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carpunky
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 1:49 am
Post subject: Need some advice
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Hello
I have been doing internet sites for the last 6 yrs or so which doesn't make me a expert . My sites will prove that ! I only make $6 per month from affiliate links.( Actually the $6 comes from AdSense ) I use CJ to place small block banners on my site whih have not produced.
http://www.stlfriends.com is my current project ( the example described above ) which is directed towards the st louis area only. I currently have gotten 50 members in a 30 day period by advertising on adwords ( Google ). I do not charge for membership and was planning on making money by affiliate links.
My question is in the example of Allens site on cheap computers, what stops people from buying directly from computer wholesaler ?
I realize the cookies are tracking the users and therefore giving him credit but it just seems that it would be really unfeasible this way !
I would appreciate anyone who would look at my site and give me some tips on how i could implement this strategy on my site at http://www.stlfriends.com
Thank You
Wishing everyone the best of luck...I love this hobby
Jeff |
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Charlie
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 12:20 pm
Post subject: Re: Need some advice
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Hello Jeff.
| carpunky wrote: | | I would appreciate anyone who would look at my site and give me some tips on how i could implement this strategy on my site at http://www.stlfriends.com |
Have you any specific questions regarding your site?
Cheers,
Charlie.
_________________
"Before I speak, I have something important to say."
- Groucho Marx |
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Debs
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Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 2:43 pm
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In re: Why buy through Ruperts site as opposed to direct?
First off, people look on the internet for information most of the time, not really to buy ... so once they find the information they want, from a source they can trust, they are "primed" to buy ... if the site that provided the great info happens to make recommendations on the products to meet their needs, they are more than happy to follow those recommendations because of the "authority" they feel this site to be.
Now, how do you convert this idea to your site on St. Louis dating?
Write articles and reviews of the places to take your date in St. Louis ... tie in affiliate links whereever possible that relate to the date you are writing about, the place, the clothes they need ...
Make sure you include romantic tips and holidays and ideas for gifts, tickets to concerts and sporting events.
Once you have a nicely filled out site on content relating to St. Louis and dating ... then go to those local stores, bars, restaurants, and sell advertising on your site! Have the merchants offer coupons exclusive on your site, or discount codes, so they can "track" the referrals you make. The exclusive discounts will also help promote your site in St. Louis ... don't use JUST PPC or SE ... run ads in your local paper, radio, etc. to get visitors to your site as well.
Hope this helps,
Debs
_________________
Learn how to turn keyphrases into quality, well-targeted articles your visitors and SE's will love with Gary Antosh's new ebook "Web Content Made Easy!" |
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AllanGardyne
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 4:25 am
Post subject: Re: Need some advice
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| carpunky wrote: | | My question is in the example of Allens site on cheap computers, what stops people from buying directly from computer wholesaler ? |
Well... when you put it like that, absolutely nothing.
It's a numbers game. Only a tiny percentage of the people who click from cheap-computers-guide.com to TigerDirect buy something. But that's enough to make the whole thing well worth while.
The cheap computers site was deliberately designed as a low-maintenance site. Now that it's set up, little work is needed to keep it going and very profitable, as Rupert describes here http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/search/affiliate-programs.shtml .
| Quote: | I realize the cookies are tracking the users and therefore giving him credit but it just seems that it would be really unfeasible this way !
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Yes, it does seem a bit strange, but by and large it works - and that's what matters.
I'm sorry to hear you've had such little success with affiliate programs. That must be frustrating. Here's a hint which may help you.
Here's the essence of how to promote affiliate products successfully.
1. Find a very good product or service you feel comfortable promoting.
2. Recommend it to people, explaining why. This works best of all if you explain how the product has helped you.
3. Bank the checks.
Don't be fooled into thinking this all sounds too simple.
The more you're sidetracked from those three steps, the less likely you are to succeed.
For example, a little banner ad is an advertisement - it's not a personal recommendation from a trusted source. So even when people click on the ad and go to the merchant, they arrive suspicious. They know they've just clicked on an ad, and they're in the wrong frame of mind.
However, if they've just read a glowing recommendation written by someone they've learned to like and trust, then they're already half-sold before they even arrive at the merchant's site.
Hope that helps.
Allan Gardyne - AssociatePrograms.com
The Complete Site Build It! Reference Center...
This Link Directory May Change Your Affiliate Business
http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/search/reference-center.shtml
_________________
Allan Gardyne
AssociatePrograms.com - You're here. Explore it! |
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Yaron
Joined:
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196
Location:
New York City
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 5:30 am
Post subject: Re: Need some advice
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Hi all.
Allan, first I would like to thank you for coming up with the SBI case study idea. I think it's the "best thing since sliced bread" in affiliate education. The cheap-computers-guide.com site is what finally got me started because I had an example to work from. And while building my site I always aimed to be a little better than the Cheap Computers Guide.
My site is 5 weeks old, and I'm already getting some decent lunch money from AdSense. But the problem is that I am getting very little from actual affiliate marketing, and I'm starting to get a little worried. I'd hate to get all my income from one source, i.e. AdSense.
| AllanGardyne wrote: | It's a numbers game. Only a tiny percentage of the people who click from cheap-computers-guide.com to TigerDirect buy something. But that's enough to make the whole thing well worth while.
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I was wondering if you could give me an idea of what that percentage is. On my site I also sell hard goods. It's musical equipment in my case.
I already sent over 1000 clicks to my affiliate merchants, and so far only one sale. The sale happened early on, and I got very excited, but then rather disappointed after many clicks with no sales. I'm wondering whether affiliate advertising for hard goods is even worthwhile at all.
Regards,
Yaron |
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AllanGardyne
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 8:53 am
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Yaron, Thanks for your kind words.
| Yaron wrote: | | And while building my site I always aimed to be a little better than the Cheap Computers Guide. |
Good for you! But why not aim to be a lot better?
I think it's important to view cheap-computers-guide.com exactly as it is - as a marketing experiment, the second affiliate site created by someone who was a complete novice at Internet marketing before he started building those SBI sites.
At the bottom of Rupert's first case study - http://www.AssociatePrograms.com/search/site-build-it.shtml - I list eight things Rupert could have done to improve his commissions.
| Quote: | | My site is 5 weeks old, and I'm already getting some decent lunch money from AdSense. But the problem is that I am getting very little from actual affiliate marketing, and I'm starting to get a little worried. I'd hate to get all my income from one source, i.e. AdSense. |
I wish AdSense allowed us to tell you our figures. They're very good. AdSense has already warned me about one thing I wrote which I thought was extremely vague, and I had to tone it down.
| Quote: |
| AllanGardyne wrote: | It's a numbers game. Only a tiny percentage of the people who click from cheap-computers-guide.com to TigerDirect buy something. But that's enough to make the whole thing well worth while.
|
I was wondering if you could give me an idea of what that percentage is. |
For an affiliate the most important statistic you need to take notice of is how much you're earning on average for each visitor you send to the merchant. Rupert says in his report, "I earned $0.033 for every click through to www.TigerDirect.com." (It has declined to roughly 2 cents per click since that was written.)
About 2 or 3 cents per click is NOT impressive. A really experienced affiliate marketer promoting a high-priced ebook or other product paying a high commission can earn 50 cents per click, and sometimes considerably more. If you're not brilliant at pre-selling, you need lots of traffic.
| Quote: | | I already sent over 1000 clicks to my affiliate merchants, and so far only one sale. The sale happened early on, and I got very excited, but then rather disappointed after many clicks with no sales. I'm wondering whether affiliate advertising for hard goods is even worthwhile at all. |
1,000 visitors ought to be enough for a trial, but sometimes results can fluctuate wildly. You might be luckier with the next 1,000. If not, ask the merchant what their conversion rate is. You need to now if the problem is with your pre-selling or on the merchant's site.
Also, don't be afraid to tell the merchant you're disappointed and ask for tips. You might be pleasantly surprised by the help you receive. They want you to succeed.
If you're disappointed with the answers, you might have to try another merchant.
I've just checked our stats. That one site Rupert built has achieved 4,223 products sold worth $308,747.51, for one merchant. (That's sales, not commissions.)
Yes. People DO buy all sorts of hard products online - in huge quantities, and there's no good reason why you shouldn't share in the loot. 
Hope that helps.
_________________
Allan Gardyne
AssociatePrograms.com - You're here. Explore it!
Last edited by AllanGardyne on Tue Aug 17, 2004 11:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Charlie
Joined:
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3305
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UK
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:49 am
Post subject: Re: Need some advice
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Hello everyone.
| AllanGardyne wrote: | | The cheap computers site was deliberately designed as a low-maintenance site. Now that it's set up, little work is needed to keep it going and very profitable |
The low maintenance potential of a well thought out content site is a nice change from the constant hands on approach of direct marketing. At least in theory...
| AllanGardyne wrote: | | However, if they've just read a glowing recommendation written by someone they've learned to like and trust, then they're already half-sold before they even arrive at the merchant's site. |
The problem is, I don't tend to "learn to trust" people overnight (and I doubt many other people do either) - certainly not when I've just found them in a SE listing. It takes repeat contact.
With this in mind, it is well worth thinking of ways of drawing people into reading more of your site on the initial visit (by using incentive copy and good on site navigation), but also frequently updating some content (even if it's just "niche news") and letting people know you do it so that they come back regularly.
In an ideal world, you need to be trying to build a relationship by repeatedly exposing yourself (if you excuse the expression) to your prospects. If you just rely on affiliate commissions from first time (and often last time) visitors, you are selling yourself short.
This is just part of the vital process of monetarising the traffic flows you currently have. Sometimes I think this is overlooked in the stampede to grab ever more SE traffic, which is mostly "just passing through".
All the best,
Charlie.
_________________
"Before I speak, I have something important to say."
- Groucho Marx |
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carpunky
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:57 am
Post subject: Thought to myself
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My Theory has always been , which I havent ever actually followed , is if you just had a dozen simple web sites that you were able to get in the 1st two pages of the search enginges. Im assuming that you could generate approximatley 75.00 on each site ( using google ads ) which in turn would pay out 900.00 a month. For intance , on my measley site with usually less than 20 hits per day..I have payed for my web service using the google ads. ( payed for my web service not generated $75 )
Im thinking that it would be easy to generate $75 - 100 a month.
I know , I know this is what you guys are already talking about but I just wanted to confirm with myself that this does work.
Anyways keep me motivated...soon as my wife starts writing some content I'll have it up.
P.S Very Nice all around site Allen...You are in our prayers.
FYI: Never ever let a tall male Dr give you a prostate exam..I changed Dr's and now have a small Korean woman...very much gentler. |
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Charlie
Joined:
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 2:51 pm
Post subject: Re: Thought to myself
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Hello again.
I've always favoured the idea of multiple sites for two reasons. Firstly the eggs and baskets theory and secondly the fact that the bigger you become in one niche the more of a target for competitors (and nutters) you become.
There are advantages to not having a famous name, sometimes.
Cheers,
Charlie.
P.S. | Quote: | | Anyways keep me motivated...soon as my wife starts writing some content I'll have it up. |
Is it you or your wife that needs the motivation?
Glad to see you realise the importance of delegation. You can't do everything yourself. 
_________________
"Before I speak, I have something important to say."
- Groucho Marx |
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Yaron
Joined:
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Posts:
196
Location:
New York City
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 4:44 pm
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| AllanGardyne wrote: |
Good for you! But why not aim to be a lot better?
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I do aim to be a lot better. Just didn't want to sound pretentious saying so.
| AllanGardyne wrote: |
For an affiliate the most important statistic you need to take notice of is how much you're earning on average for each visitor you send to the merchant. Rupert says in his report, "I earned $0.033 for every click through to www.TigerDirect.com." (It has declined to roughly 2 cents per click since that was written.)
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Thanks. This helps put things in perspective. Just yesterday I had a few more things sold through one of my affiliate merchants, which brought the $/click ratio to $0.07 per click. All my other merchants still stand at zero sales.
| AllanGardyne wrote: |
About 2 or 3 cents per click is NOT impressive. A really experienced affiliate marketer promoting a high-priced ebook or other product paying a high commission can earn 50 cents per click, and sometimes considerably more. If you're not brilliant at pre-selling, you need lots of traffic.
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My impression is that the vast majority of those lucrative commissions are paid for "make more money" products with strong sales copy. I do not want to get into that field yet, not only because of heavy competition, but also because if I don't make money in another field first I'll feel I'm perpetuating a pyramid scheme. I'll be telling people they can make money by selling products that tell other people how to make money by selling "how to make money" products. 
Regards,
Yaron |
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carpunky
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 10:35 pm
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Yeah, As I was saying earlier if everyone sells on the internet who is going to be making my Mc Donald hamburgers and who going to wait on me at Wal-mart. Who the heck is going to be running this country...Everyone will be at home running there home based business.
I urge everyone now to stop selling these products...Stop the Insanity...Uh...at least until I have a stable income from it.
Thanks
Jeff |
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AllanGardyne
Site Admin
Joined:
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6326
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 11:39 pm
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Whoops! Correction.
It just occurred to me that when I calculated the earnings at about 2 cents per click I was looking at the base commissions reported in the stats.
The performance bonuses double that to about 4 cents per click.
Charlie, excellent points about monetizing existing traffic.
If 0.5% of the people who visit your site buy something and you increase that to 1%, you've doubled your earnings. And that might be easier to do than doubling your traffic for the same result. If they sign up for your newsletter and buy 2 things over the next year ... lots of possibilities.
However, they all require more work. These days, I tend to be on the lookout for techniques that require less work
_________________
Allan Gardyne
AssociatePrograms.com - You're here. Explore it! |
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Yaron
Joined:
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Posts:
196
Location:
New York City
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Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:58 am
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| carpunky wrote: | | Yeah, As I was saying earlier if everyone sells on the internet who is going to be making my Mc Donald hamburgers and who going to wait on me at Wal-mart. Who the heck is going to be running this country...Everyone will be at home running there home based business. |
Don't worry, if everybody is going to sell on the Internet, it's going to stop being profitable, and they'll be back making your McDonald's hamburgers. That's the beauty of the free market.
- Yaron |
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