I think this post is probably saying something that many people will find fairly obvious. However, like many simple things to do it often gets overlooked during the quest to move ever onwards and upwards, and finding new revenue streams or pushing to get a little more out of an already tapped gem.
But Is There Something Easy Right Under Your Nose You’re Missing?
In these uncertain times it can be all too easy to miss the fact you should always be considering if you’re making best use of your traffic. Yep, OK it might well be doing “fine” or even “great” but could it be doing better?
I spent a little bit of time on one of my sites today and realised that the main merchant I am using no longer performs as well in terms of EPCs. So I took a look at all the merchants I use on the site and evaluated how many affiliate pennies per click they were earning me.
I was quite surprised to discover that: -
- I’m sending about 2,000 clicks per month to a merchant who is earning me 2p a click. A quick squizz round and I discovered that there was another merchant with comparable products and prices earning me 8p per click on some similar traffic.
- There were loads of ways I could channel traffic usually destined for a merchant earning me a 7p per click to two merchants who often earn me as much as 28p.
- Once I’d got started, I then realised there was a whole traffic seam I’d previously not bothered to tap due to lacklustre performance that could also be sent to a merchant who currently has a cracking EPC and I suddenly realise will convert the traffic incredibly well.
Sorry I can’t give examples, I’d be mad if I did… 
but the point I’m trying to make is that quite often you have to take a step back and look before you can take a step forward!
Most of the above revelations came to me when I was on holiday in Sydney. I think I’d been so focused on moving forward all the time with new content and my new high energy work system I couldn’t see the affiliate cash for the merchant trees (love that analogy I’m getting it framed!).
March 17th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Great advice, Kirsty.
Do you not think it’s your new ‘high energy work system’ that has allowed you the free time to think about these things?
I have found some of my best ideas come to me when I am not spending time at my PC and since I have created and scheduled more ‘me’ time, I have had more of them.
Thanks for sharing.
Hamish
March 17th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
You bring up a great point about ongoing optimisations across your network, Kirsty. Some possible questions for everyone to ask themselves:
1) Are the merchants you’re driving traffic to performing worse than before because their products are less-relevant in this economy? Many people are “trading down” from a more-expensive product/service to a cheaper alternative. Sometimes the trade-offs are not obvious: for example, I’ve heard from one source that sales of sofas are increasing because people are traveling on holiday less (and want a comfy place to sit at home!)
2) Has the mix of traffic into your sites changed in a material way? This could be caused by the inevitable flux of G algos, your competitors, as well as topics coming into/out of fashion. What are the keywords that are driving traffic to your site? Have they shifted since your original site optimisations?
March 17th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Hi Kirsty,
First, I must say your site is awesome and very inspiring.
Having just started blogging myself, I think there’s no better way to earn and learn that to follow the masters. So, I will be subscribing to your RSS.
Great site
March 19th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
I think you have here a point that most of us know in the back of there head but never bother.
Testing, testing and some more testing is something we should do but how can you manage that if you build numorous sites? I have well over an hundred sites and going in every site and replace links is not a task i look forward to. But if it would mean i could multiply my income by taking the time I guess i should take the time.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:49 am
Hi Kirsty, I am concerned that we have actually done the opposite with one of our sites. At what point can you ask a merchant for an increased commission?
We have spent so much time testing different merchants offers, in different orders with different tag lines etc that it did not occur to us (as we knew we were one of their top affiliates) to just approach the merchant for higher commission.
Is this something that you would do immediately if you realised you were performing very well? (they are on the phone all the time) or how would you approach this?
March 20th, 2009 at 7:12 am
@ Hamish… Actually the high energy work system gives me less time to think about things. Or so I thought. However you might just be right there, I have been able to think more clearly since starting it. Must be cos I’m feeling organisatory.
@ Edwin. Yeah it can be a pain, but when I was creating my current sites I made sure to create a link system that made it easy to update links in bulk over a site. Means I only have to update a single file, not wander long and weary page by page – that’d be bloody awful!
@ Sam – I’d just go to the merchant and say there are others who can provide a slightly higher EPC for your traffic but you’d really like to stay with them because you have a good relationship with them and would they mind considering giving you an enhanced commission level. If you’re one of their top affiliates they’ll seriously consider it and will probably award you more if they are able to!