State of the Union: Affiliate Marketing as of Late 2009
Affiliate Marketing is a much bigger industry than anyone on the ‘outside’ would ever suspect. Today, a video about where things are at right now. (Hint: if all you’re doing is signing up for somebody’s affiliate program and buying links, you’re ROAD KILL.)
After you watch the video, go to the next page.
About the Author
Entrepreneur Magazine says: "Perry Marshall is the #1 author and world's most-quoted consultant on Google Advertising. He has helped over 100,000 advertisers save literally billions of dollars in Adwords stupidity tax."
He is referenced across the Internet and by The Washington Post, USA Today, and the Chicago Tribune.
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or email.Posted by Perry on November 3rd, 2009. Filed in Marketing Blog. Tagged as . Follow responses thru Comments RSS. Follow responses thru Comments RSS.
Hi Perry I have watched your video and I have read Amit free report that he has recently shared in certain circles however I am surprised that you are endorsing this because he contradicts many things that you state in your book
For example exact match phrase match and broad match he makes it clear to use keywords with broad match when starting out and then move to deep match where as your recommendation is exact match and a small amount of key words I have been subscribed to you for some time know and have great respect for your expertise with regard to PPC
My problem is I find it all a bit confusing to say the least.
Kind Regards Alan Benney
Amit’s method is perfectly valid, it’s just approaching the problem from a different angle. His is helping you figure out what your “center of gravity” keywords are. Glenn LIvingston teaches this too.
I couldn’t get this to work at all. I finally ran out of money which is probably a good thing. The only PPC traffic worth a darn is Google and they just make it too hard for affiliates to use their system. The other thing is that rarely do people buy on their first visit. Cookies are unreliable even if they do happen to return to the site that you referred them too. I really feel the only way to do affiliate marketing is to get popular and build a list and build some trust in your market. Then you may have a fighting chance.
I for one STRONGLY advocate building a list and a following, and not being invisible. This has always been the case. Meanwhile Amit’s techniques are useful within that model.
Perry,
How could you? It is right in your video – right at the start. You promoted an affiliate product without reviewing it? This is just wrong. You then hired someone to review it after the fact? The cart before the horse. Not only should the review ALWAYS come first you should have actually used the product before you tried to sell it as an affiliate. That was just either greed or laziness to do it backwards.
Now Perry – go take a break from your computer. Go look into a mirror and say “I will never suggest again a product or servcie that I have not reviewed and USED”.
Monte,
I had already spent days with Amit and I’d known him for a year.
I’d picked his brain and talked to him for hours.
I’d already used many of the ideas that he talked about.
That in my opinion is far better than reading somebody’s book – because I KNOW Amit’s the real deal.
This has been the case with quite a few things I endorse. I know the people well enough that there’s nothing to worry about. That’s neither greed nor laziness, it’s an efficiency that’s gained through relationships. I endorsed a couple of Glenn Livingston’s products last year without even looking at them. A 1/2 hour conversation about what the product was about was sufficient. If I endorse a seminar then I’m asking for trust in advance that the seminar will be a good one. If I know the person who’s organizing it then that’s the #1 factor.
I have yet to see this formula fail.
I have, however, seen products that were great created by people who were thieves, whom I did not know well, and then lived to regret endorsing the product because of the people who created them.
Ultimately best determiner of quality is the PERSON who created it. I’m not saying this is the one perfect approach that everyone should use. But seldom have I endorsed a product by someone I didn’t know and that has always served me well.
Perry
I like the way you explain things Perry, but as a newbie I gotta admit: from where I’m sitting, it seems that the only way to be successful in any of this is to be a part of the “clicks” that are already formed when it comes to affiliate marketing. You guys all promote one another’s products, seminars, books, etc. It’s like the ole boys club – and the rest of us aren’t even invited.
Layne,
If you’re a newbie, you shouldn’t touch “how to make $ on the internet” or “selling marketing tools and advice to others” with a 10 foot pole. It’s a game for A-players only. And yes, it is a clique. Frankly anybody who tells you it’s a fast way to money is pulling the wool over your eyes. It’s a job for Ninjas.
All the more reason why you shouldn’t bloody your nose trying to break in. See http://www.perrymarshall.com/pink-koolaid
Perry
Perry:
Well, after reading the Kool-Aid post, I assume that the “work from home” niche I’m going for falls into the “don’t touch it with a 10 foot pole category,” right?
Maybe that’s why I haven’t made any money yet!
Layne,
ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
Perry,
I almost pressed the button last night for the PPC 10 day trial, but then I relaxed and said it will be there later.
Can you comment on the tools that he has developed? – Keyword tool, ad tool, the niche finder upsell —
Also- The way I am looking at this is the PPC classroom method is like using an uzi – put up a bunch of campaigns and you are likely to make some money off of one of them. What is the right approach – the uzi approach or the rifle approach, which would be a few campaigns that you refine and play with so that you make some money??
Brian
Brian,
I have not personally evaluated those specific tools that you mention. Per other parts of this discussion I am endorsing Amit’s offer based on (1) knowing him and his expertise personally, and knowing he’s been hard at work on this for months, and (2) having gotten lots of positive response from my customers when he launched PPC Classroom a year ago. I would encourage you to take the risk and I personally extend an invitation to you to come back to this blog post and report your experience – good, bad or indifferent – here for all to see.
Perry
I agree with Perry 100%!
I think many people make “too much fuss”
about the product owner having to review
and use the product… especially within
the specific context of product launches.
If someone knows the person behind the product
they will know if the ethics are there or not
at the end of the day. Because in business
what really matters is:
a) Honesty
b) Integrity
c) And over delivering
(both on the offer and customer support)
….
By the way I’ve purchased PPC Classroom back
in February this year… and Amit Mehta knows
his game. I’ve learned MANY tips from him. So,
thanks for promoting it Perry!
I highly recommend his stuff too, and I am
not an affiliate for PPC Classroom. This is
just a sincere comment from an past happy
customer of PPC Classroom!
….
Also, I am glad to see I am not the only one
who thinks you need to make a purchase and
use a product to get an opinion about whether
a product will make a difference or not in
people’s lives at the end of the day.
Using and reviewing the product is a PLUS.
I agree 100%! But that does not have to be
a “necessary condition” to promote a product
and especially within the context of a product
launch!
….
Plus, one could also mention the economics
side involved in doing a “perfect promo”.
When you consider the TIME that you need to
review a product and use it… that means in
many cases (not all of course)… that you
will NOT have enough time to see the entire
product potential… until many days AFTER
the product launch day!
So the way I see it is:
a) Knowing the person behind a product and
having the ability to speak with the person
about the product is the 20% of the equation
that brings 80% of the results.(TRUST factor!)
b) Reviewing the product and using the product
is the missing 80% which can make or break the
consistency of the process in case things go
wrong. So, is it important? Definitely! Just
not a “necessary condition” if you know the
people whom you are working with.
In other words, if you know what you are doing
TRUST will always trump a product REVIEW in the
specific context of a product launch!
In my humble opinion, TIME has proven Perry
was right. PPC Classroom is a TOP product
and is doing good to many PPC affiliates!
Regards,
Frederico Vila Verde
P.S: After a product launch I agree that a
product review should be more of a condition
or criteria to consider! With that I will
have to agree, since TIMINGS and DEADLINES
are not a constraint in the equation!
Thanks for the video, Perry. This helps me have a better understanding about the affiliate market as a whole. I also appreciate your simple tips and solid advice regarding Google PPC. It helped me take the plunge.
Perry:
Im torn between starting a niche biz using Niche Profit Classroom. (NPC) Im sure you know of them.
Yet I really like Terry Dean. Meanwhie making money the harder way ( it seems) doing internet video for local businesses and enhancing with Traff. Geyser. Your feedback on all above?
Your time and heart of a teacher is greatly appreciated.
thank you.
Susan
I don’t know much about the NPC guys. Terry Dean is an A player and a totally straight shooter. You can’t go wrong with him.
I think doing consulting for real business develops your chops and diversifies your skills like nothing else.
I like the two latter options in tandem, myself.