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What am I doing wrong... please help

by Talinn
13 replies
Hi Warriors, I have been a long time lurker on this site... Now please let me describe my situation so that you can better understand how I am living Hell on Earth.

I have just graduated with an engineering degree. During my last 2 or so months I came across the Warrior Forums and being a long time Internet savvy guy (I'm online since 93, and I was born in '85) I thought, who'll make money out of this if I can't? Well, that wasn't the best way to enter this business, I'll admit... and it didn't turn out well.

I am outside the US and so I need to forgo the CPA thing off the bat, so I decided to be an affiliate marketer and I have created several niche sites promoting different high gravity Clickbank products.

On the SEO aspect of things I'm not doing too bad, I average anywhere from 20 to 100 visitors a day to most of my sites daily. However, from the month I started, I never EVER made a sale. A single sale.

Beware, not making a single sale means a lot... I have ran about 10 sites (I let six of them go, currently running four of them), all focused on different niches and products. All traffic to them was highly targeted.

Hops? My Clickbank account says I had around 1500 hops for the last 60 days. And no sales. I'd understand if this was generic traffic or something, but it isn't. It's targeted traffic.

I want to give you an example: (well since I don't have any posts I can't post links, please visit manually) "bodybuilding-books dot com". This site has been active for about a week, I think. And it has generated about 150 hops. And no sales. Can my site design be really THAT bad?

I have now graduated and need to make some money quickly, or I will starve. Unfortunately I applied to around 70 different jobs and have been refused from all of them, due to economic crisis. Every day I wake up with dreams of the "you have made some money today" bars from my Clickbank account, and every day I am disappointed ten times more than the last day.

Two months, ten sites and 1500 hops after I haven't made a penny being an affiliate... Please, please help me in some way Warriors, if you can.

Thanks for listening, already feel better.
#wrong
  • Profile picture of the author artwebster
    Hi, Talinn,

    Welcome to the real world.

    First and foremost, the probable reason you have not made sales is that the traffic you have targeted is not looking to buy but looking for information.

    Some of the hops might well be fellow marketers clicking on them simply to do 'research' to find out if you are doing anything different to them.

    Some of the hops could be buyers but once they see where the owner site is, they simply delete cookies and go direct to the site to buy (don't ask me why - it has always puzzled me).

    Others of the hops could simply be lost because when they click the hop link they are taken to something that does not impress them.

    Site visitors are just that, visitors. Like browsers in a shop they will pick up items to look at with absolutely no intention of buying.

    I am sure the answer lies in better key word research and using keywords that demonstrate a high commercial intent by those using them - but I'm not a marketer so what do I know?
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    • Profile picture of the author Talinn
      Thanks a lot for the answer.

      The keyword I am targeting is actually exactly "I'm looking for buying" kind of keyword (hint: domain name)

      Davion Wong: Thank you, too. One of my sites is as I said, bodybuilding-books dot com. I am promoting high gravity CB products in acne, muscle building, save your marriage, etc.
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      • Profile picture of the author Davion Wong
        Hi,

        Most of the top affiliates in the bodybuilding niche sell via PPC. And that niche can be quite competitive.

        I just took a look at your review site. Your review site is well designed. However, the entire site purely has reviews and no real content. It would be helpful for you to have that part included. Provide more information about the topic itself and not just the products.

        Secondly, make use of article marketing, via EzineArticles to drive traffic to your site. The redirected traffic from EzineArticles tend to be in a more "warm" state as they are already convinced by your information which is why they are checking out your site.

        Combining a review site with EzineArticle marketing always work wonders.

        Acne is a very competitive niche my friend. Don't listen to what gurus tell you, target high gravity niches. My goodness, this can be some of the worst advice.

        Try mid-range gravities like 50 to 100. Also, take a look at the number of competitors in the market and what the buyers are really buying.

        For example,

        Bodybuilding guides or bodybuilding supplements, equipment

        Acne guides or acne creams

        If you need some help, pm me. I was an ex-engineer before I came full-time into online marketing so somehow, I feel for you.

        Originally Posted by Talinn View Post

        Thanks a lot for the answer.

        The keyword I am targeting is actually exactly "I'm looking for buying" kind of keyword (hint: domain name)

        Davion Wong: Thank you, too. One of my sites is as I said, bodybuilding-books dot com. I am promoting high gravity CB products in acne, muscle building, save your marriage, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author Davion Wong
    Hi, I am not sure what are the niches you are targeting. Perhaps you can tell us more details.

    1500 hops and not a sale from organic traffic is quite bad. Something could be wrong with your niche selection.

    There are different reasons for such dismal results such as wrong keyword selection, wrong product selection. Without details, it is hard for us to offer much advice.
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    • Profile picture of the author geolt7
      Originally Posted by Davion Wong View Post

      Hi, I am not sure what are the niches you are targeting. Perhaps you can tell us more details.

      1500 hops and not a sale from organic traffic is quite bad. Something could be wrong with your niche selection.

      There are different reasons for such dismal results such as wrong keyword selection, wrong product selection. Without details, it is hard for us to offer much advice.
      Talinn,

      This is very true, wrong keyword selection and wrong product selection can get you no where except to be disappointed over and over again.

      Davion Wong gives good advices. I learned a lot of stuff him and his blog. Check it out when you can.
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  • Profile picture of the author techuse
    I think you should opt for a small course on niche selection and placement of your products.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Grossman
    You just spent 4 or more years acquiring specialized skills in some field.

    Why don't you come up with a way to use those skills to create your own product or service you can provide online, rather than sell other peoples'?

    Seems a waste of all that time and money to act as if you have just graduated high school with no skills and can't do anything of your own.

    Maybe it sounds a bit harder to, say, invent and build your own product using some engineering skills you now possess than to sell a Clickbank book. But you're finding out that it's not actually that easy after all. And the potential with something new and unique of your own is much, much higher than being just another CB affiliate.
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    • Profile picture of the author Talinn
      Originally Posted by Dan Grossman View Post

      You just spent 4 or more years acquiring specialized skills in some field.

      Why don't you come up with a way to use those skills to create your own product or service you can provide online, rather than sell other peoples'?

      Seems a waste of all that time and money to act as if you have just graduated high school with no skills and can't do anything of your own.

      Maybe it sounds a bit harder to, say, invent and build your own product using some engineering skills you now possess than to sell a Clickbank book. But you're finding out that it's not actually that easy after all. And the potential with something new and unique of your own is much, much higher than being just another CB affiliate.
      Hi Dan,

      My 4 years studying chemical engineering (which I believe is the highest paying engineering in the US) won't go in vain even if I become a full time Internet marketer. I have learnt hundreds of things which I believe have broadened my horizons tenfold.

      I would like to work as a chemical engineer in the US (how about an expected wage of $45,000 for a new graduate without a Ms D?) but you know, times are hard and it's I believe not very easy for me to come and work as a foreigner in the US.
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  • Profile picture of the author Marc Jager
    This is a weird one isn't it?I mean how often does this sort of thing happen?Are there lots of people who have this happen - I mean the traffic being there but just not the sales?Sorry to butt in on your thread but I'm very curious if you're a unique case or if this happens to others as well.By the way - I hope your fortunes change soon - I'm sure someone here will help you out of this rut.
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    • Profile picture of the author Dan Grossman
      Originally Posted by Marc Jager View Post

      I mean how often does this sort of thing happen?Are there lots of people who have this happen - I mean the traffic being there but just not the sales?
      It's not uncommon. What's uncommon is someone that starts affiliate marketing and makes sales immediately. It takes time, testing and experience to learn how to identify the right customers, how to reach those customers, how to sell to those customers, etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author Talinn
    Thanks a lot for the messages, especially Davion. However, I can't PM you since I don't have enough posts... Can you PM me your IM or e-mail address so I can direct a few questions at you ?
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  • Profile picture of the author kelvin yeo
    Talinn:

    Are all your sites similar to your bodybuilding one? Meaning they review the products?

    One thing -- don't believe that being outside the US disqualifies you from joining the cpa networks. I know many non-US folks who are approved, myself included. A good relevant cpa offer can be a good substitute for your acne ebook as well. Hope this helps ya.
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    • Profile picture of the author Talinn
      Originally Posted by kelvin yeo View Post

      Talinn:

      Are all your sites similar to your bodybuilding one? Meaning they review the products?

      One thing -- don't believe that being outside the US disqualifies you from joining the cpa networks. I know many non-US folks who are approved, myself included. A good relevant cpa offer can be a good substitute for your acne ebook as well. Hope this helps ya.
      Hey, might I ask to which CPA network have you been accepted?
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