Affiliate Marketing Blog: Twitter For Affiliate Marketing? Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel

Monday, 30 March 2009

Twitter For Affiliate Marketing? Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel

If you've seen me tweet the title in Twitter then you're already half sold on its benefits for affiliate marketing. If not, let me explain a bit more.

To me affiliate marketing is the process of monetising people's buying intentions - its that simple. Some affiliates see them as creating demand, I don't. My strategy is taking people that are already in the buying frame of mind and navigating them to merchants in a way that balances their requirements and my return.

Twitter is just so damn perfect for that it's untrue. Now I won't divulge everything here. But you all know that I run a website promoting Easter eggs. Well do you think these tweets will be of use to me?

Exactly! I've set up systems to instantly monitor Twitter chatter about topics I monetise and then I start communications about those topics and engage people in the blog's direction and content. Check these tweets:

There was a cry for help (perhaps overstating it) which was met by a helpful tweet and then she replied, marketing my Twitter account to everyone that follows her.

But it goes further than that. I made a mistake on one of my reviews and one of my followers (makes me sound like I should have long hair and wear sandals) rectified me, so I amended the post and thanked her publicly. This is part of doing business online properly - allow people to improve what you do and make them an important process of what you do.

So, perhaps my title is a bit strong?! Perhaps it should be "Twitter For Affiliate Marketing: How To Find People To Help Promote You And Moderate What You Publish" - but that's not as catchy is it?

Now you're probably wanting something to take away with you after reading my ramblings. Well here it is Twitterfall - a great way to find Twitters and Tweets - you can even add it as a widget to your site to build a community feel and provide automatically generated relevant content. Can't see how? Check this screen grab, and see how it could be relevant to you (click on the image for a closer view):

But wait, there's more ...

It's also a great way to find content that you'd never have found before. I've found some PR agencies that have kindly wangled some free items for me to review and I've found and interacted with companies to interview regarding relevant news items for my blogs. In all Twitter is a direct way into the people that matter. After that, its down to you - just don't take Tweeps for granted, they can break you just as quickly as they make you!

p.s. I'd like to thank Purple of Warn Tickets for starting my mind down the path to Twitterdom!

p.p.s I've got to thank Cooldex & MichellePen for subsequently recommending Twendz.

p.p.p.s Did anyone say affiliates could win a holiday to Barbados with Sunshine and Affiliate Future?

24 Comments:

At 30 March 2009 at 13:43 , Anonymous said...: This is a really good idea, especially as Twitter has become so popular this year it would be silly to miss the opportunity. Good post
At 31 March 2009 at 00:00 , James Avery said...: Lee, an interesting article as always. We're using twitter to push news and blog posts for now, but they in turn can push special offers, so I guess we're getting that plus on the back of the content.

We've seen a massive uptake in blog traffic and comments this week since really going for it on twitter, and we have a lot more to follow. Next time you have a travel related issue to get off your chest, I'm sure you'll know where to come.

Here's 20 reasons to fly with Ryanair to keep you busy (damn it, where's their affiliate programme).
At 2 April 2009 at 12:22 , Luke Regan said...: Nice post. Just one thing to point out re this: "she replied, marketing my Twitter account to everyone that follows her". They won't have seen it unless they a) already follow you or b) have changed their @replies settings from default.
At 2 April 2009 at 15:05 , Anonymous said...: Twitter is a big waste of time. It is never going to be as big as google, so instead of wasting hours on twitter. Affiliate should spend their time doing SEO for google, that is where the big money is.
At 2 April 2009 at 15:29 , getvisible said...: @Anonymous you've got a lot about to learn about business and affiliate marketing.

Just because something isn't as big as google, it doesn't mean it shoul be expoited. You apportion the amount of time you invest in it with the predicted returns.

I've seen a significant increase to the bottom line using it and have Twitter as just one part of my overall business strategy.

Opportunities ALWAYS exist where others think it is "a waste of time".

If we all did the same things and had the same views, we'd all be building the same sites and earnign the same amount.

Affiliate marketing is about trying new things and adapting what's available to match your income requirements and style of work.

Keep on saying it won't work and I'll keep on proving that it does.
At 2 April 2009 at 17:52 , Anonymous said...: @getvisable Time is limited for everyone, so spend your time on what will delivery the greatest return on investment. Google is the biggest so the return will be the biggest, a lot bigger than twitter. Once you are number one on google for all your target keyword, then move onto twitter. Or maybe you can't compete on google, so are forced to use twitter.
At 2 April 2009 at 20:35 , getvisible said...: I am number one in Google and I use Twitter. But I also use it where I'm not. It's the height if niavity to think the World IS Google! Why bother with TV or magazine advertising, why bother with advertising on the radio, on busses it on the back of train tickets?

If some one is talking on twitter about buying a product surely it is effective to engage with them? Oh wait, I've already proved it - where it was 2.5 times more effective than the other forms of marketing.

Until you can PROVE any different then I'll refuse to be so narrow-minded and resort to thinking that buyers ONLY use Google.
At 2 April 2009 at 21:14 , Anonymous said...: It is easy to PROVE, google has 95% market share of all search in the UK. That is a lot of traffic, a lot more than twitter will ever deliver. It's all volume baby!
At 2 April 2009 at 22:15 , getvisible said...: you really don't gave a clue do you? When was twitter search traffic! If google had 95% of ALL traffic then I'd believe you? They don't even have 95% of SEARCH!

If the only place people go to buy was from search then would there be price comparison sites, cashback sites, voucher sites, moneysavingexpert. Would advertisers even bother with affilate marketing? It's all about incremental sales!

If people are talking about your products then it's worthwhile being there as not everyone uses Google! Jeez I get a. Shed load of traffic from yahoo, msn, tiscali, referals, email, twitter, facebook etc. Google certainly isn't 95% of my traffic because I make it so.

As soon as you get out if the "google" is everything, the sooner you'll allow your business to grow at a more sustainable rate and allow yourself to sleep more safely at night knowing that you're not dependent on Google!
At 3 April 2009 at 08:17 , Anonymous said...: I can assure you my traffic and money is lot, lot bigger than your!! Your little sites get tiny traffic. And no wonder when you don't focus on the big daddy (google). You are the one who don't get it. Google is the biggest traffic driver in the UK, by a long, long way. Get to number 1 on google for all your keywords, then move onto twitter, or can't you compete on google?. I just checked google and you are not ranking number 1 for easter egg, easter eggs, chocolate easter eggs, etc.
At 3 April 2009 at 09:23 , getvisible said...: This comment has been removed by the author.
At 3 April 2009 at 09:24 , getvisible said...: #1 easter egg
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=easter+egg&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

#1 easter eggs
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=easter+eggs&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

#1 chocolate Easter eggs
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=chocolate+easter+eggs&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

#1 thorntons Easter egs
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=thorntons+easter+eggs&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

#1 dark chocolate easter eggs
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=dark+chocolate+easter+eggs&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

#1 milk chocolate easter eggs
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=milk+chocolate+easter+eggs&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

#1 cheap easter eggs
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=cheap+easter+eggs&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

#1 diabetic easter eggs
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1GGLS_en-GBGB312GB312&q=diabetic+easter+eggs&btnG=Search&meta=cr%3DcountryUK|countryGB

Total traffic 3,564 visits yesterday and earning very good money off it. So if that's TINY TRAFFIC I'm very happy with it.

And who says I don't FOCUS ON GOOGLE? I do on focus on it, but I don't IGNORE everything else.

Now shut the fuck up and stop talking bollocks.
At 3 April 2009 at 09:41 , getvisible said...: in the last 28days Google delivered 86.9% of traffic.

There were 13,966 different keyword variations that delivered traffic.

And well over 1,000 sales.
At 3 April 2009 at 09:43 , Chris said...: Google is used by 80% of adults in the UK and that is a fact. These adults will also use alternative engines when Google doesn't find what a user is after. Therefore 95% of search in the UK isn't a correct stat.

What is being missed here is there are numerous different methods of digital media including Twitter, Search, Viral, Social Networking - all of which attract a different type of internet users and all of which are potential customers.

Informative posts like this, help people make their own decisions and make them realise being #1 on Google isn't necessarily the ONLY way to spread news about your website.
At 8 April 2009 at 15:17 , Anonymous said...: You ignoring my comments, now that I have pointed out that you are not number 1 on google.co.uk for any of those terms. You are only number 1 when you click "pages from uk" which a tiny percentage of users do.
At 8 April 2009 at 15:30 , getvisible said...: you really don't have a fucking clue do you? Really, come on. Find something better to do with your self then look like a complete prat.

I get a SUBSTANTIAL amount of traffic from .com.

But you have to realise that the volume of the long tail is significantly greater than the top search term.

In my case I've had traffic from 18,387 key phrases in the past 30 days.

Of that the top keyphrase only delivered 8.9% of the traffic. And the top 10 keywords only delivered 29.49% of the traffic.

You keep saying I'm ignoring the "big daddy" and coming out with fictitious and bogus data to try and prove a point that every reasonable affiliate/SEO knows to be the case - which is: Don't ignore Google, but don't think it's the be all and end all.

You obviously think that Google.com is the only thing to think about.

What you don't state is that 50% of people refine to "pages in the uk" and for those that don't I'm still ranked 4th for "global" and all of the top three have nothing to do with buying chocolate.

And obviously I don't know what the fuck I'm talking about when I've got more, or very similar traffic to the chocolate shops I send traffic to and are spending a fortune on "branding".

You really are proving to be a complete idiot. So come out of your anonymity so we can all stand and point at you with the sound of laughter ringing in your ears!
At 8 April 2009 at 15:46 , Anonymous said...: This is a new Anon FYI's

@Anonymous - Just focusing on google is putting all your Easter Eggs in one basket (see what I did there) - What if, as happens often, Google has a hissy fit and drops you? You are buggered!

It's a proven Darwinian known fact that to succeed in life, you need to spread your seed, it's natural evolution. The principle applies here too.

Lee is a well known person in the industry and clearly knows his stuff. Please name yourself so we can at least give something of what you said some credibility?
At 9 April 2009 at 08:38 , Anonymous said...: It is not bogus data. At my previous employer I had access to hitwise. These stats are not total accurate, but then again web stats never are.

The rought stats are:

Google (.co.uk and .com) about 95% market share.

About 10% of users select "pages from the UK".
At 9 April 2009 at 08:59 , getvisible said...: did you check the data for people that search with purchase keywords v information keywords.

The later don't really care that they get global data, whereas those that are intending to buy tend to filter on UK sites in much greater numbers.
At 9 April 2009 at 11:43 , Anonymous said...: You got any industry stats which gives some numbers to this claim, or is this just your opinion? "The later don't really care that they get global data, whereas those that are intending to buy tend to filter on UK sites in much greater numbers."

As orginally stated I suggest affiliate target google. Aim to be number 1 for all your target terms, once achieved start to test other traffic sources. It is very easy to get distracted by the latest hot site (e.g. twitter). If google has about 95% market share, I would suggest spending 95% of time on it.
At 9 April 2009 at 11:57 , getvisible said...: how do you get to no1 though? Spam people for links? Or foster community so they link to you? How do you foster community? Well you step outside!

You forget that small but crucial aspect of Google.
At 1 May 2009 at 11:47 , patingski said...: So Twitter is awesome for Taking traffic to you website . It is very
simple to setup and its a fun positive way to keep in contact with
people. To get more followers on twitter check out this amazing
tool.
At 26 June 2009 at 16:06 , Anonymous said...: Good thinking on your part, may I add that Tweetdeck's 'short url' gizmo can turn your affiliation url links into little web addresses that don't show it's an affiliate link!

Also, (shameless promo coming up), I'd advise a branded Twitter background design - you'll stand out, look more professional and engage your reader..it's branding and all affiliates know how important that is!
I make Twitter background designs at http://www.robbydesigns.com

Hope this helps.
Great article.
At 14 October 2009 at 11:36 , Dan said...: I think that people that don't understand the benefit of Twitter when it comes to marketing don't really understand it.

For the larger companies you can keep an eye on your brand and what your customers are saying about you. Just look for #pepsifail and you'll see what I mean.

For affiliate marketers you have a way to find people who are actually looking to purchase something so the conversion rate from Twitter can be a lot higher that SEO and PPC.