Affiliate marketing is not something that comes naturally to bloggers. The usual route is just blogging, then cracking the SEO code, waiting for traffic and when traffic comes monetizing the site with Google AdSense. Those who are a bit more advanced go into Buy sell ads but even for high traffic sites buy sell ads doesn’t make them a lot of money.
As of now Google Adsense is not the preferred ad program by bloggers because they have realised that they can make more money with affiliate marketing and selling their own stuff. When I was introduced to blogging the only thing that I knew was Google Adsense.
I literally lived by that term. Indian bloggers can’t monetize their site with AdSense until 6 months and I was waiting like a prisoner waiting for the last day of the sentence for trying to apply to Google Adsense. All my dreams came crashing down when I was rejected, yes I was rejected.
I tried a lot of other ppc programs like infolinks, bidvertiser, chitika but essentially they are all crap for low traffic blogs and the big blogs do not need them.
It was then that I learned about affiliate marketing. Sell products of other people on your site. If you want to be rich quickly promote crap but remember that, that will be the only sale you will be making to that person. If the customers of iPhone bought only one of it then Apple wouldn’t have become the world leader in smartphones. Every Apple launch gives mini orgasms and ejaculations to people.
Affiliate marketing v/s ppc marketing
Pay per click is another form of affiliate marketing. The thing is that you are not the one selling products. People go from your site to another site selling something and if someone buys something they make a killing.
What do you make? 25 cents!! If your site is not structured for affiliate marketing then make it one. The truth is that if you build they will come. They have to come because you are the one building it.
For a long time I was fiddling with unprofitable sites until realised the truth that big blogs are making money not because of the sheer expanse of numbers but because they are talking about big things.
True,lot of people are joining the mad race but then if you have an intense, over powering desire to win the game then you are going to win it.
Initially Google doesn’t bring traffic to a new site. But who needs Google for traffic. If you post good content on a high traffic site like a forum then people seeking more from you will come to you. Even if you are located in the woods they will make a beaten path to your home just because you are providing something of value.
You don’t need mindless horde of numbers. You need interested people. That’s the technique of doing business.
How do you sell affiliate products or services if you are a newbie?
The worst thing to starting a new blog is starting a new blog. You don’t have traffic, you don’t have ranks, you don’t get comments and there’s no chance of making a dime until many months later. How do you sell an affiliate product or your own thing? Do you know who has survived the Panda effect?
They are forums. Forums do not need Google to survive. They are their own tribe, self sustaining and thriving despite anything. Forums also offer a place to show off your talent. Join a forum based on your interest and start helping people.
When you offer advice that is really helpful people start noticing you and paying you back. This may be in the form of visits to your signature link or additional questions fro help. Whatever they need you.
And now you can offer something related to their need and do the thing called affiliate marketing. See you are in business and making money and you did not require Google for that. Better yet is creating your own product adding those people and making them repeat visitors.
If you want to know more about making a profitable list then drop a comment below.
Raplus
I think it depends on our niche. If we are running entertainment blog it is very hard to make money from affiliate marketing . But we are running technology blog or blogging blog I think affiliate marketing is better way to make money. 🙂
George
I did not look through that angle but even then I believe that we can find affiliate products. In my previous blog I promoted free recharge offers and made money.
Roshan Jacob
Hello,
Great post about affiliate marketing vs ppc marketing but i think ppc is also part of affiliate marketing.It’s great to make money online.
Rudy P
I don’t use Adsense anymore because High Risk! You never know when your website get banned! Now I’m try to use affiliate program.