Are You Overselling To Your Readers?
Blogging is a good way to earn money and build trust. But are you doing both the right way? Do you oversell to your readers? Let me tell you, overselling to your readers will neither earn you money nor will it help you gain trust. In fact, your relationship with your readers will degrade.
I have discussed on how to gain trust amongst your readers by writing and connecting. There is one another way which will earn you money and as well as earn you reputation. Affiliate blogging is one way to earn money using your blog. When you are selling product or services of others’ in your blog, you will earn a certain percentage of commission. The fact is that it is not as easy as you think. People don’t buy products from you if you throw up banners or affiliate links. You have to tell them why they should buy and why you are recommending it. While this is not the main idea I’m trying to convey through this post, it would do better if I introduced you what affiliate blogging is.
Without any further ado, let me point out few things that most of the newbie affiliate bloggers do in their blog. These things will decrease your reputation and also few of your loyal blog readers will unsubscribe from your blog.
1. Too Many Banners
I understand that you want to earn money. But having banners all over your blog is not going to make you money. Banners get less attention these days. People know they are ads and they often stay away from clicking it. Having one or two banners will get you better results. How many times have you put up banners and made zero commissions? I have experienced this when I was a newbie. Most of the times, you cannot convince people to take action by putting up banners. Being a blogger, you should have the ability to make your writing do the selling work.
2. Linking To Products That Will Have No Value To Your Readers
Let me be clear here. You will not know whether your blog readers will benefit from the product you are promoting. Every product out there will be of help to at least one of your readers. But your blog belongs to a certain niche. So stick on to that niche. You should not sell products that are not related to your blog. You cannot expect your readers to buy a book named “how to be a better writer” when you blog is about health and fitness. Indeed some people will be interested but the major percentage of them will be disappointed with it. Select the products that belong to your niche and recommend only those that will be of real value to your readers.
3. Never Over Promote Anything Unless It Is really good
This is something that annoys me and many of your blog readers. If you are selling a product, try to stick to certain limits. The product maybe good but you still need to be true and HONEST to your readers. Write a review of the product and point out both good and bad about the product. It will surprise you when I say that a review with combined views will get you more sales than a review with only positives. How many times have you purchased after reading a review that tells both the pros and cons of a product? Think like your reader and you will get more ideas about which will make more sales and get ‘honest blogger’ title.
There is always a limit between selling and overselling and once you learn this, you will be half successful in affiliate blogging. When you become known as the ‘honest blogger’, your readers will wait for you to review a product before they buy.
Do you oversell in your blog? Have you had good results by writing honest reviews? Please share your opinion in the comments.
Hank | October 11th, 2008 at 1:37 pm #
I totally agree that you need to be honest with any reviews you do. There may come a day when your phone rings to ‘discuss’ what you’ve written.
It’s easy for companies to keep track of what coverage they’re getting across the internets. Companies that use things like Google Alerts will reach out to bloggers that are covering their products. So when my phone rang to discuss a review I did, we had an honest and helpful discussion.
Thanks for the points about too many banners. I’m still trying to figure out an advertising strategy that won’t turn people off.
Kim McGinnis | October 11th, 2008 at 8:13 pm #
Ramkarthik-I totally agree.
Many times bloggers or information sites do not give enough credit to the web surfer. Most visitors are too savvy to be swept in by a cool looking ad, or simply “click and buy” just because the website owner gave a product or service the thumbs up.
It brings to mind the Wendy’s commercial of groups of people flocking toward a gapping hole in the ground just because others are doing it.
Integrity and well written content will always have more staying power and potential for abundance than ads and words of quiet desperation.
So how do you make money? You said it in the beginning of your post. Trust must be developed. And just like a true friendship with a fellow human being, real trust can not be forced. Want a friend? Act like a friend. Want an ideal visitor? Put yourself in your visitors shoes. Now give them what you would want.
Patience is a virtue, and in today’s world it has become a lost art. All the same, it is a universal law that it will prevail as long as your integrity remains constant.
one.choen | October 12th, 2008 at 12:05 am #
Thanks… great information… i totally agree to.
Angel Cuala | October 12th, 2008 at 1:39 am #
Nice list, but I would like to add something to the last one.
If possible, use what you are selling. I remember I read a post somewhere that he is endorsing/selling a blog theme, and when I asked him why he is not using it. His reply made me laugh - I can’t afford it, it’s too expensive”.
Affiliate Famous | October 12th, 2008 at 10:23 am #
Great post! Especially in the affiliate industry, I have read too many blogs that are always trying to sell instead of giving useful content. Its the old rule of thumb, “you have to give a little to get a little.”
Rajeev Edmonds | October 12th, 2008 at 11:03 am #
Good article RamKarthik,
Kim has hit the nail. We should put ourselves in visitor’s shoes to assess the content of our blog. If I will give crap, I will get the same in return.
TechnoSamrat | October 12th, 2008 at 11:50 am #
Great article.. i really hate the sites with lot of banners…. Especially the games related sites…
Ramkarthik (Post Author) | October 12th, 2008 at 12:28 pm #
@ Hank,
It does happen sometimes when companies will contact you regarding reviews and when you have done it honestly, you will be having a good time talking to them.
@ Kim,
That’s excellent comment. Being in your visitors’ shoes will get the BEST result you can ever expect. Words should sell.
@ one.choen,
Glad you liked the article.
@ Angel,
Funny. People do that sometimes. I, most of the times, recommend people to be an affiliate for their hosting company since it is something they use.
@ Affiliate Famous,
I agree and in fact people, in the modern world, have to give a lot to get a little.
@Rajeev,
Exacatly what I wanted to say. Give crap and you will receive only crap.
@ TechnoSamrat,
Yes games blog have a lot of irrelevant banners.
B. Durant | October 13th, 2008 at 2:22 am #
Nice article. It drives me nuts every time I go on certain blogs (who I won’t name here) and almost all of their content is nothing but long winded sales pitches for whatever product crosses their “radar”.
Anyone with half a brain can see right through their bs.
Perfect Sales Pitch | October 13th, 2008 at 5:16 pm #
I think there’s a really tricky line between recommending a product and selling a product when it you’re blogging. Personally I am always very sceptical when a blogger recommends a product and then links to it using his affiliate link. As you say I think if you do decide to recommend a product which you’ll earn a commission from you should certainly write a balanced review.
Dan | October 13th, 2008 at 11:47 pm #
I somewhat agree with most of this, though I think banner implemented correctly and blended well in a non-obtrusive way can often increase your revenue.
I have seen this backfire in the past though where I had ads so well blended that people mistook them for links on the site, I got plenty of clicks but the profits went south fairly quickly
Chelsa | October 14th, 2008 at 4:03 am #
If possible, use what you are selling. I remember I read a post somewhere that he is endorsing/selling a blog theme, and when I asked him why he is not using it. His reply made me laugh - I can’t afford it, it’s too expensive”
Photoshop templates | October 15th, 2008 at 4:14 am #
Yes most of the bloggers loose readers by posting too many paid reviews.
Codrut Turcanu I Start Blogging | October 26th, 2008 at 1:31 pm #
I can’t stress enough the importance of your last point…
That’s why I always test a product prior promoting it, and in 9 out of 10 times I will write an honest review about it.
It’s a sure-fire way to boost commissions, it works like crazy particularly when you’re offering an incentive…