Associate Programs Newsletter #226
 
 
Today's main article looks at Google's
AdSense, a new service that is going to
have a huge impact on ad networks and
the affiliate marketing industry.

I predict AdSense will speed the downfall
of many second-rate affiliate programs
and shake up the ad networks.

CONTENTS:

1. How Google's AdSense will shake things up
2. Why Keyword Site Builder worries me
3. Site Build It adds module for serious webmasters
4. Innovative affiliate runs into problems
5. Thought for today: A helping hand

=============================================
1. How Google's AdSense will shake things up
=============================================

Google's new AdSense - https://www.google.com/adsense/ - is an
exciting new development for web site owners.

I just wish Google had a referral program for AdSense so that I
could earn a commission recommending it.

AdSense is going to send shock waves through the ad networks and
the affiliate marketing industry.

Already some webmasters are planning new sites designed
specifically to generate revenue from AdSense.

In March, Google ran a beta test, serving its text-based
AdWords on some large web sites.

It has now extended the offer to small sites. If you follow the
guidelines, small sites can participate and receive a share of
the pay-per-click revenue.

AdSense ads are similar to the AdWords ads you see on the right-
hand side at Google when you do a search there.

It's easy to join, it doesn't cost you anything, and all you have
to do is paste a bit of code into your site.

You don't have to mess around, joining a lot of different
affiliate programs. You don't have to waste time trying to find
advertisers for your site.

You can just concentrate on creating good content, and on getting
found in search engines.

It looks perfect for large, high-traffic information sites and
hobby sites. It also works well with small niche sites -
especially if your pages are optimized for high-priced keywords.

I've done some experimenting with AdSense and the early results
have been startling - much better than I expected.

If you get this right, the results can be much better than you'd
earn from many affiliate programs.

AdSense is going to have a huge impact on the Internet.

I've written an article analyzing this revenue-sharing
opportunity, examining AdSense's advantages and disadvantages.

The article also suggests ways to boost your revenue from
AdSense.

The article is too comprehensive for this newsletter, so I've
published it online.

I've been updating it over the last few days as I learn more.
It's still a work in progress. If you try AdSense, I'd be very
interested in learning what you think of it.

Here's the article:

"How to Boost Your AdSense Revenue"
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/search/adsense.shtml

__________________________________________SPONSOR__________

HOT OFF THE WIRE FOR ALLAN GARDYNE'S READERS - DID YOU MISS IT?

Last week, Yahoo's business news featured an important story for
internet marketers. It is now reprinted with permission for your
convenience at http://tinyurl.com/f1y3 . This press release
identifies a product solution - you may rebrand it with your
own affiliate links to distribute as you wish. Their program
has given me great affiliate support and pays 2tier(40% & 10%).
___________________________________________________________

======================================================
2. Why Keyword Site Builder worries me
======================================================

Bill Burdin has created a new tool for affiliates called Keyword
Site Builder (KSB).

It generates 30-page sites for you, automatically "writing" the
articles. Each page is optimized for a single keyword or phrase
for high rankings in search engines.

The whole thing is so automatic that you don't have to do much
more than produce a list of 30 keywords, and upload the pages to
a web host. You can use it to create new sites or to add to
existing sites.

I've decided not to promote this tool.

As I explained to Phil Wiley before he launched it, KSB makes me
nervous.

First of all, I must say that the tool works. Phil has been
testing it for months and making useful money with it.

What concerns me is how people will use it.

It's human nature to want something for nothing. People want an
Internet business without working for it. Put that fact together
with this tool and what do we get?

I think it's inevitable that we'll end up with hundreds or
thousands of web pages which are the same except for the
keywords.

Search engine purists will hate this tool - and they'll hate it
even more because the people using it are blatantly encouraging
others to use it.

If you use this tool unwisely they're going to love reporting you
to search engines to try to get your sites downgraded or banned.

Another scary feature of KSB is its Link Co-op. Users are given
the option of linking at random to other KSB-generated sites
(including adult sites).

Would you choose to link to a site chosen at random? I wouldn't.

I think Google will be smart enough to sort out that lot,
eventually.

Marketers promoting KSB are warning everyone that for best
results you need to rewrite the computer-generated articles.

However, this tool will appeal most to people who aren't very
good at writing. In fact, Phil says it's "a superb tool for
people who can't write" - so they'll probably just leave most of
the computer-generated generic articles exactly the way they are.

KSB currently has 200 articles in its database. The keywords you
choose are inserted into those articles.

This will create thousands of similar pages that will clog up the
search engines, diminishing the reputation of affiliate programs
- and openly inviting the search engines to figure out how to
downgrade your pages.

You can probably make money with this tool in the short term, but
I wonder if you will in the long term.

Phil has written an ebook in which he explains how to get the
most out of KSB and the importance of rewriting the articles.

I'd go a step further and urge you to rewrite the articles in
such a way that you add USEFUL content to the Internet.

That's the type of page search engines want to find for users.
In the long run, you'll have a better chance of success if you
create the sort of pages that search engines are trying to find -
not the sort of pages they're trying to avoid.

If you've already bought KSB, I urge you to read Phil's book
before you take another step.

His ebook won't cost you anything.

For goodness sake, if you're going to use this tool, use it
wisely.

Here's Phil's newsletter in which he promotes KSB:

http://www.ozemedia.com/newsletters/issue281.htm

__________________________________________SPONSOR__________

Andrew Goodman here, author of "21 Ways to Maximize ROI on
Google AdWords." [www.page-zero.com.] What you DON'T know about
pay-per-click can cost you plenty. That's why I'm releasing
my new Pay-Per-Click Advertising Buyer's Guide in July. Who's
telling the truth, and who isn't? This comprehensive report will
retail for $129. But if you contact me now at
earlybird@page-zero.com you'll be eligible for the early bird
discount price of $77, exclusive to readers of Allan Gardyne's
newsletter. Affiliate inquiries welcome!
___________________________________________________________

==============================================
3. Site Build It adds module for serious webmasters
==============================================

Some experienced webmasters have complained that Site Build It!
has been too limiting for webmasters.

They've scoffed at it, choosing to look down upon it as a tool
for newbies - even though it has wonderful success stories. For
example, http://www.imaginge.com/ has used it to generate more
than $2 million in sales from a very simple site.

My assistant Rupert has generated more than $150,000 in sales
from one of his sites ... Whoops! I just checked. Rupert has now
generated more than $217,000 in sales from ONE of his sites
created using SBI. I've just updated the page in which he
describes how he does it -
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/search/site-build-it.shtml .

SBI is superb for people who want to build simple sites that rank
highly in search engines, but many serious webmasters want more
than that.

The company has listened and has just launched a major upgrade,
with an HTML Compatibility Module for serious webmasters.

Now you can build pages in Dreamweaver or FrontPage or whatever,
upload the files through the web browser, and have them instantly
integrated into the SBI! suite of tools.

SBI is a superb suite of tools - it's a web host, a web site
builder, and a web site promoter all rolled into one. I use it
and love it - and now it's even better.

Find out more about SBI's HTML Compatibility Module here:

http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/buildit

==================================
4. Innovative affiliate runs into problems
==================================

Christine Kester, who describes herself as a novice, has taken
an innovative approach to marketing an affiliate product - and
has run into a few problems you may be able to learn from.

She decided to promote the new AutoWebLaw Pro software, which is
designed to protect web sites from lawsuits.

Some affiliates simply advertise affiliate products in
newsletters, sending potential customers straight to the
merchant. That often doesn't work.

If you use that approach, you get only one opportunity to make
the sale, and then you have to start all over again.

Instead of that, here's what Christine did.

She wrote an ad for a recent Associate Programs Newsletter and
gave visitors a link to her site, using a tracking URL -
http://www.trusted-source.com/?4 - so she would know where
visitors came from.

On her site, she asked visitors for their email addresses so that
her autoresponder could send them instructions on how to access a
password-protected "chilling interview" with Stephen Pierce.

In the interview Stephen describes his "run in" with the U.S.
Government over the lack of required documentation on one of his
web sites. It cost him $50,000.

"The reason I was trying to get them to opt-in was to send them
follow-up information such as official FTC web site links etc.
that would have them understand more about what's legally
required from Internet marketers," Christine says.

"It's such an important issue and most people don't know anything
about it."

Christine's ad provided an attractive offer. Affiliates could
rebrand the interview with their own links, offer it as a free
ebook, and earn commissions on any sales.

Christine would earn second-tier commissions.

However, the campaign was a disappointment.

Her eye-catching ad (the second Sponsor in this newsletter -
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/search/newsletter225.shtml -
attracted hundreds of click-throughs, but then things fell apart.

Most of her visitors were reluctant to give her their email
addresses.

Here are her stats for June 13-16:

728 hits landing on her site's first page (unsure if unique hits)
466 choosing the link to see the interview (potential loss of 36%)
171 filling opt-in form, thus landing on thank-you page (further loss of 63%)
72 confirming the double opt-in process, thereby getting the
password.

So now Christine is changing her strategy.

Today, she's advertising an "important" press release for
Internet marketers, and telling affiliates that they can rebrand
the press release with their own affiliate links.

She also has some other ideas she's going to try.

"This has been my whirlwind introduction to online marketing ...
and I'm looking forward to the day when the stats better reflect
what I'm trying to achieve!" Christine says.

"My greatest concern is for my site visitors. I would really like
to make their experience as comfortable and seamless as possible,
while getting important info into their hands."

What went wrong?

Perhaps her message was too complicated. If you give people too
many choices and they can't decide what to do, they're likely to
end up doing nothing.

Often it's not possible to predict the results of a promotion.
One thing's for certain, though. Christine has the right
attitude. If she keeps testing and keeps trying new things,
she'll win in the end.

================================
5. Thought for today: A helping hand
================================

"Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at
the end of your arm ... As you grow older you will discover that
you have two hands. One for helping yourself, the other for
helping others."

- Audrey Hepburn

All the best

Allan Gardyne