Ignore CJ and CB
I know many people go to affiliate programs like Comission Junction, ClickBank and Amazon Affiliates. If you can make money from these, that's fine. But I've taken a different approach. As I discover new products that I personally like, or things that are advertised to me through Google's amazingly efficient algorithms, I always check if that product has an affiliate or referral program.
The result is I've built up a large list of sponsors for my sites, too much to handle if I'm being perfectly honest. However, this is a good thing.
I have a "sponsors" subdomain that I like to post to when one of my favorite products updates it's own blog and when I come across some inspiration to write about one of them else where. One of those sponsors, ManageWP recently wrote a post on how to take a vacation from your site and keep it updating on its own. This inspired me to write a similar post and add in some different perspectives.
As I was writing I was going through a fairly normal plan. "Introduction, subject, subject subject, action call, conclusion, social request." By the time I finished the article and started thinking about how I should advertise ManageWP and ask people to sign-up, I realize I had already done that. I had even thrown in a reference to Wealthy Affiliate without even knowing it!
This is where the real value of advertising things you actually know and use comes in. When the knowledge you draw from is the source of your advertising you don't have to worry so much about action calls and sneaky anchor linking at just the right moment. It happens on its own.
And just in case you're wondering, here is the post I'm talking about. :)
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Unfortunately with my niche I can't really avoid CJ. They are the program that has most of my advertisers I need because I am in a fashion niche, I don't really get to ignore the big affiliate programs. But this does sound good for my second site I am working on.
I still think what makes most sense is to focus on finding the right product for your audience, and it doesn't really matter what the affiliate network is. I made thousands of dollars from Clickbank last year, because I chose a good product. I've failed with plenty of other CB products too though.
Your strategy is a good one, find the product and see what affiliate program it has (if any).
Clickbank are at pains to make it known that they pay out huge sums to affiliates every year. There must be some good products that people buy. It is easy to get a refund if you don't like a CB product.
Howdy Ethan, Could you explain what you mean when you say " things that are advertised to me through Google's amazingly efficient algorithms" I don't understand.
Ever notice how the advertisements that show up on sites seem to target you so specifically? These are usually Google's "AdChoices" ads. They're handled by algorithms that use data to determine what you might be willing to buy.
Good Share - I don't make anything from amazon. I know some here do rather well from their affiliate program. Most of my success comes from products that are not offered anywhere but my sites.
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CB and the others like this are excellent choices for people starting out. They're clean, well-established and have strict policies with regard to how products being featured on them, are promoted.
So, they are much safer for those learning the ropes. There are folks joining up to such networks as Clicksure, which, on the outside, looks like a CB-type place but is not - because they don't have the kind of policies Amazon, CB, etc have in theirs.
As folks become more experienced with these, then branch out for some much better-paying affiliate programs - more specialized ones, ones that you know by experience, are safe.