4 Common ClickBank Affiliate Marketing Mistakes

One of Murphy’s Laws states that, “If there is a wrong way to do something, then someone will do it.”

While funny, it is true… and thousands of beginner ClickBank affiliates make several cardinal mistakes when trying to promote infoproducts. Their efforts yield no fruit and after a while, they give up and assume that online marketing and ClickBank is a scam.

The truth of the matter is that many of these pitfalls can be easily avoided if you only knew what or where they were – and this article is going to tell you exactly what you need to know.

1. Choosing the wrong product

One of the biggest mistakes that affiliates make is choosing a product blindly just because it’s on the bestseller list. If you’re a beginner and you see a product in the ClickBank marketplace with a high gravity, that means it’s selling well and many affiliates are making bank with it.

Here’s what they don’t tell you – these affiliates are very experienced and the market is very competitive. Since you’re new, you’ll not have the skills to compete in such a saturated market… yet.

You’re better off digging through the listings looking for promising products that are not on the bestseller list. This advice may sound contrary to whatever you may have heard but rest assured that every bestselling product started off with a low gravity before sales took off.

Look for a product that has an attractive sales page and persuasive sales copy. The sales page should intrigue you and make you feel like you want to buy it. Compare it with similar products on the bestseller list. Can the new one that you’re looking at hold it’s own against the competition? If yes, go for it.

2. Unethical products

This is especially prevalent in the health niche. There have been products about improving your vision, how to grow taller and other ridiculous claims that are all hype and don’t deliver on their promises.

When customers send in complaints after purchasing these digital piles of rubbish, ClickBank will remove these products from the marketplace. If you’ve built a website promoting these products, now all your links will be broken and sales will come to a standstill immediately.

So, you’re better off choosing reputable products that don’t make pie in the sky claims. Not only will they be around for a long time, but your tribe will thank you for recommending them.

Wait, what? A tribe???… Read on.

3. Not having a ‘tribe’

A tribe is basically a group of people who like, trust and follow you. You can build a tribe through a blog or with a video channel, Facebook group, etc.

The premise is always the same. You are viewed as an authority and people trust what you say. This can only happen if you share information that helps them solve their problems and achieve their goals.

Many newbies neglect to build a tribe. They blindly run advertisements, or make low-quality videos hoping to rank for a few search terms that may occasionally pick up a sale.

While this can happen, because even a blind pig stumbles upon an acorn every now and then… it is not a recommended long-term approach.

You’ll want to set up a blog or video channel or some group where people can congregate and consume the content that you’re putting out. The more content you offer, the more loyalty you’ll get and they’ll be more likely to buy what you recommend.

Digital products usually need more convincing than tangible products, especially in niches that are not in the ‘make money online niche’. So, build your tribe and convince them that the products are worth getting.

4. Not building a list

This is probably the biggest flaw of the lot. Most beginners are looking for easy solutions. They just want their affiliate hoplink to directly link to the offer. That helps them avoid the hassle of setting up an opt-in page (bridge page), a freebie, an autoresponder and so on.

“Gasp! So many moving parts! I just want to make moneyyyyy!!!”, the newbie exclaims.

And yet, everyone and their grandmother is saying that the money is in the list – and that’s because it is. Decisions, decisions.

While setting up an opt-in page with the autoresponder and free download are a few extra steps that require more effort come with the inevitable learning curve – it’s these steps that make all the difference.

A visitor who lands on your YouTube video may go from your link straight to the sales page of the offer you’re promoting, spend a minute on it and disappear off to Netflix. That will probably be the last you see of them.

Attention spans are extremely short these days. If the link pointed to an opt-in page, the visitor would have been tempted to leave his email for a free download.

Now you’d have captured his email and can market to him over and over via email. It doesn’t matter if he has flitted off to Netflix or Pornhub. You have him by the… email.

You know what they say – it takes several ‘contacts’ or exposures to the same offer before someone buys it. Being able to market to the same people repeatedly will improve your chances of making sales… and as your list of subscribers grows, your rate of success will improve exponentially.

To conclude, always remember to study the offer well before promoting it. Also make sure it’s an ethical offer. Then build a tribe… and create a list from that tribe.

If you get these 4 pointers down, it’ll just be a matter of time before you catch up with the big players and you’ll be able to promote the bestselling products and still compete effectively against the rest. That’s a cool place to be.

(971 words)

Before Promoting a ClickBank Product

What to Look for Before Promoting a ClickBank Product

The ClickBank marketplace has thousands of products and even more affiliates. Despite the attempts to sort the products by categories and through metrics, there ís no denying the fact that the sheer number of products on the platform makes it similar to the Wild West, with some unruly e-characters running loose.
The beginner who is trying to separate the wheat from the chaff will need to have all his wits about him/her to figure out which are the products worth promoting, and which should be avoided like the plague.
Below you’ll find 10 questions you should ask yourself when trying to ascertain if you should promote a ClickBank product. Just asking these questions before deciding will help you make an informed decision.

1. What is the commission rate?

Of course, it’s mostly about the amount of money when promoting products! No sin in that. When choosing a product, ideally it should pay you at least 50% commission per sale. Most ClickBank products offer that and some go up to 75%.
The low cost of delivering the downloads allow the vendors to offer such high commission rates. So, pick a product that pays you what you’re worth. Your time is money, after all.

2. Are there rebills?

While not a deal breaker, a product that has rebills will allow you to earn more in the following months if the customer signs up for a subscription-based product. You’ll get a cut of the sales for as long as the customer is subscribed.
Not all products come with rebills. Some niches just do not allow for such an option. So, donít discard a product just because it doesnít have a rebill. Just make sure you look for similar products that have that option first.

3. Is the product legit?

A very important point to note. Just because a product has a fantastic gravity and is on the bestseller list does not mean that it will stay there forever. Several ClickBank products that have made bold claims and never delivered on the promises have been removed from the marketplace.
Several of them were in the health niche claiming to make you taller, restore your vision, cure your diabetes permanently and so on. These unsubstantiated, hyped-up products were removed permanently because ClickBank has a reputation to maintain.
And so do you. Promote legitimate products that actually help people and your links will make your sales for you, for a long time instead of suddenly dying because the product has been shut down.

4. How attractive is the sales page?

Looks matter. People judge a book by its cover. That’s how it is. A professional and attractive sales page will help boost conversions. Check the products sales page and see if it’s good, has no spelling errors and other issues that may affect its credibility.

5. Does the sales copy reel you in?

A beauty contest has a question and answer segment to show that looks are not everything. Or at least that’s the idea.
This concept holds true here too. An attractive sales page is not enough. There must be substance. The sales copy on the sales page must be persuasive, tell the potential customer what the product is about, have genuine testimonials, etc.
Read through it all and see if you’re tempted to buy the product. It should resonate with your niche. Compare it with similar sales pages that other products have and see if they can compete.
If the sales page has a sales video, is it interesting? Is there an option to read the sales page instead of watching the video that never seems to end? Not everyone likes to watch videos. All these are pointers to be aware of.

6. Are there leaks on the sales page?

There should be no external links or opt-in forms on the sales page. You do not want the traffic you send to the sales page leaking out into irrelevant sites, etc. A vendor that has an opt-in form and builds a list at your expense is also a no-go.
Once the visitor lands on the sales page, they should only have 2 options to buy or leave. That’s it.

7. Does the product fit your niche?

If you have a niche site that’s about bodybuilding, promoting a yoga course that features a female instructor is just not going to cut it. The people in the niche will have a specific mindset and image.
Most of them will be into bulking and sculpting their bodies. Yoga will not be appealing. However, a guide about how to chat up women at the bar may appeal to them, because many of these guys build their body to attract women.
Understanding your niche is CRUCIAL and finding a product that is suitable for them is half the battle won.

8. Compete or walk the road less travelled path?

The products on the bestsellers list are all winning products that have been proven to convert. The downside is that there is intense competition here.
You could try to compete or you could look deep in the listings pages and try to find hidden gems that are not popular yet because no one has taken a chance on them.
You would be surprised to know that many products in the marketplace that show a low gravity now were actually bestsellers a few years ago. So, don’t put all your faith in gravity. You could make just as much money or even more from a new product.

9. How will you be promoting it?

How you choose to promote the product will matter to some degree. If you’re using Pinterest for traffic generation, you may wish to check and see if there are boards and pins associated with the niche the product is in.
There are some niches that just don’t do well on Pinterest. So, trying to promote a product from that niche will not do well for you.
The same applies to paid traffic. If you’re promoting a $27 product with a 75% commission and no rebills, you may find that you barely make much money because your advertising costs are so high. This product would be better off being promoted on a niche site.

10. Are there affiliate tools?

The reputable vendors will provide email swipes, graphics, tools and information for affiliates. It is in their best interest that you do well.
If you want a review copy, contact them and ask for one and mention how it will help in your promotions. The speed at which they reply you will also be an indicator of how good their customer support is. The faster, the better.
The product research and sifting process takes time and can be a hassle. Yet, it is a very important process that you must go through in order to pick winning products, increase your sales and even discover a diamond in the rough before anyone else stumbles upon it. This is time well-spent.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln