Jan
My First Affiliate Marketing Experience - Part II
It’s been a couple more days since I last posted about my first “true” affiliate marketing attempt. While I don’t consider it a total failure (because it did make me profit on 2 of the days), I don’t consider this first attempt successful. I ended up about even in the money because I stopped my ppc campaigns before I lost too much. It was an overall good experience though. I’m sure not many people start successful campaigns on their first try. If I’ve learned anything about affiliate marketing its ‘Test, Test and Test Again!’
After doing some research, I determined my landing page pretty much sucked. Not only that, but I was targeting an audience that really wouldn’t be interested in my offer. My target audience was probably 40-50 year old intelligent men/women, yet I was trying to get them to complete zip submit offers for a $500 gift card? Come on David! What was I thinking?
First of all, if you’re going to try and get people to fill out zip submits for free gift cards and other crap, you need to target a generally dumb audience. Let’s face it, how many of you would fill out a zip submit and actually think you’re going to win the prize? I was targeting old people. They probably think by giving out a zip code someone will steal their identity. Old people are way too cautious.
So I’ve got like $35 left in my YSM account and need to figure out what to do on my next affiliate marketing attempt. I’ve pretty much axed the zip/email submits. I’d like to try something more genuine. I don’t want to say dating/insurance because those markets are sooo freaking saturated, but I’ll definitely look at something paying a bit more the $1.50 per lead. I’m also going to revamp the way I build my landing pages. I’m not a designer, so it’s hard for me to come up with graphic designs that appeal to visitors. Worst comes to Worst, I’ll have to buy a custom landing page for $45 or something.
[...] Original post by Blogging with David Lithman [...]
Hi David,
Interesting posts about your experience with affiliate marketing, and thanks for sharing your day-to-day results.
I used to try my hand at affiliate marketing too, but the frustrating thing was always that I was spending time and money on promoting the product, but was only getting a percentage of the total sale, in terms of my commission.
On the other hand, I also thought that creating my own product would be too difficult and time-consuming.
That is, until I learned from James Brausch, that the fastest and easiest way to create an information product is simply a video that explains how to do/create/etc. something useful that other people would be willing to buy.
Now, it usually takes me only 8-12 hours — including market research, and the product itself — to create a video. Besides, people are typically willing to pay more for a video, compared to an ebook or similar product.
Hope this helps!
Sharon
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Sharon thanks for the comment. I’ve never thought about creating my own video informational product. I really would have no idea what to talk about.
Hi David
I’d like to re-iterate Sharons comment’s- you should definitely check out James Brausch’s site and look at some of his products.
He makes products out of anything!
You just need a program called Camtasia, and then you record what you are doing on screen.
What you are selling doesn’t have to be rocket science. There will be people that know absolutely nothing about affiliate marketing, and will gladly pay to watch a video where you show them how to set it up, and mention what you have learnt so far.
James even has a product showing how to set up a blog. If he can sell that, then I’m sure there is something you can sell!
Duncan
David,
Have you used a copy writing aid such as Glyphius to improve your landing page? You can read the pro’s and con’s of using it at
http://www.pickaguru.com/misc-glyphius.html
You told Sharon that you would have no idea what to talk about with your own video product. It would have to be something you are passionate about.
From looking at your bio, I see you are a Gator Alum. How about a video DVD of how to plan the “Ultimate Gator Tail-gating Party”. That would be fun and interesting to make. Who would buy that? Maybe some of the 50,000 or so current University of Florida students or maybe the few100,000 alumni, what a list that would be. Sell it separately online, through the online and print versions of your alumni magazine, and in the school newspaper. You could sell them directly during tail-gating parties.
What other products would that list want to buy? Maybe a parody DVD of the “Ultimate Bulldogs/Volunteers/ Seminoles Tail-gating Party”. That could be a lot of fun to make. Follow that up with the “Ultimate Gator Tail-gating Party at Home” for those that can’t come to the games.
From your bio, you are in the golf industry and getting married this spring. There must be a wealth of problems and concerns in both areas that you are solving as you go along. All potential product either as video, e-book, book, audio, etc.
Lastly, I would suggest Pat O’Bryan’s book “Your Portable Empire”. An easy and eye-opening book.