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The Top 5 Myths About Affiliate Programs (continued, part 2)
2-The More the Merrier
Many webmasters new to affiliate programs
have the tendency to think that the more programs they join, the better their chances for
success will be. The logic behind this is that, like a shopping mall, the more choices you
offer, the better your chances are that your visitor will find something that interests
them. However, on the Internet, this rarely holds true.
Most Internet users are online
with a specific purpose in mind. They are looking for info on a medicine they have been
prescribed, reading up on the latest sports news, or they are searching for the best
affiliate programs to promote on their site. They are not looking for a shopping mall, but
rather a specialty shop.
This is why it is so important to
carefully select affiliate programs that fit your visitor's interests. Promoting too many
programs at once can not only make your site slow loading and unprofessional in
appearance, but also dilute each program's chances for success by confusing your visitors
with too many choices.
3-Just Add Banners
Banner Ads. They have grown to be almost
everywhere. Their effectiveness ranges from outstanding to absolutely abysmal.
Unfortunately, for most affiliate programs, banner ads often are closer to the abysmal
state. A variety of Internet studies, including my own informal poll of ClickQuick
visitors, have shown that banner ads are often the worst performers for affiliate program
links.
Previous articles have touched on
this subject, but text links with personal testimonials promoting a product or program are
still one of the best ways to promote affiliate programs. See a previous
article for more information on testimonials.
Even
better, web sites that completely embed affiliate programs into
their site often see the greatest success. For example, a dating
site that provides valuable content and seamlessly integrates
the One
and Only affiliate program so that their visitors never even
realize they are using an affiliate program.
4-Up and Running in Minutes
Many of the affiliate programs today offer instant affiliate approval. Many also claim
that you can be earning commissions within minutes. Technically, this is true. But, in the
real world, a bit more effort on your part can go a long way towards improving your
chances of success with the program.
Continue
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