Google AdWords Clobbers Affiliate Sellers

First, we must understand their point of view. Unlike some other search engines, Google is committed to providing the best quality search results possible. That is an admirable effort, and they are certainly not setting out to do harm to their loyal advertisers who bring them millions in ad revenue each month.

However, a new AdWords regulation will put a crimp on those marketers who run ads using an affiliate URL as a landing page.

Google's reasoning is this.

For any keyword search, a good sized portion of AdWord results has, at least until now, consisted of affiliate ads promoting identical seller sites.

Here is an example.

Before the Holidays, this writer searched Google for the term "chocolate." Of the ten AdWords listings returned on the first page, three were affiliate ads promoting Dans.com, a chocolate maker in Vermont USA. Another ad on the same page belonged to Dan himself.

From Google's viewpoint, and mine as well, that was not a quality search result.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, that won't be happening again. The new AdWords policy states that, for any keyword search, when two or more ads are found that feed to the same affiliate URL, only the ad with the highest popularity and ranking will be displayed.

At the same time, the new AdWord policy cuts a bit of slack, in that affiliate advertisers are no longer required to identify their affiliate status in their ad text. But overall, it has dealt a severe blow to thousands of affiliates, their market exposure, and their potential for income.

So What's The Solution?

There are three things that can be done to regain that exposure.

1. - Optimize the existing ad according to AdWords standards and hope you'll land the top ranking. That will be tough if you're competing against ten or twenty other affiliates who are all doing the same thing.

2. - Create a redirect page on your website that will feed to the seller's page, and use that unique URL as a landing page for the ad. The unique URL alone will successfully circumvent the new AdWords affiliate policy. Still, this may be regarded as somewhat sneaky or unethical.

3. - The best answer can be spelled out in just two words - Content Pages.

To clarify, a content page is just a simple webpage, hosted on your own website, that presents a short (500 words or less) report relating to the product itself or to the related niche.

And of course, your affiliate link will be embedded into that content, rather than being used as a direct link in your AdWords ad. Once again, the unique URL for your content page will effectively and legally get around the new affiliate policy.

Now, I'm a firm believer in content pages. They not only make your site more important to your visitors and to the search engines, they can (when well written and keyword relevant) help to pre-sell the product. An informative content page can often make the difference between a sale and a loss when there happens to be a weak salesletter on the seller's website.

Another advantage ... you can embed multiple [related] affiliate links into a single content page, giving your potential customers several buying options to shop from.

Where Can You Get Content Pages?

It isn't as tough as it might sound. Here are two ways to go about it.

1 - Write the content yourself. Stick to the topic and use relevant keywords/keyphrases to tweak the reader's interest, and that of the search engines as well. A personalized review of the product usually works best, offering your own experience in using it, and your resulting benefits. Then format the content as HTML, optimize the page for search engines, upload it to your site, and use that unique URL in your Google AdWordsTM campaign.

2 - Search for topic related pre-written articles at sites like EzineArticles.com and place your affiliate link(s) in a short blurb before and after the article itself.

Be aware that the terms of use on most public articles do not allow you to edit the body of the article itself, or to omit the author's resource box. Check to make sure you can effectively use the article and still abide by all terms of use.

Dan B. Cauthron is a 30 year direct marketing veteran and has been successful on the Net since 2000.

Subscribe to his original content No Nonsense *Revenew Quick Tips* NEWSLetter and receive Dan's Hand Picked eMarketing Success Library free of charge - http://DanBCauthron.com

---

How to Join Affiliate Programs ? Affiliate Marketing

The first thing you may be wondering before you join... Read More

Where Affiliate Programs Fail and How It Can Impact Your Success

Recruiting people for your business opportunity or paid program by... Read More

Affiliate Programs - How to Pick the Solid Ones

This is very important, because your reputation is on stake... Read More

Make 100% Commission on Your Affiliate Sales!

If you've been involved in making money on the internet,... Read More

High Earning Affiliate Is It Possible?

Affiliate Program have exploded on the internet. Thousand of people... Read More

Affiliate Marketing Terminology

Affiliate Marketing is a large business piece on the Internet.... Read More

Internet Affiliate Marketing 101 - Its All About Relationships

So you've found the perfect affiliate program, you've signed up... Read More

Big Ticket Items - 6 More BIG Benefits To Selling As An Affiliate

Today, we're going to cover 6 More BIG Benefits to... Read More

The Key to a Successful Affiliate Program

Two Christmases ago I tugged on one of those paper... Read More

Higher Commission Is Not Always Better

I have seen it a million times, especially from newer... Read More

Design Web Site Around Affiliate Programs

When starting a Web business, most people choose a topic... Read More

10 Tips To Help You Create Your Own Money Making Affiliate Program

1. View your affiliate program as a partnership between you... Read More

Affiliate Programs... Whos Really Making The Money?

There will be a million and one affiliates out there... Read More

Affiliate Marketing ? The Comparison Model

The value of an affiliate is nil in a customer's... Read More

The Best Affiliate Programs Increase Your Website?s Earnings Potential

Taking full advantage of your website's earning potential is as... Read More

Convert Your Passions Into Dollars

On Cyberspace (Internet), there is a method from which you... Read More

Looking for Success as an Online Affiliate? Its All in the Numbers

If you have been a home based business entrepreneur for... Read More

5 Essential Tools of the Successful Affiliate Marketer

In the time I have been running my internet home... Read More

One Little-Known Secret to Wealth the Gurus Never Told You About!

When I started my internet marketing career, I knew that... Read More

9 Ways to Catapult Your Affiliate Marketing Career

Affiliate marketing involves the promotion of a website by a... Read More

Why Join 2 Tier Affiliate Programs?

Like the more common single tier affiliate programs, 2 tier... Read More

Protecting Yourself From Affiliate Link Thieves

So, you have worked really hard to build a fabulous... Read More

Unique Joint Venture Twist: Make Huge Profits Even If You Have No Money, No Products, and No List

Would you like to jumpstart your online or offline business... Read More

Choosing the Right Affiliate Program

Requesting information on an affiliate program is an open invitation... Read More

How to Grow Your Affiliate Marketing Business

Affiliate marketing is a large business in the internet today... Read More

Why Two-Tier Affiliate Programs are Best

When you join an affiliate program or start an affiliate... Read More

Googles Changed The Rules Again So Now What?

Some tips for Affiliate MarketersSo Google has changed its policies... Read More

Looking For An Affiliate Internet Marketing Tip?

Here's a few affiliate Internet marketing tips that can help... Read More

The Easiest Way For Beginners To Make Money Online

There are obviously many ways to make money online, some... Read More

Whats a Mini Affiliate Site?

In this article I'm going to cover two specific marketing... Read More

Seven Ways to Set Yourself Apart From Other Affiliate Marketers

Okay so you've read (fill in the blank with internet... Read More

The Prosperous Affiliate Merry-Go-Round

In the affiliate world, just as in the rest of... Read More

Affiliate Marketing - Ten Excellent Reasons Why You Should Do It

There are many opportunities to make money working on the... Read More