Don't Know What to Promote? Ask Amazon
Submitted by Jeremy Palmer on Fri, 04/11/2008 - 06:06.
Trying to figure out what products to promote is always a challenge. You never know how an offer is going to convert until you start running it.
You may think a certain product is the greatest thing in the world, but what do prospective customers think?
The easiest way to make money is by swimming with the current. In other words, promote the things that people are already buying.
But how do you find out what people are buying? You ask Amazon - the largest internet retailer in the world.
As you're browsing categories in Amazon you'll notice some helpful links on the top and left side of the page:
-Bestsellers
-Hot New Releases
-Most Gifted
-Most Wished For
For example, let's say you're thinking about doing a new review site that specializes in camcorders with flash drives. Navigate to Amazon and check out the best sellers in that category. You'll note that the new Flip camera's are the most popular, most wished for, and most gifted.
According to Amazon, they sell 71 camcorders with flash memory. The most popular cameras also tend to get the best reviews, which is kind of a no-brainer.
To make this strategy work, I suggest you drill down to the most specific category in your niche. This will allow you to do an apples to apples comparison of the products. For example, it wouldn't make sense to compare $1,000 HD camcorders to $150 compact camcorders.
This is just one of many factors to consider when selecting products to promote. For more ideas check out Section 2 of my free e-book.
Don't Know What to Promote? Ask Amazon
Indeed a good idea. Something else that was pointed out to me recently ... it seems strangely hidden ... on Paypal.com there is a link to "PayPal Shops", sort of something similar to Yahoo Stores. There are pages of listing of PayPal merchants and most importantly for research, a little number for each merchant that tells you the number of transactions via PayPal for each seller.
Talk is talk, but actual sales tell the tale. A little gold mine of info there to find out who is really doing business.
Dave
Empowering Retirement
www.retiredpay.com
Great Ideas
Jeremy,
Great timing for me. Thanks for sharing this!
NIce - but do you promote Amazon ?
I didn't think it fitted your PPC to affiliate offer business model as there tracking is extremely limited.
It doesn't matter if you
It doesn't matter if you promote Amazon or not. Most Internet retailers sell the same items (e.g. Buy.com). Amazon does have product level reporting, but they don't have keyword/sid tracking like CJ, and LinkShare.
Affiliate marketing thing
Hey Jeremy great site , Please jump in HERE!
I have been doing the ppc and affiliate marketing thing, and I’m beginning To understand how most of it works, but when it comes time to quit promoting the product, when should you stop. Let me tell you I do very well in getting the clicks, tight groups, building landing pages, a domain name for a particular product etc. hundreds of clicks no SALES? And the most important question.
When your promoting a product and they say we convert 1 in 100 or 1 in 20 how can you verify this claim I know that when I look at the web site it looks very professional, and I would buy from this particular site.
When do you really kick the campaign, 200-400 clicks, I think sometimes you freak out when the sales are not rolling in, or very few.
If anyone can address this problem I would appreciate it, here’s a tip, you can see by looking at my site I don’t promote to affiliates ONLY. It’s a big world out there folks.
To your success
Cheers,
Jim Novak
Wireless-Home-Computer.com
Using Unique Domain Name To Promote Affiliate Product
Hi Jim,
Great comment out there, particularly on 'a domain name for a particular product'. This rings a bell to me that using a suitable domain name that is related to a product can proof to be highly effective in converting sales. The only problem is most domain names for popular products has been taken. Recently I came across this so called 'second level domain' (2LD) with many domain names are still available, and it sounds very friendly to readers, more information can be below my signature.
Cheers,
Jeffrey Tang
www.MyDomainRush.com
domain 'second level domain'
Hi Jeffrey,
Thanks for the comment, it’s duly noted.
You can always find a derivative of a particular domain if you have too Take one of the product
I promote tropical fish.
I did a domain search and most of the domain names in this category were taken, but I came up with this for a landing page happy-tropiacl-fish.com, and boy do I get the clicks. Thanks for the tip.
To your success
Wireless-Home-Computer.com
Cheers,
Jim Novak
oops my bad
Hey,
Sorry for the spelling, it hurts :()
Cheers, :)
Jim Novak
Hi Jeremy, That's a good
Hi Jeremy,
That's a good one...It's always been my favourite routine when i run out of ideas...and i would navigate to Amazon. One of the biggest online retailer.
Another one that i used is - Ebay!
Thanks!
Thomas
Jeremy....Its so refreshing to find a Honest Guy
With all the hype in the Affiliate Market world it sure is tuff to know who to trust. Through referal from another respected marketer, Jim Cockrum, and research and reading your posts and eBook, I can say Jeremy Palmer is one of those marketers that you can trust not to stear you onto the wrong products and services and to give really valuable and honest guidance and instruction to succeed in this industry.
Thank you,
Jeromy
What wonderful pointers!
To a very "newbie" at this-You all have made Christmas come early!! Thanks so much!!
Kathy