Affiliate Marketing Archives - Page 3 of 3

9 Ways To Pimp Private Label Rights Products

Private Label Rights Pimping I know you love the title – and you can thank me for the smile later. I’ve recently made connects with a super-innovative blogger over at ImWithJoe.com, and while reading through his posts I stumbled upon a great video he did describing private label rights and resale rights with some unique, but effective examples. You can check out his post and video here. While we’re on the topic, I want to introduce the newer bloggers and affiliates to private label rights products and how you can use them for article marketing, e-courses and various other content driven applications within your online ventures.

What Are Private Label Rights?

To put it plainly, PLR or Private Label Rights products are nothing more than e-books, articles and reports that you can purchase, manipulate, brand and use as your own. There are individuals who make a decent living authoring e-books and reports for licensing to other webmasters and Internet marketers – as well as licensing the right to sell those exact same rights to someone else, which is known as Master Resale Rights. I know it might sound confusing, so let me give you the definition of Private Label Rights and Master Resale Rights from our good friends at InternetMarketingDefinitions.com:

Private Label Rights – Content, particularly articles, written by a 3rd party and made available for several purchasers to buy and use. These articles can then be used as-is or edited as the purchaser desires – within the guidelines of the PLR company. Guidelines will differ with each company.

Master Resale Rights – If you have a product with “Master resale rights” this means you can resell the product and keep 100% of the profits. You cannot alter it in any way but it’s yours to sell as is.

How Can I Use PLR Products To Make Money Online?

Create a report to attract new readers to your newsletter – You can compile a report using a single, or several rewritten Private Label Rights products and give it away to entice new readers to your websites newsletter.
Use the PLR content to create a squeeze page to build your list – Rewrite portions of several related PLR products to generate a free report and content for a squeeze page in order to acquire email addresses and build your list.
Create an autoresponder email course – Again, editing Private Label Rights products and using the content to provide a free “how-to” course which you will feed to the list you compiled from your squeeze page. Are you starting to see how these methods are becoming intertwined?
Create and sell an e-book – For this method I would suggest combining the rewritten PLR content with your own to strengthen your e-book, but to also ensure your e-book remains unique and up to date. If you’re simply rewriting a PLR e-book you purchased and then selling it, think again, because your e-book will essentially be the same as the orginal regarding the content it contains – therefor providing little value.
Rewrite the PLR content and submit it to article directories – This is a great way to get links and hopefully boost your page rank. Edit PLR content and split it up into keyword focused articles that you will submit to high traffic article directories – putting your domain of choice (blog, niche site, or squeeze page) in the resource box to funnel that traffic and hopefully make some sales. This method is one of my favorites.
Use the content for niche marketing – Whether you have niche sites like Build A Niche Store or Squidoo lenses, PLR content is great for adding content to these type of affiliate sites. Since most PLR products are niche focused anyways, this is a great way to get keyword focused traffic and start to earn revenue via mediums like Adsense and CPA affiliate offers.
Use the content for your blog – Instead of doing 5 posts a week from scratch, do three posts and edit some PLR content for the other two. As long as you remain focused on your particular niche, you will be providing your readers with great value. Imagine spending a weekend editing an entire PLR product and breaking it up into a series of posts on your blog – this means more time generating affiliate income and forming joint venture projects.
Apply keyword research to your PLR content – Editing your purchased content is one thing, but doing some keyword research using a tool like Wordtracker to find low competition/high demand key phrases will ensure you have prime positioning in Google’s search results – which means more organic traffic.
Use PLR products to populate satellite blogs – If you’ve never heard the term satellite blogging, it’s basically having a ring of blogs all pointing back to your main blog, within various niches. This is a great time to utilize the content within Private Label Rights products. Edit the content and set a schedule for updating your outer blogs, which will keep Goolge happy, and in turn get those smaller blogs indexed quicker so they can start funneling traffic to your main site.

A Word Of Caution

While there are several high quality Private Label Rights portals and membership sites, make sure the content of the product is informative, and more importantly, up to date. There are so many dated sales pages and membership sites floating around the inter-web that you want to make sure if you are purchasing the license to use someone elses content for your websites – that the content is up to date and current. Another tip – it’s always good to use products that have a limited release, so you know the content you are using is only in the hands of a selected few.

Here are a few PLR sites you might want to consider:

www.EasyPLR.com

www.YummyPLR.com

www.Niche-Content-Packages.com

www.PLRPro.com

www.Niche-Health-Products.com

Cheers,

Elijah

Traffic Techniques: Article Marketing Part 3

Traffic Techniques: Article Marketing Part 3 I’ve decided to opt out of doing a video for this installment to my Traffic Techniques Series for two reasons – I have a lot of content I would like to cover, and I want to focus on getting a SocialMarker tutorial up in the next few days. I recently acquired Camtasia Studio 5 and need a day to get the functionality grooving. As Flava Flav would say – Yeaaaaaaaa Boiiiii. If you’re just tuning in and haven’t had a chance to go through the last two videos, you can view part one here, and part two here. Let’s get cracking…

Now that we know why article marketing works, and what the key factors are to writing an article that will perform, it’s time to touch on one of the most important elements to this technique – Article Distribution. If you don’t know where to get your article published, or how to turn those clicks into subscribers, then it won’t matter how well you know your market or how much keyword research you do – your results will not be as spectacular as we know they can be.

How many different ways can I publish my articles online?

The first and most common way of publishing articles online would be to submit your articles to high traffic, high ranking article directories. This has proven to be an effective medium time and time again, and a technique that many a bum marketer have exercised for two reasons – it costs nothing, and article directories get crawled often which means your submissions will get indexed very quickly. I strongly believe that there are people who make a living simply writing how-to style articles and submitting them to high traffic directories, with an affiliate offer redirect in the resource/author box.

The key to making this technique work for you is you have to treat every directory as an individual medium and test accordingly. Each directory will perform differently from the next because they attract different visitors – while one article may convert great on Directory A, it doesn’t mean it will perform well on Directory B or C. This same rule applies to your resource/author box – you might get more clicks on Directory A when you have your “about me” blurb before the “call to action” section, whereas in Directory B it’s the complete opposite. Making money online is all about testing, and article marketing is no different.

***Tip – Don’t be afraid to display your personality within the resource box. Being funny and quirky has always worked well for me and I’ve surprised myself quite a few times when I’ve gone completely off the wall and thought “people aren’t going to take me seriously” and then the article ended up getting a pleasing amount of clicks to my offer. Be fearless and unique and you’ll be rewarded.

I’m sure some of you are thinking “what do I put in the resource box?” or “how do I know if my call to action is good enough?” It’s important to include information about yourself within the resource box because you want to be known as a professional or expert within your niche. List any relevant credentials you may have as well as where you’re from and your professional status. To put it simply, your call to action should do nothing more than tell the reader what to do next. Below is an example of a resource box I might use:

“Elijah Vieau is an accomplished Music Producer and Composer from Toronto, Canada. He is the founder of Basement Theory Productions, where he provides development and consulting services to independent recording artists across the globe.

Head on over to www.Virgostratus.com to hear a free sample of his latest groundbreaking album.

Also, quickly visit www.MrBlueReviews.com to download his free report “Music Marketing On Crack” that shows you how to market and sell albums online using the viral power of social networking.”

***Tip – When it comes to your call to action please try and avoid the “if you would like more information on this topic please feel free to visit www.yoursitehere.com” method. This is article suicide. It does not sound confident or convicting. To me this type of call to action sounds like it belongs in a pamphlet giving information on the Ryan Phelps Foundation for Android Swimmers.

But Elijah, which article directories are the best to use?

I hate to say it, but “the best” is completely subjective. All I can tell you is that there are 3-5 top directories which most successful internet marketers use because of their page rank and traffic, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t find success with a smaller more targeted article directory. If you want to scope out this route just type into Goolge Your Niche+Article Directory and you will find results for smaller niche directories that you can add to your submission list. Below I have listed my personal top 7 list of high traffic article directories that I currently use – in no particular order:

I also found a great resource listing the top 50 article directories by traffic/page rank here. It was last updated on August 17th, 2008.

Originally I had planned to cover Article Distribution and Monetization Methods in one post, but it seems there was so much content that I will have to add a part 4 to my Traffic Techniques Series – so in my next post/video I will discuss the various ways you can monetize your traffic from the article directories to maximize your efforts and hopefully build your list and put some money in the good ‘ol Paypal account.

Cheers,

Elijah

Traffic Techniques: Article Marketing Part 2

This is the second video in my Traffic Techniques series. In this video I touch on my 5 key points to a successful article, and those points are as follows:

Your article must address a problem or issue
Do not sell within the content of your article
Effective use of keywords and key phrases
Using a “call to action” within your resource/author box
Proper Grammar. No spelling mistakes allowed.

I plan to delve into article distribution and monetary tactics within the next video, If you guys have any concerns or specific areas you have questions on – please let me know in the comments below. There might possibly by a 4th part to my article marketing series, but ultimately that depends on the feedback and how much I can fit effectively into the next video.

Cheers,

Elijah

Commission Junction Deactivation

About a week and a half ago I received this wonderful email from my friends over at Commission Junction – saying a little something like this:

Dear Elijah Vieau,

You are receiving this email because we are concerned that your Commission Junction publisher account has not generated any valid commissions (from payable transactions) recently. We encourage you to begin earning commissions as quickly as possible. Otherwise, your publisher account is at risk of deactivation due to dormancy. Please see the Commission Junction Publisher Service Agreement for further explanation…

My first reaction was not very pleasing, but as I took a step back I realized that I’ve barely done anything with my Commission Junction account since I signed up several months back – aside from a few niche mini-blogs that I set up and left for Adsense income. My CJ account got lost in the shuffle of my other affiliate programs and CPA networks. I can’t let this happen again! They did clearly state in the email that if my account were to be deactivated I would have the opportunity to apply again when I’m “ready”. I think we all know what “ready” means.

What I would like to know is if anyone else has experienced this at one time, or another?

When I first discovered the truth behind affiliate marketing secrets, and the tools needed to succeed, I immediately went on a rampage and signed up for every major affiliate network on the planet – Commission Junction being one of the first. As time passed and mistakes were made (still being made), I began to narrow down the networks and primarily build sites around advertisers I liked. The problem with this scenario is that accounts become dormant and networks can’t afford to have inactive publishers laying around taking up room in their databases. Networks like Commission Junction or Neverblueads aquire advertisers strictly based on reputation and the performance quality of their publishers. If affiliates are unable to produce the results needed to meet the agreement between the network and their advertisers – then the network must trim the unproductive and focus in on their top affiliates to bring the heat back into the kitchen. This is sort of along the lines of Pareto’s Law – or the 80/20 rule as some refer to it as. I’ll get more into that at another time.

Sign up for one network at a time. Take time to test out the products, tracking, and payment structure before you move on and add another resource of products, user names, and passwords to your empire. The ability to manage multiple accounts and campaigns comes with experience, and until you are able to push out 4-5 campaigns in a single week you really shouldn’t be an active member with too many affiliate networks. Remember: slow and steady wins the race!

Cheers,

Elijah

Top 3 Affiliate Program Directories

When I first began my journey into the word of online business and affiliate marketing, I found it very challenging to decipher through all the crap online and actually find what I was looking for. Whether it was relevant information on building Adsense ready mini sites, or a real step-by-step guide to making money online with Clickbank products – I know how hard it can be to get the ball rolling. So I figured in the spirit of giving I would provide my top 3 affiliate program directories to help you guys cut down on the fat, and get right to the meat.

I cannot guarantee that the sites I’m about to list are 100 % up to date, but I can tell you that since January and I have found some great affiliate programs and information to help me with various campaigns.

AssociatePrograms.com – If you have not yet heard of Associate Programs and Allan Gardyne, please take 5 minutes to make yourself familiar with this site. Allan has been making a living online and from home since 1998 and continues to be a key figure in the world of internet marketing. Don’t believe me? Type his name in Google and you will get over 20,000 results! AssociatePrograms contains extensive information on everything related to affiliate marketing – Allan provides a Forum, Knowledgebase, Affiliate Program Directory, Affiliate Marketing Articles and an amazing Newsletter which I have been subscribed to for as long as I can remember. If you have never visited his site I would suggest starting with his Advice Articles section on the left side bar of the main page, where you can browse based on your level of experience.
AffiliateScout.com – The only reason I didn’t put AffiliateScout.com as the number 1 choice is simply because their database is so massive! When I was first starting out I could remember spending countless hours sifting through a single niche, let alone the entire directory. You will find programs separated by niche which will help manage time when researching for your latest money making project. But be warned, the site is gigantic! If you are not focused and merely wandering you will find that time has passed and the only conclusion you’ve reached is “Elijah was right”. Great site for the experienced marketer, but know what you are looking for ahead of time.
AffiliateGuide.com – This site is a tad flashy but nevertheless the directory is huge. You will find affiliate programs broken down by niche categories e.g. travel, auto, computers – as well as being categorized by country. Under the left side bar you is an Affiliate Resources section with a Forum, Merchant Resources, Affiliate Videos, and even an Affiliate Events section where you can keep up to date with conferences and gatherings amongst the elite in the affiliate marketing industry. The site manager, Graeme Eastman, has put everything you need at your fingertips.

So there you have it – my top 3 affiliate program directories. I’m sure every online guru or intermediate marketer will have different resources, but as long as I’ve saved you some time rather than Googling “Affiliate Program Directories” for 30 minutes aimlessly, then my job here is done. Feel free to share any resources you might have stumbled upon or any thoughts on the directories I have listed above. I’m still far from being a guru or able to quit my job, so it’s important to hear what my fellow inspired money makers are using. As long as we stick together, we will make it together.

Cheers,

Elijah

Teaching A Crackhead Affiliate Marketing

Teaching A Crackhead Affiliate Marketing I know you’re probably thinking “what the f*** kind of heading is that?”, but bare with me for a few minutes here. I was laying in bed last night (more like 5 a.m. this morning) pondering on different topics to write about that would make my future readers think, have a few laughs, and walk away with some useful content, and then it hit me – what if I took a crackhead off the streets of downtown Toronto and gave them some kind of incentive (food and crack) to work towards while incorporating an affiliate campaign into the mix?

It’s practically genius, I know.

After several side-splitting scenarios played back in my head, I finally managed to calm down and focus in on what would be an absolute eye opener to anyone brave enough to stop by or bookmark this post. Think of it this way – a crackhead is desperate, driven, and ruthless when it comes to getting their fix. Crackheads will do anything necessary to reach their end goal; a big, smoking hot rock of crack-cocaine. In my experience, crackheads can be very persuasive and often resort to selling their story to the passer-by’s in order to obtain loose change or cigarettes. They are the salesmen of the streets! I can’t count the amount of times I’ve heard hey man, I just got robbed by two cops and they took my bus fare. Can you spare some change? I really need to get back to the Neverland Ranch because Bubbles needs his medication, and Michael specifically sent me to retrieve it. Can you help me out?

If I took 3-5 crackheads off the streets and set them up with a desk and a laptop computer and told them whoever got the most traffic and clicks to these particular links would get a hot meal, a shower, and 50 percent of the combined earnings, what do you think would happen? I would have a kick ass campaign going! Why? Because their ultimate objective would probably be the cash – because cash equals crack. If it’s been a few days since the last time they smoked up they’d be fairly desperate to get a hot pipe to their lips, and this would be the perfect time for me to step in with a solution. Pretty twisted right? But I’m sure you are getting my point.

Most people who enter the world of affiliate marketing have nothing to loose. They are fed up with the nine to five, or have lost their day job and hit rock bottom – like myself a 6 months back. They are scared but determined to find a better life for themselves and their loved ones, by any means necessary. A common crackhead shares these feelings as well. They have lost everything and therefor have nothing to lose. They are determined to find a better high for themselves, which in a completely delusional manner will solve all their problems. If you knew there was a way out, whether a business opportunity or drugs, wouldn’t you do whatever it took to make it happen?

Very few people who enter the world of affiliate marketing break the $1000/month threshold. Is it because they don’t have what it takes? Or simply that they aren’t desperate enough, and expect things to happen with little or no effort. Whatever the case may be, I would suggest taking the time to evaluate what your goals are before you get started. Buy a whiteboard and start to lay down your game plan ahead of time. Whenever you have an idea, write it down and don’t be afraid to follow through.

To be successful at anything in life you have to know why you’re doing it, and what you expect to get out of the experience. There must be some form of inspiration behind your actions in order for results to be produced. If you lost your job today, the job that you absolutely despise, what path would you take?

You could immediately take a position at a competitor and resume your 50 hour workweek down the path of insecurity and denial.
You could completely give up, and go head first into self destruction and despair – sharing a dumpster with your local crackhead.
Or you could begin your new life. Take the leap with confidence knowing that no matter what happens, it could be worse. Make a list of things that make you happy, and do whatever it takes accomplish every point on that list. Do things which excite you and don’t ask for permission, because it is much easier to ask for forgiveness later.

Please understand that my topic or post was not meant in anyway to glorify the use of hard drugs. I’m sure we all know somebody who has fallen down that hole, and may or may not have reached the surface. I simply wanted to make a point regarding the level of desperation we reach as humans, and if we are focused enough we CAN accomplish anything we put our minds to.

If I did have crackheads for employees though, I would name my company CrackWeb LLC. 🙂

Cheers,

Elijah