Affiliate Marketing - SEO Dependent

seo the only place where affiliates can compete?

[Bio4ce]

It seems as though if you want to be a successful affiliate, you must be effective with seo. Are the high PPC prices and therefore, lower margins, forcing affiliates to market strictly via seo?

My personal experience has been that ppc tends to disappoint more than pleasantly surprise. Maybe I'm just spoiled by free search.

[carneddau]

I think this is determined by two factors:

1. The commission value for a sale.
2. Your experience/skills with PPC.

Some affiliate programs make is impossible to consider using PPC as a means of generating sales due to the combination of low commission and low unit cost. These kind of products will only be viable using free search listings. Higher priced products with higher commissions can be PPC'd at a profit to the affiliate but this largely comes down to point 2. You need a lot of experience with PPC to get consistent results. The good thing about it is that with some work you can see results. Unfortunately by the time you get it right there are 75 other affiliates who have discovered the same niche :)

[Michael Anthony]

I make loads from PPC - you just need to improve your campaigns, for which I suggest plenty of reading on here!

[skibum]

You can definitely clean up with just PPC. It takes a lot of testing, lots of research into affiliate programs, some out of the box thinking, and usually a decent test budget to get started. Set aside at least a grand you can afford to lose.

As some PPC campaigns have been running for more than a year now, seasonality patterns are starting to emerge as well.

[goodroi]

PPC, newsletters, forums are just a few areas to make money outside of SEO. SEO is the most accessible to everyone which is why some people think it is the only way.

[AW_Learner]

I make loads from PPC - you just need to improve your campaigns, for which I suggest plenty of reading on here!

You mean right now you make loads from PPC right? No slowing of sales that other people talk about with this time of year or just general slowing as the number of PPC advertisers grow?

How many different PPC Search Engines do you run the same campaigns with?

[mfishy]

ppc tends to disappoint more than pleasantly surprise.

I would agree, but when it does work, it's like stealing candy from a baby...not that I have tried, well unless it's really good candy :)

[shelbeesmom]

Yes I agree....I've spent close to $2,000 and probably have made back in commissions arount $1200. I have searched HIGH and low for the "google secret" to advertising ads with PPC.
Now, I feel pretty confident that it's not ME....just my choices of who I choose to advertise with.
If I can get 68 clicks in 998 impressions and with a 7.6 CTR....I'm on my way.
There is no ONE google secret....just many and they vary.
I've been doing this for 6 months and I love it! Lots of potential for major bucks here....
I'm gonna keep on keeping on...
Shelbeesmom

[Bio4ce]

With my experience in ppc, I'm fairly sure the choice of market and merchant to promote has been my downfall. The market was competitive and the merchant couldn't convert. Bad combination.

I think sometimes people overlook the fact that the merchant has to convert the traffic. It might not always be your ads or position.

Being that I'm more familiar with seo, I can spend some time with a site, get some links, and wait for results. If the results are unsatisfactory, I haven't lost too much. Expermenting with ppc can be costly if you aren't careful.

Learning curve I guess.

[fclark]

ppc exclusively -- and profitable.

(wish I could seo worth a damn)

[chrisnrae]

I have a good friend making a killing exclusively in PPC, yes, right now. He wouldn't know SEO if it bit him on the butt. He seems to have a talent for it though.

PPC isn't all bid and watch. You have to have a knack for picking good programs, finding good keywords and creating killer ad copy. My opinion anyway ;-).

[defanjos]

PPC works. It takes a lot of testing, but once you have a winning campaign set-up, it could make money month after month without much maintenance.

Also, like someone already mentioned, don't quit if you lose a grand at the start. You will lose money in some campaigns.

Don't forget to use a card that offers some kind of rewards - miles, money back, etc.
I use the Amazon visa and a miles card to pay for my PPC, and I now get all my DVDs for free, plus a free trip here and there :)

[skibum]

I would agree, but when it does work, it's like stealing candy from a baby

The way work was meant to be! :)

[AW_Learner]

I have a good friend making a killing exclusively in PPC, yes, right now

Thanks! I just needed to hear it. Encouragement booster...