I am not going to describe what a product feed (or a data-feed) is. There is a lot of information out there about how to use one to build sites. Instead, I want to talk about how you can actually make more sales with data-feed sites.
The program that I manage offers a product feed, and I get a chance to see a sad picture of many good affiliates wasting their potential.
Here is my advice from the affiliate manager's perspective.
Whenever you join (or think bout joining) a program, you need to look for two things:
- Temporary or permanent opportunities
- Flaws of a merchant
Here is an example of an opportunity that was created by an outside factor.
Recently, we got removed from the Yahoo index because of a penalty. I have no idea when (or if) we will get included back in, but I do know that it makes one decision much easier for our affiliates.
Judging by the numerous posts on various SEO-related message boards, it looks like Google and Yahoo use very different algorithms to rank pages. So for any given site, you have a choice to make. You can optimize for Yahoo, for Google, or for both.
Since Yahoo and Google use different algorithms, it is going to be hard to optimize the same set of pages for both of those engines at the same time, unless you employ heavy cloaking. And the way I see it, for an affiliate, it is better to appear high on one search engine than to appear low on both of them in an attempt to optimize for different algorithms at the same time.
Imagine that you are one of our affiliates. Given the information I just told you, shouldn't you concentrate on Yahoo for that data-feed site that is being used to promote our products?
Why spend (at least) half of your time and resources on optimizing for Google when you know that we are nowhere to be found in Yahoo?
You have to have an extremely well linked and optimized site to get ahead of the merchant for the exact product-name search terms. The merchant is your biggest obstacle when it comes to the search engine traffic. So if there is a route that lets you get around that obstacle - take it!
Most of our well-performing affiliates did just that. Either intentionally or unintentionally, they ended up making much more money by appearing high in Yahoo results, while not being ranked high in Google.
So on a practical side of things, here is what you should do.
For your existing merchants, check if they are removed from the index in any of the major search engines, and if they are, then start reading and implementing SEO tips for that particular engine.
And if you are thinking about joining a program and can't decide between several merchants, then check if any of them is not in the index of either Yahoo or Google. If you find a merchant like that - drop everything else you are doing and jump on that program.
As far as theory goes, this was just a simple, but specific example of what you should look for to make your efforts pay off. There are many different opportunities to get ahead in existing programs with data-feed sites; you just have to look for them.
Now, let's talk about flaws of merchants and how you can exploit them to make more money and help consumers at the same time.
I will give another specific example, but you should be able to apply this concept to many different programs.
Our site has one huge structural flaw: we only list products by product-oriented categories.
In other words, there is no way to navigate our site by a specific occasion or by the purchasing intent of a visitor.
You can follow a path like:
widgets -> wooden widgets -> red wooden widgets
This setup works fine for some type of shoppers, but is a complete turn-off for others.
And the problem is that most affiliates simply mirror the catalog structure of a merchant according to their feed.
But if you structured your site to list widgets as:
- widgets for birthdays
- widgets for girlfriends
- widgets for those who are over 50
- the Independence Day widgets etc.
then you would attract different type of shoppers. You would no longer compete with the merchant, but instead you would complement them.
A visitor who is looking for a gift for his 50-something friend and has no idea that a red wooden widget would be perfect, will not travel down the path laid out by our catalog. So if he gets to our home page, we simply lose a sale. And if your data-feed-based site follows the same structure - you lose as sale as well.
Also, since the visitor does not know that he really wants a red wooden widget, he we not use those keywords while searching for a present on the search engines.
But if you attracted that visitor to your site, presented him with ideas for older friends' birthday gifts and guided him to that specific widget's page - then we would make a sale, you would make a commission, and the visitor (turned customer) would get his present with much less searching around. Everyone wins.
Such approach takes more work than simply cloning the merchant's site with a feed, but affiliates who actually do something to complement merchant instead competing with them make a lot more money. After all, if you create a copy of a merchant's site - you are not only competing with the merchant, you are also competing with all of their affiliates that use the same feed in the same way.
Konstantin Goudkov manages an affiliate program with a merchant that carries 2500+ gifts. If you enjoy working with companies that treat affiliates like valued partners then be sure to check us out.
You can find more information about our program at: http://www.genericgifts.com/affiliate_progr am.jsp
I am not going to describe what a product feed... Read More
The great strides made in the development of the Internet... Read More
1. Develop credible, benefit rich ad copy, along with a... Read More
Recruiting people for your business opportunity or paid program by... Read More
Many people think that they can only get involved in... Read More
Did you begin your affiliate marketing business like this? You... Read More
With the increased use of popups on sites - when... Read More
Affiliate programs (also called Referral Programs or Partnership Programs) are... Read More
You may have heard of joint venture marketing, It's used... Read More
Ever wondered if, apart from Google Adsense, there were other... Read More
The BIG QUESTION on everyone's mind is...Can you make money... Read More
If the idea of pursuing a living on the net... Read More
Everyone wants a huge affiliate check. All the advertisements promise... Read More
Every time you turn around it seems you see another... Read More
Affiliate Marketing is currently one of the most popular and... Read More
Virtually all online marketers have attempted lots of schemes and... Read More
On Cyberspace (Internet), there is a method from which you... Read More
Online affiliate marketing is one of the most effective, cheapest... Read More
Today the majority of affiliates are looking for compensation when... Read More
It has been said that only 2% of affiliate marketers... Read More
If you have a website and you are not involved... Read More
Free Articles continue to be one of the most effectiveways... Read More
As I mention in almost all of my articles, 97%... Read More
Okay so you've read (fill in the blank with internet... Read More
As more and more people are getting into the AdSense... Read More
Have you ever tried to make money through affiliate programs... Read More
When I began affiliate marketing I knew only half of... Read More
What is a good converting site?Well they say a "good"... Read More
When joining affiliate programs there are many decisions you have... Read More
What does it take to become a "BIG EARNER" with... Read More
Colin McDougall tinkered around with affiliate programs earning a few... Read More
Whether you realize it or not, if you've been on... Read More
If you are an affiliate I don't need to tell... Read More
If you're a webmaster, web publisher, or web merchant, chances... Read More
Have you always wanted to work at home? Have your... Read More
ACTIVE AFFILIATES are those who sign up under you for... Read More
To generate additional business income, consider expanding your business through... Read More
Regarded as one of the choice Internet marketing systems offered... Read More
If you are planning to be a reseller for a... Read More
If done properly, reselling web hosting and related services can... Read More
Link bypassing is the number one trap affiliates fall into... Read More
The BIG QUESTION on everyone's mind is...Can you make money... Read More
You've must have read the phrase "multiple streams of income"... Read More
What do I mean by '2nd Wave'? Let me explain:Can... Read More
1. Participate in chat rooms related to the product you're... Read More
This article is the second of my two part series... Read More
This is very important, because your reputation is on stake... Read More
There is some speculation about how much money you can... Read More
If you are a webmaster, you will see this everyday... Read More
A vast majority of successful online entrepreneurs are affiliates of... Read More
The other night I had dinner with a friend who... Read More
Simply put, Affiliate Marketing is one of the most common... Read More
I can't believe it! I open up my mail today,... Read More
Every off- or online business has a target of growing... Read More
You've probably heard it a hundred times...affiliate marketing is a... Read More
When I began affiliate marketing I knew only half of... Read More
There are thousands of affiliate programs offering wide range of... Read More
I have seen it a million times, especially from newer... Read More
This article is for Affiliate Program Managers: Interested in increasing... Read More
Affiliates make money in pretty much two ways, firstly by... Read More
I am not going to describe what a product feed... Read More
There are a lot of affiliate marketing programs out there... Read More
Here's a really simple way... to find out which affiliate... Read More
In this article I'm going to cover two specific marketing... Read More
Affiliate marketing involves the promotion of a website by a... Read More
Finding a good affiliate program can be sometimes daunting and... Read More
Affiliate Revenue |