Affiliate Marketing : Science + Art
May 8th, 2008 by 
Amit
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Here’s a quick thought for you :
PPC affiliate marketing is an much art as it is a science .
I talk a lot about :
- Optimizing your bids
- Split testing ads
- Split testing your landing page
- Setting up your campaign properly
- And tracking your metrics
This is the scientific, or analytical, aspect of affiliate marketing. And as a former scientist I, no doubt, really like this aspect of the business.
Now here’s what I’ve realized : you can be a quiz at the analytical left brain aspects of this business and still struggle to make it work!
Why?
Because there’s a right brain creative aspect of ppc affiliate marketing that’s just as important as the analytical one.
So what’s the creative right brain element to ppc affiliate marketing?
- Understanding the USP (unique selling proposition) of the offer you’re promoting
- Understanding what the emotional hot buttons are in your niche
- Understanding consumer buying patterns in your niche
- Writing your copy so it speaks the language of your demographic, whether they’re new moms, single male yuppies, or whatever. Do you even know what your target demographic is?
- Overall, understanding the psychology of your niche and getting into the frame of mind of the customer
By really doing your homework before hand (5 point above) you’ll be able to write really effective Google ad copy (that will get a high CTR) and landing page copy (that will get a high conversion rate), and even do much more effective keyword research. Just doing this will often spell the difference between success and failure.
Have YOU been doing your homework before you promote a new affiliate offer, or are you like most affiliates who just jump in a niche and throw up a campaign as fast as they can hoping it will convert?
affiliate marketing market research
Posted in Super Affiliate Mindset, Market Research | 
So true Amit,
I applied this in my golf game and other sports and it helped me under pressure known as Peak performance… I’ve studied this right side brain theory with extensive research and it is UNDER-rated. I totally agree with you concerning both left and right side of the brain.
Yup its an art alrigth I’m now breaking even on my account
and my QS is great across the board for a few hundred keywords 
YAY!
Google also took the slap off our site
I’m using FreeMind Mind Mapping Software (http://freemind.sourceforge.net), which helps with the process (free).
For those of us using the Black Ink Project. This post is a great follow up.
totally agree with you! But I have a question. You said “jump in a niche and throw up a campaign as fast as they can hoping it will convert”. Isn’t this a first step of a campaign. And after finding a good one doing all the things mentioned from 1-10(1-5, 1-5) so that it becomes more and more profitable?
In truth the best affiliate campaigns are a natural result of your own experience, expertise, hobbies etc. OR - it’s a learned appreciation for a particular service, product, event and so on.
Who sells the most Flip Cameras - Kukral - why - because he loves them (or does a great job of pretending that he does)
Enough Spam - if you’re going to sell something try convincing yourself, your family first to buy it, try it, love it and sell it.
Affiliate marketing should not be forced - it should be very natural.
Mark