why not PPC? It's probably obvious......

[loxley]

I have read quite a bit about this, but something keeps escaping me. I'm sure it's really obvious, but you said there were no dumb questions, so here goes.

I do not see why you need a webpage for yourself. If someone searches for an anti-virus program (just an example) and they click on your ad for that product, why would you send them to your website instead of where they would purchase the product?

It seems like an added step to me. I'm not against using a website and I've made one before for my business. I have an idea for a niche and I will start there. But wouldn't it be easier to just post ads without the added step of going to a website?

thanks,
Liesha

 

[Linda Buquet]

HI Liesha,

That's actually a good question and it raises a couple issues.

1) Google Adwords is the most popular for PPC. They changed the rules quite awhile back and now only will show one ad per domain. So if the merchant or an affiliate already has an ad going to the merchant domain then you need to send your ad to a different domain. Typically you then send the traffic to your own site with a landing page about the product that links to the merchant site. You could also try to leap frog the other affiliate which can be costly and tricky.

2) Some affiliates can convert sales better than the merchant. So a well crafted pre-sell page on your site could help your sales.

3) Some affiliates like to try to capture emails from the traffic they send the merchant so they don't lose the customer and can continue to market to them.

Theres probably more to it than that but thats an overview.
Anyone else want to add something?

 

[loxley]

thanks

Thanks for explaining it to me

so let me see if I have it straight or not in my head.

If I signed up with "Company A" and posted an ad on Google, when a potential customer searched for "anti-virus" on Google, than Google would only show one ad for "Company A". And it's hard to be the only one shown. I get that.

I had tried using Google's Adword as a trial and error thing. I had 47 clicks in a few days, but no sales. I did not spend much money on it, but I was using CB and read a few posts about them and paused the ad.

I read that you generally make a sale every 20 clicks or so. I'm sure that's a rough estimate and every market is different. Are all the PPC sites run about the same as Google? And, in your opinion, is the only way to do this seriously is to have your own webpage and tie it in with the product your selling?

Thanks,
Liesha

 

[Linda Buquet]

No standard conversion rates online across the board are about 2%.
That's 2 sales out of 100 clicks.

But it can vary WILDLY depending on a huge variety of factors including the type of product and the price range - your keywords, your ad, your ad placement - the merchants site, how good theie cart is and if tracking is working right.

Now some hypey Internet Marketing products namely ebooks can grossly exaggerate their conversion rate claims just like they exaggerate their income claims AND exaggerate the fact that it's so easy you can sit on the beach while the money rolls in.

All that hypey dishonest marketing stuff is ONE of the many reasons I suggest n00bs stay clear of Clickbank and IM ebooks at least in the beginning.
There's too much crap and it's too easy for n00bs to get bamboozled.

All that said SOME products IF you use the right keywords or have highly target traffic COULD have 1/20 conversions.

 

[Rob_TID]

I will give you an example.

Let's say I am promoting a very generic product. Let's say Skin Cream.

Lots of competition.

I do some research and after reading, I discover that the skin cream is actually great if you suffer skin allergies even though they are not advertising that point.

I set up a website about anti-allergy skin cream which promotes that original producct, but because I am coming at it from a more niche angle and promoting its benefits to a niche audience, I will probably make better conversions and waste less PPC money.

Thats one example of what I have done successfully with using a landing site.

 

[loxley]

Landing page vs. website

Here's my question for the day.

So now that I understand why you need either a landing page or a website, which one is better?

Or is it like comparing apples and oranges?

My first thought is that a landing page sounds much easier. Because all you are basically doing is pre-selling using the offer that is available. A webpage seems like a lot of work to do basically the same thing.

I could see with a webpage you could have many offers on one site. A landing page only has one.

Any views?

thanks,
Liesha

 

[fitnfree]

I'm not sure I'm following you -- when you say landing page vs. web page do you mean web page as in a whole web site? Or do you mean the affililates landing page vs. a web page of your own?

I find landing pages seem to get higher search results and better click-thru's on my PPC's, if that helps any. Just focusing on the product you're selling, IMHO, is the way to go for a serious sales pitch.

Maybe if you could elaborate a little more as I'm a little confused as to just what you mean - -and it's probably me as I'm exhausted from moving and not absorbing things the way I should!

 

[fitnfree]

All that hypey dishonest marketing stuff is ONE of the many reasons I suggest n00bs stay clear of Clickbank and IM ebooks at least in the beginning.
There's too much crap and it's too easy for n00bs to get bamboozled.

Oh Linda, are you and I ever on the same page with this!! Did the clickbank thing -- all of it including being a merchant -- for about 3 years and the whole thing just didn't do well enough for me...I best stop there or I'll get on a soapbox with this one!!

 

[myfreeforum]

IMHO - Of course you want very targetted pages to make sales off of - BUT containing those within a quality website will serve you well in the long run. Pages can get indexed, and you can take advantage of free SE traffic too.

Landing pages can just have one small link back to the home page - which apparently google likes anyway. The content pages of the website aim to throw traffic to the sales pages.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Here are some good landing page tips.

Seal the Deal: 10 Tips for Writing the Ultimate Landing Page

"But what I quickly discovered was this – there wasn’t a series of landing pages. There wasn’t even one landing page! All of the clicks, all of their costly PPC traffic was being directed to the homepage.

Literally, their best prospects were being dumped off at the front door with little direction or guidance as to how to proceed.

So let’s look at 10 key steps to writing and designing a landing page that will help get you the results you’re looking for:"

 

[loxley]

Sorry to be unclear. I was thinking just what you said "the affililates landing page vs. a web page of your own".

I guess I was thinking of how I would think if I was going to purchase something on the web. I would do a search, then maybe click on an offer and go from there. I don't think I would like it if I was looking to purchase something and it sent me to a different website first.

I think it really may be two entirely different approaches. Apples vs. oranges. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the landing page approach is for someone who is already looking to make a purchase. A website is there to give information (on whatever topic it may be) and link their users to potential products that tie in to the website info.

Also, for someone just starting out like me, I suppose that a landing page is much less work than an entire website. Not that I'm apposed to doing either, and I'm sure a combination of both is the way to go.

thanks,
Liesha

 

[loxley]

yahoo sitebuilder question

Now that I understand things a bit more clearly...

I have been using Yahoo's Sitebuilder for a few years for my business website. I own a small business and the website is pretty basic, but I don't know anything about building websites using any other service.

I searched the forum for info on Sitebuilder, but the only info I found was from last year. Is Yahoo's Sitebuilder a decent place to start?

My thought was that I would try adding in some links to products/services which is something I've never had on the site before. But I thought it would be a good trial, even though I only get local traffic.

Liesha

 

[Rob_TID]

What does your site do at the moment?

The worst thing a merchant site can do is start plastering their site with affiliate links - very unprofessional.

If you want to be an affiliate, build a whole new site for it.

(And learn HTML - it should only take you a few hours)

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Rob,

She's an affiliate I think, not a merchant unless I missed something.

But you are absolutely right, merchants should not have affiliate links on their site.

 

[Linda Buquet]

If you are considering PPC or just want to learn about it
I just posted a great free resources here:

<a href="http://affiliate-marketing-forums.5staraffiliateprograms.com/newbie-affiliate-forum/6667-free-ppc-success-tips-beginning-affiliates.html">Free PPC Success Tips for Beginning Affiliates</a>

A WHOLE MAGAZINE devoted to PPC for Affiliates
and it's FREE!

 

[loxley]

I don't sell anything. We own a karate school and trophy company. One of the supply companies we use has an affiliate program. That's what I was thinking of, not just adding a bunch of unrelated links.

I think I need to try a few things before I jump in too deep. I have a much better understanding of what's going on. But I learn better by doing something than just by reading it.

Liesha

 

[loxley]

Thanks for the link to the PPC magizine. I took a brief look at it and it seems pretty cool.

Really with all the great stuff you guys have, it can be a bit overwhelming. How do you guys read everything??!!!

Liesha

 

[Rob_TID]

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