Originally brainstormed on Gordon Bryan's thread at TLS - brought here to continue as a Case Study:
Open for Discussion! Add your
Input/Suggestions/Questions
Promoting Affiliate Programs with Google AdWords
I chose an affiliate program: It pays $4.50 per LEAD (not sale!) and has tons of searches, quite a variety in keywords/phrases to test...
I researched keywords & phrases, and the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages) for those keywords. Got some good ones!
I walked through the process myself, trying to get a feel for what a visitor might encounter (what I am promoting versus what they actually see/find once they click). I decided there were too many 'distractions' (options, other than the one I receive commission for) - so I opened up ACB (Affiliate Commission Booster) and created a special link so that my visitors will be taken straight to the 'call-to-action' from my own info-page. Tested... it works. (Boy, that was easy!)
I have approx 30 keyword phrases - so I will group these together and write a specific ad for each group... keeping my appeal as highly targeted to what the searcher is looking for as possible.
I currently have a 33.33% conversion rate with this affiliate program. Its higher than most, because I'm giving something away for free - and from a 'household name' company. So I dont really have to 'make a sale' - just reach the right market and entice them to request a free ___.
Now this conversion rate was BEFORE I made the change to the 'landing page' using ACB - I imagine my conversion rate will be at least that, if not higher, now.
So... Lets say I focus (to begin with) ONLY on keywords I can get for 5 cents/click, and set my minimum at $10/day. I'm only going to get 200 click-through's a day with that minimum, but if I hold steady at the 33.33% conversion rate, that equals almost $300/day in commission.
Now if I choose keywords that cost 12 cents/click and set my minimum at $5/day - I'm only allowed about 41 click-through's. And lets imagine for some reason my conversion rate with Adwords is only 20% (compared to my conversion rate for a direct referral or search engine listing). That would result in approx $36.90 commission. Using the same scenario (12 cent keywords), setting my minimum cost to $10/day, still at 20% conversion, that increases my income to approx $73.80 (net = $31.90 or $63.80... definitely worth the risk of upping my cost/day).
(my commission is $4.50/lead)
Hmm... definitely want to start this with nickel clickers and $10/min on the first day and see how it flies...
So... Lets say I focus (to begin with) ONLY on keywords I can get for 5 cents/click, and set my minimum at $10/day. I'm only going to get 200 click-through's a day with that minimum, but if I hold steady at the 33.33% conversion rate, that equals almost $300/day in commission.
If this held true... it would cost you $300 to make $9,000 - in one month.
$8,700 in pure profit.
Multiply that times 12 - assuming this program did well all year long - and you'd spend $3,600 to make $108,000 ($104,400 profit).
I could get excited about that
I'm planning to begin the campaigns tonight or in the morning - will be a fun weekend project!
--------
Resources:
Researched Keywords using (free trial)
Affiliate Commission Booster - allows "deep linking".
$19.97 - includes full resell rights. (Email if you want a copy)
Great resource for pay-per-lead Affiliate Programs: