Affiliate Article Update (English)

Affiliate Programs... Who's Really Making The Money?

2007-04-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

By Gillian Tarawhiti

There will be a million and one affiliates out there who will tell you that the affiliate program they promote is going to be the best one for you.

But have you considered who is really making the money and who gains the most out of affiliate programs.

Let's take a step back and look at the AFFILIATE.

What exactly is the role of the affilate?

* The sole purpose of the affiliate is to PROMOTE the product and/or service

What are the benefits of being an affiliate?

* Get paid a minimal commission that is regulated by the owner of the product/service

In short, As an affiliate it is your responsibility to make someone else rich whilst doing all the hard work. You take on the expenses of advertising, you are the one who usually misses out on subscribers if you haven't first made them your client before they buy the product/service you are promoting.

And all this for what??? Maybe $20 per sale if you are really, really lucky.

You also need to remember that when you are an affiliate, YOU are not the only person promoting that very same product/service.

So what will make your offer any different to someone else who is promoting the exact same product, usually using the same sales technique, offering it at the same price.

To be in the top 5%, which is the amount of affiliates who make more than $100.00 per month, you need to first have a really good, clean, targeted subscribers list of more than 50,000 subscribers, know exactly how to gain targeted traffic, and have a huge advertising budget.

For the other 95%, the only way you are going to make alot of money from and affiliate program is to OWN YOUR OWN.

It really isn't as hard as you might think to set up.

So in conclusion, the best AFFILIATE PROGRAM, obviously is the one you OWN.

About the Author:

Gillian Tarawhiti, is Founder and CEO of Community Training Centre, an Internet Marketing firm providing Online Training and Support to the new and not so new netpreneurs. Gillian is also the author of eBay Billion Dollar Goldmine and the creator of the Multiple Ripple Effect System © 2004.

Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to http://www.ezy-money.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gillian_Tarawhiti

Amazon has released a brand new way for webmasters to make money: Context Ads

2007-03-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

by WILL KALIF

Amazon has released a brand new way for webmasters to make money: Context Ads E-Commerce,Affiliate Programs,Website Promotion Amazon’s New tool for Webmasters: Context Links Amazon.com is currently running a new program in Beta called Context Links. This looks like it is going to be an excellent tool to help webmasters increase revenue from their websites.

Context links are very similar to google adsense ads in that you place a snippet of code on your website, amazon reads the page, understands what it is about, and displays products that are relevant.

This is a significant development for several reasons. First off you, as a webmaster, no longer do you have to worry about amazon products going out of stock. It can be a lot of work going over your products and replacing all the code for the products no longer in stock at amazon.com. Context ads solve this problem. It will display only up to date products.

A second big benefit is that you can very specifically gain from the massive intelligence that amazon is gathering about its customers. Do you get email from amazon? Do you log into their site often? Ever notice how the main page changes based on your browsing and shopping habits? They have gathered information from you and from millions of other shoppers and this means they know what might be of interest to you. You can leverage this intelligence by using context ads. Now when you create a content page you can let amazon figure out what products would best be sold within that page.

A third benefit is that this will actually offer your web visitor a better shopping experience. Let me explain. You are a webmaster and that means you probably have some expertise in the subject area of your website. But do you know everything? Do you know about all the most popular products in your subject? Of course you don’t. There are too many things to know and too little time in the day. But Amazon knows. And they will display these things in context ads. You leverage their intelligence to your gain (and their gain).

Extraordinary Control over what is displayed
There is one significant thing about context links that make them very attractive and better. This is that you as the webmaster are given quite a lot of control. They give you all the usual Amazon type controls that you are probably already familiar with such as size, color, look and layout. But there is one extra level of control that will have a significant impact on how well context ads do on your site. That is the ability to mark, with some simple html, exactly which portions of your page you want to be analyzed or not analyzed for the content ad placement.

This is a tremendous tool for you as a webmaster. It will allow you to finely tune what you want them to place on your page.

Context Ads are currently in Beta and I am not sure how wide they are offering it to their affiliates but if you have an affiliate account log in and check to see if you have access to it. I recommend you start using and testing it right away! If you have a website and are not an affiliate of Amazon.com I highly recommend you sign up! This looks like it could be a very successful tool that will significantly impact your click through rates.

For more Creative Webmastering Information from the Author visit his website at: The Creative Webmaster – Forging the Iron of Creativity on the Anvil of a Website
If you are a beginner to Webmastering or really want to learn how to do it visit his totally free tutorials for beginners at: How to make a website that you love and that makes you money

http://amazines.com/Affiliate_Programs/article_detail.cfm/228011?articleid=228011

How To Optmize Your Landing Page

2007-03-05T07:13:00.000-08:00

How To Optmize Your Landing Page
By Darren Yates

page optimized for your Pay Per Click campaigns can increase your sales or desired action by 400%. I've witnessed it myself.

I’m going to reveal some very exciting techniques and tactics in this article that will explode your ROI by showing you how to optimize your landing pages way beyond what you might expect.

So here goes.

Your landing page should be seen as part of your ad. They should work together.

For best results you should build or modify a page specifically for your Pay Per Click campaign. Optimize the path you want people to take on visiting your site. It may make sense to strip out almost all your navigation, certainly remove any banners or links to other offers you may have.

Here's a quick list of key points to consider -

• Keep your original objectives (sales, leads, opt ins) in mind.

• Refer to specific keywords, offers, and calls to action on your landing pages.

• Make your landing page navigation as simple as possible. Even to the point of removing all links bar the required action link e.g. the buy or submit button.

• Remove unnecessary distractions, streamline your page to get the required action.

• Help people get what they want in three clicks or fewer.

• Don’t create obstacles that discourage easy sales transactions.

It seems like a lot to remember but most of it is common sense.

Focus on getting your prospect to do one thing, simple single page sales letters work. I'll reiterate we are focusing here on making your prospect do the one thing you desire of them, don’t distract them away from that.

Consider your site design. When it comes to website credibility criteria according to Joe public design is no1 at 46%. Believe it or not this is above a privacy policy, the copy or even the name and reputation of the company your prospect is dealing with. Superficial as it is having your site professionally designed will help win you customers.

Choose a landing page related to your ad don’t just link to the homepage unless it contains the relevant action you are trying to achieve.

Double check your ad url takes you to the correct page if your not linking directly to your home page. The last thing you need is to work hard on a campaign only to discover you're sending prospects to the wrong page. Again put yourself in their shoes and go through your page the way they would. What would they like to see what would reassure them, entice them and encourage them to take action?

Remember to check your log files for browse patterns. If you find a lot of prospects add a product to their basket but then leave, it could be that your checkout process is missing some vital ingredient e.g. you’re not reassuring them that they’re totally safe in using their credit card on your site.

Or what if your site breaks for some unknown reason at some point. Maybe people are trying to buy but getting an error on clicking through to your checkout. Run through everything. Check all your links are working on the landing page at least.

Most of all be upfront with your visitors strive to give them confidence in your page and your site. It’s always good to have contact details prominent, phone numbers, email and even your address. It gives the impression this is a real and accountable business.

For even more insider information on Pay Per Click landing page optimization and many other Adwords secrets and tactics, brought together after 3 years of using the Adwords system, visit my PPC Software site for the free Adwords Mini Course.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Yates

Your Landing Pages Are Costing You More Than You Think

2007-03-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

Your Landing Pages Are Costing You More Than You Think

read an interesting post entitled “Answering your landing page quality questions (part 1)” over at Inside AdWords that I thought needed to be disseminated and discussed:

Please keep in mind, that for the time being, this only affects contextually targeted ads, those ads shown on the Google network, not those ads shown on Google search.

In light of increased traffic due to shoppers turning to the net for many of their holiday purchases Google has updated their policies on landing pages; increasing your landing pages’ weight on your overall “quality score.”

What is a quality score and why does it matter?

Your quality score determines (in large part) how much you pay to advertise with Google. How much you pay for a click or impression.

Quality score is the overall score Google assigns to you as an AdWords advertiser using a number of different weights and factors in their calculation (including the performance of your ad and click through rate(s) of your campaigns for each keyword/ad combination).

Although this change and increased weight for landing pages is controversial and may lead to short-term, increased costs for many advertisers, its long-term benefits will far out weigh the immediate discomfort. By weighing and weighting landing pages Google is slowly connecting the final stage in advertising and marketing.

The weighting of landing pages gives advertisers an incentive to pay more attention to their landing pages (an often over looked link in the online marketing chain). This concentration on content will provide a better overall experience for end users, both the advertiser (in increased sales and conversions) and the visitor (who will have a better, more targeted, more appropriate web experience).

To understand why this is important and how it will help the industry you must understand how Google already implements the Quality Score in relation to click through rates (CTRs).

Initially the use of the quality score has helped motivate advertisers to more properly connect keyterms to ads.

The more appropriate an ad is to the keyterm searched for, the better overall click through rate and the better the account performs (and the less an advertiser has to pay to maintain a good ad position). For example if someone searches for “bicycle” and an advertisement appears for “Precision Cutlery” appears, the user will most likely NOT click on the ad. The advertiser is not targeting their ads correctly, linking inappropriate ads to keyterms. The “Precision Cutlery” ad is showing (impressions) many, many times, with relatively few clicks, bringing down the keyword and account’s overall CTR.

THE HIGHER YOUR QUALITY SCORE (BASED IN LARGE PART BY YOUR CTR) THE LESS YOU HAVE TO PAY TO MAINTAIN A GREAT RANKING

The difference in the bid price for an account that is optimized as opposed to one that is not is incredibly substantial. I have seen, for accounts bidding on the same terms, a difference of over 1000% in the amount bidders were charged per click for the about the same position. You need to constantly monitor your account.

By determining your Quality Score by factoring in landing page relevance and importance Google is making sure advertisers aren’t needlessly sending large amounts of quality traffic to a poor quality site. And, those advertisers that don’t conform (through landing page reinvention and testing) will continue to pay a premium over their competitors to have their ads running on the AdWords network.

Although this is only affecting contextual ads, I predict (and hope) Google extends this to all ads, their entire AdWords network.

Moral of the story: monitor and refine your landing pages!

Zachary Katkin is the founder of Naples Web Design Firm, Unique ID Web Design. Zach can be contacted via the company’s web site at http://www.webdesignid.com.

For more information on creating a successful website, or to have your website analyzed and evaluated by Naples Web Design Firm, Unique ID Web Design, please visit: http://www.webdesignid.com.

For general information on optimizing and tweaking your web site for visitors, search engines, traffic conversion, etc. please feel free to visit my blog at: http://www.thenapkin.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zach_Katkin

Accounting Outsourcing Services Helps in Balancing Financial Documents

2006-11-12T02:08:00.000-08:00

By: Michelle Barkley

Are you loaded up till your neck with your accounting work? Looking for a rescue operator? Accounting outsourcing services comes as a problem saver for you. Generally, workload increases at the time of tax season. This particular time brings tensions and worries about filling the taxes on time. It is mandatory for every accounting firm to balance all the accounts before filling taxes. Accounting outsourcing services tends to take you out of a difficult maze. The main aim of this service is to save you from problems that may crop up during tax sessions.

A variety of accounting work needs complete concentration, as slight negligence can lead to serious problems. Invoice generation, financial statements, balance sheets, profit and loss account, trial balance, pay roll processes and many other things have to be maintained with utmost care. All these financial documents act as the face of your company. And if it is not appropriate then you are sure to land up in quandary. Everyone knows that landing in problems at the time of tax filling session can waste a lot of important time. Outsourcing these services will save your money that would have been wasted in hiring a proper staff for managing such accounting tasks.

Accounting outsourcing services enables you to cut down the extra cost that is spent in managing a specialized staff for it. It is quite obvious that you will not keep a single person for managing these accounts. House allowance, gratitude, funds, bonus, handsome salary and advances are some of the ad-on that a staff gets. Just imagine that if you don’t have to give so much and still your work is done within less period of time. It will be one of the best “value for money” deal for you. This is one of the benefits accompanied with outsourcing services. On the other note, it will also improve the financial condition of your business as you save a lot.

Efficiency is required in managing and maintaining all the accounting documents. Outsourcing helps in managing other departments of your business that will reap benefits for you. Another positive point in outsourcing your accounting work is that professional at such firms has a knack of handling these matters. They are well qualified to perform this task and concentrate on these things only. Usually, handling outsourcing work enables them to handle these tasks only. They are specialized in handling such work and this efficiency is marked in their work.

The demand for outsourcing has been increasing, since this concept came into existence. Because of its advantages, outsourcing services has established their firm stand in the matter of handling accounting and related works. Its need increases especially at the time of tax session, as every company wants their accounts should tally and appropriate tax should be filled. Accounting outsourcing service has become mandatory for the over-burdened accounting firms. In fact, outsourcing firms complete the work in much less time as compared to the in-house staff.

Michelle Barkley is a CPA working for Ifrworld.She specializes in Accounting outsourcing,Bookkeeping outsourcing and Tax Returns Outsourcing.To know more about Accounting outsourcing services and to use the services visit http://www.ifrworld.com

http://www.articlepile.com/article11962.html

Paynet Systems - Credit Card Processing & Merchant Account Services for less!

2006-11-12T02:04:00.000-08:00

By: paynetsystems

Paynet Systems, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is a registered Merchant Service Provider of Wells Fargo Bank, NA. Paynet Systems has assisted over 15,000 customers with their electronic payment needs. Our services include access to Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover Card, Diners Club, checks, and every major ATM card nationwide.

Paynet Systems affirms our dedication to our clients by combining our experience, services, and promise of Consumer satisfaction into a package providing overall savings without compromising the high quality service your business deserves.
Our promise of Consumer satisfaction, achievements, and experience make Paynet Systems the clear choice.

Paynet Systems, Inc provides Credit Card Processing Services and Merchant Account Services to retail, wholesale, mail order, and E-Commerce businesses. By servicing all business categories, Paynet Systems is able to custom-tailor a program best suited for your specific business needs. Paynet Systems can enable your business to accept every form of payment available including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, checks, and every major ATM card network nationwide.

Merchant Services at Paynet Systems include access to all major credit cards and regional debit networks, cutting edge Check Guarantee Services with electronic deposit, and point-of-sale solutions that are priced not only to be competitive but also unbeatable!

Join and become an Affiliate and signup here Paynetsystems

http://www.articlepile.com/article11963.html

Various Approaches to Endure your Affiliate Marketing

2006-10-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

By: paynetsystems

Affiliate marketing sometimes brings revenues and sometimes gives the exasperating results.
For those who want to make a living on being an affiliate, it is thorny to generate revenues.
Here are some fundamentals for affiliate marketing that can help you in increasing the performances.

Soggy Cookies

Many merchants use cookies to track your referrals. As most people don't purchase on the first visit to a site, a cookie allows for potential referrals to be "tagged" with your affiliate ID so if they should purchase on a future visit, you will be still credited for the lead or sale. It's very important that before you invest any serious time and energy into promoting a merchant program that you test to see if the cookie setting function is working correctly and that the "expire" date is correct.

Multiple Payment Methods

Before you begin advertising any products or services as an affiliate of a network that also processes orders, check the merchant site carefully. If in doubt, contact the merchant before expending any further energy, no matter how good the commission rate is. 50% of $0.00 is still zero.

Monitor your affiliate arrangements

Even the most honest merchant has problems with their affiliate software from time to time, so it's important to be vigilant and regularly check cookies and merchant sites for changes that may affect your commissions. If ever in doubt, ask - but ask nicely. Never make accusations until you have all the information.

Become an affiliate and gain great commissions by joining Paynet Affiliate Programs

For more information on Affiliate Marketing, visit our website www.paynetsystems.com