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Have Clickbank sales page on homepage or another page?

by MovingAround
24 replies
What is best to sell your product on Clickbank (and thus attract affiliates)?

1) Homepage (e.g. example . com) be the sales page itself.

2) Put the sales page in a different page (e.g. example . com/order/) and have the homepage as a welcome page. Of course, affiliates would send the traffic to the ".com/order/" page, but perhaps having a welcome page in the homepage adds credibility/trust in case the visitor is curious to know what the homepage is like?

Lastly, would it be a good idea to have a link in the footer to a page that encourages people to become an affiliate? I;ve made sure to have the sales page with no leaks except footer links with usual stuff (disclaimer, contact)

Be great to hear what you guys have to say!

Thanks
#clickbank #homepage #page #sales
  • Profile picture of the author Eutaw
    It seems like alot of the CB offers have the affiliate info at the bottom of their sales pages.
    Yeah you want info to attract affiliates to promote your offer.
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    • Profile picture of the author MilesBaker
      What is best to sell your product on Clickbank (and thus attract affiliates)?

      1) Homepage (e.g. example . com) be the sales page itself.

      2) Put the sales page in a different page (e.g. example . com/order/) and have the homepage as a welcome page. Of course, affiliates would send the traffic to the ".com/order/" page, but perhaps having a welcome page in the homepage adds credibility/trust in case the visitor is curious to know what the homepage is like?
      It really depends on the goal of your website. If you are going to build out your website into a blog, with other pages, resources, SEO, etc. then you'd want your sales page on another page. However, that is most likely not going to attract affiliates because then your sales page would likely have leakage to other pages. I would recommend keeping it simple and simply making your sales letter the main/home page.

      Lastly, would it be a good idea to have a link in the footer to a page that encourages people to become an affiliate? I;ve made sure to have the sales page with no leaks except footer links with usual stuff (disclaimer, contact)
      Yeah, it's quite common to do this. However, depending on your niche some affiliates may not want the leakage. You can script it so that if an affiliate refers the visitor to your page the affiliate link won't show up though. Something to consider.
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      • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
        Originally Posted by MilesBaker View Post

        It really depends on the goal of your website. If you are going to build out your website into a blog, with other pages, resources, SEO, etc. then you'd want your sales page on another page. However, that is most likely not going to attract affiliates because then your sales page would likely have leakage to other pages. I would recommend keeping it simple and simply making your sales letter the main/home page.



        Yeah, it's quite common to do this. However, depending on your niche some affiliates may not want the leakage. You can script it so that if an affiliate refers the visitor to your page the affiliate link won't show up though. Something to consider.
        Thanks!

        I was considering turning it into a blog, but these days, decent organic traffic only comes with a site that has a lot of pages (at least in this niche), which means I'd have to invest time and effort to build yet another blog despite I have a few sites pulling over 10k visitors per day.

        I've discarded the idea of turning it into a blog, and I'm seeing different examples of websites that have the homepage as the sales page and others have the homepage as a welcome page (despite not being blog-like sites).
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        Originally Posted by MovingAround View Post

        Alexa, could you offer your opinion on having the sales page as the homepage or another page as per the OP?
        Ooh, I've never really thought about it. I think the sales page of everything (or almost everything?) I promote is probably the home page of a top-level domain. I can't immediately see why what you suggest should be a great problem, though, if you want to do it that way, as long as that's as far as it extends and there are no leaks to other pages? I admit I can't see a lot of advantage, either, though. :confused:

        (Maybe Harvey will post later with some insight that I'm lacking, here ... ).

        Originally Posted by MilesBaker View Post

        If you are going to build out your website into a blog, with other pages, resources, SEO, etc. then you'd want your sales page on another page. However, that is most likely not going to attract affiliates because then your sales page would likely have leakage to other pages.
        Yes, I completely agree with this. Links to "other pages" are clearly going to lose affiliates.
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        • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
          Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

          Ooh, I've never really thought about it. I think the sales page of everything (or almost everything?) I promote is probably the home page of a top-level domain. I can't immediately see why what you suggest should be a great problem, though, if you want to do it that way, as long as that's as far as it extends and there are no leaks to other pages? I admit I can't see a lot of advantage, either, though. :confused:

          (Maybe Harvey will post later with some insight that I'm lacking, here ... ).



          Yes, I completely agree with this. Links to "other pages" are clearly going to lose affiliates.
          Thanks!

          I'm starting to think that abiding by a minimalist approach of "no leaks" is the best way at this moment for me, considering that I don't plan on building any further pages for organic traffic.

          Basically: homepage = sales page, footer links with the minimum & catch affiliates any other way than leaking traffic from the sales page.
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          • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
            Banned
            Originally Posted by MovingAround View Post

            I'm starting to think that abiding by a minimalist approach of "no leaks" is the best way at this moment for me
            That's certainly the safest side to err on, I'd say, in any case of doubt.

            (I don't know the answer to your last question), but don't do anything that relies on being able to contact affiliates, because you may not be able to!).
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            • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
              Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

              That's certainly the safest side to err on, I'd say, in any case of doubt.
              Well, I learnt this from reading the WF and especially your past posts over this last week

              I'm literally spending my free time going through threads and more threads in the WF, and here I was thinking I was done now that I had finished the product and set up the site and sales page.
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    • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
      Originally Posted by Eutaw View Post

      It seems like alot of the CB offers have the affiliate info at the bottom of their sales pages.
      Yeah you want info to attract affiliates to promote your offer.
      I know, but I'm reading from my research to keep the sales page as clean and leak-free (i.e. not distracting) as possible. Not sure if having a footer link saying "Become an affiliate" will play with a visitor who supposedly comes to buy the product from an affiliate.
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  • Profile picture of the author SunilTanna
    The domain home page.

    And if you don't have the affiliate link at the bottom, how am I supposed to find your affiliate-usable graphics and text copy? (and please don't require me to join your mailing list just to retrieve the affiliate ad copy)
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    • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
      Originally Posted by SunilTanna View Post

      The domain home page.

      And if you don't have the affiliate link at the bottom, how am I supposed to find your affiliate-usable graphics and text copy? (and please don't require me to join your mailing list just to retrieve the affiliate ad copy)
      I see. I'm going to join ClickBank and thought that you provide in your account a link to a page in your site (which can be hidden) for the affiliates in CB to visit and gather all the affiliate info.

      So it should be visible regardless of it being in the sales page in the footer link then?
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    • Profile picture of the author MilesBaker
      Originally Posted by SunilTanna View Post

      And if you don't have the affiliate link at the bottom, how am I supposed to find your affiliate-usable graphics and text copy? (and please don't require me to join your mailing list just to retrieve the affiliate ad copy)
      Yeah, but making you join the affiliate list is going to be the only way the vendor can get in touch with you really. I mean, not many vendors or affiliates use the Vendor Spotlight that ClickBank has.

      I agree, from an affiliate standpoint it's a total hassle, but from a vendor standpoint it's a mistake not to get the email from the affiliate.

      Here's a few reasons...

      1.) To motivate affiliates, provide them with more tools as you release them, etc.
      2.) To let affiliates know about new related products they may want to promote.
      3.) To have that list in case for whatever reason you have to move off ClickBank.

      There's been a few times when it's been invaluable for me to have affiliate emails. And there's been times I deeply regretted not collecting them.
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      • Profile picture of the author SunilTanna
        I don't have a problem with you asking for my email.

        I do have a problem with you requiring my email to place a banner etc., on one of my sites.

        The more steps you require before somebody can get started placing affiliate links, the less likely they will be to complete all the steps and place any links. Think of each step as an obstacle. Putting obstacles in the way of your affiliates, isn't usually a good thing.
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        • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
          Originally Posted by SunilTanna View Post

          I don't have a problem with you asking for my email.

          I do have a problem with you requiring my email to place a banner etc., on one of my sites.

          The more steps you require before somebody can get started placing affiliate links, the less likely they will be to complete all the steps and place any links. Think of each step as an obstacle. Putting obstacles in the way of your affiliates, isn't usually a good thing.
          What if you placed in the footer a link that describes the product to the potential affiliate and provides the banners already?

          Going back to the truth about abs, Mike has done that: the affiliate link in the footer leads to this page

          Fitness Affiliate Info - Truth About Abs - Best Weight Loss and Diet Affiliates Program

          which then leads to pages inside the site with banners etc.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by SunilTanna View Post

          I don't have a problem with you asking for my email.

          I do have a problem with you requiring my email to place a banner etc., on one of my sites.

          The more steps you require before somebody can get started placing affiliate links, the less likely they will be to complete all the steps and place any links. Think of each step as an obstacle. Putting obstacles in the way of your affiliates, isn't usually a good thing.
          This. Exactly.

          Requiring your affiliates' email addresses would almost unquestionably cost you some affiliates. Unless the vendor has elected to "whitelist" affiliates (i.e. to vet affiliates and accept only the ones he wants), the affiliates' right to anonymity and lack of contact with the vendor is an intrinsic part of ClickBank's system.

          If a vendor has "affiliate aids" available but requires my email address before even showing me what they are, then I'll normally promote someone else's product instead.

          Having an "affiliates' link" on the sales page is something that quite a lot of affiliates dislike. It's arguably a form of "leak", albeit not a terribly serious one. For myself, although I dislike it, having that showing wouldn't prevent me from promoting a product which is otherwise suitable for me, but I know that some affiliates feel more strongly about it than I do.

          Affiliates find products through the Marketplace rather than through their sales pages. I don't think it's at all necessary for any vendor to do that. This is what Marketplace listings and vendor Spotlight pages are for. Just my perspective.
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          • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
            Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

            This. Exactly.

            Requiring your affiliates' email addresses would almost unquestionably cost you some affiliates. Unless the vendor has elected to "whitelist" affiliates (i.e. to vet affiliates and accept only the ones he wants), the affiliates' right to anonymity and lack of contact with the vendor is an intrinsic part of ClickBank's system.

            If a vendor has "affiliate aids" available but requires my email address before even showing me what they are, then I'll normally promote someone else's product instead.

            Having an "affiliates' link" on the sales page is something that quite a lot of affiliates dislike. It's arguably a form of "leak", albeit not a terribly serious one. For myself, although I dislike it, having that showing wouldn't prevent me from promoting a product which is otherwise suitable for me, but I know that some affiliates feel more strongly about it than I do.

            Affiliates find products through the Marketplace rather than through their sales pages. I don't think it's at all necessary for any vendor to do that. This is what vendor Spotlight pages are for. Just my perspective.
            Alexa, could you offer your opinion on having the sales page as the homepage or another page as per the OP?

            Thanks!
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        • Profile picture of the author MilesBaker
          Originally Posted by SunilTanna View Post

          I don't have a problem with you asking for my email.

          I do have a problem with you requiring my email to place a banner etc., on one of my sites.

          The more steps you require before somebody can get started placing affiliate links, the less likely they will be to complete all the steps and place any links. Think of each step as an obstacle. Putting obstacles in the way of your affiliates, isn't usually a good thing.
          Yeah, I know where you're coming from, as an affiliate I don't like to enter my email, and usually look for a way around it. However, I can't say that personally it's ever stopped me from promoting something I was serious about promoting in the first place.
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  • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
    For what is worth, a site that I like to use as a reference for how to go about being a CB vendor is the truthaboutabs one (5 Tips to Lose Stomach Fat, Get Flat Six Pack Abs, Ab Workouts, Abdominal Exercises).

    He has placed in the footer a link for affiliates in all pages except the sales page, which is a .com/order/ type page.

    Order - The Truth about Six Pack Abs Program

    Having said that, that site contains article and the homepage is not the sales page, although, in all honest, as a fitness dude myself, I've never come across any of his articles in Google searches for keywords involving abs.
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  • Profile picture of the author julesw
    just to throw this in the equation .. as a vendor you want flexibility .. so direct to sales page may not be working so you want to test via a squeeze page, funnel .. but if you set homepage as the cb sales page then it's fixed so you can't experiment with a homepage squeeze .. but then you may have leakage, people going from domain.com/buy to domain.com - not an answer just a thought
    How about set up another seperate domain for the cb sales page?
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    • Profile picture of the author MovingAround
      Originally Posted by julesw View Post

      just to throw this in the equation .. as a vendor you want flexibility .. so direct to sales page may not be working so you want to test via a squeeze page, funnel .. but if you set homepage as the cb sales page then it's fixed so you can't experiment with a homepage squeeze .. but then you may have leakage, people going from domain.com/buy to domain.com - not an answer just a thought
      How about set up another seperate domain for the cb sales page?
      Good thinking! I was considering setting up another domain, but, being a newbie still at this, I thought what'd be the point of driving traffic (that costs money/opportunity) to a squeeze page rather than the sales page itself?

      I'm new to Aweber, and I'm just starting to realize how useful it is so I may start considering the squeeze page option.

      Question:

      if I set the sales page as the homepage now (for CB affiliates), will I in the future be able to change the sales page to another location in the site? Would I have to contact affiliates to notify them of the change in sales page location or is this done automatically by CB? Or is this not possible?
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  • Profile picture of the author yakim1
    I don't know what the big deal is about not giving a vendor your email address. If you were to sign up to my affiliate program, you would be giving me a lot more than your email address including tax id information.

    As an affiliate you are representing me and my products and you have to agree to an affiliate agreement, which is handled by a checkbox saying you agree when you submit your affiliate registration.

    Best regards,
    Steve Yakim
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    • Profile picture of the author SunilTanna
      Originally Posted by yakim1 View Post

      I don't know what the big deal is about not giving a vendor your email address. If you were to sign up to my affiliate program, you would be giving me a lot more than your email address including tax id information.

      As an affiliate you are representing me and my products and you have to agree to an affiliate agreement, which is handled by a checkbox saying you agree when you submit your affiliate registration.

      Best regards,
      Steve Yakim
      No, I'm not your affiliate. I'm click banks. Cb is the retailer.

      Besides, are you really saying if I want to promote 10,000 products in cb, then I must give my address to 10,000 people?

      In summary, I view the situation as somewhat analogous to amazon. I can promote any product on amazon without having to establish direct relationships with everybody who uses amazon as their retailer.
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      • Profile picture of the author Harvey Segal
        There are two separate issues here

        1. Forcing an affiliate to sign up

        Some good reasons from Miles here for having an affiliate sign-up list

        Originally Posted by MilesBaker View Post

        1.) To motivate affiliates, provide them with more tools as you release them, etc.
        2.) To let affiliates know about new related products they may want to promote.
        3.) To have that list in case for whatever reason you have to move off ClickBank.
        In addition you can provide affiliates with their stats

        But to satisfy Sunil

        Originally Posted by SunilTanna View Post

        I don't have a problem with you asking for my email.

        I do have a problem with you requiring my email to place a banner etc., on one of my sites.
        you could openly provide the key affiliate information (affiliate link format and percentage offered) and recommend that the affiliate signs up for the reasons provided.


        2. Location of the affiliate instructions

        If your audience have no idea what an affiliate program is then there's no problem in putting an Affiliate Program link on the sales page.

        I would not like to see though a bold 'Earn Money selling this product' link with the simple instructions
        - sign up with ClickBank here
        - put your nickname in this link

        as that might tempt a visitor to purchase with his own link.

        He'll probably never get paid the commission - due to the Customer Distribution Requirement and the Dormancy Rule - but the damage is done in that the referring affiliate will have lost out.

        Where there is the possibility that potential customers do know about affiliate programs you could make the link a bit harder to find e.g on an About page or a Faq page.

        However someone who is really keen to become an affiliate (as opposed to purchasing the product) should be able to find this information whether from the MarketPlace or by locating the vendor nickname (from the order link or the order page source code)


        .
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      • Profile picture of the author yakim1
        Originally Posted by SunilTanna View Post

        No, I'm not your affiliate. I'm click banks. Cb is the retailer.

        Besides, are you really saying if I want to promote 10,000 products in cb, then I must give my address to 10,000 people?

        In summary, I view the situation as somewhat analogous to amazon. I can promote any product on amazon without having to establish direct relationships with everybody who uses amazon as their retailer.
        Some times you should be careful in saying things that you can't possibly do to make a statement to compare. You do not have the resources to promote 10,000 peoples products.

        A vendor has the right to know who is promoting their products. Suppose an affiliate is using traffic exchanges to send tons of traffic to your site resulting in no sales. That affiliate is using up your resources. You need to be able to block this affiliate if wanted.

        I hope to open my own bank next month similar to JVZoo but without the bottle necks and the vendors will know who are the affiliates promoting their products and will have the ability to block the ones they don't want promoting their products.

        So who knows, you maybe promoting products through my bank.
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        • Profile picture of the author Black Prince
          Sorry to bump an old thread, but I'd be interested in hearing more views on the OP's original question.

          I'm launching a product on Clickbank and am stewing over whether to have a kind of 'hub' homepage (capturing leads, linking to the sales page, a bit about the product creator, a testimonial or two, linking to the blog).

          I remember Clickbank, in one of its own courses for potential vendors, recommending exactly this. I can see the pros: warming up the traffic a touch more before sending them onto the sales page and building the list. It could also make for a decent base landing page to test and spin-off with my own PPC efforts.

          On the other hand, I hear affiliates aren't crazy about such a setup and that more info/links could result in a reduction of the number of people seeing the sales page in the first place.

          So I'd love to hear from any CB vendors/affiliates with thoughts on this.
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