Forum Moderators: skibum
My ignorant preference is for websites with organic serps, and some PPC to drive traffic. Costs are much lower than PPC to merchant campaigns, with the benefit that you (may) be building a lasting online property to build on.
Anyone else agree/disagree with that view?
If the ROI is huge from PPC, I do some SEO but tend to leave the PPC running anyway.
Can't see why one should choose really, unless budgets for PPC are limited.
One day, one of my sites will be ranked in the top 10... one day.
Fididibah:
there are a lot of non competitive keywords that your sites can rank on top 10 for, if they don't already. Unless you're talking the likes of Alexa top 10 or something.
the matter of choice for one over the other is strictly because of limited resources, be it money or time.
Not necessarily. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think G&O started letting AMer's link directly to the merchant just over a year ago. I think G was first.
Whenever this happened, it meant AMer's no longer had to invest time and money in a website to generate AM money. It meant AMer's could identify an opportunity and be up and running (testing) in a matter of hours.
There are risks with sending traffic directly from the SE's to the merchant. You are paying for the traffic sent to the merchant so your beliefs better be accurate.
I prefer PPC direct to merchants because it allows me to be quick and nimble, market a variety of products. And it allows me to test my beliefs in almost real-time.
I prefer PPC direct to merchants because it allows me to be quick and nimble, market a variety of products. And it allows me to test my beliefs in almost real-time.
Good points. I'd say building sites is a safer bet with a longer term potential - assuming it works. PPC is riskier, gets results faster, but you have to have the guts to put your money down and you're always cycling through products.
Specially for newbies, PPC can be mostly a losing bet. When I tried it I've never been able to get more than 20% return on PPC to merchants. Now, oddly, using PPC to drive traffic to one of my sites, I get 100% return. Go figure. Of couse, I'm talking about putting $10-$20 down a day and getting $20-$40 back.
Uhm - if I can find a keyword that I can spend $100/day and make $200 back...*light blub* easy way to $100/day...or even 3-4 keywords like that!
The more I think about it, the more I believe it's incredibly easy to make $100/day....
and you're always cycling through products
Not in the sense that you are discarding programs right and left. You are pausing ads until it's time to reactivate. If I found a widget that was a good seller around Christmas I would run those ads from say October to December. Then I would pause them until next year. Assuming the widget wasn't a fad sale.
There are some incredible seasonal opportunities in AM. Don't forget, traditionally many retailers make between 30-50% of their gross annual sales during Christmas.
There are some incredible seasonal opportunities in AM. Don't forget, traditionally many retailers make between 30-50% of their gross annual sales during Christmas. AMer's can too.
Rbarker: thank you for the wake up. I did forget. I read it elsewhere how webmasters are gearing up for the shopping season, but it didn't hit the chord to strike to action. Those numbers really underline the importance of riding the waves and being ready for when they come!
