My Affiliate Sales Are Struggling

22 replies
Everyone seems to be in a more advanced place than me, so I'll clarify this isn't my product, I just sell other people's products for the commission.

Anyway, I've just be struggling for the last month to get sales. I had a high for my sales for the month of June. In July, Google decided to sandbox one of my sites. Well, I assume the term is sandboxed. All the pages are indexed, except I don't get any traffic. None of my long tails rank in the top 10. Even the unique name for the site doesn't come in the top 10, some articles on EZA rank for it because the name is in the resource box.

But that is besides the point.

The point is my other site has really picked up the slack after the sandboxing. A lot more SE traffic.

My main traffic sources come from article directories and the search engines. I do some web 2.0 stuff too, but that doesn't really give long lasting traffic.

It just seems lately that I've been struggling to get sales. I get them though, it's just that I have to work twice as hard for them. Like, today, my clicks to my sponsors have gone up by a good 50% since June, yet my sales have gone down.

I'm not sure if this is part of the summer low that is experienced or what, but it's just demoralizing.

I'm sorry if this comes off as whining. I'm action oriented, but it just seems nothing is making it consistent.
#affiliate #articles #marketing #organic traffic #sales #struggling
  • Profile picture of the author SpicyRobby
    Originally Posted by Stallion View Post

    Everyone seems to be in a more advanced place than me, so I'll clarify this isn't my product, I just sell other people's products for the commission.

    Anyway, I've just be struggling for the last month to get sales. I had a high for my sales for the month of June. In July, Google decided to sandbox one of my sites. Well, I assume the term is sandboxed. All the pages are indexed, except I don't get any traffic. None of my long tails rank in the top 10. Even the unique name for the site doesn't come in the top 10, some articles on EZA rank for it because the name is in the resource box.

    But that is besides the point.

    The point is my other site has really picked up the slack after the sandboxing. A lot more SE traffic.

    My main traffic sources come from article directories and the search engines. I do some web 2.0 stuff too, but that doesn't really give long lasting traffic.

    It just seems lately that I've been struggling to get sales. I get them though, it's just that I have to work twice as hard for them. Like, today, my clicks to my sponsors have gone up by a good 50% since June, yet my sales have gone down.

    I'm not sure if this is part of the summer low that is experienced or what, but it's just demoralizing.

    I'm sorry if this comes off as whining. I'm action oriented, but it just seems nothing is making it consistent.
    I'm experiencing a great drop in sales now as well, by the way...

    The traffic volume hasn't really changed - it just seems people are buying less. Maybe it's the global credit crunch and other related issues that influence peoples' spending?
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    • Profile picture of the author Joseph Then
      It's Olympics...

      Wait till it's over...
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      • Profile picture of the author SpicyRobby
        Originally Posted by Joseph Then View Post

        It's Olympics...

        Wait till it's over...
        Actually a good point - maybe it's really affecting the sales.
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        • Profile picture of the author James Schramko
          I will chime in here with a quick point about traffic. Get paid traffic working for you as soon as possible because it is reliable and measurable.

          Can you take your top converting keywords and products and make a paid campaign out of them?

          Hopefully you can get some paid traffic that converts well. Try an ezine or some content network etc....

          Once you have paid and organic you can maintain momentum.
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          • Profile picture of the author stressfree
            Tell me about it. I have never been so quiet in these past 5 months. Traffic is more but sales have crashed. Sign of the times.
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            • Profile picture of the author James Schramko
              Don't allow yourself to believe that is is the "market".

              Other people are selling up a storm right now while you convince yourself it is quiet.

              There are still hot niches and rabid buyers. Find them and throw away the excuse book.
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              • Profile picture of the author klwalker
                I have my occasional traffic now and then. What I really need is actual conversions.

                Any sales period would sound good right now....

                - Kyle
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          • Profile picture of the author Stallion
            Originally Posted by James Schramko View Post

            I will chime in here with a quick point about traffic. Get paid traffic working for you as soon as possible because it is reliable and measurable.

            Can you take your top converting keywords and products and make a paid campaign out of them?

            Hopefully you can get some paid traffic that converts well. Try an ezine or some content network etc....

            Once you have paid and organic you can maintain momentum.
            I plan to do that, but not with other people's products. I will be doing that once I get my own products going. My first should hopefully be completed in early September.
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            • Profile picture of the author CDawson
              Banned
              As far as the sales go, in my perspective, I have seen good months and REALLY REALLY bad months.

              Maybe you should try pumping out more articles? Maybe find better keywords? Have you tried social bookmarking? Post on high PR blogs?

              If you have done all of the above and them some, then I can understand why you are having a hard time.
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              • Profile picture of the author stressfree
                ulnike many I.M'ers I do not jump from niche to niche. I am a stock trader and sell few trading products. I am not interested in jumping into other niches when mine goes quiet. + I have another source of income: trading. No worries :-)
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                • Profile picture of the author johnmiley
                  [DELETED]
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                • Profile picture of the author johnmiley
                  I can't tell if you're experimenting with offers or if you're running the same product throughout this slump?

                  If you are not rotating and testing, find similar products that match your site's offer and rotate them. Test and track that.

                  You can do some simple split testing with Google Adwords, creating single ads for each keyword and each landing page. Then you can see which ads are producing and which aren't--it's simple to do without having to buy more split-testing products.

                  Lastly, are you upselling? Use Quantcast or similar sites to see what people in this demographic are buying. You may be able to bring them in for similar interests and then have them turn-the-corner to your main offer.

                  Hope it picks up for you!
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      • Profile picture of the author Stallion
        Good point about the olympics. I remember someone telling me that big evens like the olympics can cause this.

        To be honest, I can't wait until the summer is over. Parents need to send their kids back to school, get back on the computer and start buying. lol.

        Rob:

        I thought maybe it was the counter of oil. Like in June, oil was at like a peak. So people weren't driving anywhere and were staying home, right in front of the computer.

        Oil has gone down and I'm not sure if they're necessarily driving more, but maybe trying to get a little late summer fun away from the computer.
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        • Profile picture of the author SpicyRobby
          Originally Posted by Stallion View Post

          Good point about the olympics. I remember someone telling me that big evens like the olympics can cause this.

          To be honest, I can't wait until the summer is over. Parents need to send their kids back to school, get back on the computer and start buying. lol.

          Rob:

          I thought maybe it was the counter of oil. Like in June, oil was at like a peak. So people weren't driving anywhere and were staying home, right in front of the computer.

          Oil has gone down and I'm not sure if they're necessarily driving more, but maybe trying to get a little late summer fun away from the computer.
          Yeah, that might be the case as well.

          Besides, I guess when it's getting really bad in terms on financial stability, people are seeking more ways of topping up their income, so eventually they start thinking about earning money on the Internet...

          That's where we - Internet Marketers - profit!

          So - bad economy --> people want to earn online --> they buy info products, software etc. --> Internet Marketing is the last industry that's going down!!!

          But maybe - really bad economy --> people want to save what they have --> they will all the possible costs --> they won't buy info products --> Internet Marketing industry going down???

          I think there's a subtle line between these two scenarios, and let's hope the latest is not going to take place soon .....

          Rgds,

          Robert
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          • Profile picture of the author Chris Lockwood
            I wonder if the Olympics are really having an effect. I'm sure many people aren't watching them at all, and of those who do watch, are they watching all day/night or just certain events? And aren't some people going online to check stats for the Olympics?

            Summer, with people being on vacation or outside more, is more likely a factor.
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            • Profile picture of the author stressfree
              August was always my quitest month but I've seen a slump since last September. Right aboutt the time of the Credict Crunch and stock market collapse (wrong niche to be in right now..)

              I've been through cycles like this before. Bounced right out. Past performance is no guarantee of the future. Just glad I have other income streams right now.

              But we are in tough times and many businesses and people in the "real world" are feeling the pinch. That's a fact.
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  • Profile picture of the author MicahF7
    Yes its the olympics...

    That is the reason...

    I have a good friend who has been making a full time living ( and much more! ) online for 10 years... He's sais its the olympics also...

    Just hold on untell its over!

    Micah Rush
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    • Profile picture of the author naruq
      Now is the time to go all out! Olympics, summer months, bad economy. These are all excuses. Invest in some paid targeted traffic offline. Examples, You could market postcards to cash buyers of your product and services. You could market in targeted trade magazines. There is a longer time period to get your ad in magazines. However, I continue to get consistent traffic. You could market in a card deck that is targeted to your niche. You can also do some free online marketing such as article marketing. don't buy into what the media is telling you about how bad our economy is. People are still purchasing all kinds of products and services 24hours 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Keep the faith! Stay focused.
      Signature

      Please do not use affiliate links in signatures

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      • Profile picture of the author Michael T.
        Definitely the olimpics and summer as vell.

        I had experienced the fall of my sales for 25% this month.
        Signature

        Regards...Michael T.

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        • Profile picture of the author OnlineMasterMind
          The "olympics" are hurting conversions?

          Right......
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  • Profile picture of the author Andres
    I think this shows all of us that now is the perfect opportunity to look at products that are still viewed as 'high value' in any economy and develop a marketing plan to sell them. I think eBay is a perfect medium to take advantage of that and your traditional website as well.

    Remember look at your current product line and see what else you can add or incorporate that will be recession proof.

    Anyway there's my 2 cents.
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