Amazon's Affiliate Program

[cyprex]

I recently joined amazon's affiliate program, mostly using search advertising. I haven't been able to turn a profit yet, but i know it's possible.

Should I generally focus on consumer electronic products (probably would get the most conversions, but the commission rate stays at 4%) or should I get into other products that can start earning me up to 8.5%, but a much lower conversion ratio (I'm assuming).

If I should promote products besides consumer electronics, what area should I focus in??

Thanks!

 

[cyprex]

Oh I also tried some other search campaigns promoting offers from various affiliate networks, but none of them get shown on google to to the low landing page quality (I'm using direct linking for both amazon and those other promos).

I feel like creating a landing page in the middle would only make your conversions lower.

 

[bay37]

I'm using direct linking for both amazon and...

You got a problem right there.

 

[jessecooper]

My advice for anyone getting started in Affiliate marketing (which is sounds like you are) is to find a lower competition niche in an area that you have some experience in or a passion for.

Electronics has some MAJOR competition.

Here's what I would do if I was in your shoes:

Find a niche with low to medium competition. Then look for some "buy related" keywords that will be easy to dominate in the SERPS (search engine results pages). Use the Google Kw Tool to find out the average search volume for these KW's, try to find something with 1000 - 2000 searches a month.

Then see if a tld domain (com, net, org) is available for that exact keyword (i prefer no hyphens). If you can get an exact KW match in the domain it will be easier to get high in the SERPs for your KW.

Build out a WordPress blog on this domain. Write informative posts three to four times a week on your niche and get relative backlinks to both the homepage (for your main keyword) and to the posts (for related keywords).

Depending on the competition You should rank for your KW fairly quickly (the less competition the faster you'll rank).

Start including product reviews linked to amazon products that are related to your niche.

Profit.

​

So if you want to do electronics get to searching for a domain/keyword combination that gets some search volume (let's say something like Digital Camera Reviews/www.digitalcamerareveiws.com) and throw a blog on there. Start writing informative and relative posts, then drop a cloaked affiliate link in each post.

 

[johu]

(I'm using direct linking for both amazon and those other promos).

Amazon doesn't allow direct linking from search... Attention Amazon Associates - No More Direct Linking Via Paid Search : Affiliate Confession

 

[Benji49]

As much as I bitch about the Ebay Publisher Network (and oh, how I bitch), I have to say that it's still easier to turn a buck on it rather than the Amazon affiliate program.

 

[justo_tx]

As much as I bitch about the Ebay Publisher Network (and oh, how I bitch), I have to say that it's still easier to turn a buck on it rather than the Amazon affiliate program.

Cookie duration on amz is a muthafucka

 

[jessecooper]

Cookie duration on amz is a muthafucka

Be cool if there was a toolbar that drops a cookie on frequent Amazon shoppers... Too bad it doesn't exist

 

[dooogen]

My advice for anyone getting started in Affiliate marketing (which is sounds like you are) is to find a lower competition niche in an area that you have some experience in or a passion for.

Electronics has some MAJOR competition.

Here's what I would do if I was in your shoes:

Find a niche with low to medium competition. Then look for some "buy related" keywords that will be easy to dominate in the SERPS (search engine results pages). Use the Google Kw Tool to find out the average search volume for these KW's, try to find something with 1000 - 2000 searches a month.

Then see if a tld domain (com, net, org) is available for that exact keyword (i prefer no hyphens). If you can get an exact KW match in the domain it will be easier to get high in the SERPs for your KW.

Build out a WordPress blog on this domain. Write informative posts three to four times a week on your niche and get relative backlinks to both the homepage (for your main keyword) and to the posts (for related keywords).

Depending on the competition You should rank for your KW fairly quickly (the less competition the faster you'll rank).

Start including product reviews linked to amazon products that are related to your niche.

Profit.

​

So if you want to do electronics get to searching for a domain/keyword combination that gets some search volume (let's say something like Digital Camera Reviews/www.digitalcamerareveiws.com) and throw a blog on there. Start writing informative and relative posts, then drop a cloaked affiliate link in each post.

this.

 

[DBWebDev]

Here's what I would do if I was in your shoes:

Find a niche with low to medium competition. Then look for some "buy related" keywords that will be easy to dominate in the SERPS (search engine results pages). Use the Google Kw Tool to find out the average search volume for these KW's, try to find something with 1000 - 2000 searches a month.

Then see if a tld domain (com, net, org) is available for that exact keyword (i prefer no hyphens). If you can get an exact KW match in the domain it will be easier to get high in the SERPs for your KW.

Build out a WordPress blog on this domain. Write informative posts three to four times a week on your niche and get relative backlinks to both the homepage (for your main keyword) and to the posts (for related keywords).

Depending on the competition You should rank for your KW fairly quickly (the less competition the faster you'll rank).

Start including product reviews linked to amazon products that are related to your niche.

Profit.
​

​

+rep - that's some pretty good advice there.

 

[Lex Leto]

What a coincidence, I just joined Amazon's Affiliate program as well. Oh, wait, never mind. No I didn't. For some absurd reason, residents of North Carolina are not eligible to be a part of the Amazon Associate problem. From their response itself:

An Error Occurred

Residents of North Carolina are not eligible to participate in the Associates program.



Your Contact Information Please enter contact information for the person or company to whom we should issue payments.


Note: Residents of North Carolina or Rhode Island are not eligible to participate in the Associates program.

Kinda sucks a little bit. But from what I'm hearing about the cookie timespan, it's for the best.

 

[Ryan]

If I can add anything to the pile, and if you're just starting out you could always pick a product that's brand new on there and gaining some steam. I hit a lot of brand new products and usually turn a decent profit from the blog post talking about it.

 

[jessecooper]

[/INDENT]+rep - that's some pretty good advice there.

Thanks for the delicious Rep... although I think the Reputation system is broken here. It goes from one bar to maxed out with one person giving your +

Any Admin car to look into this? I think it would sweet if the Rep bar would show someone's weight in the community.

 

[johu]

What a coincidence, I just joined Amazon's Affiliate program as well. Oh, wait, never mind. No I didn't. For some absurd reason, residents of North Carolina are not eligible to be a part of the Amazon Associate problem.

Blame the NC affiliate tax bullshit. Legislators are considering affiliates as a tax nexus, so in order to avoid having to charge sales tax in NC, they just terminated NC affiliates rather than fight it like they did in NY.

 

[MadHatter]

Blame the NC affiliate tax bullshit. Legislators are considering affiliates as a tax nexus, so in order to avoid having to charge sales tax in NC, they just terminated NC affiliates rather than fight it like they did in NY.

That bites the big one!!!

 

[cyprex]

All some great advice. Thanks...I realized very fast that the direct linking was no longer allowed when they would take my commissions away. I still feel that landing pages only lower your conversions, but that wordpress blog is something I will look into. Thank guys!

 

[Grindstone]

Don't use trademarked product names in your URLs either, they won't pay you for the traffic and then delete your account. Who knew? People that read the TOS before wasting an hour setting up A links probably knew.

 

[cyprex]

Don't use trademarked product names in your URLs either, they won't pay you for the traffic and then delete your account. Who knew? People that read the TOS before wasting an hour setting up A links probably knew.

Can you put anything in the display url? does it even have to be a real website?

 

[webetricky]

My advice for anyone getting started in Affiliate marketing (which is sounds like you are) is to find a lower competition niche in an area that you have some experience in or a passion for.

Electronics has some MAJOR competition.

Here's what I would do if I was in your shoes:

Find a niche with low to medium competition. Then look for some "buy related" keywords that will be easy to dominate in the SERPS (search engine results pages). Use the Google Kw Tool to find out the average search volume for these KW's, try to find something with 1000 - 2000 searches a month.

Then see if a tld domain (com, net, org) is available for that exact keyword (i prefer no hyphens). If you can get an exact KW match in the domain it will be easier to get high in the SERPs for your KW.

Build out a WordPress blog on this domain. Write informative posts three to four times a week on your niche and get relative backlinks to both the homepage (for your main keyword) and to the posts (for related keywords).

Depending on the competition You should rank for your KW fairly quickly (the less competition the faster you'll rank).

Start including product reviews linked to amazon products that are related to your niche.

Profit.

​

So if you want to do electronics get to searching for a domain/keyword combination that gets some search volume (let's say something like Digital Camera Reviews/www.digitalcamerareveiws.com) and throw a blog on there. Start writing informative and relative posts, then drop a cloaked affiliate link in each post.

Thanks a lot, + rep

 

[Squarez]

My advice for anyone getting started in Affiliate marketing (which is sounds like you are) is to find a lower competition niche in an area that you have some experience in or a passion for.

Electronics has some MAJOR competition.

Here's what I would do if I was in your shoes:

Find a niche with low to medium competition. Then look for some "buy related" keywords that will be easy to dominate in the SERPS (search engine results pages). Use the Google Kw Tool to find out the average search volume for these KW's, try to find something with 1000 - 2000 searches a month.

Then see if a tld domain (com, net, org) is available for that exact keyword (i prefer no hyphens). If you can get an exact KW match in the domain it will be easier to get high in the SERPs for your KW.

Build out a WordPress blog on this domain. Write informative posts three to four times a week on your niche and get relative backlinks to both the homepage (for your main keyword) and to the posts (for related keywords).

Depending on the competition You should rank for your KW fairly quickly (the less competition the faster you'll rank).

Start including product reviews linked to amazon products that are related to your niche.

Profit.

​

So if you want to do electronics get to searching for a domain/keyword combination that gets some search volume (let's say something like Digital Camera Reviews/www.digitalcamerareveiws.com) and throw a blog on there. Start writing informative and relative posts, then drop a cloaked affiliate link in each post.

Really, really good advice. +rep