27 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
27 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Monetizing a site - What would you do?

by Stallion
23 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hey,

I thought I'd ask you guys what you'd do in this situation. I'm not really sure what I should do and I've sort of let this site sit.

Basically I was selling an affiliate ebook/video course thing through PDC with a specific publisher. This was great and everything. I was selling it for about a year now and got paid every month. I suspected that the publisher of this particular product was one of those anti-affiliate type of people that resent having to pay their affiliates.

Anyway, they recently announced that they're going to end their affiliate program.

The problem I'm faced with is that there is nothing to replace it with. This is a very unique niche and there are no other products for the particular traffic I'm getting, at least in the ebook/video format. There are books on Amazon, but the commission on an $11 book isn't just crap.

Basically I'm faced with a bit of an issue here.

I see three options for myself.

First, create my own product.
Second, change all the links over to amazon.
Third, use adsense.

All of these have their positives and negatives.

Creating my own product would get me back to double what I was making before (since I was getting 50% commissions). The problem with this is that I don't have the first clue on how I could make such a product. Just the type of niche it is in, I'd have to know a lot, so I couldn't make it myself. I also don't have the money to outsource it.

Amazon would probably be the easiest way to go. I just change the links and move on. My site will go from making decent amount of money, to very little.

Third, is a little tough. You'd assume that I could just put the Adsense ads up on the pages and move on. I looked at the CPC and I'd probably get decent click values. The problem is that the site doesn't really contain "content". Everything on the site is very targeted toward keywords and the articles on them are just sale pages, which the Big G wouldn't like.

I'm in a little bit of a pickle on the direction I should take. A side note is that the site is about a year old.

What do you think is the best option in this case? I'm sure a lot of people have an opinion on the direction.

The only thing that comes to mind for me, since making a product would be burtal for me, is to change everyone over to Amazon. Redo the front page of the site and monetize that for Adsense. Than start building content around that I can put Adsense on.

What do you think?
#monetizing #site
  • Profile picture of the author kennykencaid
    You need to build a list with a opting page and do all 3.

    Think about it.


    You could send them to Amazon today, your adsense site the next day and a survey after that to see what they want to buy..

    Then work on your product.

    Talk soon,
    Kenny Kencaid
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1180247].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author sanambk
    Banned
    [DELETED]
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1180790].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author runner
      Stallion,

      you have a tricky situation.

      However, I would try to think in this way:
      you have branded yourself according the expertise,
      which is needed to market that particular ebook.

      So all marketing material, which is out, tells something
      about your ebook. Now I would try to find out an ebook,
      which has a topic very close to your previous one.

      I don`t doubt you, but it feels impossible, that there is
      only one ebook from that niche in the internet.

      Successful hunting,

      Juhani
      Signature
      Want to own a targeted niche site?
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1181475].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    Oh this sounds absolutely the perfect opportunity for you to create your own product. You have been selling somebody elses product regularly with obviously very little competition for a while. It may seem like a problem to you but for me this would be a golden opportunity!
    Yeah, I know this is the smartest approach and the most profitable way to go about it. I just can't create a product now. No money to outsource it and the digging up of information would take a lot of time. This will be something on the table in the future when I'm in a better position to create a product.

    I don`t doubt you, but it feels impossible, that there is
    only one ebook from that niche in the internet.
    There are other ebooks/ecourses, but no affiliate programs. I've looked. I really have. There was one on Clickbank that is currently inactive.

    Thanks for the opinions everyone. I'll try to figure out something to do in the meantime and when I'm in a better position I'll get around to creating a product.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1182231].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Crooks
      Trust me Stallion and this is important, it really really isn't that hard to create an info product. Forget the outsourcing and you don't even need much in the way of investment. Time is a different matter of course but you should do everything in your power to make time.

      The digging of information is there in front of you, the affiliate product you have been promoting and the good old internet. Don't plagiarise but use that content as the basis for your own product.

      I know you say you are not in a position to create a product but is that because you think it will take you months to do? What if I were to tell you that a week from today you could have your own product up and running would you change your mind? I am not joking either.

      Originally Posted by Stallion View Post

      Yeah, I know this is the smartest approach and the most profitable way to go about it. I just can't create a product now. No money to outsource it and the digging up of information would take a lot of time. This will be something on the table in the future when I'm in a better position to create a product.


      There are other ebooks/ecourses, but no affiliate programs. I've looked. I really have. There was one on Clickbank that is currently inactive.

      Thanks for the opinions everyone. I'll try to figure out something to do in the meantime and when I'm in a better position I'll get around to creating a product.
      Signature
      Affiliate Marketing Profits 2020 - Step by Step Guides
      How to Make $100 a day Online
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1182376].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Marigold
        Originally Posted by Steve Crooks View Post

        Trust me Stallion and this is important, it really really isn't that hard to create an info product. Forget the outsourcing and you don't even need much in the way of investment. Time is a different matter of course but you should do everything in your power to make time.

        The digging of information is there in front of you, the affiliate product you have been promoting and the good old internet. Don't plagiarise but use that content as the basis for your own product.

        I know you say you are not in a position to create a product but is that because you think it will take you months to do? What if I were to tell you that a week from today you could have your own product up and running would you change your mind? I am not joking either.


        Exactly my view Steve.I am getting good clicks for a click bank product.
        I am planning to develops my own product on the same subject with a lot of added value with research and my own knowledge on the subject.
        And I am planning to price it a bit lower than the click bank product.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1266034].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
      Originally Posted by Stallion View Post

      Yeah, I know this is the smartest approach and the most profitable way to go about it. I just can't create a product now. No money to outsource it and the digging up of information would take a lot of time. This will be something on the table in the future when I'm in a better position to create a product.


      There are other ebooks/ecourses, but no affiliate programs. I've looked. I really have. There was one on Clickbank that is currently inactive.

      Thanks for the opinions everyone. I'll try to figure out something to do in the meantime and when I'm in a better position I'll get around to creating a product.
      Here's the FASTEST and FREE-EST way to create a product...

      Ask the vendor you were promoting if you can interview them for 15 minutes.

      Get every ounce of info out of him, sell the audio with transcripts, then also
      take all the nuggets out of the interview and create an ebook or video product
      out of the nuggets.

      He (old greedy scarcity mindset having vendor/new competitor) won't even know
      what hit him and you will become the new authority in the field.

      I'll take 10% of all of your revenue for the next 6 months for the brilliant idea

      - Jason

      (Disclaimer: I would also like to include that due to recent FTC
      rulings, I am required to tell you that the suggestion I just made
      to you will most likely not work for you. The average person who is
      given such a brilliant idea never ends up taking action and end up
      making only $.01. The scenario I spoke of in my suggestion is
      extremely atypical.)
      Signature

      "Human thoughts have the tendency to transform themselves into their physical equivalent." Earl Nightingale

      Super Affiliates Hang Out Here

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1266453].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    Hey Steve. Thanks for the motivational words. I'll try to get one up.

    I thought I'd update you on this guys program. I can't believe the austerity of this guy. Like I said, I suspected this guy was an anti-affiliate and I think this completely proves it. I just logged into my account for the first time in a month and saw that I had a few messages in my inbox waiting for me. I don't get email notifications from PDC. I turned it off cause I was sick of getting spammed.

    First, he says he's not going to pay me for August. Nice guy.

    Secondly, he's showing an obsession with my website, which shows that it probably was the fact that I was moving up the ranks at Google with it. I was actually pushing into top 10 for the niche name (not long tail).

    Third, threats of legal action to remove all references to his product on my site. lol

    Fourth, an inquiry about one of my pen names that I wrote a lot of articles for the site on article directories. My guess, he wants me to delete all the articles lol.

    I really don't understand people. I make him affiliate sales for over a year, and he's getting upset by the fact that I did it well. Boo hoo!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1198535].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author CompeteSEO
    test test test everything
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1202271].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author onlineleben
    really don't understand people. I make him affiliate sales for over a year, and he's getting upset by the fact that I did it well
    some people become greedy - Good thing is that you channeld the traffic to him via your website, so he cannot get hold of the keywords your referrals used to find oyur site.

    Regarding own product creation:
    1) Tell the world that you are in the process of creating your own product to cater to your nich in a much better quality way than you were doing up to now.
    2) set up a quick survey (2 to 3 questions) people interested in your niche can answer so you get information of what they really want to know (also add some free text form so they can enter their own suggestions).
    2a) build a mailing list from those that took part in the survey to announce the finished product to.
    3) change the links in your articles on article sites so they point to your site
    4) show the other merchant the finger by outranking him in sales with a high quality product that you created (w/o violating any copyrights of his)

    Good luck
    Signature
    Learn Languages Abroad
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1202365].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    I want to thank everyone for their support and guidance. For some reason this week I've been stuck in more of a pissed off mood about it, but not the kind that leads to you do nothing. The kind that makes you productive. I decided I'm going to make my own product and I'm going to do it this weekend.

    I'm going to pick up some RedBull and work some long nights over the weekend to get this done. I want to thank Steve Crooks the most for holding the position on just making a product and that it isn't as hard as I'm probably anticipating.

    I was thinking about it a lot more, and it is a perfect opportunity. Not only will I have the only eproduct on the market, but I can find all the old affiliates for this other program that was shut down and see if they'll promote my product.

    Thanks again guys.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1234413].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Stephen Crooks
      I just revisited this thread again and was wondering how you are getting on with your product Stallion.. Any progress?

      Originally Posted by Stallion View Post

      I want to thank everyone for their support and guidance. For some reason this week I've been stuck in more of a pissed off mood about it, but not the kind that leads to you do nothing. The kind that makes you productive. I decided I'm going to make my own product and I'm going to do it this weekend.

      I'm going to pick up some RedBull and work some long nights over the weekend to get this done. I want to thank Steve Crooks the most for holding the position on just making a product and that it isn't as hard as I'm probably anticipating.

      I was thinking about it a lot more, and it is a perfect opportunity. Not only will I have the only eproduct on the market, but I can find all the old affiliates for this other program that was shut down and see if they'll promote my product.

      Thanks again guys.
      Signature
      Affiliate Marketing Profits 2020 - Step by Step Guides
      How to Make $100 a day Online
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1260757].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Stallion
        Originally Posted by Steve Crooks View Post

        I just revisited this thread again and was wondering how you are getting on with your product Stallion.. Any progress?
        Hey, thanks for the checking up.

        I finished the ebook. I bought some energy drinks and forced my self last weekend to finish it. Right now, I'm hammering away on the sales letter trying to widdle my way through it. I finished the first draft of the letter, but inching my way through the 2nd draft widdling things down and trying to make the most powerful bullet points.

        Despite the fact that the sales letter is taking me a lot longer than I've ever anticipated, I feel good about it. I feel like the edits I'm making are really adding an impact to readers.

        I'm a little concerned about testimonials and gaining credibility though. That's my primary concern and probably my main fear of building this product to begin with.

        When I finish the sales letter, I'll have to go back and add in a few more pages to the ebook. So things fit a little better with the benefits I'm listing on the sales page.

        Plus I need to work on building on a few more bonuses.

        I guess all in all, things are good. During the course of writing the ebook I picked up on a bunch of upsell ideas too.

        I'm hoping this works out.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1265679].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author Stephen Crooks
          For the testimonials give out some review copies to people who want them at a forum for your niche and in return get them to write a review. As a sidenote, read up about the new FTC rulings on testimonials as well.

          Originally Posted by Stallion View Post

          Hey, thanks for the checking up.

          I finished the ebook. I bought some energy drinks and forced my self last weekend to finish it. Right now, I'm hammering away on the sales letter trying to widdle my way through it. I finished the first draft of the letter, but inching my way through the 2nd draft widdling things down and trying to make the most powerful bullet points.

          Despite the fact that the sales letter is taking me a lot longer than I've ever anticipated, I feel good about it. I feel like the edits I'm making are really adding an impact to readers.

          I'm a little concerned about testimonials and gaining credibility though. That's my primary concern and probably my main fear of building this product to begin with.

          When I finish the sales letter, I'll have to go back and add in a few more pages to the ebook. So things fit a little better with the benefits I'm listing on the sales page.

          Plus I need to work on building on a few more bonuses.

          I guess all in all, things are good. During the course of writing the ebook I picked up on a bunch of upsell ideas too.

          I'm hoping this works out.
          Signature
          Affiliate Marketing Profits 2020 - Step by Step Guides
          How to Make $100 a day Online
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1268509].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author warrich
    i will recommended google adsense and bidvertiser both are good
    Signature
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1260928].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author madison_avenue
    Go to amazon see who the top authors in your niche are by checking the books. Offer to interview the expert author about your topic say you are a web publisher, conduct interview over the phone. Use the interview as basis for an ebook or an audio product. Pay the author a percentage or a fee for the interview.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1261369].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    Hey thanks for the suggestion Jason.

    It was actually mentioned by Madison_Avenue, except he mentioned amazon authors. The only problem with interviewing my vendor is that he hates me and has a huge problem with me. I mentioned that somewhere in this thread. It's not he hates me because I did something unethical or shady. He's just anti-affiliate vendor that got upset I was invading his territory in the search engines.

    Did I mention he's not going to pay me what I'm owed?

    The good news is that I finished the ebook. That is one thing I have done. I'll have to try this interviewing suggestion for a backend product or upsell. It being recommended more than once is a very good indicator.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1267000].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author jasondinner
      Originally Posted by Stallion View Post

      Hey thanks for the suggestion Jason.

      It was actually mentioned by Madison_Avenue, except he mentioned amazon authors. The only problem with interviewing my vendor is that he hates me and has a huge problem with me. I mentioned that somewhere in this thread. It's not he hates me because I did something unethical or shady. He's just anti-affiliate vendor that got upset I was invading his territory in the search engines.

      Did I mention he's not going to pay me what I'm owed?

      The good news is that I finished the ebook. That is one thing I have done. I'll have to try this interviewing suggestion for a backend product or upsell. It being recommended more than once is a very good indicator.
      He's not going to pay you even those he's legally obligated to?

      If the amount is substantial, I would look into taking legal action if I were you.

      Also, what did merchant provider was he using?

      If you have documentation of how much he owes you, (and you should), I would
      approach his merchant provider and tell them he owes his affiliates money and
      refuses to pay.

      Jason

      P.S. Pay somebody else to interview him for you
      Signature

      "Human thoughts have the tendency to transform themselves into their physical equivalent." Earl Nightingale

      Super Affiliates Hang Out Here

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1267059].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    Hey Jason,

    It isn't enough to take legal action. I'm not totally screwed out of a lot of money. It's through PDC. I registered a complaint with them on Tuesday (the 6th) and I'm waiting to hear back from them on exactly what will happen. The guy is also listed in the BBB, so I'll be registering a complaint with them too (which I know really doesn't amount to anything).

    And this guy didn't just not pay me. He told me he wasn't going to pay me. That's the kicker. One thing is ripping someone off. Another thing is having the audacity to tell you that is what he's going to do before pay day.

    P.S. Pay somebody else to interview him for you
    I'm curious about one thing regarding the interview and that is the vendor signing off on it. Am I allowed to do an interview with someone and just sell it, without telling them. Don't I need permission, which I'm sure they'd never give.

    This guy has had the luxury of having no competition in this market since 2006 (at least that is what I see from web.archive.org). I doubt he wants to help the competition step in.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1267141].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author flobaby
    Stallion, this thread is excellent! I'm excited for your ebook (something that seems daunting to me but after reading this thread, is making some ideas spin round my head). Please make sure you keep adding your progress on this as it's fascinating to many, I'm sure.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1268410].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    Yeah, I saw the FTC stuff. You got to give an accurate view of average outcomes or something like that. You can't pick the best of the best and showcase that as the results everyone will get.

    I'm happy to report that I have it live now. I just set it up with my paypal. I want to put it up on clickbank, but I'm not ready yet. I still need to collect testimonials and build one or two more bonuses.

    I just had to make it go live now. My other site is just sending traffic to an untargeted product that isn't converting at all... I've got two sales the entire month and with a commission of $12... it's just not worth it.

    I'm hoping I'll at least do better sending the traffic to a targeted product, which may not have the most convincing sales letter.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1268733].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author Stallion
    Wow, another shocking update.

    After reporting to PDC, they ended up suspending my account.

    Here's the exact reason.

    Basically vendor tells me he's not going to pay me, so I switch my links off the site.
    Than a week later he complains that I have his product image on my site. Obviously I refused to remove it because he ripped me off.

    "Your account has been suspended for the following reason:

    Using a vendors copyrighted material and not removing it after being told to do so by that vendor. Redirecting potential buyers away from PDC and to a competitors pay links. "

    OMG. I sent traffic to a competitor. Oh noes. How dare I change my affiliate links after the affiliate program ends.

    PDC didn't email me. Didn't even ask for my side.

    Wow. I'm in shock.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1272284].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author bonachord
    I Just keep reading and trying different things I'm new here and doing some research and if you take advantage of it you could pickup a PLR 20 only today only for free called BACK BURNER TRAFFIC digital-enquirer com Do you have a ton of resell eproducts but haven't figured out how to get traffic to your web site to buy them?
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[1272317].message }}

Trending Topics