Wordpress Advice For Affiliates

Affiliates have taken to wordpress like fish to water. It is probably one of the most useful general tools to internet marketers and affiliates alike.

Yes it is blogging software, but it is possibly the most SEO schmoosing CMS out there. Pinging the search engines for you. Allowing quick and easy update of information and so on.

Are you making the most you your wordpress? If you are not experiencing the affiliate sales you expect and getting the traffic you need then maybe you need to open your mind to the potential that your wordpress affiliate site has.

This 900 page wordpress master course takes you through the wordpress install, different versions of WP, Plugins, Affiliate sites, ebay, clickbank, RSS, Podcasting,  and much, much more

Check out here and read the full table of contents

July 12th, 2010 Posted by admin | affiliate marketing, Web2.0, webdesign | no comments

Affiliate Tracking Cookie, Which one Wins?

Feel like you are being cheated when a PPC brand bidder overwrites your cookie? Maybe this is an answer.

Below is an announcement from www.MoreNiche.com

Split Commissions – we have improved our affiliate tracking system to increase flexibility for merchants at which point in the buying lifecycle they reward affiliates. As you know the “last referrer wins” standard across the industry is often debated, some argue that the people who introduce the brand should be rewarded in some way, but most agree the person who closes the sale should get the majority of the commissions.

Most people agree that the last commission wins is the best solution however a split commission situation would be fairer, our system lets the merchant decide how to reward their affiliates.

They can pay on First referrer, Last referrer, everyone in the middle or a combination of all three.

Initially we are working with one merchant (Proactol) who will continue to offer the same commission for the last referrer (30% commission) but also offer a bonus £3.50/$5.00 for the first referrer, a thank you for introducing them to the brand. This could change the power shift away from Voucher sites (capturing brand traffic) and add more value back to the generic content affiliates.

Launch date: 14th June 2010

Is this a good idea? Bad idea? or has it already been done?

June 9th, 2010 Posted by admin | affiliate marketing | one comment

Email Marketing Basics For Affiliates.

Just a quick post as someone who has just performed a mamoth email push for an online marketing client.

Email marketing has taken a bit of a back seat to RSS feeds, tweeting and other in the social network revolutions.

The basics of compiling an opt in email list are simple. Ask your site visitors. Buying lists (especially on ebay) can land you in trouble (and with a hole in your pocket) big things to ask was when was the data collected, how was it collected and was it double opt in. Also should you end up buying a list make sure it is segrigated and that each contact has a category.the more data you have access to the better. If you are going to be sending out a newsletter about sex toys for ladies you really need to be able to filter out all men, under 18s etc (and preferbly those who have an interest in this as it could otherwise end ub being a bit of an embarrasment). If you are sending out a news letter about a new plumbing tool, you not only need to target the plumbing industry, but possibly filter out accountants, and other office staff of that industry. I think you get the idea.

Best bet is to collect data yourself, but again make sure it is optin and collect as much data as is reasonable.

So once you have your list, have limited the recipients to only those who will find the email useful and interesting and  have your email delivery system (email newsletter program for your desktop, newsletter contact manager, newsletter sending service on web etc) you need to think about your content and how to get people to actually open the email.

With regards to content, same rules apply to web pages (discussed elsewhere on this blog) and if anything you have even less time to make your impression.

With regards to email open rates, you have to offer something that is appealing, useful and screams being beneficial to the recipient without shouting spam. If you have correctly targetted your recipients half of the job is done.

There are a few tips to help email newsletter open rates though.

The main key is to have a consise subject line and to have a teaser to the main  text of the newsletter at the star, as many email programs will display the first few lines or have a preview pane for the email.

Ask for feedback at the end of the email. This way you can collect more data and find out what your users want!

May 10th, 2010 Posted by admin | affiliate marketing | no comments

Keeping On Track, Avoid Affiliate Website Mistakes

So you have set up a website or blog and started to generate content, hoping for the affiliate cash to sail through that window to riches you have just created. If like alot of affiliates it has been a couple of months and you are not making what you expect you might want to have a look at these pointers and avoiding the common mistakes that affiliate webmasters and bloggers make.

Some common affiliate website mistakes

1)Taking the Plunge at the deep end

2)Expecting Affiliate Riches are waiting for you

3)Getting Bored

4)Plagiarising

5)Forgetting your site user / reader (and ultimate customer)

1)Getting in too deep too quickly! Many affiliates see those pound signs or dollor signs bragged about on affiliate marketing forums, think I can do that and jump in with two feet.
Just a few simple considerations will help you get started

Pick a subject area (or niche as it is often referred) . Preferabley a niche which is something you know about or interests you. A little thought about if that interest/niche actually has a market place that you could realistically tap into is required. Make sure there is a product that you can promote along side, at the end of the day you are doing this for a revenue!

Do your research and look at websites in similar areas, what is being done, what works and what can YOU ADD.

2)Expecting Affiliate Riches are waiting for you! There is a quote I heard years ago and is particularly interesting here. “Just because you have spent time on it doesn’t mean it isnt crap”
You have to offer something of use and interest to your readers. Plugging away with many articles may just get boring. Make sure you have something to say that will be of interest or use.

3)Don’t get Bored! When you started your site you would have stared with enthusiasm and may have actually have something genuine to say. Your readers would have started coming for the same reason you started the blog. This passion, interest and insight has to be worked at and maintained.

Be aware that you can have more than one blog, each one devoted to a particular topic and each one, if you choose, under a different identity.

4)Plagiarising! Copy and paste is simple, there are many article directories and PLR articles out there. Why use them if they have already been used to death?

5)Remember your site visitor! They are what count. they read the articles, use your tools and ultimatly use your affiliate links and even in these days of the social internet market your site and promote your articles through Diggs, Facebook status, Tweets and their own blogs and websites etc. Keep the quality and diversity there. Use sticky content and don’t just paste keyword mashups.

April 25th, 2010 Posted by admin | affiliate marketing | no comments

Dos and Don’ts For An Affiliate Newbie

Don’t

1) Wade into PPC.

2) Promote a product purely due to high commission

3) Expect to make thousands of pounds a month for 6 hours work a month. (yes this is possibl, not easy and does require some investment of time and money - for more on this check this book out)

4) Don’t spend money!

Obvious exception is buying a domain name and web hosting. Even then as you may only be dipping your toe in the water there are many good hosts that do webhosting for less than £3 a month. Build and experiment.

DO.

1) Plan.

Take your time, plan and research your market. Read affiliate marketing blogs and forums like A4U.

2) Do.

Take action. Research is great and powerful, but there comes a time when you need to get that site up and running.

3) Write

Even in this age content is still king, write readable articles on subjects consistent with the theme of your site.

4) Promote.

submitting to search engines is not enough. Produce press releases, and use social networks.

5) Have fun!

There is alot more to learn, but taking those first steps are very important.

March 19th, 2010 Posted by admin | affiliate marketing | no comments