Recommendations for Passive Income? Adsense or Clickbank? [Need Expert Opinion]

[pserra89]

I'm currently already running a successful ecommerce business. I'd like to set up something that I can come home everyday and work from 3-8 on. Something that in time will be maintainable from anywhere (and be more passive) instead of having and office, inventory and so on.

I'm really not sure where to start as there is so much fog on this forum.

I'm an experienced and seasoned internet marketer (more on the organic side), but I still value my time. This is not a post where you tell me how to do things (i already know how), but more so where to pave my road. What do you think is the best option for passive income? Adsense or Clickbank? Is there something I am missing?

I'm going to be rude and ask that only people with results and experience respond!

[Alexander Simons]

I would definitly say Clickbank, promoting a clickbank product can make you much more money than adsense, since you already know SEO, promoting a clickbank product would be the thing to do. When i was a newbie i had adsense but i soon realised that if you can SEO you will make more money promoting Clickbank products.

[TBInternetMarketing]

Originally Posted by pserra89

I'm currently already running a successful ecommerce business. I'd like to set up something that I can come home everyday and work from 3-8 on. Something that in time will be maintainable from anywhere (and be more passive) instead of having and office, inventory and so on.

I'm really not sure where to start as there is so much fog on this forum.

I'm an experienced and seasoned internet marketer (more on the organic side), but I still value my time. This is not a post where you tell me how to do things (i already know how), but more so where to pave my road. What do you think is the best option for passive income? Adsense or Clickbank? Is there something I am missing?

I'm going to be rude and ask that only people with results and experience respond!

Don't ignore Amazon either. It would be used as the same model as Clickbank, but you're then selling physical products instead. They seem to convert pretty well because people are already going into the process with the mindset of expecting to spend money. I've found that often with digital products you can get the same information for free if you look hard enough and as a result a lot of people don't want to pay money for information. No one expects to get an ice maker for free though which I think is why physical products convert really well.

[TryBPO]

Most people will give you advice to do what's worked for them, but it won't necessarily be best for you.

We've been doing quite well with AdSense and have been in the process of turning a part-time gig into a full-fledged business if it continues as it has. On our site, we give away the entire process for free, so it might be a good place for you to check it out and see if "our way" would work for you.

Due to the fact that you're already an experienced ecommerce seller, I would think something like Amazon or CJ would be a good affiliate route for you to take. Stick to some of the larger sites and send your potential buyers to a site that's proven to get purchases. I'm not a big fan of info products and would stay away from ClickBank, but that's my personal opinion and I don't know your thoughts or success there.

[dburk]

Hi pserra89,

I think you should try both and see which appeals more to you personally. Some people have better success with AdSense while others prefer Clickbank. There are advantages and disadvantages to each method of monetization.

If you choose the Clickbank path, I would recommend you develop and market your own digital products. If you are selling someone else's product as an affiliate marketer you will live and die by your choice of merchants and products.

AdSense is much easier, but you must comply 100% with program policies. If you are someone that likes to test the edge of what is legal, don't even think about AdSense you will end up banned from the program. If you are the type of person that likes to color between the lines then AdSense will be great.

[paulgl]

Nothing beats adsense. Clickbank needs too much work and attention.
Plus, their payment rules can be quite onerous for the average Joe.
In addition, a lot of clickbank products are just junk and can't be
advertised just anywhere. Amazon is easier, but they have banned
many states now. I'm currently looking into buy.com

Paul

[TryBPO]

Originally Posted by paulgl

Nothing beats adsense. Clickbank needs too much work and attention.
Plus, their payment rules can be quite onerous for the average Joe.
In addition, a lot of clickbank products are just junk and can't be
advertised just anywhere. Amazon is easier, but they have banned
many states now. I'm currently looking into buy.com

Paul

Paul,

Have you tried Google Affiliate Network or CJ? CJ has a ton of the larger companies there and plenty of products to offer. GAN has less, I think, but is probably more familiar being an AdSense guy.

I agree with you regarding Clickbank from the little I've looked at it. Aside from the attention...just a ton of junk there as well. Plus, why risk sending valued traffic to a questionably converting site when you can send them to a company that's REALLY done the split testing...

[RW]

I tried clickbank 2 or 3 years ago and was never able to make much from it as an affiliate. Adsense, on the other hand, has been much better to me; I think of it as my own personal money tree.

[hashbury]

I dont trust adsense very much, but I often find myself questioning the acuracy clickbanks stats. Like stated before their are ups and downs to every affiliate company. I also us CJ.com and have heard horror stories about them when an advertiser fails to pay or gets deativated.

What Im trying to say is I wouldnt just pick one method for passive income. You know dont put all your eggs in one basket thing. However if you just want to only use one source for your passive income, you should probably work on creating your own product. Sell it through as many avenues as you can, like clickbank ejunkie directly through pay and whatever else you can come up with.

Just my 2 cents on the passive income.

[pserra89]

I just feel dirty when I look through clickbank and some of the products available to market.

I really think the best way to go would be adsense, amazon and google affiliate network.

Thank you for all the feedback, if anyone has more... don't be shy!!

[paulgl]

Originally Posted by pserra89

I just feel dirty when I look through clickbank and some of the products available to market.

LOL!!! Then read their payment rules....I can't overcome the rules. I know
people who have sold $1,000+ and had to get friends to use a CC so
could fulfill the rules to get paid. That's crazy. Doable, but crazy.

But hey, some people do seem to make a bundle with clickbank. I don't
seem to have the knack.

As far as alternatives, I need something that has the same products as
amazon, especially books and music. Buy.com seems to foot the bill.

I just tried filling out the form, but it kicked me off saying they had an error
and could not save my form info. Looked like firefox was the problem or
something.

Paul

[pserra89]

Originally Posted by paulgl

I just tried filling out the form, but it kicked me off saying they had an error
and could not save my form info. Looked like firefox was the problem or
something.

Paul

Buy.com doesn't have the best customer service. We tried selling some products on there about a year ago with minimal result. They aren't very user friendly either. Amazon makes their affiliate program easy but they don't pay out that much (at least not from what i see).

I believe I can make the most with Click Bank, looking at their pay out. But, like I said... I feel kind of dirty with some of these products in the marketplace. What do you mean about not being able to get paid? How do you sell a product as an affiliate and not get paid due to a CC (credit card)?

[pserra89]

Originally Posted by TryBPO

Most people will give you advice to do what's worked for them, but it won't necessarily be best for you.

We've been doing quite well with AdSense and have been in the process of turning a part-time gig into a full-fledged business if it continues as it has. On our site, we give away the entire process for free, so it might be a good place for you to check it out and see if "our way" would work for you.

Due to the fact that you're already an experienced ecommerce seller, I would think something like Amazon or CJ would be a good affiliate route for you to take. Stick to some of the larger sites and send your potential buyers to a site that's proven to get purchases. I'm not a big fan of info products and would stay away from ClickBank, but that's my personal opinion and I don't know your thoughts or success there.

I have a technical question about flipping domains.

Say I have a domain on namecheap and I use hostgator for all my files.

someone then buys that domain and wants everything on it.

How do I transfer both the domain and the information from host gator? This is the only part that I've never done and can't work out in my head.

I figured this is the place to ask

[howsyamama]

Originally Posted by dburk

Hi pserra89,

If you choose the Clickbank path, I would recommend you develop and market your own digital products. If you are selling someone else's product as an affiliate marketer you will live and die by your choice of merchants and products.

AdSense is much easier, but you must comply 100% with program policies. If you are someone that likes to test the edge of what is legal, don't even think about AdSense you will end up banned from the program. If you are the type of person that likes to color between the lines then AdSense will be great.

I agree with dburk here. Just one example - I have promoted a Clickbank product on one of my sites over the past few months. Has substantial gravity and is 100% relevant for the niche I'm targeting. I've had hundreds of clicks, and not one purchase. Not even one clickthrough to the order page.

Many things could contribute to this of course, on my end and the merchant's. But after months of building traffic around what is supposed to be a converting product, it's tough to find it's not converting.

Anyway, Adsense (done legitimately and with some thought as to placement, etc.) PLUS traffic equals $. Period. Usually not a fortune (for one site). But if you can drive targeted traffic, people click. Create a few dozen sites with decent targeted traffic, and you're making some cash.

Also agree about finding other products, and in particular Amazon, since they are trusted by definition.

Good luck!
Adam

[ProvenViral]

If you want passive income, check out technicalwebsite.com - they can create adsense websites for you which makes money on just investments. It still works Some sites make around $500 per month on a passive income scale.

[Andrew S]

My big passive 3 are:

Google Adsense
Ebay Partner Network
Amazon Affiliate

These are used for my organic sites and I earn a decent amount from all 3.

If you're looking for a passive income then nothing gets better than Adsense, IMO. It's a low payer compared to affiliate programs but nothing beats just how easy it is to earn with it. Plus its very hands-off.