In response to Part 1.
Before we get into specific marketing techniques, I wanted to do another post to re-clarify the notion that affiliates really are handicapped from the beginning. Let's take a moment to discuss the dynamics of the advertiser - network - affiliate relationship in greater detail.
Let me preface this by saying that, despite how this post sounds, I'm not anti-affiliate network by any means. By and large I think affiliate networks, and most affiliate managers, play by the 'rules' - not that there are any rules, really; we're all in it to make money, and there definitely is a LOT of money to be made. More on that later.
Part one discussed how affiliates start at the bottom of the food chain. Many people agreed, some disagreed. Apparently NickyCakes (whom I met at ASW, and despite his online personality of being a know-it-all asshole is actually really nice and a cool guy) only works for two hours a day and plays video games, the rest of us that have realized any sort of success work our asses off probably work 10-12 hour days or more. I know I do.
So back on the the networks. Both the advertisers and the networks, like yourself and every other business in the world, are in it to make money and maximize their profits. Here's how it works. First, the advertisers/merchants decide how little they can pay the networks for promoting their offer. Second, the networks decide whether it's more profitable to run the offers themselves or open it up to their affiliates. If they open it up to affiliates, they pay them as little as possible to maximize their own profits. Simple concept.
--- this post is going somewhere folks, bear with me ---
Next, Let's talk about some of the shadier tactics the networks can/will employ. One bad thing that can happen is that your affiliate manager discusses an offer that is working well as well as your marketing tactics with either a.) another one of their top-affiliates or b.) another affiliate manager, who in turn shares this information with their own affiliates.
Here's why: Affiliate Networks, and more specifically, affiliate managers, are actually incentivized to create your competition (I think that is a direct quote from Diorex somewhere here on WF). They more money their affiliates make, the more money they make. Of course it is never an affiliate network's policy to do this, and publicly most affiliate networks would condemn this sort of business - but it happens all the time.
What's worse - you're at an even greater risk if you change networks. Let's say you're making decent money with a non-exclusive offer on XYZ Network, but XYZ Network refuses to increase your payout. ABC Network comes along and offers you 15% more, so you hop on board. Now that you've taken business away from XYZ,do you think your old Affiliate Manger (who is now taking home less each month because of your decision) is going to just shrug her shoulders and say 'oh well'? Hell no, they are going to replace that income by letting their other top affiliates in on the offer & marketing tactics you used.
"But wait, that's why you never show the networks your websites, or discuss your marketing tactics, etc." I know, there are many tactics to strip referrer, cloak referrer, etc. This really is only marginally effective. With a little investigation, you're whole campaign can be figured out... big deal.
This post is not just a bitch session. The point of this post to try and cleanse your mind about everything you've learned about affiliate marketing and understand where you truly stand as an affiliate, so you can approach your business in a different way.
So how do you take yourself out of affiliate bitch-mode and make some cash? What I can say is that every successful affiliate - and really any business in general - is really good at two things: building a long-term marketing strategy, and creatively thinking outside of the box.
The next few posts will cover these two topics in detail, and I'll try to throw in some real-life examples for relevance. Until then, stay tuned...
Before we get into specific marketing techniques, I wanted to do another post to re-clarify the notion that affiliates really are handicapped from the beginning. Let's take a moment to discuss the dynamics of the advertiser - network - affiliate relationship in greater detail.
Let me preface this by saying that, despite how this post sounds, I'm not anti-affiliate network by any means. By and large I think affiliate networks, and most affiliate managers, play by the 'rules' - not that there are any rules, really; we're all in it to make money, and there definitely is a LOT of money to be made. More on that later.
Part one discussed how affiliates start at the bottom of the food chain. Many people agreed, some disagreed. Apparently NickyCakes (whom I met at ASW, and despite his online personality of being a know-it-all asshole is actually really nice and a cool guy) only works for two hours a day and plays video games, the rest of us that have realized any sort of success work our asses off probably work 10-12 hour days or more. I know I do.
So back on the the networks. Both the advertisers and the networks, like yourself and every other business in the world, are in it to make money and maximize their profits. Here's how it works. First, the advertisers/merchants decide how little they can pay the networks for promoting their offer. Second, the networks decide whether it's more profitable to run the offers themselves or open it up to their affiliates. If they open it up to affiliates, they pay them as little as possible to maximize their own profits. Simple concept.
--- this post is going somewhere folks, bear with me ---
Next, Let's talk about some of the shadier tactics the networks can/will employ. One bad thing that can happen is that your affiliate manager discusses an offer that is working well as well as your marketing tactics with either a.) another one of their top-affiliates or b.) another affiliate manager, who in turn shares this information with their own affiliates.
Here's why: Affiliate Networks, and more specifically, affiliate managers, are actually incentivized to create your competition (I think that is a direct quote from Diorex somewhere here on WF). They more money their affiliates make, the more money they make. Of course it is never an affiliate network's policy to do this, and publicly most affiliate networks would condemn this sort of business - but it happens all the time.
What's worse - you're at an even greater risk if you change networks. Let's say you're making decent money with a non-exclusive offer on XYZ Network, but XYZ Network refuses to increase your payout. ABC Network comes along and offers you 15% more, so you hop on board. Now that you've taken business away from XYZ,do you think your old Affiliate Manger (who is now taking home less each month because of your decision) is going to just shrug her shoulders and say 'oh well'? Hell no, they are going to replace that income by letting their other top affiliates in on the offer & marketing tactics you used.
"But wait, that's why you never show the networks your websites, or discuss your marketing tactics, etc." I know, there are many tactics to strip referrer, cloak referrer, etc. This really is only marginally effective. With a little investigation, you're whole campaign can be figured out... big deal.
This post is not just a bitch session. The point of this post to try and cleanse your mind about everything you've learned about affiliate marketing and understand where you truly stand as an affiliate, so you can approach your business in a different way.
So how do you take yourself out of affiliate bitch-mode and make some cash? What I can say is that every successful affiliate - and really any business in general - is really good at two things: building a long-term marketing strategy, and creatively thinking outside of the box.
The next few posts will cover these two topics in detail, and I'll try to throw in some real-life examples for relevance. Until then, stay tuned...
Hmmmm.... this all seems vaguely familiar.....
