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ClickBank Products and Opt-in

by sunray
8 replies
It's very hard to find fair products at CB to promote nowadays. The reason: "Money is in the list". I suppose all CB merchants have heard it by now, and so they put their opt-in forms aggressively at the top, some even use lightbox, so that when visitor scrolls the squeeze page downward, at some point (before any "order now" buttons..) it fades dark, and a pop-up asks to give the name and email for free something (I wonder, how many actually close the lightbox, and continue reading the squeeze page?!)

I can understand very well that getting 25 to 50 % of 20 to 50 dollars isn't nearly as good as getting the list sign-up and start bombarding, but what is in it for me?! Why should I send my traffic away for nothing?

So, I made a rule from now on for myself: if the squeeze page has the opt-in before the ordering button, I do not promote that product.
#clickbank #optin #products
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    Originally Posted by sunray View Post

    So, I made a rule from now on for myself: if the squeeze page has the opt-in before the ordering button, I do not promote that product.
    And an overwhelming majority of serious, professional ClickBank affiliates agree with you, I think.

    Here's a huge thread and poll on which every possible perspective on this subject, including many of the widespread misunderstandings and misapprehensions about it, are aired in some detail: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...oduct-opt.html
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  • Profile picture of the author betterwtveter
    I appreciate that thought. I use half and half. I have visitors that opt in at the very beginning of the site and others opt in if they like in my newsletters. I like the idea having them opt in before they order. I will try that.
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  • Profile picture of the author WillR
    I can see both sides of the argument.

    Affiliates want to maximize their commissions right? We all know that 98%+ of people who visit a sales page will leave without coming back. That's a lot of wasted leads you are driving to that page. By following up with a prospect you have a greater chance of turning them into a customer. I can understand though the skepticism as some vendors probably follow up using their own affiliate link to 'steal' those sales back from you.

    Having said that, YOu should always be using opt in forms before you send your leads anywhere. Get them on YOUR list so you can follow up with those people.

    As a product vendor and affiliate, I think the best answer is to give affiliates the choice. Offer a salespage without an optin form and offer a salespage with an optin form and allow the affiliates to choose which one they would rather promote.

    That's the fairest way.
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    • Profile picture of the author sunray
      Originally Posted by WillR View Post

      I can see both sides of the argument.

      As a product vendor and affiliate, I think the best answer is to give affiliates the choice. Offer a salespage without an optin form and offer a salespage with an optin form and allow the affiliates to choose which one they would rather promote.

      That's the fairest way.
      I totally agree, that would be really good. Of course, in that case to encourage affiliates to use the page with the opt-in on it, something more valuable should be offered, maybe a higher share. Otherwise, nobody would use it.

      In fact, I can accept an opt-in on the squeeze page, as long as it comes SECOND to the [I]order now[I] button. Large ordering button(s) first, some content in between, and only then can come the opt-in. I should be given a chance. But as some vendors nearly seem to shout to the visitor: "do not order, all you have to do is to give your email"--this is not acceptable. I've even found some products that do not have the ordering button or link at all! Or, have just a tiny link hidden somewhere in the text.

      I'm afraid if ClickBank does not interfere, it may eventually mean the end for this good marketplace.
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      • Profile picture of the author WillR
        Originally Posted by sunray View Post

        I totally agree, that would be really good. Of course, in that case to encourage affiliates to use the page with the opt-in on it, something more valuable should be offered, maybe a higher share. Otherwise, nobody would use it.
        You'd be surprised how many affiliates who are new to the game wouldn't even think twice about promoting a product with an optin form on it. If the vendor does not steal the commissions back from you then the followup emails can actually lead to more sales for you. So for some LAZY affiliates or those who might not know any better, it can actually add to their bottom line.

        But the followup should really be done on your part. You are spending all that time getting the leads to the salespage so you should be collecting those leads before you send them anywhere.

        Originally Posted by sunray View Post

        In fact, I can accept an opt-in on the squeeze page, as long as it comes SECOND to the [I]order now[I] button. Large ordering button(s) first, some content in between, and only then can come the opt-in. I should be given a chance. But as some vendors nearly seem to shout to the visitor: "do not order, all you have to do is to give your email"--this is not acceptable. I've even found some products that do not have the ordering button or link at all! Or, have just a tiny link hidden somewhere in the text.
        The best type of optin form would be an exit pop. That only triggers when someone is about to leave the page. That means the person was not going to purchase anyway so worst case scenario is a 'saved' lead. As explained above though, if you are serious about the affiliate game then YOU should be collecting the leads before you even send them to a sales page.

        Originally Posted by sunray View Post

        I'm afraid if ClickBank does not interfere, it may eventually mean the end for this good marketplace.
        No. This has been happening for years. There are plenty of products that don't have optin forms for that very reason -- because it annoys affiliates. There will always be those products that do use optin forms on their main salespage and they are quite within their right to do so, I think. But a good vendor will give their affiliates a choice... and it's those types of vendors that will attract the seasoned super affiliates.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by WillR View Post

          a good vendor will give their affiliates a choice...
          This.

          This is really the top and middle and bottom of it, and there isn't a whole lot more to say.

          If a vendor doesn't do that, and you ask them to do that (which I quite often do) and they still won't do that after you've explained the advantages and the lack of disadvantages from their perspective, then you need to ask yourself what that vendor's really telling you about how he wants to do business, and then just find other products to promote. There are over 15,000 there.
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  • Profile picture of the author sirtiman
    I hope there's a system whenever visitors are subscribed, still the commission goes to affiliate. If that happened the result will be maximum sales for affiliate and vendor.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by sirtiman View Post

      I hope there's a system whenever visitors are subscribed, still the commission goes to affiliate.
      There isn't one that guarantees that to the affiliate. The affiliate has only the vendor's word for it.

      ClickBank's view on this matter is that once the affiliate's prospective customer has opted in to the vendor's list, s/he "belongs to the vendor".

      I don't actually blame them for that, either: it would be absolutely impossible for them to police/enforce/investigate any other arrangement/regulation.

      People who complain about such vendors "stealing" their affiliate commissions are using the word "stealing" very loosely indeed. ClickBank allows this.

      The moral of the story is "Don't promote products with leaky sales pages".

      However often we discuss it here (and that's pretty often!), that's what it boils down to.

      Experienced/realistic vendors know perfectly clearly that if they want pro-affiliates to promote their products, they have to make available a sales page without an opt-in. Period.
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