Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 17 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 7:16 pm Post subject: I'm a little confused
Hello,
I am a little confused. I have a web site that reviews several versions of an online service.
I am advertising with PPC and getting the click throughs to my site. My visitors are then clicking through to the reviewed sites but only one program is generating any sales. It seems that my presell is working quite well but then they are somehow leaving when they reach the landing site. The programs that I am promoting are very good with many other people who promote them making money. What might I be doing wrong?
Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 205 Location: Assisi, Italy
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2003 7:58 pm Post subject:
Hello KarmicNZ,
I took a look at your dating site (is this the one you were referring to?), anyway, for what you are doing (sending visitors to merchant sites) you seem to have a very friendly and simple set up that is informative and based on your experience.
These kinds of "review sites", tend to do well. The only thing that jumped out at me was your headline that was obviously trying to catch two search phrases and not necessarily give a clear benefit to the visitor, but if your CT% is good, then the problem isn't your headline.
It is either that the quality of traffic is not very targeted, or the merchant sites are not pulling their weight, or perhaps both.
Which PPC engines are you using? The best engine by far is Google Adwords (and don't have your ads go on Adsense) - keep them in the Google pages. If you haven't tried them yet, make a minimum investment and try. You will probably begin to see some results with them. With some of the other PPCs I have seen thousands of visitors pass through without one sale! Whereas Google would send a constant 2% - 5% (same promotion). Targeted traffic is critical.
Another thing, August is very slow, I've seen my CR% drop enormously in the last week (haven't changed a thing - same SE traffic), don't waste too much money on PPC - if you see poor results don't keep insisting too much.
One last thing, write to the affiliate managers that you are sending visitors towards and ask them what kinds of CR% they are seeing in general for the landing page that you use. If they can't answer you, this is not a good sign.
I hope this helps - you have my sympathies, because I too have sent literally thousands of visitors to bummer affiliate programs in the past before I began to realize that it wasn't something that I was doing wrong. _________________ Timothy Warnock
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 17 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 1:07 am Post subject: Thank you
Hi Timothy,
Thank you so much for your reply.
I am currently using Google Adwords and Kanoodle (just signed up with them actually). I am afraid that I am not in a position to play with the big boys so I am not actually targeting the main keywords ($12 per click is a little over my head at the moment). However I am getting click throughs and since this is my first real go at an affiliate site am testing the waters so to speak.
As you have visited my site you will have seen that the programs I am referring are not obscure, never heard of before sites so I would be surprised if they were not pulling their weight but this had certainly crossed my mind.
I will take your advice and write to the affliate managers asking for information you suggest.
It is also helpful to know that August is a slow month. I guess that there are a lot of people on holiday in my target market. We are of course just heading into spring tomorrow down here in the Southern Hemisphere. Trust me to pick the slowest time of the year to launch a new site.
Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 5796 Location: by the beach, Australia
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 2:56 am Post subject:
Here's something you could try. It's just my opinion. It might work. It might not.
Make it really obvious on your main page which service is your No.1 choice. Say something like: "Out of all the sites I've reviewed, here's the best one."
You could even have a heading saying: "Here's the best one".
That way, you're making it really obvious where you want people to click, and you're putting them in the mood for signing up when they arrive. Otherwise, they're in the mood for reviewing sites.
People want you to help them make a decision, so I reckon it's a good idea to do that, and make it really obvious, not just for people who delve into your site, but for people who get only as far as the main page, too.
If you try it, I'd love to hear if it makes any difference.
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 17 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 4:45 am Post subject: Fantastic Idea
Hi Allan,
What a fantastic idea, I will definately implement that one tonight. I will keep you posted as to how it works. Interestingly enough it is the first site that I review (i.e. it is at the top of the page) that makes all the sales. I will try putting a different one at the top of the page too.
Joined: 08 Aug 2003 Posts: 205 Location: Assisi, Italy
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 8:01 am Post subject:
Hi Karen,
Allan is right. Your visitors will want guidance and direction - I didn't have the idea of ranking the services, but last night, after I had written to you, I was pondering your situation (because I have lived it, and still constantly look for new and better ways to sell), it occured to me that your target market will probably be new users to this kind of service, probably very self conscious or hesitant - they will need you to be the authority, like a friend that takes them by the hand, constantly telling them its ok.
I like Allan's idea (just like Associate Programs), I may even incorporate it into one of my sites if I can - thanks Allan.
One more thing about PPC - keywords used often make a big difference, there is probably a reason why some of the keywords are fairly competitive. We have a campaign going with a theme that is fairly big, with a couple of big keywords (costly) and a whole slew of smaller keywords - well, our results are coming almost exclusively from one of the big keywords and close variants - we do this test to find out which keywords to optimize for the SEs, now we know.
Also, bid anyway on the competitive keywords (what you can afford) - once I had a ranking of 49, but I made 2 sales (with 2 visitors) with that keyword in one day. When I raised my bid thinking that it was a good keyword - the sales stopped. I wasn't able to duplicate the conditions again, but it goes to show that you never know what will happen.
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 17 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2003 9:06 am Post subject: Ok
Ok,
I have implemented two experiments.
1. I have ranked one of the programs I review as being the best. It is different to the one that was at the top of the review and one that I really did think was an outstanding service.
It will be interesting to see what happens over the next week or so.
2. Against what I had been led to believe I have made bids on the three top keywords related to my site. I was under the impression that bidding on top ranking keywords if you can't be on the first two pages was a worthless exercise. I have put [ ] around the keywords so that they are really targeted and that has bought my ranking up slightly. I am still looking at ranking between 31 and 43.
When I calculated my ranking it was estimated that I would have <1 click per day. But at least it will be <1 targetted click.
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 17 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2003 7:54 am Post subject: Well well well
Hi there Alan and Timothy,
It has been an interesting week.
Firstly I implimented Alan's suggestion to put a head line on a one of my reviewed sites saying that I thought it was best or words to that effect. I did that to no avail.
The next thing I did was to tell my children to tighten their belts and I started bidding on the most searched for keyword related to my site (this is not the most bidded on keyword though). At first I bid just 50c and ended being ranked about 12. On the first day I noticed a change in the amount of clicks I was getting through to my affiliate programs so I decided to tighten my belt a little more and bid $1.00 per click to find myself rated at number 6. Thats when the sales started. I set my daily limit on Adwords to just $15 per day to test it initially. I currently am getting about a 10% conversion rate. I am so relieved.
After having heard so many negative comments from people around me about how everything on the internet is a scam I am so pleased to be able to see a return on my hard work and perservance.
Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2003 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: I'm a little confused
KarmicNZ wrote:
Hello,
I am a little confused. I have a web site that reviews several versions of an online service.
I am advertising with PPC and getting the click throughs to my site. My visitors are then clicking through to the reviewed sites but only one program is generating any sales. It seems that my presell is working quite well but then they are somehow leaving when they reach the landing site. The programs that I am promoting are very good with many other people who promote them making money. What might I be doing wrong?
I would appreciate any ideas.
Many thanks.
=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I would suggest you converse with the expert.
Rosalind Gardner, not only does she have one of the top selling ebooks
Hi, Just my opinion but the site you are referring to could use a little updating with something that catches the customers eye. product and substance are most important but updating might help you. Good luck! _________________ Jeff Casmer is an internet marketing consultant and work at home business owner. His "Top 10" Work at Home
Directory gives you the information to start, maintain, and prosper with your own Internet Home Based Business in the 21st century.
Joined: 26 Aug 2003 Posts: 17 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2003 8:20 am Post subject: Thanks for that
Thanks for your input.
Mitch, Rosalind is the person who really inspired me to live my dream of working from home. I read her book and Phil Wileys mini site profits and have taken advice from both of them.
As I said in an earlier post, things are really hotting up for me. I am stunned at how quickly sales are now happening. All very modest in comparison to some but the beginning. I am no longer sitting on the fence.
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