The best way to get started with direct linking?

[Croaff]

Hi everyone! I've been reading about affiliate marketing a lot and I'm getting close to launching my first campaign. I would like to get started with direct links.

Since Facebook dislikes ads with direct affiliate links, I was wondering what is the next best source to get started with direct links? Is it mobile?

I know it's recommended to use bridge pages, but I dont't want to start with them just yet (I will after I get some first-hand practice in AM).

I have one more question - how do you find good pictures for banners without breaking any copyright? Do you pay for shutter subscriptions or something else?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Aditya007]

I'd highly recommend you not to direct link to the offer page. The landing page is what plays with your user's mind, you need to make them believe THEY need what you're offering, using a landing page. A direct link, on the other hand, makes the user wonder what's in it for me?

 

[Graybeard]

I have direct linked using my own server redirects for tracking.
You can filter the traffic that way and have a better idea of the target landing page(s) of the offer.
Need to know what you are doing however.

If the landing page of the offer sucks --your own pre landing page is a waste anyway IMHO.
Notable exception would be if your landing page is a squeeze page for building an email list or sms list (or other).

 

[hkisting]

Hi everyone! I've been reading about affiliate marketing a lot and I'm getting close to launching my first campaign. I would like to get started with direct links.

Since Facebook dislikes ads with direct affiliate links, I was wondering what is the next best source to get started with direct links? Is it mobile?

I know it's recommended to use bridge pages, but I dont't want to start with them just yet (I will after I get some first-hand practice in AM).

I have one more question - how do you find good pictures for banners without breaking any copyright? Do you pay for shutter subscriptions or something else?

Thanks a lot!

I dipped into direct linking offers about 3 months back and I had good results using Bing/Microsoft Ads. I ran a Clickbank University ad, Tactical Flashlight and Ted's Woodworking. (Bing's audience is more mature and conservative, which means these people have buying power!)

I must say.. I don't like Microsoft in general, but Bing is so much more lax than Google or Facebook. There is NO fear of your account being blocked. I did not experience that sense of trepadation, in fact I became quite care-free!

The tools trump everything Google has to offer and the documentation is way above what you would get from Google or Facebook. You can even import your existing campaigns from Google... and they work!

They also offer an excel keyword research tool which rivals any commercial tool out there- and it's free.

Whenever I had a problem or an issue with an ad or a tool or even if I just needed a bit more explanation of something, I would chat them up and I would get immediate, friendly response and my issue resolved then and there. Microsoft, eh..

The only downside is that the traffic obviously doesn't come close to Google or Facebook, but overall- I've had a pleasant experience with Bing.

I highly recommend going that route! This is one area where Microsoft feels like it's "for it's customers". They just give you everything you need to succeed, not holding back much.

Another thing- you don't need to add funds beforehand- they have monthly billing. So you can sign up, publish your ad and let these run without worrying about money for now. Just be careful though. That's a 2-egded sword- work within a budget!

 

[Croaff]

I dipped into direct linking offers about 3 months back and I had good results using Bing/Microsoft Ads....

Thanks a lot for sharing this in such detail! Your experience sounds really promising and it definitely helped me get a better picture of Microsoft ads.

I've been exploring mostly Facebook and Bing since starting this thread. Both seem great in their own way, so now I'm trying to make up my mind whether to go ahead with direct links on Bing, or to try out the "more challenging" route with prelanders on Facebook.

I guess I'm a bit afraid of starting my CPA journey with landing pages because they require some technical skills, a better server, etc., and it seems that more things can go wrong/have to be optimized if the flow has an extra step. Most people recommend using prelanders here, but isn't that the harder way for beginners?

Direct links seem much easier to optimize and get a feel for how this entire thing works. But maybe I'm wrong?

 

[Graybeard]

The only downside is that the traffic obviously doesn't come close to Google or Facebook, but overall- I've had a pleasant experience with Bing.

Quantity doesn't always equal quality. Scaling may be an issue however.

 

[hkisting]

Thanks a lot for sharing this in such detail! Your experience sounds really promising and it definitely helped me get a better picture of Microsoft ads.

I've been exploring mostly Facebook and Bing since starting this thread. Both seem great in their own way, so now I'm trying to make up my mind whether to go ahead with direct links on Bing, or to try out the "more challenging" route with prelanders on Facebook.

I guess I'm a bit afraid of starting my CPA journey with landing pages because they require some technical skills, a better server, etc., and it seems that more things can go wrong/have to be optimized if the flow has an extra step. Most people recommend using prelanders here, but isn't that the harder way for beginners?

Direct links seem much easier to optimize and get a feel for how this entire thing works. But maybe I'm wrong?

I had the same worries as you. It came down to this:

"Most people recommend using prelanders here, but isn't that the harder way for beginners?"

I chose direct linking just to get started. For me it was a logical place to start in the end, but it may be different for others. I learned two things:
- How to choose a good converting offer
- How to setup basic tracking (good for retargeting an audience)

On the other hand, the sooner one gets down and dirty with prelanders and whatnot, the better. I suggest split-testing, by running a direct linked ad and then duplicating that ad and sending the traffic to a simple prelander. See if they perform the same. The focal point here would be the lander. That would be the only difference between the two.

Take care!

 

[Croaff]

I had the same worries as you. It came down to this:

"Most people recommend using prelanders here, but isn't that the harder way for beginners?"

I chose direct linking just to get started. For me it was a logical place to start in the end, but it may be different for others. I learned two things:
- How to choose a good converting offer
- How to setup basic tracking (good for retargeting an audience)

On the other hand, the sooner one gets down and dirty with prelanders and whatnot, the better. I suggest split-testing, by running a direct linked ad and then duplicating that ad and sending the traffic to a simple prelander. See if they perform the same. The focal point here would be the lander. That would be the only difference between the two.

Take care!

Thank you, that sounds reasonable; I'll give it a try!