Using Independent Affiliate Programs

So, you are finally interested in affiliating a specific product, only to find out it's not on one of the big name affiliate networks. Guess what, PepperJam Network and CJ don't have all the affiliate programs out there and sometimes the smaller guy can pay bigger commissions by eliminating the middle man. That's why I also use independent affiliate programs in conjunction with the big networks

Affiliate Espionage Update For FireFox 3.5

There needs to be an update made so that Affiliate Espionage Fire Fox plugin will work with the latest release v3.5. Like an idiot, I went ahead and upgraded my browser, without first waiting for a release by the plugin developer. Hopefully I won't have to wait too terribly long.This plugin has proved priceless for a few of my Adword campaigns and has provided me with a wealth of keyword ideas.

What Makes A Landing Page Suck

Scoring a sale is more than just getting a visitor to click, it requires a sales technique projected through a quality landing page. Unfortunately, living in a world where visitors have the attention span of a gnat, we see landing pages being chocked full of flashy text telling the consumer what they want to hear. This does not always translate into a sale and more times than not will

Bing Not Showing Up As A Search Engine

Those of you keeping a close eye on your web stats over the past few days may have noticed that Bing is not being recorded as a search engine. As of now I've been using HiStats for my reporting and it lists Bing underneath referral websites, instead of search engine referrals. This may be happening with other tracking programs as well, so keep an eye out.As far as Bing is concerned, I've been

Automatically Generate Amazon Product Posts

This is another great WordPress plugin I've been using to help populate my blogs with product posts. Amazon Auto Poster was created by Lunatic Studios and is available for immediate download for free or $29.99 for a premium version.Basically this WP plugin will automatically generate posts, complete with comments, reviews, and descriptions from Amazon. Simply enter a keyword, starting point,

Chitika Big Ass Ad

Believe it or not, there is a reason ads are placed in obnoxious places on websites, it's because they convert. Chitika has just released a giant ad, which converts awesome, but can look a little out of place on some websites. But, if it converts and you don't lose visitors, what's to lose?According to Chitika the new 550x250 ad is generating close to 4 times more clicks than the next closest

Server Woes With CPC Affiliate Marketing

Like a lot of affiliate marketers I follow a very basic and simplified plan. I build a website, add content, some affiliate links, and then for immediate traffic create an Adwords campaign to start bringing in the buying customers. Obviously this is oversimplified but is extremely effective when everything jives. This week is not one of those weeks.My dedicated host at ManageMyBox has decided

3 Ways To Make Money Without A Website

So, you've heard of this magical place online that allows you to generate income from home, but you are too scared to drop $10 on a domain and $5 per month on hosting. No problem! There are plenty of free solutions to that predicament, although not optimal, it's possible to make money through affiliate marketing without even owning your own website. Let's look at 3 ways you can start

Contest Sponsorship

Just some brain storming going on in this post, nothing more, nothing less. I think I want to start sponsoring some big contests on other websites. Considering with simple prizes thrown up for grabs, it's possible to earn some decent back links and brand recognition that would cost a fortune in Adword campaigns.Here's the problem, I'm having issues finding blogs and websites that are actively

Find Out Working PPC Keywords For $9.99

I know I've already reviewed the Affiliate Espionage Fire Fox plugin before, but I just can't stop praising this PPC tool. There is no question it's already saved me money and most importantly has showed me who my main competitors are or will be shortly. It's an evolution and Affiliate Espionage indicates what may be trouble for me later. Well worth the paltry $9.99 entry fee.For example, I'm

Affiliate Programs For Easter

Looking to make a few extra bucks by cashing in on the Easter Holiday? Well, join the ranks and help what the Affiliate Networks will hopefully be a successful holiday. But what sells well for Easter, obviously it's a religious holiday, but what could an affiliate sell online that they normally wouldn't.Think Candy!Yes, people order candy online all the time, but really start placing online

How I Spark Creative Juices

Just like anyone else I'll get in a slump, where creating content feels like an exercise in futility. However, I have found a tried and true method that gets me going every time and I've put into practice over the years. To spark my own creative juices I simply change my sites template or theme.That's right, after a little font changing, few graphics here, more whitespace there, my creative

Follow Affiliate Networks On Twitter

Part of staying up to date on all things money-making oriented requires a lot of tools, but most recently the tool I'm using most has been Twitter. Many of the most popular affiliate networks are already using Twitter to keep in touch and offer updates to their affiliate program users, publishers, advertisers etc. The latest affiliate network I've been following has been the

Defeat Image Frames Like Google Image Search

One of my sites has always received a lot of Google Image Search traffic. Which is great, except they usually bounce immediately and I always suspected it was because of the way Google frames the image results at the top of the page. This keeps the visitor from actually needing to visit the site and potentially read on about more content or images on my automotive blog.Thanks to some handy

Automatically Update Twitter With WordPress

Twitter is great for followers, but not so great if you are already to busy to even drop 140 characters in a clean submit box. So, to kill two birds with one stone I've begun using a plugin for WordPress that automatically updates twitter with my latest blog post and a TinyURL link back to my blog. This is not my only method of twittering, but it helps fill in a lot of gaps where I'm busy

Creating Affiliate Focus

Perhaps I'm not the only one in the situation where my mind races and I get a ton of ideas in any single day. It's a curse, that doesn't allow me to focus on a single program and perhaps maximize my earnings before moving on. Arguably it's a benefit, since not all my eggs are in one basket, but it's a hindrance since I won't realize the upper tier earnings of one specific program.Although it's

Fast and Easy Keyword Research – Affiliate Espionage Versus Other Keyword Tools

Which keyword research approach do you like?Do you want to be in and out of there and pick out the exact information you need – the wham bam thank you maim approach?Or do you like to dig right down into the nitty gritty and trawl through a lot of data to find all the keywords you need?If you favor the quick approach, then Affiliate Espionage is for you, however if you like to dig and analyze data

Bad Economy Equals Lower Prices and Lower Commissions

No doubt the economy is effecting online purchasing as well, which is trending towards lowering prices. These lower prices, coupons, etc are translating into obviously lower commissions. Where a referred visitor may purchase an average of $200 worth of product, with coupons and lowered pricing, the average may be down as low as $100.So what's the best way to compete with lower commissions,

Watch For Canceled Affiliate Programs

It's a tough economy and it's not just affecting the typical brick 'n mortar. At an increased rate I've been receiving notifications that some of the affiliate programs I'm using are closing or potentially running low on funds in their Network accounts. It requires careful attention so that you, the affiliate, are not the one left out to dry.First, make sure the affiliate network you are signed

Pepper Jam Network inText Ads Beta

No matter how experienced of an affiliate you are, a good affiliate is constantly looking for new tools to increase conversion. The most recent tool that I've found to help increase revenue is the PepperJam Network inText Ads, which works in conjunction with the eBay affiliate program.Essentially the PJN inText Ads provide java script that you insert into any web page. This will then convert a

Blog Scrapers Beware

The Google Adsense blog today made readers aware of a system that would allow content creators to report those who steal their content and monetize with Adsense. It is inferred that the original content creator should attempt to contact the thief responsible, but if all else fails a complaint should be registered through the Google help center.It's our policy to respond to notices of alleged

Recommended Free Landing Page Templates

A blank landing page template can go a long way to helping an affiliate get on their feet. A landing page template can also save time, money, and help keep you motivated to taking the next step. Generally that next step is an Adwords campaign or the beginning of SEO, an already daunting task.Below is a list of Free Landing Page Templates that I prefer using:Free Landing Page 1 - No pictures,

Affiliate Marketing Plugins I Use

I don't use a whole lot of affiliate tool plugins, but the ones I do use, I'd hate to ever be without. This will be my first installment on tools that I recommend any affiliate marketer use, not matter how experienced you are.These tools are not magic and will not just produce sales for you. However, they will help automate a lot of the manual labor involved with keyword and niche

Online Advertising In A Down Economy

"I know I waste half the money I spend on advertising, I just don't know which half."This old statement about not knowing how effective advertising is becomes especially true in a down economy. The good news is that when advertising online you have a much broader audience than typical brick 'n mortar businesses, so reach becomes a large factor. But most importantly, don't shy away from using

Amazon Commission Tiers And How To Improve

Amazon.com offers a great affiliate program, if you know how to market it properly and optimize your commission tiers. There are 2 basic complaints that come about in the popular webmaster forums when it comes to the Amazon affiliate program, which is it's short cookie duration and it's low commission payout. While there is not a whole lot we can do about the cookie duration, there are actions