+, these are not old sites, all have had a few Adsense clicks and all are for sale if anyone wants to make an offer

inflatable tents org/uk page 1 G 500+ visits last 30 days 100+aff clicks no sales

easy pitch tents co/uk page 1 G 240+ visits last 30 days 30+aff clicks no sales

arthritis aids org/uk page 1 G 140+ visits last 30 days 40+aff clicks 4 sales (this is the one I had to take 100 products off yesterday as merchant was suspended)

dog food bowls co/uk page 1 G 50+ visits last 30 days ?aff clicks no sales

The above are not where my focus is, I want to develop:

disabled friendly co/uk to cover accommodation, holidays, leisure etc....

disabilty-aids com for aids, adaptions etc...


I obviously have others and the above are just a flavour.

Any thoughts, comments just don't go too hard on me

Aiden

 

[foz]

The cookie memory time is a big negative in Affiliate marketing.

Some will only remember your referral while they are actively on the url link (Amazon).

Imagine the commissions if they gave you 5-7 days of cookie memory.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Back on the phone keyboard just gone again, I will respond to pms when I fix it!

 

[accelerator]

inflatable tents org/uk page 1 G 500+ visits last 30 days 100+aff clicks no sales

As a rule of thumb, I reckon 1 in 100 clicks convert to a sale. So, with that number of clicks I wouldn't necessarily expect a sale.

I won't spell it out for everyone, but you need to think/research hard and work out what people will buy online. Once you've established which products/services are worth promoting, then cut down your focus to these products. It's all about right product and focus initially.

I have always been a bit over ambitious and whilst I do OK, I would have done better had I just worked on a handful of sites as opposed to the quite large number I have built.

Firstly it's about traffic, but you also need to make sure your sites are inviting the user to action.

Rgds

 

[kate-brownhill]

Maybe you should start a keyboard affiliate site?

Great thread. Thanks for all the input from everyone. Learned a lot.

 

[accelerator]

Also, just to say I do think affiliate marketing is a very hard thing to get right. There are a lot of different skills that you need to have. I have been doing it for years and I still find it quite hard!!

 

[Jamie101]

Weird. I always thought that Amazon converts really well (even though the cookie time is only 24 hours).

I've only got 1 site that uses Amazon at the minute, and each month the conversion rates are 20-50% (although that's including when people order more than one item).

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Maybe you should start a keyboard affiliate site?

Great thread. Thanks for all the input from everyone. Learned a lot.

Ha like it, out of every adversity comes a seed of opportunity.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

As a rule of thumb, I reckon 1 in 100 clicks convert to a sale. So, with that number of clicks I wouldn't necessarily expect a sale.

I won't spell it out for everyone, but you need to think/research hard and work out what people will buy online. Once you've established which products/services are worth promoting, then cut down your focus to these products. It's all about right product and focus initially.

Thanks accelerator that't interesting, using that rule I shouldn't worry too much; not yet anyway.

It's also interesting that you point out the research bit as I have been considering would I buy an £800 tent online? I may visits shops to see it then go online to find the best price but would I actually purchase I don't know!

I am indifferent to product sites and feel unable to compete with established sites so I think it is the right time to stop doing it. I am planning on concentrating my efforts and learning my trade in the service/lead type affiliate programs.

Appreciate your reply.

Aiden

 

[doodlebug]

I also think that Amazon converts quite well but for some reason, a site which I use to sell products from now sells nothing ? even though it still ranks at number on Google for its term

Storeburst was ok until Google killed it.

Paid on results content units are pretty good just they don't have that many merchants using them.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Just noticed I own disability aids not disabled aids as mentioned above so better for me as exacts are a bit higher; I am an idiot!

 

[figleaf007]

Hi Aiden

Firstly, your responses on here are a credit to you as a person and illustrate why so many people got angry at LDN/MyDomains. You are taking the feedback very well.

I've been an affiliate manager for some major brands over the past few years, and seen the market change massively. It seems to have gone from PPC----Content-----Voucher Codes-----Databases-----Social/brands in that order. Each time, some afifliates have milked these areas then gone on and moved with the times. Although I do know some who made so much money during one of these times, they don't actually need to work anymore. Right now, it's about building a brand/destination that people have a reason to return to and/or talk about. Being a real leader and expert in the field - and that's not as difficult as it sounds. Big brands may scare you off, but you have your own editorial decisions and responsiveness to news or market moves. It can be done and people are still doing it. Good luck to you sir....

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Hi Aiden

Firstly, your responses on here are a credit to you as a person and illustrate why so many people got angry at LDN/MyDomains. You are taking the feedback very well.

Thank you I appreciate that.

I joined Acorn to learn and I guess I have albeit slowly. I recognise that the help people offer is for my benefit and not theirs so I hope that one day I can somehow repay that. I would like to think that the threads I start (there have been a few) help not only me but others. My only concern is that sooner or later people will get fed up with me asking these basic questions.

Regards

Aiden

 

[Blossom]

I joined Acorn to learn and I guess I have albeit slowly.

Not true at all. You've learned more than you think faster than you think.

And of course there are plenty of people who have got no further than 'You're all idiots, of course my domain is worth £350,000' for a start!!!

My only concern is that sooner or later people will get fed up with me asking these basic questions.

I don't think so, everyone has no many different experiences and perspectives that your threads help bring a lot of views together to pool the knowledge. I always read your threads if I see them because I know they'll be interesting.

 

[Aiden Roberts]

Not true at all. You've learned more than you think faster than you think.

And of course there are plenty of people who have got no further than 'You're all idiots, of course my domain is worth £350,000' for a start!!!




I don't think so, everyone has no many different experiences and perspectives that your threads help bring a lot of views together to pool the knowledge. I always read your threads if I see them because I know they'll be interesting.

Thank you Blossom

 

[namdas]

I think a big issue is many people make 'hit and run' type sites, where the way the affiliate makes money is to get people off to the destination as quick as possible - and then wonder why the cash isn't rolling in.

It is important to think of the patterns you go through when buying a product and realise each niche is unique, either:
1 Cheap shit that people buy on impulse
2 Expensive stuff that people agonise over/dream about/research a lot (holidays, jewellery, etc)
3 Expensive stuff that people hate but need in a hurry (insurance, finance, utilities etc)

You could get away with a simple hit and run site links for #1 but your commissions are always going to be small so you need volume - not really possible on small EMDs with low value products and low search volume, and you won't really making sites you can be proud of as you need so many to make up the time.

For #3 you *might* get away with it on low volume kws if you're lucky as conversions are going to be high cos people want to get it over and done with.. but if you want to rank well for competitive kws you need great links from great sites - which mean you too need to be great or you'll forever be invisible.

For anything else that is not a snap decision your site needs to be high quality and highly memorable (or find a way of reminding people to return thru email etc).

I run a few travel sites to long haul destinations - with holidays costing £x,xxx people spend forever (as much as 3-6 months!) shopping around, so you need to make sure you are the last person they visit before they book - either by making your site so wonderful they either feel they owe it to you to buy thru your links or they can't book without double checking it on your site, or by making your site look like the travel agent/store/whatever via whitelabelling. (note this is just whitelabelling the deals / booking/lead process, not the whole site - you must still provide plenty of unique, useful information). Even so you may still find direct ad sales or even adsense will make you more than many low-converting affilaite links.

Likewise in finance a lead form or comparison iframe can make it look like you are the broker/comparison site rather than some faceless 'info site' - people convert on your site without you sending them elsewhere, so you have a far higher chance of earning - perhaps a lower CPA but with higher conversions you're laughing. Better yet by keeping the customer on your site as your customer you can capture their emails and remarket to them later.

For retail etc I think generic product review sites that are not already established are a tough proposition, and as mentioned above a 'brand', whatever form that may take. Far better to be a face in the industry - eg a popular fashion/photo blogger who mentions the odd sale on an affiliate link - than churning out product feed sites that nobody - not even google - reads.

If you are more technical than self promoter perhaps there is a shopping tool or service you can provide - or perhaps you should even look at building a tool on a Software As A Service model rather than selling other people's products; affiliate marketing is just one of many ways to make money online.

Basically don't think about making affiliate websites, make high quality websites about a subject that just happen to make money from affiliate partnerships.

 

[anthony]

...I always read your threads if I see them because I know they'll be interesting.

Thank you Blossom

Is this going to turn into a date or what?