Owner doesn't like Affiliates

[Indigo_la]

Alright. I'm facing a little bit of a problem here. It seems to me that web advertising is moving toward Affiliate programs. especially in the Entertainment/Shopping/Travel areas. However, my sites owner doesn't like affiliates.

He feels they are a one way relationship where all the benefits go to the advertiser while the publisher does all the work. And I tend to agree...

So has anyone had any experience getting Advertisers that offer affliate programs to go ahead and buy ads (perhaps at a lower CPM) instead?

[mjames]

Affiliate programs can be very productive if you use them properly. The same goes with other advertising mediums. If you use them inproperly and get poor results, you could say they are inefficient, too.

I also disagree on the fact that affiliate programs are replacing regular advertising. Sponsorships, text-based ads, and other new types of ads are just evolving as we speak. SitePoint is a great example of how to make money without pushing banners and pop-ups in front of your face.

[jaiem]

I agree with James. The prudent use of affiliate programs can help a lot!

IMO, you have to select affiliates that add value to your site. If your site is about golf don't have cooking affiliates. If your site is about real estate don't have domain services affiliates.

IOW, think of affiliates as adding a product/service for sale on your site that you either can't or won't offer yourself. IOW, you are "out sourcing" the product/service and get paid a commission for the sale.

Also, you have to place the affilaite links properly. Don't just throw up some banners or buttons and expect good sales. People see that all the time and ignore them.

Finally, pick good companies and as much as possible a reliable affiliate managing company.

Good luck.

[Lihongjun]

Affiliate programs, the new technology and internet marketing, is good to advertisers, but not good to publisher, I have worked for a IT company, they charge some advertiser ad fees to put a banner on their main site, but the IT company is ****, sorry to my boss, they have earned a big bucks because of that many advertiser do not understand what CTR is. So affiliate programs is the only way to protect advertisers, after deal, pay the fees.

But for me, an honest publisher, can not earn big bucks easily, since I shoud spend a lot of time to promote the affiliate programs!!!

please come on to my site and share ideas.

[RKuhle]

Good affiliate programs are great for both the advertiser and the publisher, not just the advertiser. In order for an affiliate program to be successful, the advertiser and the publisher must work together to produce the best results. Communication is very important between parties, as it will help increase sales and profits for both advertisers and publishers.

It's not right to blame advertisers for all poorly converting affiliate programs, a lot of times the poor conversion rates are due to non-targeted products, poor ad copy, and traffic full of "clickers".

Didn't you just post in another thread recommending affiliate programs, now you're saying they don't work?

[Lihongjun]

it is work, I just want to say that my ex-boss is a cheat.

[RKuhle]

Originally posted by Lihongjun
But for me, an honest publisher, can not earn big bucks easily, since I shoud spend a lot of time to promote the affiliate programs!!!

Nobody can earn big bucks easily without doing some initial hard work, that's life. Keep working hard and always strive to better yourself, some day all that hard work will pay off.

Don't worry about spending all your time promoting your affiliate programs. Focus spending your time promoting your website, since your website is doing the affiliate program promotion for you.

As a fellow SPF member has once said, "don't put your horse in front of the carriage." First get quality traffic and content, then the money will come.