It very simple safe. First off, always use text links. Never use banners or gif ad crap. They relatively don't get clicks. They are a waste of time. Also, its a good idea to aim for good keywords that relate to buying the product you are selling. You want targetted traffic. You could have a million hits daily with no sales or you could make a sale on every 10 visits on 10 a day (well..almost). Optimize for relevant keywords relating to buying your product.


You want people to click the link and get the cookie. This way they may not buy right away, but they might bookmark and do so later maybe.

But the most important thing in my opinion is using text links and to introduce them early. Put them in a small paragraph ideally as part of the text. Maybe use a single banner more as decoration.

Honestly, I'm no expert at this and my last month really sucked at cj but I do hear of people getting 100's of hits a day and not converting - theres something wrong there. I've noticed that text links really convert.

Its all a balancing act - content versus optimization (se and conversion).

I guess this is easier to talk about then actually do.

removed: self promotion

This is a great thread. Speculator asked the questions I should a year ago and Safe’s knowledgeable response was invaluable.

Thanks both.

Snoopy,

On the first page of this thread, SafeSys and others mention numerous indexes of affiliate programs.

Why should I be barred from mentioning my website AffiliateProgram.com --which is also an index of affiliate programs --simply because I own it?

That's not fair.

It directly relates to the subject matter of the discussion.

I didn't spam this forum, and I don't appreciate being censored for "self promotion."

If you are going to censor people for mentioning their own website, please do it when there is real abuse and actual spamming. This usually occurs when self promotion is truly unrelated to the subject matter.

Also, please be fair and consistent and enforce reasonable policies on everyone.

If everyone posted sites they owned that were "relevant" the site would end up as an advertising site - this is why we have the rule in place and why we offer the advertising and promotion forum.

Your site is a commercial one, listing it in this thread carried a clear commecial benefit to you. For example, your "top 5 programs" list only contains sites you own and operate yourself that use affiliate codes on the external links from them.

If you wanted to share information and help memebrs you could post a summary of the programs without affiliate codes here.

Originally posted by DotComCowboy
Snoopy,

On the first page of this thread, SafeSys and others mention numerous indexes of affiliate programs.

Why should I be barred from mentioning my website AffiliateProgram.com --which is also an index of affiliate programs --simply because I own it?

That's not fair.

It directly relates to the subject matter of the discussion.

I didn't spam this forum, and I don't appreciate being censored for "self promotion."

If you are going to censor people for mentioning their own website, please do it when there is real abuse and actual spamming. This usually occurs when self promotion is truly unrelated to the subject matter.

Also, please be fair and consistent and enforce reasonable policies on everyone.

you know the rules, and this exact same issue has been brought up with you *several* times before

http://www.domainstate.com/showthrea...&threadid=1413

My site AffiliateProgram.com is no different than Refer-It.com or any of the other sites which you posted on the first page of this thread.

All the affiliate index sites sell advertising. Most have ads and premium listings first. We all need to make money. That doesn't mean that there is no valueable information there.

Of course my site is a commercial site. It's how I make my living. There is no shame in that.

If the other various affiliate indexes are relevant to this thread, then my site is also.

I value this forum and the rules here. Please apply the rules logically and fairly.

There are clear rules about self promotion to avoid people giving *biased* advice. Last time the issue was brought up in basically identical circumstances you stated,

"Thanks.

I understand your concern.

I hope to contribute."

yet now you are trying to defend your self promotion again even though the rules are chystal clear about it, in fact it's the first rule,

"1. Please do not promote your own sites on the forum other than in the advertising section or your signature; the exception to this is appraisal requests and listing of domains for sale in the appropriate forum. Posts in the main forums that only exist to promote your signature sales message will be removed."

Given that you've been constantly warned/had posts edited/had posts deleted ever since you arrived its clear that your comment "I value this forum and the rules here" is complete puff.

If you don't agree with the rules the solution is simple, do not post here.

Snoopy,

I have made the appropriate changes. I haven't posted where my purpose was purely commercial and unrelated to any current discussion or started a commercial thread for my own commercial purpose.

Again, if the affiliate portals are relevant to the subject of this thread, and SafeSys made a point to list many of them, and I own an affiliate portal myself, then it is appropriate to this discussion.

Please don't be mad at me for something that happened earlier. There is no abuse.

Don't be anti-business or Draconian. This forum is for us all to learn and for us all to participate.

But, I may voluntarily post less for a while. I think that may be a good idea.

I haven't posted where my purpose was purely commercial and unrelated to any current discussion or started a commercial thread for my own commercial purpose.

Hal, the rules are simple: no self promotion outside of the signature and advertising forum. The rules do not say "unless it's related" or "only where you start a thread" in them.

Site Rules:
1. Please do not promote your own sites on the forum other than in the advertising section or your signature;

The rule makes sense, but the enforcement seems severe.

Members are strictly FORBIDDEN from mentioning their own sites except in a signature?

It's illogical, even a bit unfriendly, that one would be chastised under these circumstances.

It feels chilly here, and I may not post for a while.

The rules are made to keep the site focus on discussion and to remove the profit motive from posts outside of those forums. The only people who will be offended by that are those that see the forum as a vehicle to further the marketing of their own sites rather than as a discussion community.

I agree with the purpose of the rules! I just disagree with the application in the subject case.

A qualified mea culpa may be in order. Perhaps I was wrong in previous instances, and perhaps you should keep me on a short leash.

That said, in this instance, I was furthering the discussion.

You are making black and white distinctions that there can be no legitimate mention of own's own sites, and I have proven that false.

Few things in life are so absolute.

You have to understand that from where I'm standing this is a simple enough rule that the other members (including us mods) abide by, so I don't understand your problem with it.