Need some help getting started

[808faded]

Hey everyone i need a little help getting started on this whole affiliate marketing deal.

I read a lot on this forum that a first thing a newbie should do is build a website. But before i build a website i want to make sure the niche im promoting will bring me sales. So how should i do this? Article Marketing?

Theres so much information im a little overwhelmed, been procrastinating on getting this started but haven't mainly because i wasn't really sure if building a website on a certain niche is worth it if it dosen't make any sales, and honest to God the whole article marketing thing kinda scares me off a little lol.

But anyway this is an awsome site, so hope i can get some tips.

Thanks

 

[Linda Buquet]

Hi 808faded,

Welcome to 5 Star. Thanks for joining us.

It sounds like you've already picked a niche? Have you done thorough keyword and competitive research? If so that should give you a pretty good indication of whether the niche may be successful.

Work though this example using your root keyword
http://affiliate-marketing-forums.5...-how-do-niche-keyword-research.html#post43897

If you really want to test the niche before building a site you could start a blogger blog or build a hub on hub pages. I'm not big on article marketing but others here would tell you it's a good way to go.

 

[Clintoc]

Do not let writing scare you at all, no reason for it. If you are not comfortable slapping your name on anything... dont. Use a pen name.

From there, try this to test a niche.

Create a simple blogger blog on the product or service. Do a review on it (be honest) or if it is more on a niche then just add topics here. You can sprinkle your affiliate links in there, just do not have much room to customize to add CPA offers on it.

Then write articles directing them at this site. The number you need to write is... as many as it takes. But for testing, 2-3 a day for a couple weeks will do (usually).

If the niche does not work for you, you did not invest too much time (the article writing will become easier and faster with time) so move onto the next.

If the niche does work, you have just created a valuable link for a website you will control now. Sit down and work on creating your site now. Spread some links from your blogger blog targeting your new website now.

If website creation is scary too... use Wordpress. Honestly. Blogs are universal... and with a little investment in time or money you can modify it to taste.

 

[mwong]

Hi 808faded,

the overwhelmed and procrastinating felt so familiar. i think many of us here have been through that stage. i hope you have started your business and hope everything is on track.

true enough, article marketing can seems scary when you started out initially. still, it gets better when you do more. it is like learning to drive. you probably struggle to watch for the cars, turns and other stuff but the more you do it, the better you become.

i think you can even text with your cell phone now (that is just an example. please don't do that).

 

[ArizonaJay]

If the niche does not work for you, you did not invest too much time (the article writing will become easier and faster with time) so move onto the next.

If the niche does work, you have just created a valuable link for a website you will control now. Sit down and work on creating your site now. Spread some links from your blogger blog targeting your new website now.

What would be the quantitative measure of whether or not the niche works? If one did advertising of any sort, you could track the conversions and ROI. But that's not a budget-conscious way to go, I suspect? So how would you make this determination?

(BTW, thanks for starting and adding to this topic - it applies to me more than I'd like to admit!)

 

[burrito]

What would be the quantitative measure of whether or not the niche works? If one did advertising of any sort, you could track the conversions and ROI. But that's not a budget-conscious way to go, I suspect? So how would you make this determination?

Well, let's say you spent $100 driving traffic to your site. You make $120 back, earning a $20 profit. Would you say that this is a successful niche? Of course!

Let's switch the tables on the scenario and say you lost $20 on that campaign. Is it a bust? Nope, not by a long shot. It would beg for testing and optimization.

Now let's hit the extreme. You lost your initial $100 and did not earn anything. Is the niche bad? Maybe, but it may also not be the niche for you.

Finding the "right" niche to promote is key to success as your passion for this area of expertise will fuel you for success. Choosing a niche simply because it sells should not be in your game plan, at least not right now. Once you get the feel for Am then venture out of your comfort zone and experiment. There are a few threads on this board that are full of ideas and advice for choosing the "right" niche for you.

And why would not be tracking your ROI?

 

[ArizonaJay]

Ignoring all the other very important variables for now (such as poor site design, inferior content, etc.), would you say that the only way to test if your niche "works" is to pay for advertising?

 

[hiltonm]

Hope this helps

Hi 808faded,

I know it can be a little much to do at first, but all you got to do is one thing at a time and it will all add up. Most importantly you got to find your niche audience(targeted audience) so you don't waste your time like was said before do your keyword research from the root.

Artical marketing and blogs are free and you won't waste any money out of pocket doing it and they work just be very relavent to your topic. I know it is alot at the beginning, but the worst thing you can do is give up. I hope this helps Mike. If you got a question just post.

 

[burrito]

Ignoring all the other very important variables for now (such as poor site design, inferior content, etc.), would you say that the only way to test if your niche "works" is to pay for advertising?

Nope, there are "free" traffic sources like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, blogs, article submission, "forum invasion", adding links to your sig...I think I ran out of free traffic ideas.

 

[jazzguy]

Nope, there are "free" traffic sources like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, blogs, article submission, "forum invasion", adding links to your sig...I think I ran out of free traffic ideas.

Don't forget simple SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I rely on SEO for 98% of my affiliate business and while it may take a little longer to see results, you can take that time to work on your existing blog by adding new content, researching various SEO strategies and getting a lay of the land so to speak. Remember 808faded, your not going to know if a niche works unless you actually do something with it, so dive right in, get something up and running, no matter how imperfect, and then begin tweaking. The best of luck to ya...

Lyle (Jazzguy)

 

[Alex85]

If I would have to start over, I would build just ONE page now - that`s the SQUEEZE page. The page itself can be a simple html page, with a list of benefits people get by subscribing to your list. I suggest you just let them download a valuable ebook.

Get a great 10-20 pages ebook ready to give away for people who subscribe, and start building your list.

Get 10-15 follow up messages ready in AWeber or other autoresponder. Every 4-5 message can be a recommendation for some affiliate product, or a promotion of your own paid ebook (this works much, much better).

When you start getting subscribers, make 3-4 great value ebooks that you will sell. The first one can cost anywhere between $7-$15. If you did a good job on your free ebook and the first one paid, your subscribers will be willing to buy your more expensive ebooks in the future. So your next one can cost $17, the third one - $27, and so on.

Each of the ebooks has to provide great value, and has to solve some of your niche`s problems.

This is pretty easy to set up, and all you have to do after the initial work, is drive traffic - that`s it. A list of 1000 people can make at least $500 per month.

Hope this helps.