During this time, after signing up for an affiliate network, I picked a product that I felt was okay for my audience (but I didn’t really know), I set up a Google AdWords account to start advertising it, and I created my first ad. At that time, I was a terrible marketer and copywriter (still am in many ways!). In the ad, I drove people to click on the link for the product I was advertising.
After a couple of hours, I saw that I had a few hundred impressions on the ad. After a few more hours, it was over a thousand impressions. But I had zero clicks on the ad. Zilch, nada, none. I waited and waited until I finally got my first click, but that person didn’t end up buying the product.
So what did that experience amount to? I spent $300 on a couple dozen clicks, but those clicks amounted to zero sales.
As a learning experience, I began thinking about those clicks, and the person on the other end. Who were they? What compelled them to take action? Why did they click?
After a short while, I learned that there was really no way for me to know the answer to those questions. I couldn’t know that person who clicked, or even my audience. I had created an ad based on a product I didn’t understand inside and out. I didn’t spend the time to know the product, or understand how it could serve my audience. And in so doing, I was failing myself and the people (my small audience at the time) who counted on me.
I wasn’t going to do that ever again. I had a wake-up call, right then and there. I learned how important knowing your audience is, and how integral relationship building is to effective affiliate marketing. My learning process would continue from there, of course, but the building blocks were set.
Affiliate marketing isn’t a quick, impersonal thing. It’s the exact opposite.
Affiliate marketing is about fostering genuine long-term relationships with people you trust, products you love, companies that align with you and your philosophies.
Any healthy relationship takes time and a great deal of trust. And that’s what we need to focus on in our affiliate marketing relationships. I see, too often, people wasting time and energy in promoting products in the guise of affiliate marketing. But, you see, affiliate marketing should be a natural extension of your own efforts in business; not a tack-on just to make a little extra money.
The affiliate relationships I’ve built over the years took time because I spent the time to do the research, test out the product, meet with the creators, and understand their vision. We took the time, together, to build that trust so we can gain the trust of our respective audiences. All of that is essential in affiliate marketing.
And you need to know your audience.
After a couple of hours, I saw that I had a few hundred impressions on the ad. After a few more hours, it was over a thousand impressions. But I had zero clicks on the ad. Zilch, nada, none. I waited and waited until I finally got my first click, but that person didn’t end up buying the product.
So what did that experience amount to? I spent $300 on a couple dozen clicks, but those clicks amounted to zero sales.
As a learning experience, I began thinking about those clicks, and the person on the other end. Who were they? What compelled them to take action? Why did they click?
After a short while, I learned that there was really no way for me to know the answer to those questions. I couldn’t know that person who clicked, or even my audience. I had created an ad based on a product I didn’t understand inside and out. I didn’t spend the time to know the product, or understand how it could serve my audience. And in so doing, I was failing myself and the people (my small audience at the time) who counted on me.
I wasn’t going to do that ever again. I had a wake-up call, right then and there. I learned how important knowing your audience is, and how integral relationship building is to effective affiliate marketing. My learning process would continue from there, of course, but the building blocks were set.
Affiliate marketing isn’t a quick, impersonal thing. It’s the exact opposite.
Affiliate marketing is about fostering genuine long-term relationships with people you trust, products you love, companies that align with you and your philosophies.
Any healthy relationship takes time and a great deal of trust. And that’s what we need to focus on in our affiliate marketing relationships. I see, too often, people wasting time and energy in promoting products in the guise of affiliate marketing. But, you see, affiliate marketing should be a natural extension of your own efforts in business; not a tack-on just to make a little extra money.
The affiliate relationships I’ve built over the years took time because I spent the time to do the research, test out the product, meet with the creators, and understand their vision. We took the time, together, to build that trust so we can gain the trust of our respective audiences. All of that is essential in affiliate marketing.
And you need to know your audience.
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