$0 - $300 a Month with Amazon Associates: What I've Learned

by Murlu
81 replies
Hello Warriors,

I've been lurking on the forum for quite some time now and wanted to give back to the community. I'm not one of those marketers that has a push-button system, use "auto" software or the type to jump around on trends.

In fact, I'm sure a lot of people will take a look at the title and say "$300? That's nothing" but I disagree because while some people will skip over this I know there are a lot of people out there that are just getting started, tired of the hype and want real examples of earning an online income.

$300 (average) isn't a lot for most people but that's still an extra $3600 a year which can be used for vacations, car payments, rent and more.

Anyway, I wanted to share what I've learned along the way and hope you find it helpful if you're trying out Amazon Associates:

Why Amazon Associates is actually quite good

Here's the thing: It's hard to sell information. We have the web right in front of us which is filled with every type of information out there for free. A savvy individual can easily find anything they want online. Likewise, you're trying to sell an information product to a large market that really doesn't understand why they should pay for the information.

Hard products, on the other hand, are a no-brainer. People know what they are going to get when they buy a physical product. You've got the upper hand because the product will sell itself. Combine the massive amount of testing that Amazon has put into their platform and you've got access to a multi-billion dollar industry.

Need a niche? Pick a hobby

I notice that a lot of people get into the IM niche when they first start in earning an online income. Problem is that you're in a weak position because you can't show any proof that you're making an online income; you've got nothing to build trust. Secondly, the IM niche is absolutely dominated by the big boys.

So the question becomes not whether you have the technical know-how but what niche will give you the best chance.

That's why I recommend a hobby.

Hobbies are killer because you probably have a few of them yourself. You have all the information you need right in your noggin' because you're one of the community. It really only becomes you putting that knowledge onto the web, building a following and offering products that you need to do to make money.

Consider this: You have a hobby, you know the in's and out's, products people need to buy to get started, you can talk about it for hours, you know where people hang out to discuss the hobby and much more. YOU are the market. Turn the mirror on yourself.

Hobby + Physical Products = Success

My largest earner is a hobby based website (which is why I'm so partial to the hobby niche). I started it up a few years ago because I was a little bit past the beginner phase and well upon my way of being intermediate.

I noticed that a lot of people were always asking questions about how to get started.

The biggest questions they asked were: What do I need to BUY to start?

This is where Amazon Associates rocks. Because people HAVE to buy products to get started with a hobby it's a no-brainer purchase. If they don't have the products they can't get into the hobby, plain and simple. How's that for a buyer's market?

So now you're in a power position. You're the expert to beginners and other intermediates because you know a ton about the hobby. You can write great content, connect with your audience with ease and make real recommendations on products people need to start.

Combine your recommendations with your Amazon Associates link and boom, you've got yourself an easy sale.

The 'Trick' is to get them to Amazon

I'm sure you've heard this before but it's worth repeating: just get people to Amazon and let them do the rest.

Amazon has spent millions of dollars optimizing their platform. Hell, they spent a crazy amount of time with the color, size and copy of the buy button. They obsess over their stuff and this works out well for you because they're doing the testing.

Likewise, you've got a few things that are going good for you:
  • Amazon is the master of making recommendations on other products
  • Amazon is one of the most trusted retailers on the web
  • The reviews on Amazon do wonders for converting people
  • If people buy products in other industries you still get the commission

Although you only get a 24hr cookie and a small percentage it really works wonders because people pick up a lot of stuff while they're on Amazon. Think of the last time you were there; you probably went ahead and picked up a few other items since you were already there.

Things that have worked for me

okay, to get a little bit specific I wanted to share some of the things that have worked best for me:
  • I created a free ebook for my email list that covers the required items you need to buy to start the hobby.
  • I often create reviews of the items that I already own. I link the pictures, keywords and the best: I always put a link to 'Read the Reviews' (affiliate of course) which does wonders for click through.
  • I create lists of the "top 5" and "top 10" for each of the item categories. I reference these any time I can when creating content.
  • I use a dedicated page of the top suggestions and best of content for people to get started. It's a simple 'getting started' page that also does awesome in search engines.
  • I go after the holiday market by making posts like "Best X Christmas Gifts" and more. Also, Black Friday is killer for Amazon.

I go after long-tail keywords and really stress creating incredible content. This content is easy to make because I'm highly passionate about the hobby. I can easily write a 1,500 word post in a matter of an hour because I'm very conversational in my writing. I make my recommendations and link around the blog. I really don't work hard to make sales but I'm always conscious about making sure I let people know where they can get the products that I may reference in the articles.

Conclusion

Like I mentioned, $300 really isn't much compared to what a lot of people do but it's something obtainable for the average person. We all have hobbies that can tap into Amazon Associates. You can easily write content and become an authority in the niche because it's something you love to do whether you get paid for it or not.

It took nearly a year to go from $0 to an avg. of $300 (sometimes higher sometimes a bit lower) but every month it has grown by nearly $50. I expect that within the next year it will be doing $600 on its own no problem.

I monetize the site in other ways but I just wanted to share a bit of information about Amazon Associates for those that are thinking about getting started with it.

I hope you find this information helpful

Edit: Here is a screenshot of the last few payments from Amazon in case you wanted to see:
Edit #2: This month suddenly took off, I'm at $449 as of July 25th, woo!

#$300 #amazon #amazon associates #associates #learned #month #niche marketing
  • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
    This is great! Thanks for sharing.

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    • Profile picture of the author jwmann2
      Good for you, bro. Good to see someone trying to make an honest living without scamming others on the internet. I agree, finding a niche you love will lead to success because it doesn't feel like work. Best of luck to you in the future.
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  • Profile picture of the author BinaryQwest
    Great post, it's good to see a post like this that has the 'things that worked for me' style lists in it. It helps tremendously. Thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author Fred Young
      The best thing about this is, if you're making $300, you can be making $3,000. It's just a matter of taking what you're doing and scaling it up. Thanks for the post.
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      • Profile picture of the author Murlu
        Originally Posted by Fred Young View Post

        The best thing about this is, if you're making $300, you can be making $3,000. It's just a matter of taking what you're doing and scaling it up. Thanks for the post.
        Fred, that, in fact, is exactly what I'm planning on working on. In time, I do see this scaling but another thing that I forgot to mention is this:

        The site is starting to become an authority in the market.

        I've been working on contacting companies to see if I could become an official reseller of the products either through drop shipping or selling from my house.

        The products are generally $300 - $600.

        The site has already become established and full of passionate readers because it talks about the hobby they love. If I could become a reseller I could eventually move away from Amazon and transform it into an ecommerce hybrid website.

        I think that's where the power of physical products come into play!
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        • Profile picture of the author Gaz Cooper
          First off Congratulations

          I fully agree with you, $300 as you say may not be a lot but its a car payment for a nice car or it could be used to subsidize a mortgage etc.

          Plus the fact that you have proven it works and now all thats needed to ramp things up is for you to rinse and repeat.

          This is why I beleive Amazon to be the best ENTRY level start for those wanting to get started in Internet Marketing,we hear so many people saying they have yet to earn their here first dollar online and jumping from here to there, if they started off with Amazon they would quickly make some money not a lot at start but it would confirm to them that this online stuff works.

          If you have a Facebook account be sure to import your blog into your facebook page which will give you extra exposure and traffic plus you could also add a fanpage for your Hobby niche and add Amazon Stores to that page (up to 12) each offering your items right there on facebook.

          I posted a post about how to import your blog its pretty easy and one Warrior reported a huge jump in traffic to her blog after doing it.

          Again congrats and keep it up

          Kickin it on Amazon

          Gaz Cooper
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          • Profile picture of the author helterskelter
            Originally Posted by GazCooperOnline View Post

            First off Congratulations

            I fully agree with you, $300 as you say may not be a lot but its a car payment for a nice car or it could be used to subsidize a mortgage etc.


            If you have a Facebook account be sure to import your blog into your facebook page which will give you extra exposure and traffic plus you could also add a fanpage for your Hobby niche and add Amazon Stores to that page (up to 12) each offering your items right there on facebook.

            I posted a post about how to import your blog its pretty easy and one Warrior reported a huge jump in traffic to her blog after doing it.

            Again congrats and keep it up

            Kickin it on Amazon

            Gaz Cooper
            Amazon Cash King

            Gaz - I've imported my blog - but could you expand on how to add Amazon stores to your fanpage? I had no idea you could do that! Thanks!
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            • Profile picture of the author Gaz Cooper
              Originally Posted by helterskelter View Post

              Gaz - I've imported my blog - but could you expand on how to add Amazon stores to your fanpage? I had no idea you could do that! Thanks!
              You can add up to 12 seperate Amazon Stores or 12 categories to each fanpage but you will need a little piece of software I licensed to be able to do it I have added a facebook Amonization course to my Member site which your are very welcome to sign up see my sig.

              Kickin it on Amazon

              Gaz Cooper
              Amazon Cash King
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        • Profile picture of the author Fred Young
          Hey Murlu,

          That's definitely interesting. I haven't really thought of that approach, but it would certainly be more money per sale for you.

          I just recently made my first sales in IM within the last few weeks and it's an Amazon site. It's also selling products that are hobby related. So, it's nice to see someone having some success with that model and hopefully I'll be where you're at a few months down the road.

          Good luck, keep us posted on how things go.
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    • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
      An Interesting and certainly, thought provoking post. Until now, I've limited Amazon to dedicated review sites. This could certainly be something new to work toward.
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  • Profile picture of the author jackphillipcbccr
    Does it really work?
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    • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
      Originally Posted by jackphillipcbccr View Post

      Does it really work?
      ??? I thought Murlu went to great lengths to both explain and provide proof as to exactly how it does work.
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      • Profile picture of the author pcpupil
        Code:
        Originally Posted by jackphillipcbccr 					 				
         				Does it really work?

        Originally Posted by AnniePot View Post

        ??? I thought Murlu went to great lengths to both explain and provide proof as to exactly how it does work.
        He is just getting his post count up.
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    • Profile picture of the author Murlu
      Originally Posted by jackphillipcbccr View Post

      Does it really work?
      Jack, it works but that's the keyword here: work.

      It took nearly a year for the site to finally take off. I didn't try crazy push-button systems or automated software. I continued to practice the hobby and took a few hours each week to write new content. I kept my head down the entire time just working on writing the best stuff I could.

      Eventually, things started to pick up and the first trickle of traffic came in. A few of the posts have claimed top positions in Google so the organic traffic is really rocking.

      Any hobby really does it. In fact, I was thinking about starting a hobby based website around micro brewing beer.

      I've been getting into it lately and found a few people around my area that does it as well. The awesome thing about this hobby is that the people are highly passionate about beer. They spend hours tweaking their recipes.

      The awesome part is that you, again, HAVE to buy distilling gear to get started. If I create content around getting started, tweaking, perfecting recipes, bottling and other areas of micro brewing it will get people to say "yeah, that sounds like something I want to get in to ... what do I need to start?". If you offer them links to the products (the basis of aff. marketing) than it's a no-brainer and since you're selling the PRODUCT they need to get started and not just information they're going to bite.

      You can take it even further by adding in an email list, forum and social media platforms where people can obsessively talk about it. Create a sticky community. Hell, they'll even talk to each other about products they recommend and if you had that in your own little Amazon shop or used contextual affiliate links than you've just got another person onto Amazon.
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  • Profile picture of the author guitarjosh
    Now THIS is a useful thread! Well written and it rings of truth. Great share and congrats on your success! Keep on keepin' on!
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  • Profile picture of the author simonbuzz
    Banned
    Congratulations on your success...keep up the good work
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  • Profile picture of the author Ross Cohen
    Hey, $300 is definitely something! Like you said, a nice supplement to your day (i.e. gas, food). Congratulations!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jaymark
    Hey really helpful information. I agree with you that selling information is really difficult since much of it is really available somewhere on the Web for free. But physical products have appeal since people do buy them on places like Amazon. The trick as you say is to direct traffic to a targeted affiliate page on Amazon. If your site has traffic based on your hobby, then it stands to reason that people wanting to pursue that hobby will look to your "how to" site for information and order the products you recommend. This should be a strategy we should all be able to implement if we choose a good niche and have a strong passion for the topic involved.

    Anyway it's encouraging to see another example of a reasonable way to make money on the Internet. As you say it's only $300 per month but that is more money than you would otherwise have. And what's to say you can't post more sites on other topics and build another $300/month site... and so on and so on. Rinse and repeat
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  • Profile picture of the author ksmusselman
    Thanks Murlu! I would be ECSTATIC to be earning $300/mo steady from Amazon right now!

    I have a sort of "hobby" site about inline and ice hockey, definitely targeting the weekend/after school/pick-up hockey players, not pro. Each of my articles is targeting a specific piece of gear necessary to play either inline or ice as a hobby sport but I've been primarily using my affiliate link to Hockey Monkey. Maybe I'll rethink that and start adding some links to Amazon products too.

    Great share! And congratulations for realizing some nice revenue on all your hard work! Very inspiring!
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    • Profile picture of the author Murlu
      Originally Posted by ksmusselman View Post

      Thanks Murlu! I would be ECSTATIC to be earning $300/mo steady from Amazon right now!

      I have a sort of "hobby" site about inline and ice hockey, definitely targeting the weekend/after school/pick-up hockey players, not pro. Each of my articles is targeting a specific piece of gear necessary to play either inline or ice as a hobby sport but I've been primarily using my affiliate link to Hockey Monkey. Maybe I'll rethink that and start adding some links to Amazon products too.

      Great share! And congratulations for realizing some nice revenue on all your hard work! Very inspiring!
      Remember to go after content as well; try not to go overboard with doing reviews of products. You really want to work product promotion into the content but that's a great way of starting ...

      1. Create tons of content around specific pieces of gear
      2. Start creating content around hockey and reference said articles

      Other things you could bridge into is maybe doing some kind of news content or something like player highlight. Maybe talk about the type of gear people use. I'm sure there are a lot of people that my by searching for something like "Player (name)'s hockey gear".

      Of course, it's not my niche and you would know best but I'm glad to hear that you see the incredible opportunities of hobby-related niches. Hope you get a lot of success from it
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  • Profile picture of the author ScottGordon
    What an excellent post. No hype. Just great, straight-forward information. I like your idea of creating an ebook for those just getting started in the hobby and telling them what they'll need to buy.

    Maybe it would be useful to turn that info into a YouTube video with a link back to your site or which could serve as a teaser and then promote the offer for the full ebook at your site if they opt-in.

    Anyway, thanks for sharing the info in your post.
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  • Profile picture of the author chumpschimps
    Well done and congratulations on your success so far!

    It's great to see posts like this because it shows that it is possible to succeed with some hard work and by making the most of the skills you have.

    $300 might not seem a lot to some people, but to others it would make a huge difference to their lives, so don't play down your succes. You've akready achieved a lot more than many who start out in the world of IM and affiliate marketing.

    Good luck with scaling it up and implementing your new ideas
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  • Profile picture of the author Rukshan
    This is cool. I got a new idea to find keywords for upcoming sites
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  • Profile picture of the author PeterGarety
    Congratulations! This is an impressive accomplishment considering that 95% of people online do not make money at all.

    By reading the information you provided it is obvious why this campaign was successful for you and the reason is passion in combination with your own experience. This is what makes people to click through to Amazon and buy products.

    You see, most people try to build online marketing campaigns mechanically. They spend money on plugins, themes, products, as they try to find a way how to overcome all of their laziness and to trick people into buying something. Fortunately it doesn't work that way.

    But, you are a great example how dedication and passion transform into success.

    Just scale it up from what you have learned, and soon it will be $1000 and $5000 per month.
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    • Profile picture of the author Murlu
      Originally Posted by PeterGarety View Post

      Congratulations! This is an impressive accomplishment considering that 95% of people online do not make money at all.

      By reading the information you provided it is obvious why this campaign was successful for you and the reason is passion in combination with your own experience. This is what makes people to click through to Amazon and buy products.

      You see, most people try to build online marketing campaigns mechanically. They spend money on plugins, themes, products, as they try to find a way how to overcome all of their laziness and to trick people into buying something. Fortunately it doesn't work that way.

      But, you are a great example how dedication and passion transform into success.

      Just scale it up from what you have learned, and soon it will be $1000 and $5000 per month.
      Thank you Peter,

      I wouldn't say I'm any expert at this; I'm just a normal guy doing my best to turn one of my passions into something that lets me have the freedom to further pursue it with freed up time.

      I think the big difference where success and failure comes in for people is that many don't want to put in that much needed time after a long day of work. I totally understand because I was working 50+ hours each week at my job and then doing as much as I could in the afternoons.

      It's like what everyone says: it's a marathon. The quick schemes come and go but creating a system for yourself and hammering out the best content you can will ensure that what you're doing is going to stick rather than make a blip and then get slapped.

      What you learn from working on your own system is that it can then be applied in other areas. It's less about bouncing between techniques and more about finding one or two that works for you and then doing them over and over again.

      You wouldn't launch a business and then start a new one a month later because you don't have the resources to properly get the first one up to the tipping point.

      Anyway, I'm preaching to the choir here . I just hope that the information I've shared can help paint an accurate picture at the work that one must put into developing online income and not just going for the quick buck.
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  • Profile picture of the author JToneyUK
    Great thread Murlu and congratulations on the success! This figure is very realistic and thus makes for inspiring reading. It's all well and good when you see others saying how they earn $5000+ per month, but then you start to think well that will take hundreds of man hours and years of waiting to achieve, or they hit the jackpot in a certain niche. But this story of dedication and passion seems much more life friendly! Not to say it's an easy ride, as you say you put a lot of time into it and waited the long course for it to start working. Great inspiration though!
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  • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
    I really like the idea of a "What You Need To Get Started" e-Book.

    That is a great idea, Murlu. Thanks for the suggestion.
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  • Profile picture of the author WilliamL
    I hope you can continue on your plan, Amazon is great to build a passive income. I realized that a few months back and now Amazon earns me money every now and then without doing too much work.
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  • Profile picture of the author harrietfredge
    You did a great job for sharing this kind of information. It is not really a great amount of money but it's not bad at all. For a year your accumulated money will be as big as $300 and that I can't wait. Thanks again for this idea.
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesGw
    I've had some good success with creating informational ebooks that recommend products, especially in the exercise niche. I wholly endorse that idea.
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  • Profile picture of the author TolyZ
    Great post, I'm just looking into amazon affiliates ... hopefully it'll work out for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author ceecee12
    Thanks for being generous with your help and information!

    CC
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  • Profile picture of the author cimarketing
    Great info. Thanks for sharing!
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  • Profile picture of the author nagidr
    great post,it's so incouraging to hear othentic success stories.
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  • Profile picture of the author Onora Oz
    That's great information Murlu. Especially the list of things that have worked for you. Showing people that you have that thing you are promoting in your personal inventory always works. I also love the idea of your ebook. Having a list of what I need before I start, let's say, cooking could be more helpful than anything. Inspiring
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  • Profile picture of the author ishfishmial0
    Wow thanks for sharing this info. I was thinking about starting out with Amazon. This gives a great gameplan to get started on.
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  • Profile picture of the author pdrs
    Great post - I completely agree on the Hobby thing on most accounts except it really does depend on what the hobby is.

    I've got about 3 sort of "authority" sites that are based around certain hobbies that do very well on Amazon but the first hobby site I started and spent wayyy too much time on was a complete flop - guitars/amps.

    Why? Guitars are something that people come online to read about, but not to buy! I've ended up having some success selling a few accessories and very cheap guitars but overall not a site that I really would spend much time on these days.

    Make sure that your hobby consists of things that people would typically buy online!
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    • Profile picture of the author FredJones
      Amazon can be a killing profit-maker if you (a) drive the "right" kind of buyer onto it and (b) the products are chosen that are bought online plus yields a decent commission.

      In fact, mixing the high and low end products is a great idea because it helps you reach the higher commission percentage and yet get high commissions from the high-end product sales.

      Yes, scale it up. The scaling could even be drop-shipping as you mentioned - it does not necessarily have to be Amazon. Well, there are a number of ways that you could scale. Take the one or two ways that you are most comfortable with and stick to that , the $300 per month will blow up to $300 per day in no time !!
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  • Profile picture of the author dagaul101
    Nice tips, always having an interest in your niche per a hobby is the way to go, rather than trying different things to make a profit
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  • Profile picture of the author Targeted Traffic
    Thanks for sharing this informative and helpful post!
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  • Profile picture of the author showmegreen
    great!thank you for sharing your experience
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  • Profile picture of the author tonyg1162
    I enjoyed reading your Post,I too am trying to sell Amazon Products,but without much success so far,your Post has given me food for thought,thank you.
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    • Profile picture of the author lovelysue
      Can I just post a question - I've been looking at Amazon Associates for some time now and it gets really confusing the more I try to understand it.

      Say, I have an e-book or a PDF report I'd like to sell. Should I publish it on Lulu in order to upload it to amazon? Do I create an amazon store? What happens if 6 months from now I want to add or edit the ebook - do I publish it again ...
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      • Profile picture of the author Murlu
        Originally Posted by lovelysue View Post

        Can I just post a question - I've been looking at Amazon Associates for some time now and it gets really confusing the more I try to understand it.

        Say, I have an e-book or a PDF report I'd like to sell. Should I publish it on Lulu in order to upload it to amazon? Do I create an amazon store? What happens if 6 months from now I want to add or edit the ebook - do I publish it again ...
        This is something I haven't explored at this time because the ebook I offer is the lead magnet for my email list. In the coming months I plan to create a book for the site.

        I know that you can begin selling ebooks on Amazon using the Kindle marketplace. I'm not too familiar with it but I'm sure there's a lot of information out there that you can find on the matter.

        As far as lulu, I would hold off on the physical product side until you see if your ebook sells so you don't make a monetary investment at this time, ya know?
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        • Profile picture of the author 13thSamurai
          That's why I love Amazon!
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          • Profile picture of the author tantivy
            Great realistic post!

            Your success story is not alone.

            Here's another success story. It's one of the blogs that I've read that finally convinced me to be an Amazon affiliate. The sooner the better.

            My Amazon Monthly Earnings For June
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  • Profile picture of the author Psst
    Banned
    This is a great insight. I never thought that kind of earning was possible with Amazon. I'll consider becoming an amazon associate and promoting products from there. Thanks for the info.
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Murlu, congratulations on your success, and for doing things the right way. I'm sure it will continue.

      A lot of people like to talk about finding "desperate buyers." One hitch I've had with that approach is that once you've sold them something to remove the desperation, you're left trying to find the 'what's next' offer.

      I much prefer "obsessed buyers." Hobbyists definitely fall into this category. No matter how much information and how much 'stuff' they acquire about their chosen obsession, they always want more. Pick the right hobby, and there is always more.

      By the way, you just gave away a $17-$27 information product in your opening post...
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      • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        Murlu, congratulations on your success, and for doing things the right way. I'm sure it will continue.

        A lot of people like to talk about finding "desperate buyers." One hitch I've had with that approach is that once you've sold them something to remove the desperation, you're left trying to find the 'what's next' offer.

        I much prefer "obsessed buyers." Hobbyists definitely fall into this category. No matter how much information and how much 'stuff' they acquire about their chosen obsession, they always want more. Pick the right hobby, and there is always more.

        By the way, you just gave away a $17-$27 information product in your opening post...
        As always John, you are so spot on with the info you share. Excellent points! BTW do you have a site for fishing enthusiasts ?
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by LilBlackDress View Post

          As always John, you are so spot on with the info you share. Excellent points! BTW do you have a site for fishing enthusiasts ?
          Thanks for the kind words.

          I don't have one at the moment. The last one I tried had a model behind it that turned my fun into work, rather than the other way around, so I let it go.

          I have not ruled out the possibility if I can keep it fun for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author thedog
    Originally Posted by Murlu View Post

    I often create reviews of the items that I already own. I link the pictures, keywords and the best: I always put a link to 'Read the Reviews' (affiliate of course) which does wonders for click through.
    Nice post. In relation to the customer reviews affiliate link... I used to be able to make this an affiliate link, now it strips out my affiliate ID.

    How are you able to avoid this?
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    • Profile picture of the author Murlu
      Originally Posted by thedog View Post

      Nice post. In relation to the customer reviews affiliate link... I used to be able to make this an affiliate link, now it strips out my affiliate ID.

      How are you able to avoid this?
      What I usually do is to point to the 'general' reviews of the products. You can click on the 'Customer Reviews' link on the product you'll be given the page for the reviews.

      I use the Pretty Link plugin for Wordpress to manage the links and to track the click through.

      Also, I generally do an occasional audit of my blogs which during this time I'll check for broken links and anything that needs to be updated such as if I quoted a price and it's come down since then.

      Hope this helps
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      • Profile picture of the author palmer9999
        Great article!!! I totally agree.. You here of so many people making "millions" online. In reality this is not very true.

        However well done on the 300! I would stick that back into an adwords campaign and get it up to 600.. Then stick that into an adwords campaign.

        But best of luck anyways!
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      • Profile picture of the author irtiza104
        Thank you for the honest article. I am trying to get a hold of affiliate marketing with Amazon. In one of my sites I have 500 hits a month, among them 50 clicks through to amazon. I have had 550+ clickthroughs so far, but still no sale.

        What am I doing wrong?

        Thanks
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      • Profile picture of the author m41210
        This is great! Thanks for sharing.
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  • Profile picture of the author SoEasyMoney
    Thanks so much for sharing this. I've paid for WSO that don't give you this much info or insight. Many thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author LilBlackDress
    This is a really great post Murlu. One tip I would add is to mix in some low priced products with the high priced ones. Since Amazon has a tiered commission structure based on number of items sold, it makes sense to sell as many items as possible. Even if they only generate a few cents in commission, they will help bump up your %.

    The other nice thing about selling to hobbyist's is that they like to buy a lot of product. So they are likely to spend more and buy more things.

    I am curious how you are structuring your reviews. Do you use photos? And do you like many others find that the Amazon widgets are a waste or do you use them?
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    • Profile picture of the author Murlu
      Originally Posted by LilBlackDress View Post

      This is a really great post Murlu. One tip I would add is to mix in some low priced products with the high priced ones. Since Amazon has a tiered commission structure based on number of items sold, it makes sense to sell as many items as possible. Even if they only generate a few cents in commission, they will help bump up your %.

      The other nice thing about selling to hobbyist's is that they like to buy a lot of product. So they are likely to spend more and buy more things.

      I am curious how you are structuring your reviews. Do you use photos? And do you like many others find that the Amazon widgets are a waste or do you use them?
      Thanks for bringing this up! Gah! Can't believe I forgot this part. You're exactly right. Amazon sites needs to have extremely cheap, entry level items to do that exact effect. I do, in fact, have a few of these style posts; they are mainly about smaller items that relate to all the products such as little adapters for equipment or cables - these are like $0.25 or so but that one tiny sale can tip the commission over to the next bracket.

      Although this is going to look crude, here's a basic layout of some of the review styles I generally do:

      Title: Top X [Product] under $XXX

      I know my audience doesn't have a ton of money so I try to keep it within their budget. This also gets people excited because it breaks the barrier that getting started in the hobby is extremely expensive.

      Then it would go something like this:

      Opening paragraph (main keyword linked) [Picture - Right justified - linked to amazon]

      Second paragraph: Either the 'why' or 'buying tips to consider'

      Third - Fifth: The products in review or all dedicated to one product

      Sixth: What I like and don't like about the product

      Seventh: Wrap up

      Throughout the post, I will try to inject different ways to get people through the link such as having a 'Learn more: Read the reviews (link)', linking the pictures, adding caption text, if I have time I'll create a video, specs for use nerdy types (remember though, benefits not just tech jargon) and so on.

      I might be able to throw together a really simple drawing and add it to the thread. That would probably explain it a little bit better. Maybe a template to even work off of.

      I don't always follow a template but I find it really easy to work on these reviews especially when consistency matters for repeat visitors. Think of how PcMag does their reviews, you generally see the same kind of structure because if they did it wildly every time than people may be caught off guard.

      I don't always review stuff in a professional tone either. Sometimes I'll write very candidly; I try to talk exactly like I would as if I were describing a product or service to a friend while sitting at a bar.

      P.s. Recent Amazon earnings jump up to $449 for this month already. Still got a week to go
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      • Profile picture of the author Murlu
        For those that were asking, here's a general "template" I use for many of my reviews.

        As you can see, I try to always make sure the post is keyword rich and link to the product within the first opening paragraphs for each section. I also link the pictures and use caption text to draw their attention. The 'read the reviews' are a great way to get people over to the site.

        One other tip I would suggest is to open up your options. Remember, if you're trying to sell a product that's $300 and the person only has a $100 budget, don't lose that potential commission - give them options such as a cheaper version/variant of the product you're talking about.

        Just off the top of my head, this could be something like:

        I review the coffee grinder I just purchased. There are some that are $80, I spent $30 for mine. However, $30 may still be too high so I may mention a $10 one. Alternatively, you could also drop in the idea of getting the bigger item because you have people that really want a quality item so a link to the $80 one may work as well. You have to play around with it really.

        Once you have your review "template" down for your style of site, dig back through your analytics to see which pages are performing well. Build backlinks to the reviews that are teetering on hitting top position. Go back and create a video review for the product (this gets you Youtube viewers interested as well!).

        What I'd like to really, really stress is that it will always be better to review products you own. I know a lot of people want to just read up on a product and write about it as if it comes across as a review but you miss out on the subtleties.

        Using the example: Someone could easily write about the blades and design of the coffee grinder but they wouldn't know that if you grind up the beans that there is a very small lip on the inside that sometimes collects the coffee grinds so you need to scrape them out. See what I mean?

        Anyway, here's a basic review template for you (the blue boxes represent links) - sorry for it being a bit crude, just using MSPaint for this:



        P.S. If you enjoy this stuff, keep asking questions and I'll be sure to answer them as they come in.
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  • Profile picture of the author arkhamindustries
    good inspiration
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  • Profile picture of the author Delarox
    Just a matter of scalling it up now! good luck
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  • Profile picture of the author rickster1290
    Thanks for the post,I'm looking at selling on Amazon myself.
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  • Profile picture of the author bmcgoff
    Congrats! I just created a thread asking about how I should spend my first $150/month that's coming in from Amazon sites (several small ones). So, I'm in the same boat...well, a smaller boat. But it's great to hear from someone else who is finding success but not making crazy claims that seem unobtainable.

    Keep it up!

    -Brock
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    • Profile picture of the author chrisen
      Originally Posted by bmcgoff View Post

      Congrats! I just created a thread asking about how I should spend my first $150/month that's coming in from Amazon sites (several small ones). So, I'm in the same boat...well, a smaller boat. But it's great to hear from someone else who is finding success but not making crazy claims that seem unobtainable.

      Keep it up!

      -Brock
      Same here. I just got my first direct deposit from Amazon for $50 from my May advertising fees. I ended up making $130 in June and $150 so far this month. It is a pretty nice feeling getting that in the bank.
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      • Profile picture of the author bmcgoff
        Originally Posted by chrisen View Post

        Same here. I just got my first direct deposit from Amazon for $50 from my May advertising fees. I ended up making $130 in June and $150 so far this month. It is a pretty nice feeling getting that in the bank.
        Congrats on that! Love seeing those profits rise each month...hope it keeps going up.
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  • Profile picture of the author devonm
    Sounds like a great idea, already, I have a blog with Amazon Associates that I had started early this morning. I got a special SEO plugin that really is nifty and was just approved for Amazon Affiliates, how nifty is that?

    I used a VERY very plain theme as pretty theme is said not to convert as well as something very lightweight. And CONTEXTUAL links are better than to use banners and pictures, except ONE picture of the product in question.

    Just one picture alone in a review, then contextual links and it should convert well, not to mention the no-clutter template.
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  • Profile picture of the author PPC-Coach
    Congrats on your success!

    Amazon is a great way to build a truely passive income stream. I think old timers and newbies alike can benefit from it. I know I shunned Amazon for the first 7 years of my online career because I thought the commissions were too low and the cookie was way too short. I finally just threw up some test sites and LOVED how highly they converted and the volume that it got.

    Changed my way of thinking.

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  • Profile picture of the author bmcgoff
    Just found this thread again and wanted to say that I'm at $250 and counting this month! I've found that a good SEO service is CRUCIAL for me. I have these awesome sites, great niches, but I suck at getting them ranked. I've been paying someone to handle more and more SEO for each of my sites, and it's crazy how much a difference it makes when a site is in the top 5 for your top 3 keywords.
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  • Profile picture of the author the lord
    thanks for a sharing. just subscribe your letter for read later, so long.
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  • Profile picture of the author SteveFinch
    Terrific post mate. Just goes to show that...yet again...genuine hard work pays off in the end.
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  • Profile picture of the author Shutz
    Thanks also from me for your great Thread. I'm into Amazon too, but just at the stage making ~50€ a Month. But its enough to pay Hosting and Domains

    @irtiza104
    One of my sites got the same problem. It's in the electronic niche, and i'm getting aroung 2.500 unique visitors per month, but only getting 3-4 real expensive products sold. Thats around 20-40 € couse of the capping at 10€ per product.
    Now i'm trying to get into a nother niche and i already made 16€ in two products but only needed 100 unique visitors.
    So my Tip: Try to get a niche where people NEED to buy for their daily work.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mrsparrow
    Great post...really inspiring!

    @Schutz
    It's in the electronic niche, and i'm getting aroung 2.500 unique visitors per month, but only getting 3-4 real expensive products sold. Thats around 20-40 € couse of the capping at 10€ per product.
    I think you are promoting products via Amazon.de and you have them capped at 10 euros/product. However, if you promote the same products with Amazon.com there is no cap. For an 1000 euro product, you'll get a 40 euro commission...hope it helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author arkhamindustries
      Originally Posted by Mrsparrow View Post

      Great post...really inspiring!

      @Schutz


      I think you are promoting products via Amazon.de and you have them capped at 10 euros/product. However, if you promote the same products with Amazon.com there is no cap. For an 1000 euro product, you'll get a 40 euro commission...hope it helps.
      I am working on making my amazon sites a little more profitable as well. I made 42 bucks from amazon in august and so far i have made $102 this month from about half a dozen sites which i am still trying to get ranked. i added some more backlinks to them recently and right now they are google dancing all over the place
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  • Profile picture of the author davidtong
    Perfect thread for beginners, and I applaud your generosity (others would probably start a $10 WSO already for the information you've posted hehe).

    That analogy of how relatively small figures still make a difference is key...

    As Yanik Silver's book "Moonlighting on the internet" (just search it on amazon) mentioned...

    Most people who want to make money online aren't honestly trying to make millions out of it, most are contented with simply having an extra 500 or an extra paycheck every month so they won't have to shoulder the burden of certain recurring expenses (or luxuries).

    While most of us would like to scale the dream to a full-time, live-rich proportions, I believe most beginners are content (I know I am) if our internet businesses are sufficient to shoulder the 'must-pay-bills' like rent, mortgage, car payment, insurance, etc. while still working full-time on something else.

    Keep it up!
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    • Profile picture of the author bmcgoff
      Originally Posted by davidtong View Post

      Perfect thread for beginners, and I applaud your generosity (others would probably start a $10 WSO already for the information you've posted hehe).

      That analogy of how relatively small figures still make a difference is key...

      As Yanik Silver's book "Moonlighting on the internet" (just search it on amazon) mentioned...

      Most people who want to make money online aren't honestly trying to make millions out of it, most are contented with simply having an extra 500 or an extra paycheck every month so they won't have to shoulder the burden of certain recurring expenses (or luxuries).

      While most of us would like to scale the dream to a full-time, live-rich proportions, I believe most beginners are content (I know I am) if our internet businesses are sufficient to shoulder the 'must-pay-bills' like rent, mortgage, car payment, insurance, etc. while still working full-time on something else.

      Keep it up!
      So true man! We're looking for freedom, not riches. 1k/month automated is way more valuable than 5k a month for 65 hours/week, in my opinion.
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  • Profile picture of the author PPC-Coach
    Excellent job, congrats!

    $300 per month is a big milestone, don't discount it.

    The key is you've now got your system and it works very well. Now you can scale it!

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  • Profile picture of the author bmcgoff
    Passed $300/month finally! Hoping Nov and Dec bring in much more, but Panda hit me hard this month.
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  • Profile picture of the author Imogene
    What I have found is for selling any Amzon products, you need to have visitors from search engines from targeted keywords.
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