Getting Started

Which comes first, the traffic or the ads?

[Metaphorically]

Suppose that I have a site that I'd like to start using for affiliate marketing. I originally developed the site for a small local part-time business. Now I'm seeing that beyond just making a place for my local customers to find me, I can derive revenue by placing affiliate links on the site. I don't want to rely on winning the SEO game if I don't need to. If I can bring visitors in through PPC, give them some value through a product overview, then send them on their way to make a purchase, I'd be happy with that.

I've started looking at affiliate networks and find that many have traffic requirements before a site can join. That makes sense to me, but my site has very little traffic so far. I don't want to do much PPC until I have some way to make up that cost. Should I just start with Amazon (no minimum traffic) and build up, or is there something else I can do to make the PPC and (potential) revenue start around the same time?

[webmastertexas]

I'm not sure about your question, but I've never had an affiliate I applied with ask for my visitor/traffic. They just want to make sure the site meets their requirement -- i.e. theme. But if you're talking about banner advertisers, those do require certain minimum numbers.

[Metaphorically]

I read a lot of posts on this forum to find some affiliate programs, then I went to apply for a few. I went to Casale and they require 10,000 uniques per month and Burst Media requires 5,000 page views per month. I have another site that gets close to 10,000 uniques a month, but not the one that I want to use these ads on.

Are these two just banner advertisers? I didn't pick that up through the marketese.

Since I first posted this I applied with Fastclick (I know they are just banners) and Performics. I saw no traffic minimums on either of them.

I expect I'll place the banners on my existing content then build more content that's geared toward the affiliates (linking to products). With any luck, I can get paid through whichever link a user decides suits them. Can this be profitable even if I have to pay for users to come in (through PPC advetising)?

[webmastertexas]

Fastclick is not very demanding. I'm sure they'll take you. That's why their rates have fallen through the floor. They are just not a very discerning banner advertiser, although they do provide the most, since, well, they'll generally take any site, and generally accept any advertisers. Take that for what you will.

[voices]

I used to see aff programs that asked traffic a lot, not so much anymore. I just made something up if it was a new site with no traffic.