leemccoy. co.uk Let’s Get Social Affiliates and Social Media Lee McCoy SocialMediaGeezer
May 25, 2015
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Let’s Get SocialAffiliates and Social Media
Lee McCoySocialMediaGeezer
leemccoy.co.uk
• Affiliates + Social Media = Monetizing Buzz
• Affiliates have been doing “Social Media” since Web 0.1
• Social media is just one commission generating option that competes for your:– Time– Attention– Money
It’s All About BuzzIt’s All About Buzz
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• Wikis• Social Networks• Presence Applications• Video Sharing• Photo Sharing• Virtual Reality• Events Management
• News Aggregation• Livecasting• Episodic Online Video• Media Sharing• Social Bookmarking• Online Gaming• Social Shopping
Wikipedia lists 15 types of Social Media sites:
But where’s blogging?
Not All Social Media is Created Equal!
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Not all types of social media will be relevant or suitable
What’s Right For You?
Not all types of social media will be relevant or suitable
Vidcasting• Do you like the limelight?• Can you justify the time?• Do you have the product
knowledge?
News Aggregation• You’ve got to monitor it• Is it easy to monetise?• Not easy to get enough users
early on.
Virtual Worlds• Huge Budget• Unbelievable Technical Skills• Too long term a project?
Podcasting• Too time intensive?• Suitable for product
engagement?• Can you be bothered?
Not all types of social media will be relevant or suitable
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Which Are Profitable?Social Networks
106 of them (Wikipedia)
The Easier Options
Blogging Social Bookmarking*
* Different Reason
The Easier Options
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But Why Social For Affiliates?
Think of all the pressures you’ve been under:
But Why Social For Affiliates?
Think of all the pressures you’ve been under:
Merchant Squeeze:• No direct PPC• Brand Name restrictions• Numpty merchant rules• Agencies learning fast, leveraging our
innovations
Competitive Squeeze• Many more affiliates pushing up PPC
costs & building sites• The bigger players are getting bigger• Exclusive deals are harder to get
(everyone wants them).
Google’s PPC Squeeze:• PPC Restrictions (1 advert per
URL)• Minimum Bids• Landing page criteria
Google’s SEO Squeeze:• Gone are the 50,000 pages in a
lunchtime.• Need to build long term strategies• Can’t do big cross-linking anymore
Think of all the pressures you’ve been under:
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Advantages of Social Media
Proliferation of information• You don’t have to be a journalist or a big
staff. • Use Google News Alerts, NewsNow or
Technorati
Ease Of Publication• Anyone can blog• Easy to look like an expert• Anyone can start a Facebook group• Anyone can use Twitter or submit their
RSS feeds
Rewards Are There• Innovate to Success
Consumers Hate Marketing• They’re getting blind to adverts• They’re suspicious of traditional
methods
Consumers Digest Social Media Tirelessly
• They actively seek product reviews from their peers
• They’re eager to tell their story• Search: “City link are crap”
It Offers and Alternative• If you can’t risk PPC, or don’t like
design try social media
There are so many reasons (can’t fit them all on)
Advantages of Social MediaAdvantages of Social Media
There are so many reasons (can’t fit them all on)
Advantages of Social Media
Proliferation of information• You don’t have to be a journalist or a big
staff. • Use Google News Alerts, NewsNow or
Technorati
Ease Of Publication• Anyone can blog• Easy to look like an expert• Anyone can start a Facebook group• Anyone can use Twitter or submit their
RSS feeds
Rewards Are There• Innovate to Success
There are so many reasons (can’t fit them all on)
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Be An Opinion-Former
So …
At The End Of The Buying Cycle
So …
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Let’s Look At Some Examples
Blogging In Detail:• Easy to set up• People love buzz and opinion• Easy to get links• Benefit of social bookmarking• Basics of SEO are there• Great for niche offerings• Build up a head of steam before events
Monetising:• Short-term Adsense / Shirt / Ticket Sales• Long-term travel sales (if we qualify)
My Football Site (Chuffing Ruskies)
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Using Buzz / Creating News
Effect of Buzz• Created page about the new England Football
shirt before to launch• It was fake• Massive links through out football forums• Loads of traffic (2500 extra visits in just 1 day)• Generated sales• Encouraged links off forums• Helped SEO
Example: Austria-2008.co.uk
Using Buzz / Creating News
Effect of Buzz• Created page about the new England Football
shirt before to launch• It was fake• Massive links through out football forums• Loads of traffic (2500 extra visits in just 1 day)• Generated sales• Encouraged links off forums• Helped SEO
Using Buzz / Creating News
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Missy Ward & Shawn Collins say:• They setup WeViews.tv with video content to
leverage affiliate sales because they saw it’s impact on traffic generation and interaction on their Affiliate Summit site.
• They say affiliates should use video content if they have an opinion
• Videos on YouTube and Revver get preferential treatment on Google.
• They get comments back• Only takes an hour per review to do• Missy suggests Sony Vegas Movie Studio 8• Use TubeMogul to submit your video to loads of
online video seach and viewing sites• DON’T JUST THINK OF YOUTUBE!
Interaction & True Social Media
Adding Video Content & Encouraging Responses: WeViews.tv
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAp_z8OJYMU
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Example: iSaved CashBack UK• One of few UK affiliates giving FaceBook applications a go• They saw Facebook as an opportunity to “engage web savvy
people who are likely to purchase online”.• Using this app as a trial and will look to create others• Advise other affiliates to thoroughly research other
applications before doing their own• Take a look at http://adomics.com for ideas and get the
Facebook API documentation• Do a thorough spec for your developers• By the end of Sept’ 2007 there were 5366 apps• Only cost them £4k and 5 weeks• Hard part is marketing it – first mover advantage• Rock you has a Facebook marketing offering• Incentivising the viral element with £10 deposit
Leveraging FaceBook
If you want to play with the big boys, try FaceBook Applications
Leveraging FaceBook
If you want to play with the big boys, try FaceBook ApplicationsExample: iSaved CashBack UK
• One of few UK affiliates giving FaceBook applications a go• They saw Facebook as an opportunity to “engage web savvy
people who are likely to purchase online”.• Using this app as a trial and will look to create others• Advise other affiliates to thoroughly research other
applications before doing their own• Take a look at http://adomics.com for ideas and get the
Facebook API documentation• Do a thorough spec for your developers• By the end of Sept’ 2007 there were 5366 apps• Only cost them £4k and 5 weeks• Hard part is marketing it – first mover advantage• Rock you has a Facebook marketing offering• Incentivising the viral element with £10 deposit
Leveraging FaceBook
If you want to play with the big boys, try FaceBook Applications
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Example: Pleo Toy Appreciation Society• Linked to from the blog• Gives ways to buy the Pleo• Has photos• Others can communicate and discuss• They can invite people in• Quick way to get a user base
Want Something Lower-Key?
Facebook Groups – an easy way to obtain and keep users:
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Example: ZiiTrend.com• A Social event predicting network• Used it to drive traffic to Austria-2008.co.uk• How likely is it that England will qualify for the
finals.• You can add your own news stories• Build up a niche following
Think Outside The Box
There are loads of other ways to promote your sites
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A guy dominated the Google SERPS with Social Media:• 8/9 out of 10 positions taken by 1 guy• Used Squidoo• Zanga• Blip.tv• Clip Marks• MyblogLog• Hub Pages• Blue Dot
Still Not Convinced?
The Silver Surfer Halloween Costumes Domination
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip-eBjlEJGg
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Summary
Why should affiliates try social media?
• It can generate loads of traffic
• You can dominate the SERPS
• You can increase click rates to merchants
• You can increase conversion rates
• It’s the future of Google Algorithms
• Your competitors are doing it
• It’s fun!
• Check out leemccoy.co.uk for more information