Is Amazon associates still worth it in 2024?

[Affiliates259]

I’m starting to understand the importance of generating traffic, which is critical to a website’s success. Investing in ads may not always produce the desired results, as evidenced by my experience spending $80 on Pinterest ads without seeing a return. Similarly, my attempts to collect leads through Facebook were unsuccessful. Google’s recent system updates seem to have had a negative impact on affiliate websites.

How has your journey been with Amazon associates?

 

[T J Tutor]

MFA (Made for Ads) websites are being chased for de-indexing under some circumstances by the SE's. Most affiliates build sites to appear as content sites or build landers that emulate the LSL (Long Sales Letter) structure but primarily cater to an affiliate funnel. Unfortunately, most Amazon Associate sites are still using this old model. They suffer as a result.

The funnel you used likely includes sending traffic to sites using this model and therefore will suffer with any reliance on organic traffic. As for the paid traffic from social sites, two things must occur in addition to using newer content models. First, pain, suffering, and loss forms of advertising with amazon products will fail big. You must have sophisticated copy and images (no sense of urgency) in the ads, and the sites must have a very sophisticated feel, flow, and appearance. Secondly, you absolutely must use very narrow targeting groups with ads and be split testing those targeting options groups with a reasonable budget in order to properly zero in on the correct day-parting, age, gender, geo, and interests.

 

[Affiliates259]

MFA (Made for Ads) websites are being chased for de-indexing under some circumstances by the SE's. Most affiliates build sites to appear as content sites or build landers that emulate the LSL (Long Sales Letter) structure but primarily cater to an affiliate funnel. Unfortunately, most Amazon Associate sites are still using this old model. They suffer as a result.

The funnel you used likely includes sending traffic to sites using this model and therefore will suffer with any reliance on organic traffic. As for the paid traffic from social sites, two things must occur in addition to using newer content models. First, pain, suffering, and loss forms of advertising with amazon products will fail big. You must have sophisticated copy and images (no sense of urgency) in the ads, and the sites must have a very sophisticated feel, flow, and appearance. Secondly, you absolutely must use very narrow targeting groups with ads and be split testing those targeting options groups with a reasonable budget in order to properly zero in on the correct day-parting, age, gender, geo, and interests.

Hi, T J, can you show me examples of sites that have used this new method mentioned?

 

[T J Tutor]

Retro Dodo
Swim University
Epic Gardening
Pack Hacker
Versus
Gear Lab

 

[T J Tutor]

These are very successful Amazon affiliate sites, big earners. I am not much of an Amazon guy any more, haven't done it for many years. I do mostly affiliate programs now on true content sites. Quite a different animal.

On those sites pay close attention to their footer content and disclosures. These sites make sure they meet the conditions and requirements of every country they target.

 

[Alan Saste]

It can be, but with a twist, because competition is fierce and commission rates have dipped. For me, the key is high-quality content, not just shoving affiliate links everywhere, and you need to niche down to a specific audience.
I will say it's unwise to put all your eggs in the Amazon basket.

 

[thelegend]

Well i dont work with amazon but i think its not a good idea to use paid traffic with amazon as the comision its low at 5% so the comision it will be small .For example if you promote a 100$ product then you will get only 5 bucks

 

[azgold]

Well i dont work with amazon but i think its not a good idea to use paid traffic with amazon as the comision its low at 5% so the comision it will be small .For example if you promote a 100$ product then you will get only 5 bucks

Yup, the commission is definitely low. But it is also tiered, so it goes up with volume. I can't remember where it changes, I haven't done it for quite a while.

There are people who make a ton of money with Amazon. I know some of them are YouTube/social influencers, so if you can grow an audience, you could make some good money.

I agree with what others have said about creating a high quality content site, very targeted to a specific group of people. I've seen many of those that sell bird feeders, offer cleaning tips, stuff like that. Thing is, they don't look like they're selling anything at first blush. They are loaded with pertinent content and over time, people come to think of the site as a trustworthy resource and will click relevant links on that site. Those sites can feel like a community of like-minded people and they will come back for more.

Most affiliates build sites to appear as content sites or build landers that emulate the LSL (Long Sales Letter) structure but primarily cater to an affiliate funnel.

Really, they still use those sales letters? That's so 1990s/2000s.

 

[T J Tutor]

Really, they still use those sales letters? That's so 1990s/2000s.

And that is why they fail when using that formula.

 

[Graybeard]

Don't expect much SEO if your website is centered around Amazon links or any affiliate link for that matter.

Search engines are not interested in being your free of cost sales agent

 

[T J Tutor]

Don't expect much SEO if your website is centered around Amazon links or any affiliate link for that matter.

EXACTLY! The SE's always expect sites to have links, always. However, they have become skilled at recognizing when the purpose of a sites links are to "juice" them up in the SE rankings. The more sophisticated the SE's become with "reading the tea leaves" the more affiliate MFA (Made for Ads) sites suffer in the rankings. One can see this by making some comparisons. If you were to look at a typical MFA site and it's performance in the SE's and compare the site and data to the new model in a site like the New York Times Wirecutter site you will notice that the Wirecutter rankings along with the other performance results are far superior. This is due to the Wirecutter content (including all its affiliate links) are riding on the back of a true content site, the New York Times.

Build a true content site with pure function and make a subset (separate area) of that site the affiliate linking content and offerings section. This works, I've been doing this with my content sites for quite a few years now. The SE's don't care about my affiliate linking area because their true interest is on my content, its niche popularity, the frequency of updating content, etc., etc.

You pay five, ten dollars, maybe a little more to go see a movie and they lose money on the ticket sale, but they clean up on that popcorn, nachos with cheese, the giant soda that is half ice, and the candy bar.

 

[T J Tutor]

Search engines are not interested in being your free of cost sales agent

Yes, another "xactly"! However, as I pointed out above, they will not penalize a valuable primary site when it has a secondary mission (and separated on the site map) to plug and pitch products, services, and anything promoting another's platform for commission. The exceptions can be when promoting unacceptable or objectionable products and services

 

[azgold]

In summation: things have to return to a customer centered/focused environment with purchasing opportunities in the background, rather than up front and in their face.

Sort of, "'Will you walk into my parlour?' said the Spider to the Fly." But with intentions far less evil. And I have no idea why I thought of that. Don't be evil.

 

[T J Tutor]

In summation: things have to return to a customer centered/focused environment with purchasing opportunities in the background, rather than up front and in their face.

YES! The "Fish" will not recognize a lure in the water until it has "bit down" on it (is the ploy).