Newhouse Farm

columbusrat · Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:54 pm Post subject:

Mike, would Affiliate window offer anything over the BGI's current affiliate page, here: http://www.thebiggreenidea.org/affiliates/ ? And can you select which merchants you can link to? It's important to the BGI that affiliated merchants are ethically sound.

I know we did consider Adsense but decided against it. I can't remember the exact reason (it may be in an old thread here somewhere) but it may well be because there is limited control over what adverts are displayed.

But keep the ideas coming
_________________
'With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.'

MikeBoxwell · Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:37 am Post subject:

Absolutely. With Affiliate Window, as well as most of the other affiliate programmes, you can select which merchants you deal with and which products you promote.

You can even create your own virtual shop, listing exactly the products you want to promote.

If you want an example of how I've used it on my solar site, go and look at www.solarelectricityhandbook.com. About three quarters of the way down the main page is a little graphic entitled 'Solar Technology For Sale'. It promotes various solar panels and controllers that people can buy online.

Amazon is also a very useful affiliate source - if anyone recommends a book, you can create a link through to Amazon for that book and you get paid a small commission on it: it doesn't cost the buyer anything, so everyone wins.
_________________
Author of the Solar Electricity Handbook.

MrCJ · Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 6:33 pm Post subject:

Hi Mike

Thanks for your suggestions, they are all gratefully appreciated

We (The Big Green Idea) are already members of Affiliate Window and a couple of others (Webgains is one), Brigit is very particular who we link to and how we go about promoting same so it is all done in a very low key way at the moment. There are plans for a more obvious 'shop' to be created in the Autumn once the bus touring calms down. I know she is not keen on Adsense as we have no control over the ad. content. We use Amazon for books, as you mention, on our newsletter articles for instance.

Will certainly have a look at your virtual shop, we have an Amazon A-store that I think is a similar idea.
_________________
CJ1's Green Footprint Group website

www.thegfg.co.uk

MikeBoxwell · Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:28 pm Post subject:

I'm seeing Bridget on Sunday at the Coventry Bike Fest. If we have a quiet moment I'll show her some of the stuff I've been doing with affiliates. Some works, some doesn't, some might work quite well on the site, other stuff probably less so.

It depends on how much money you need to generate to keep the site going. I run the G-Wiz owners club entirely through affiliate and Google adsense revenue. It means the club is free to members and they get lots of additional benefit for membership.

The other thing I have done, using the affiliate window system is post all the discount codes online. That way, regular visitors to the site can save money on stuff they would already be buying, and the site earns some money at the same time. Some of these items are big ticket items too - the G-Wiz Owners Club site is currently offering 10% off Dell PCs and discounts at various retailers: everybody wins.
_________________
Author of the Solar Electricity Handbook.

MrCJ

MrCJ · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 2:06 pm Post subject:

Just had an email from Green People that is offering 10% off all their natural bodycare products for october 2009. If you go to their site via our link the Big Green Idea gets a bit of commission too

GREEN PEOPLE
http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=1613&id=82477
_________________
CJ1's Green Footprint Group website

www.thegfg.co.uk