Amazon Associates

khorrell · 03-21-2009, 01:19 PM

I'd love you hear your thoughts about/experiences with Amazon Associates. It seems too easy!

Thanks.

hermione · 03-21-2009, 09:26 PM

It is not easier than it sounds. We've made about $15 from Amazon Associates in one year. Of course, it depends on how you use the links and how popular the posts are. Most of our sales resulted from recommending 1 or 2 products in our 101 Ways to Save Money in Your Everyday Life.

However, it has made us more than other affiliate programs, which is almost none. In this past year - actually the past month - I made $7 from one affiliate sale, the Entertainment Book. I've had thousands of clicks from all my affiliate links and no sales except for that one.

I think in order to really make money with affiliate sales, you need to actively promote sales in your posts, which is not something I often do, because it's not really what my blog is about.

I'm beginning to think affiliate links are just cluttering up my site and considering taking more of them down. I also wonder a little just how honest these companies are about reporting and crediting sales they get from your clicks.

lucille · 03-23-2009, 05:12 AM

I signed up for it and have a few of my book recs linked through it. I have planned on using it more but honestly it has just fallen to the back burner. It does have far more potential than other programs but I think it works best if your using it for products your already doing a write up on.

ConvertingASpndthrft · 03-23-2009, 05:45 AM

I agree it is too easy. However I have not made as much as I thought given the ease of the program. You have to do a hard push for the items to sell, something I don't do.

Xin Lu · 03-23-2009, 10:34 AM

Well, it's hit or miss. Generally I sell 5 to 6 things a month, but I don't actively promote it. I just post a link to a book when I write a review or if I just happen to mention a book or movie. My conversion rate is around 2.6%, which means for every 100 clicks I sell around 2.6 items on average. Last year I earned about $100 for the full year, so it's not bad.

financialnut · 03-31-2009, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hermione

I think in order to really make money with affiliate sales, you need to actively promote sales in your posts, which is not something I often do, because it's not really what my blog is about.

I'm beginning to think affiliate links are just cluttering up my site and considering taking more of them down. I also wonder a little just how honest these companies are about reporting and crediting sales they get from your clicks.

I agree. I think you need to be extremely proactive to make it work. And to regular readers of a blog like yours or mine, it would be distracting.

I also wonder how honest some of those affiliates are. There's really no way to track it.

Dante_311 · 04-05-2009, 11:56 AM

Does anyone use AA with Wordpress? And if so, what is the easiest way to implement it? I had tried to use associates and then ran into problems making the links work in my wordpress blog. Thanks!

The Quintessential Finance Blog

hermione · 04-05-2009, 05:44 PM

WP doesn't allow certain scripts in posts and pages - javascript, iframe, etc., so you'll have problems putting banners and some widgets in your posts/pages. One way of getting around it is pasting the code in HTML view and then not going back to the visual editor and saving your post. If you go back to visual editor, you'll lose the code.

You can, however, put HTML product links in your posts, and scripts in text widgets on your sidebar. There are plugins for letting you put javascript or iframe in your posts, just google "wordpress plugin javascript in posts" or something like that.

There are also Amazon Associates plugins for WP. Just google it or go to http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins and do a search for "amazon associates."

the weakonomist · 04-05-2009, 06:20 PM

I've also had trouble incorporating AA into my WP blog. I did manage to get a carosel in the comments section. You can see how it looks by viewing any particular post on the blog. Other than that though I've found directly linking to products in a post to be the most effective strategy.

moneymatters · 04-10-2009, 11:50 AM

I have done some stuff with amazon associates. The only things that i've done that have brought in any real revenue are through posts like this one:

50 Frugal Gifts You Can Give This Christmas

That particular post ended up making me about $100. problem is, those posts only seem to work well for me around christmas/valentines and like holidays..

03-21-2009, 01:19 PM	#1
khorrell Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: near Washington DC Posts: 608 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Reputation: (85)	Amazon Associates I'd love you hear your thoughts about/experiences with Amazon Associates. It seems too easy! Thanks. __________________ The Paycheck Chronicles "helping military families make the most of their paychecks"

03-21-2009, 09:26 PM	#2
hermione Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: California Posts: 761 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts Reputation: (300)	It is not easier than it sounds. We've made about $15 from Amazon Associates in one year. Of course, it depends on how you use the links and how popular the posts are. Most of our sales resulted from recommending 1 or 2 products in our 101 Ways to Save Money in Your Everyday Life. However, it has made us more than other affiliate programs, which is almost none. In this past year - actually the past month - I made $7 from one affiliate sale, the Entertainment Book. I've had thousands of clicks from all my affiliate links and no sales except for that one. I think in order to really make money with affiliate sales, you need to actively promote sales in your posts, which is not something I often do, because it's not really what my blog is about. I'm beginning to think affiliate links are just cluttering up my site and considering taking more of them down. I also wonder a little just how honest these companies are about reporting and crediting sales they get from your clicks. __________________ My business: Franga Designs ~ My blog: Pecuniarities ~ My CafePress Shop: Mozartini ~ Follow me on Twitter! Last edited by hermione; 03-21-2009 at 09:34 PM.

03-23-2009, 05:12 AM	#3
lucille Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 673 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Reputation: (38)	I signed up for it and have a few of my book recs linked through it. I have planned on using it more but honestly it has just fallen to the back burner. It does have far more potential than other programs but I think it works best if your using it for products your already doing a write up on. __________________ Dark Style Blog http://darkstyleblog.blogspot.com/

03-23-2009, 10:34 AM	#5
Xin Lu Wise Bread Blogger Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 441 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Reputation: (92)	Well, it's hit or miss. Generally I sell 5 to 6 things a month, but I don't actively promote it. I just post a link to a book when I write a review or if I just happen to mention a book or movie. My conversion rate is around 2.6%, which means for every 100 clicks I sell around 2.6 items on average. Last year I earned about $100 for the full year, so it's not bad. __________________ The Baglady @ http://baglady.dreamhosters.com Wise Bread @ http://wisebread.com/xin-lu Following me @XinLuDJ

04-05-2009, 05:44 PM	#8
hermione Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: California Posts: 761 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts Reputation: (300)	WP doesn't allow certain scripts in posts and pages - javascript, iframe, etc., so you'll have problems putting banners and some widgets in your posts/pages. One way of getting around it is pasting the code in HTML view and then not going back to the visual editor and saving your post. If you go back to visual editor, you'll lose the code. You can, however, put HTML product links in your posts, and scripts in text widgets on your sidebar. There are plugins for letting you put javascript or iframe in your posts, just google "wordpress plugin javascript in posts" or something like that. There are also Amazon Associates plugins for WP. Just google it or go to http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins and do a search for "amazon associates." __________________ My business: Franga Designs ~ My blog: Pecuniarities ~ My CafePress Shop: Mozartini ~ Follow me on Twitter!

03-23-2009, 05:45 AM	#4
ConvertingASpndthrft Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Washington, DC metro area Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	I agree it is too easy. However I have not made as much as I thought given the ease of the program. You have to do a hard push for the items to sell, something I don't do.

04-05-2009, 11:56 AM	#7
Dante_311 Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 15 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	Does anyone use AA with Wordpress? And if so, what is the easiest way to implement it? I had tried to use associates and then ran into problems making the links work in my wordpress blog. Thanks! The Quintessential Finance Blog

04-05-2009, 06:20 PM	#9
the weakonomist Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Southeast Posts: 64 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Reputation: (10)	I've also had trouble incorporating AA into my WP blog. I did manage to get a carosel in the comments section. You can see how it looks by viewing any particular post on the blog. Other than that though I've found directly linking to products in a post to be the most effective strategy. __________________ Weakonomics.com Twitter.com/the_weakonomist

04-10-2009, 11:50 AM	#10
moneymatters Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Shakopee, MN Posts: 125 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Reputation: (15)	I have done some stuff with amazon associates. The only things that i've done that have brought in any real revenue are through posts like this one: 50 Frugal Gifts You Can Give This Christmas That particular post ended up making me about $100. problem is, those posts only seem to work well for me around christmas/valentines and like holidays.. __________________ Bible Money Matters \| Logos For Websites \| Follow me on Twitter

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