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NEWBIE ? - How do you present yourself for better conversions?

by EDIT
14 replies
Hey what's up everyone!

I am not only new to affiliate marketing, but I am new to interaction on a forum and obviously this forum, so this is my very first thread or post, or whatever it is called, that I have ever made on the internet so I apologize in advance if this is a super stupid question and if this is not the right place to post.

I just started getting into affiliate marketing about 5 to 6 weeks ago and upon googling about it, ran across this site which apparently is the place to be for all things related to making money online. I have gained a lot of valuable information in the short time that I have been lurking around this forum so I am hoping I will be able to get some valuable advice on this topic?

Although I have heard of terms like hosting, SEO, and word press, I had no idea what they actually were until just a few weeks ago. In the last month, I have created a website which I put some affiliate links on from Amazon, tried to gain traffic via social networks and have learned a TON so far just by doing this on my very first site.

Having said that, I decided that I should just start all over with a second site because I feel like I didn't pick a good niche to begin with and realized that I have made countless other mistakes that I do not want to repeat with my second attempt. I have my second site up with much better content and feel much better about the direction I am heading towards with this second site. My goal with this second site is to just make my first dollar online. I wanted to really just go through the motions with my first site so that I can gain experience in the process of creating a site, signing up for affiliate programs, etc.

With an abundance of information on the internet, speaking from my own experience as someone who surfs the internet, I know that if I run across a site that seems fishy, spammy, or whatever that I immediately get off that site and move on to the next one never to return to that site again. Now after I have made my first site, I have noticed that it really is not too difficult to get NOTICED online once you create a site, but what I have learned is that it is extremely difficult (atleast for me) to get HEARD and STAY HEARD once someone notices you.

Now I do understand, or at least I think I understand, that this all boils down to valuable content, but my question is what kind of strategies do you more experienced folks have to share with a newbie like myself in the PRESENTATION of that valuable content?

I realize that this may or may not boil down to the specific niches, ( I don't know. I'm a true newbie), but something tells me that there might be universal strategies to help engage a visitor and keep them on your site for longer and ultimately convert into sales?

So for example, have you noticed that certain colors on a website or certain wordpress themes works better than others for a certain purpose? Or Bigger type? smaller type? font type? Image sizes on sites? Positions of type and images on a site? Certain words or phrases to interlink?

A feature in word press that I discovered the other day was to be able to have a link open in a new window so that the user doesn't have to use the back button to get back on your site. Awesome, but what is the appropriate situation to use this feature to help my odds on conversions?

Things like this....basically, even if you are providing real and valuable content, how do you go about presenting it on your website so that it doesn't come across as spam and therefore scare off your visitors? I know from my own perspective that the first time I come across a site that I am suspicious of, I will never ever return to that site again and that is what I am trying to avoid! So in other words, I am trying to make a good first impression so that my visitors will be more inclined to either stay on my site for longer or return at another time or day.

God, I hope that makes sense and if you have gotten this far and are still reading this post, thanks! Sorry, I know I've written a lot but I have a TON of questions as I am entering into this world of affiliate marketing and ways to make money online.

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies and is able to help me out and as a side note, if you have any other valuable tips, links, advice, or information you think I can benefit from as a newbie that is not related to this post, feel free to share.
#conversions #newbie #present
  • Profile picture of the author DaleRodge
    I think the true answer to your question is to just use trial and error, we could all sit here all day and tell you what works best for US... but what matters most is what works best for YOU.

    There's tons of tips on this forum about increasing conversion, just run a search & you'll find endless amounts of info to read through that should get you on the right track to get started
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  • Profile picture of the author kayelex
    Dale is right. In this industry the best way to know if something works is to try it. Sometimes it isn't always best to copy what others are talking about because they may conveniently leave an important detail out of their instruction. Or, by taking action yourself you may stumble on something that works even better.

    Asking questions is great, and highly encouraged. But, taking action and trying things out has to be the next step. If you get stuck in the question loop, sometimes it is hard to get out of it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rory Singh
    I get the feeling that you may be too careful or even sceptical type of person.

    If you are like that, you will attract the people just like that and they may be too hard to please. I mean this in a good way.

    Don't try to get everything perfect or get your ducks in a row.

    This will only slow your 'creative' juices down and one of the reasons why so many good intentioned people quit this industry far too soon.

    When you write something, you have about 5 to 8 seconds to 'capture' someone's attention. Human beings are in deep trances all day long and you may just have to say something (in your title) that gets their attention and make them read further down your page.

    No one acquires this type of skill right away, so I would have to agree with the posters above that you are a unique individual who has 'your' own writing style.

    Always write just like how you talk.

    So don't just keep looking for the 'perfect' formula for success because it's different for everyone.

    The only way to learn around here is by: "DOING'
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  • Profile picture of the author Phil
    You've asked a bunch of very broad questions and there are many
    ways to answer you.

    But here's one from me:

    Find out the most pressing and urgent questions in your niche
    then provide answers to them on your site. Create one web page
    or article per answer, and make it as comprehensive as you can.

    If, on that page, you refer to any other question or answer, create
    a separate page for that and link to it. If you manage to answer
    someone's question on one page of your site, they may well click
    on your links to see what you have to say on other related issues.

    At the bottom of each page create a 'call to action' which provides
    a free download of a report that goes into further detail and invites
    the reader to enter their email address to receive updates on related
    content.

    Send out weekly emails to anyone who joins your list, with links to
    content on your website, or other related websites, with good content
    on them - become a trusted resource for your niche and you will have
    greater success.
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    • Profile picture of the author discrat
      That is good you have learned from mistakes with that first Website in only a month.

      Some people go for years before they realize they made a mistake.

      As far as not being seen as spammy ? Just make Content the chief focal point of your Site.
      And do not be too paranoid about what a visitor might think.

      Be bold



      - Robert Andrew
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      • Profile picture of the author EDIT
        WOW! WOW!! WOW!!! Thank you everyone for your advice. I am so glad I found this forum because I do feel kind of lost when it comes to all this. I know I will get it eventually, little by little, but right now the learning curve is HUGE for me so I cannot express my gratitude in you guys reaching out to a newbie like myself!

        Rory Singh, you are right! I am skeptical, especially when it comes to affiliate marketing and making money online. A part of that is because I have yet to make my first dollar, but more so because in doing research about making money on the internet, there is nothing but guys giving a spiel with their mansions and BMW's in the background asking for money from someone like myself, describing how easy it is to make a million dollars so yeah, I am very skeptical, especially since I keep reading about people getting scammed, etc. Sorry, but I don't find it very believable that anyone can make a million dollars overnight with very minimal effort!

        I have found some people online who are claiming to be making money on the internet who are the opposite of that, who preach hard work and effort so I am starting to believe that making money online might be a real thing. I am fine with putting in the work. I am willing to put in the hours if I know the direction is genuine, but until I start seeing some hard evidence, (i.e. a check that I can actually cash for money) then yes, I will be skeptical because I do not actually know anyone personally who has achieved this. Having said that, I am motivated to make my first dollar online just for that reason!

        And Rory, you are also correct in thinking that I am a perfectionist. That is true with all aspects of my life and is something that I am aware of that is holding me back in life which I am trying to take steps to correct! Recently, I discovered that my need for perfection = my fear of rejection so I am taking steps to start there first!

        Even if I never ever earn a dollar from all this, just learning how to create a website and learning about things like SEO, and how things work on the internet, etc. is in itself worth it to me!

        Thank you again everyone! Really appreciate it all and am looking forward to learning more during my journey in making my first dollar on the internet! Much appreciated!
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    • Profile picture of the author BernardR
      Originally Posted by Phil View Post

      You've asked a bunch of very broad questions and there are many
      ways to answer you.

      But here's one from me:

      Find out the most pressing and urgent questions in your niche
      then provide answers to them on your site. Create one web page
      or article per answer, and make it as comprehensive as you can.

      If, on that page, you refer to any other question or answer, create
      a separate page for that and link to it. If you manage to answer
      someone's question on one page of your site, they may well click
      on your links to see what you have to say on other related issues.

      At the bottom of each page create a 'call to action' which provides
      a free download of a report that goes into further detail and invites
      the reader to enter their email address to receive updates on related
      content.

      Send out weekly emails to anyone who joins your list, with links to
      content on your website, or other related websites, with good content
      on them - become a trusted resource for your niche and you will have
      greater success.
      Phil has nailed it for me ... find out what problems need solving in your niche and offer solutions. Do this well and watch the money roll in.

      All the best ... BIG TIP IS TAKE ACTION

      B
      Signature
      I created a 5 figure business in just 3 years, working from home using just my computer and mobile - click the link to read my story
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  • Profile picture of the author wn123
    Getting higher conversions is very easy. Simply promote products that people want to buy. With direct linking you can easily get 10% to 30% conversion rates so long as you go about things the right way.

    Lots of things don't matter. Content is totally irrelevant, as is the product but most people don't "get" this and think conversion has something to do with picking the right product or having great sales copy. It matters not one bit. It's all about intent.

    I get a 27% conversion rate with just 3 lines of content and a link.

    Products don't have conversion rates - keywords do.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shaolinsteve
    Originally Posted by EDIT View Post

    Now I do understand, or at least I think I understand, that this all boils down to valuable content, but my question is what kind of strategies do you more experienced folks have to share with a newbie like myself in the PRESENTATION of that valuable content?
    I find that the majority of people are looking to make money. However... rather than the quick "do this and watch commissions come flooding in" what they're not shown is really how to build a foundation or structure for their business.

    Also... don't fear to show yourself. Ideally you want to brand yourself and an Online Marketer. Whether new or experienced, share your experiences along the way, show case studies of what's been working and what hasn't. People value that and they'll eventually start looking up to you or resonate with you one way or another.


    Originally Posted by EDIT View Post

    I realize that this may or may not boil down to the specific niches, ( I don't know. I'm a true newbie), but something tells me that there might be universal strategies to help engage a visitor and keep them on your site for longer and ultimately convert into sales?
    Relationship building. No matter what it's going to take, you have to show them that you care. Talk to them on Facebook, call them up on Skype. If you've had a question from someone, make a video to really help them out, because they're probably not the only one, who could learn from that.


    Originally Posted by EDIT View Post

    So for example, have you noticed that certain colors on a website or certain wordpress themes works better than others for a certain purpose? Or Bigger type? smaller type? font type? Image sizes on sites? Positions of type and images on a site? Certain words or phrases to interlink?
    You'll want to get yourself a premium theme, but don't let that stop you from moving forward. The fancy stuff can be done later on. Build a structure first, then refine it as you move forward.


    Originally Posted by EDIT View Post

    A feature in word press that I discovered the other day was to be able to have a link open in a new window so that the user doesn't have to use the back button to get back on your site. Awesome, but what is the appropriate situation to use this feature to help my odds on conversions?
    Essentially, it allows users or your readers to stay on your page. So say for example you want to recommend an offer, you don't want them to necessarily be redirected away from your page, they might even still be reading your content. But keeping them on your blog helps them to stay on the page, before being completely distracted and possibly never coming back.


    Originally Posted by EDIT View Post

    Things like this....basically, even if you are providing real and valuable content, how do you go about presenting it on your website so that it doesn't come across as spam and therefore scare off your visitors?
    Do you have any examples?
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    • Profile picture of the author EDIT
      Again, WOW! Thanks again everyone!

      @benjamenjuan, I was planning on using social networks to try and gain traffic. I have not yet looked into building an email list just yet, but definitely plan on doing so. I have no idea how to do that, but plan on doing some research on how to go about it once I make some changes to my site with the suggestions that have already been mentioned.

      @kayelex + DaleRodge, you are right! And I plan on doing a lot of trial and error, but I guess I was hoping to get some answers to some errors that others have made so that I don't go that route LOL. but you all are right and made me think about it. Experience really is the best education!

      @wn123, I am confused when you say "content is totally irrelevant" because I keep reading that content, or rather valuable content, is extremely important? Also, I have no idea what direct linking is? That is another thing on my list to look into.

      Also, you say "I get a 27% conversion rate with just 3 lines of content and a link." I am confused on this as well because doesn't the amount of words and keywords that you have on your site help you rank better for SEO? So with just 3 lines of content, isn't it harder for SEO purposes to get ranked? I am confused? forgive my ignorance on this.

      @Shaolinsteve - I don't have an actual example that I want to share, but in doing my very first site, I was contacted by visitors asking such things as " is it safe to buy from your site?" I also was accused of being spam when I posted my site on a social network because of the way my affiliate links look. I since then discovered something called "prettylinks" which I have implemented on my new site. So these are the red flags that made me think about the presentation of my site and how I can improve upon it!

      @Phil and BernardR....what if my site and niche doesn't really revolve around a problem per say.....like if it is just a site to promote products for April Fools Day or a Birthday Party or videogames or something along those lines? There is no real problem that needs to get solved there, right? Or am I missing the point here?
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      • Profile picture of the author wn123
        @wn123, I am confused when you say "content is totally irrelevant" because I keep reading that content, or rather valuable content, is extremely important? Also, I have no idea what direct linking is? That is another thing on my list to look into.

        Also, you say "I get a 27% conversion rate with just 3 lines of content and a link." I am confused on this as well because doesn't the amount of words and keywords that you have on your site help you rank better for SEO? So with just 3 lines of content, isn't it harder for SEO purposes to get ranked? I am confused? forgive my ignorance on this.
        I wish I could teach this stuff maybe someday I will. I've been marketing online since 2005 and I can tell you that if you want high conversions your content doesn't matter as long as you are intercepting visitors who are at the end of the buying cycle. If you only focus on these visitors your conversions will be huge even for high ticket items.

        When I say I wrote 3 lines of content this was on a Squidoo lens. I simply wrote here is the product and here is where you can get it. Click the link below. Then I had an affiliate link. It ranked at #1 in Yahoo for a 3 word order phrase and I think page 1 of Google around pos 7 the next day with no backlinks. Nowadays this can't be done sadly so I have to use PPC to generate traffic. I am hopeless when it comes to SEO.

        The CTR was huge, and the conversion rate was 27% as I set it up to deliberately intercept only the buyer traffic (which is what everyone wants coming to their sites right?). No quality content, no product review, no persuasion and all that stuff.

        I never listen to the so-called "experts" as I like to do things my own way and they work very well. I wrote a case study where I did this type of thing in Google Canada for a hair loss product. I'll PM you the PDF if you want. I explain how I made 2 sales from the first 7 visitors to my new website totalling $115 in commission and then how I sold it for a quick profit the same week for $350. The conversion rate was very high because of the visitors' intent when landing on the homepage. Let me know if you want it.
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  • Profile picture of the author benjamenjuan
    you can do whatever you want buddy but i would suggest some kind of biz plan revolved around getting subscribers.

    via
    email
    instagram
    facebook
    blog
    youtube

    so you need to have a very very clear idea about how you're going to get targeted traffic on a regular basis, measure that, test the interaction and offer great content in exchange for the follower/subscriber.

    hope that helps
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  • Profile picture of the author benjamenjuan
    you're doing great though taking massive action you're about where i was when i started, it just takes accurate learning and action and you're doing it. wish you success
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  • Profile picture of the author Martin Kortyka
    Hello Herbie,
    A Herbie is a freshman, and I am fresher than you because this is my first anything on Warrior Forum. I have what I think is a great idea for quality content in websites.
    Martin Kortyka
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