Expert advice needed for my +169k Instagram theme page.

[Jim Whyatt]

Hello everyone,

As the title says, I have an Instagram theme page (gadgets and innovative products) with more that 169k followers. I have been generating income only from shootouts so far.
While growing I started noticing my followers asking for the prices and where to buy the gadgets I share videos about. All I used to do is post videos of useful gadgets that caught my attention without a link to buy.
Now, some posts reach more than 400k views and 20k likes while being featured as "top" in a related hashtag.

Finally, I thought this is a great opportunity to join an affiliate marketing program and I decided that Aliexpress's program is the way to go as most of the products in my page can be found there. For the last four days I started adding links and redirecting traffic to them. And I can see that people many are willing to purchase but...

My problem is that I can see there are a lot of clicks on my links but no sales whatsoever. I don't understand if it has to do with aliexpress or people not trusting it? I would appreciate anything if someone knows a way to help or had a similar experience that got solved and can share it with me.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Honeybadger]

3 answers for you
But they could all be wrong

1. Amazon Associates
2. Amazon Associates
3. Amazon Associates

It works for me

 

[Jim Whyatt]

3 answers for you
But they could all be wrong

1. Amazon Associates
2. Amazon Associates
3. Amazon Associates

It works for me

Honestly, I was thinking about shifting to amazon. Since it works for you, can I ask you where is your traffic from, instagram as well?

 

[Honeybadger]

@Jim Whyatt

1. Well done for building this following, maybe you can teach me !!
   
2. It's very important to focus on your user's intent, why do they engage your content? Are they mothers, are they preppers? Are they just bored? More you know about them is best (do you have access to Instagram Analytics?)
3. If you promote a product then be honest, say "I am promoting this product because..." and do all your research first, not every product will sell but I have to be clear TARGET your ads very carefully

 

[Jim Whyatt]

Thank you for your answer. I will do my homework and try my best especially to know my audience better.

 

[Honeybadger]

Honestly, I was thinking about shifting to amazon. Since it works for you, can I ask you where is your traffic from, instagram as well?

My target traffic 100% from Google Organic (93%)
6% its direct (social sharing), 1% its referral
* But like @Graybeard says this dangerous to have just 1 traffic source *
The real important for all traffic its intent and this is vital

 

[Honeybadger]

Thank you for your answer. I will do my homework and try my best especially to know my audience better.

Build a subscriber list
At the moment Instagram owns you, and owns your subscribers
Maybe @T J Tutor can advise about this?
I know zero about building subscriber list
All my traffic is from trends
Like a surfer on wave, when wave crashes my traffic crashes
Then I must find another way

Subscriber list is key to success
Own your subscriber

Like Affiliate Fix own 100,000 subscriber
Without Google I still use Affiliate Fix
Why?

Value

 

[Graybeard]

I had a similar experience with TomTop a competitor of AliExpress based in China also --TomTop does warehouse some merchandise in the EU and USA. I had similar no sales with network ads.

Are people that I advertised to in the US, CA, GB, AU GEOs adverse to doing business with a China based company?
I wasn't sure if it was the ads I used or the vendor --I see your results with a different media were the same --You seem to confirm my 'reason B' suspicions --it was the nature of the vendor?

Another thing to consider is that it was the delayed shipping this Christmas selling season. Give it a bit more time perhaps and see if that has something to do with it. Please comment/reply back in a few weeks with your results.

 

[Jim Whyatt]

Thank you both @Honeybadger and @Graybeard.
I am trying to pick products that get the most engagement while have free shipping to my audience's main locations USA/Brasil. It is true that shipping these days takes longer and that might be a reason. As you said, I will give it a chance of a few more weeks and see the results, if there was nothing I better shift to amazon.
I will also update this thread with my results
Thank you!

 

[GriD]

Are people that I advertised to in the US, CA, GB, AU GEOs adverse to doing business with a China based company?

Yup, living in the EU and having a series of dropshippers amongst my contacts and I can confirm... Most of them hide their Chinese sources and use preferred shipping methods with as short as possible delivery times (max 10 working days)... They believe the sole fact of mentioning the product is originating from China would take their business down...

 

[GriD]

China's reputation has some very negative connotations ...

Yes indeed...

In the EU, it is not the manufacturer but the importer's responsibility to make sure the product meets safety specifications ( ie kids toys/pet toys might have dangerous (toxic/ingestible) components, electric/electronic appliances would not pass CE safety inspection etc.
So if you are ordering something in China you don’t know what you are getting...

So apart from theoretical faster shipping times, ordering this exact same product from a 'reputable seller' ie Amazon/eBay or other Marketplace or 'local' website (using domain name with country code domain extension) suddenly relieves a lot of these objections as suddenly the seller (importer) can be held liable if something bad would happen...

 

[Graybeard]

They believe the sole fact of mentioning the product is originating from China would take their business down..

Because of the '*suspected* place of origin of the pandemic --right now this may be at the root of the problem. China's reputation has some very negative connotations ... That's what I though it might be.

 

[Graybeard]

Held liable.
Much of what you buy in the EU (or in the US) is imported from China and you pay more so you feel you can sue the seller is something goes wrong.

Same thing in the US --buy something at Walmart
Most the products sold on Amazon/eBay are made in China.

That's the way it is --that's the way it is.
Amazon's relatively easy return policies and of course the local retail store policies are probably a factor too.

I avoid China shippers and sellers at eBay because I have received shoddy goods in the past. Sometimes you get value for the low price and often you don't.

So, it's not the place of manufacture --it's the seller and the quality of goods (you may get stuck with).