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Add me on Sphinn1) Offers come, and offers go.
You can spend a load of time on a campaign and get it profiting great, only to have it die the next day. The advertiser can pull the offer, your payout can get cut, you can be completely cut from the offer, etc. Don’t flip out, realize that this is a part of the industry and move on. Search for a similar offer to promote. If you can’t find anything, quit struggling and just call it a day and start on something else. Trust me I know how great it can be to have an offer running well, and I know the feelings I get when something bad happens to it. I still get pissed off and want to save it, but now I just accept it and move on to the next thing.
Most of the big money making offers are come and go, accept it, and rape it while you can.
2) Expect PPC traffic to be extremely stressful.
Getting traffic really isn’t all that easy as it sounds. I know firsthand especially with Google. I had an offer running great for like a month, and then it got slapped. I recreated the campaign…got slapped in a week. Recreated…slapped in 3 days. It’s a major pain, but Google slaps are something all affiliates deal with. No matter how legitimate you think your site is, it can be slapped.
Same thing goes with Facebook and Myspace. Well with Facebook good luck getting anything even approved, and then with Myspace good luck getting volume with your approved ads. Back when Facebook was approving all my ads I would have to make 50 ads a day just to keep volume levels sufficient. Thank goodness for my slave worker.
What I’m basically trying to say here is: just because you’re having trouble getting traffic from Google, YSM, Facebook, etc., don’t give up on it. It just takes a lot of work and figuring out the best way to get the traffic.
3) Affiliate networks are greedy.
Sure every network will tell you that they don’t shave, it’s a shame it happens. Don’t pick an offer from Network A and then run it exclusively there without ever trying the same offer anywhere else. Test out the same offer on EVERY network you can and compare conversion rates. Sometimes you’ll find the results to be very surprising. Greed doesn’t have to mean they’re purposely shaving, greed can also mean a network doesn’t want to take the time to either a) set up their own tracking system and getting off DT or b) pull the resources to fix the issues in their current tracking system. Networks are greedy with payouts as well, so never settle without negotiating with all networks.
Business is business, and I’ve found that most networks/affiliate managers take things way too personally. Don’t let this affect you, just do your job and make as much money as you can.
4) Don’t believe all the crap you read, and don’t read too much of it.
I’ve been victim to this myself a number of times. I’ve read something where people are talking about something that works awesome. Either on a blog, forum, or someone personally tells me. I’ve then gone and tried to do the exact thing I read…and failed. Different marketers have different strengths, and it’s up to you to find what niche you’re best at driving traffic to.
I know a bunch of people that couldn’t get traffic for weight loss/acai stuff when about a million people were raping it. But they did just fine in other verticals, because they were better at getting traffic to their own stuff.
So just don’t believe everything you read. Because if something was that good, why would people be talking about it?
5) Harden up.
This ties in with some of the previous points, but is a good general statement. Expect to feel absolutely HORRIBLE some days in this business. I’ve had days where I would run $10k profit per day for over a week. The very next week, I’d be grumpy and totally pissed off…even after all the money I made the week before! This kind of stuff just happens, and you have to learn to accept it. Once you do, you’ll get mad less and less, and your productivity won’t dip down during those stressful periods.
Seriously, if you’re not ready to feel like you’re going to lose everything and everything will fall from under your feet, apply at your local Radio Shack. Affiliate marketing will bring the highest highs and the lowest lows, expect them.
Off to bed for me.
March 5th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
that’s interesting sharing. AMs do take this personally. its nature of the business.
March 5th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Very good points. I too have times where I feel like total crap on bad days but feel amazing on days.
Lots of great points.
March 5th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
dam #5 is soo true
March 6th, 2009 at 12:38 am
You have no idea how much this post is EXACTLY what I’ve been going through lately. Pretty much every single word of it.
Well written.
March 6th, 2009 at 2:38 am
Points 2 and 5 are the stage I’m at :P On good days I’m over the moon but if I have a day when profits dip I feel like it’s all going to end and start panicing what to do.
To add even more stress I’m in the process of going full time so this income has switched to a side income to my sole income. I’m still confident it’s the right choice.
Richard
March 6th, 2009 at 3:22 am
I agree. For poker players this is very common as well. Huge upswings, downswings, it’s just part of the game. “Just don’t let emotions overpower your intelligence.” Accept it and move on.
March 6th, 2009 at 3:31 am
That’s true. Happens to me too. When I’m down, I tend to work 20 hours a day to get things back up and running for days, weeks if that’s what it takes.
March 6th, 2009 at 7:09 am
you know what is more fustrating than some of that? buy a mp3 player for christmas with optional insurance cost THEN not finding the reciept when it breaks. i’ve gotten better with age, still cannot find my documents, but atleast I aint drilling my nerves over the small shit anymore.
March 6th, 2009 at 7:12 am
and no that is not my avatar picture either! (real funny!)
March 6th, 2009 at 7:23 am
Entirely agree with you. This is true in real life too!
March 6th, 2009 at 7:37 am
Wow paul, one post that is actually true ;) Specially the part of AM’s taking things to personally… I had AM’s ask me “arent we friends anymore?” just because I changed to a better converting network..
March 6th, 2009 at 11:14 am
I agree with the last point. Most affiliate marketers go through days when profits are high and success is written all over their wall and days when everything seems like collapsing (when profits dip) the next day and frustration and stress kicks in. But most get right back up and things are smooth again :)
March 6th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Google may be doing you a favor; be sure to watch ppc spending like a hawk. Only use exact match and keep your budgets tightened down. Google does some serious game-playing with the traffic they sell through ppc ads.
Great advice not to believe everything you read. Better to spend your time testing your own work than falling for what may or may not be true in the first place!
March 6th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
How much do you research how the programs you promote track sales? I have a ton of questions that I rarely see answered. Do you know much about what happens if someone clicks on more than one affiliate marketer’s link before they buy? Do any other clicks take priority over affiliate links? What happens if the buyer fills in a referral field that doesn’t match the affiliate link? (Who gets credit for the sale?)
I ask all these things because the numbers affiliate programs track don’t match what Google Analytics has which don’t match what Yahoo Analytics has. Do you just test and promote what is working for you or do you get answers to some of these questions first?
March 6th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
What do you mean by “slapped”? I’m getting ready to launch some adwords campaigns for the IT consulting company I work for and saw your post, but haven’t heard the term slapped. Obviously I’m a ppc nub…
March 7th, 2009 at 7:46 am
Your Employee READS this blog and you’re calling him a slave worker ?
March 7th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Hmmm…nice post. You have mentioned some points that i had never read anywhere
March 8th, 2009 at 3:14 am
Nice post, i’m new to Affiliate Marketing so i’m trying to learn the trade. Thanks!
March 8th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
The title being “Internet Marketer” might be a misleading, in the sense this refers to affiliate products and PPC campaigns, although I must say you do make some good points! Thanks for the read!
March 9th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Enlightening and very straightforward tips. Indeed, you can’t be successful internet marketer if you don’t follow these facts.
March 10th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Great tips buddy, I am new to this blog, I’ll subscribe now. I wish i was the one making $10k/day :) wow…!
March 10th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Thank You for some really powerful tips and will surely help me to improve my results with my campaign and offers selection …
March 10th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
How realistic your content is !! i totally agree your points.
I went through the slap time,There is nothing you can do,just keep going on.recreate your new one.
Don’t wast your time to read that kind guru’s crap.Just do it.
Yiannis
March 12th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
In relation to your first point it’s important to check when they come and go, so your still not actively promoting something which is no longer being paid out by your affiliate network. Good Post!
March 12th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
I did not realize number 3. That’s very, very interesting.
March 13th, 2009 at 5:15 am
Thanks for great tips. Will surely return to read some more posts from you. Applause for the writer.
March 13th, 2009 at 5:41 am
From your article its sounding like affiliate marketing is becoming the new day-trading with the emotional highs and lows! in any case, if I made 10k a day for a week straight, I think I’d be happy for a year!
March 13th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Very true. And watching your PPC stats can be as addictive as watching the stock market.
March 14th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Well not only is it like watching the stock market, at least you have more control over your stocks, hehe.
TIll then,
Jean
March 13th, 2009 at 10:17 am
since we are on a very tough competition, every internet marketer should read this article. It has a substance that is very helpful to each one of us.
March 14th, 2009 at 3:40 am
Some great advice there that every marketer should definitely know, some people think their first bad day is their last day of marketing forever
March 14th, 2009 at 10:07 am
What can I say… Time is essential factor in money making. And new ideas is the only one way to avoid looses.
March 16th, 2009 at 5:50 am
Sad enough. When I started out using PPC, had no k nowledge and lost almost $500 on it and only earning $100 back. Its really stressful .
March 16th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Good post; so many people are getting into PPC, and have no idea about most of these points. Every new publisher should have all the facts before they think they are going to make thousands right off the bat.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Great post!
I agree with you especially number 4.:) lol…
Don’t believe all the crap you read, and don’t read too much of it.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
yes i am one of those PPS member. PPC is sucks and time consuming.
March 18th, 2009 at 5:19 am
Now that says it all. Tip #3 – affiliate marketers are greedy – But who isn’t online nowadays though. That’s very, very interesting.
March 19th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
#5 is spot on.
This is such an up and down business – there are too many factors outside our control to be getting upset when our earnings dip.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Pulling of offers suck.
Especially if one is not warned and keeps sending paid traffic to them.
March 21st, 2009 at 5:48 am
PPC really is time-consuming. Hard work.
March 21st, 2009 at 7:17 pm
I like #4 … reading too much just bogs you down.
March 25th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Hi,
Quote: “reading too much just bogs you down” – surely you mean BLOGS you down… 8^)
Anyway, I think there are two keys to success in this game. You have to diversify, and concentrate on one thing – all at the same time! I find if I’mnot careful I end up fiddling with several projects at the same time, and not getting much done on any of them. But you don’t want all your eggs in one basket.
I try to concentrate on one campaign for say, two weeks solid, and themmove to something else. Then I leave it to see what happens, which I then start another different project. (I don’t do much PPC so I don’t have to watch things like a hawk).
Zander
March 25th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
you now i hate the term you used “if you’re not ready to feel like you’re going to lose everything and everything will fall from under your feet, apply at your local Radio Shack” Because so many website says this if you don’t want spend money to make money go get a job! There are free ways to make online which wealthy affiliate talks about. I just hate the term if you don’t…… Who the f are you. Everything you said was very in general and common sense stuff
March 26th, 2009 at 8:25 am
I found the first and fourth ones to be about the most true. Learning to deal with the first one has always been a problem for me.
March 28th, 2009 at 10:54 am
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March 31st, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Lovely post…it is really helpful. I would want to thank the author for writing this article.
I really appericiate your ideas & i am totally with it.
I would reccomand this to you, these are very helpful.
I didn’t know about these before, but after reading it my knowledge has increased.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Some really creative and wonderfully enlightening concepts were presented. This certainly adds a glow to the genre of items being presented.
April 4th, 2009 at 6:00 am
No marketing guru would share his ultimate secret. True you can scrape off some basics. But the true and ultimate weapon will always be hidden and can be uncovered only by trial and errors
April 10th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Thank You for some really powerful tips and will surely help me to improve my results with my campaign and offers selection ……..
April 10th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Lovely article …it is really helpful. I would want to thank the author for writing this article.I really appericiate your ideas & i am totally with it. I would reccomand this to you.
April 13th, 2009 at 2:13 am
I agree. For poker players this is very common as well. Huge upswings, downswings, it’s just part of the game. “Just don’t let emotions overpower your intelligence.” Accept it and move on.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:09 am
I think that the tips you have given are practically very well applicable. Your spirit of sharing this advantageous post with all is commendable. Thanks.
November 9th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I ‘m not a internet marketer, but article is interesting for me.