| Most often as an affiliate, one is often faced with the | | | | promoting software or any tools that require a |
| option to use any or all of the marketing tools provided | | | | download, often include a direct download links in their |
| by an affiliate program. But which of these tools | | | | marketing pool. By offering a demo of the product |
| offered perform better in terms of converting clicks to | | | | directly from your site, you can look forward to more |
| sign ups? Bear in mind that there is a whole cycle to | | | | successful conversions. |
| this, which starts from a visitor on your site clicking on | | | | Rotating banners are just a step ahead of the usual |
| a link or banner that leads them to the landing page or | | | | banners you would place on your site. What makes a |
| the website of the merchant you are promoting. | | | | rotating banner successful is if it is able to geo target. |
| There are lots of factors one needs to consider | | | | A visitor from France would prefer to see prices in |
| before choosing one of the tools offered. But first, let's | | | | Euro than in US dollars, likewise for the language too. |
| talk about the tools offered by most affiliate | | | | I'm not a big fan of rich media unless they provide |
| programs.o Bannerso Text Linkso Direct Downloads | | | | something unique to keep the site visitor engaged. An |
| (where applicable)o Rotating Bannerso Rich mediao | | | | interactive tool on your website will help people to stay |
| Newsletterso Contextual and Intext linkingo Widgets | | | | longer on your site. However, placing too many |
| The most widely used from this pool of marketing | | | | interactive media/flash banners tend to distract the |
| resources are ofcourse banners. But do banners really | | | | visitor. |
| convert? Look at it this way. Just by placing a banner | | | | Newsletters are effective only if you have a database |
| doesn't mean you will start generating links. What | | | | of users, which most often than not isn't the case all |
| forms a high converting banner is the messaging, the | | | | the time. By using autoresponders, you can set up the |
| look and feel. And most often than not, affiliate | | | | process such that on every successful registration to |
| programs do not go indepth into designing a banner. | | | | your site the user is sent an email. The content of the |
| Textlinks are perhaps the best from the lot. Not only | | | | newsletter plays a crucial role in converting. |
| can you place them anywhere on your site but they | | | | Intext linking sure helps in generating more clicks and is |
| often attract the highest click-through-rate. The reason | | | | applicable only if you are on a CPC program. |
| behind this is the simple fact that they are more | | | | Widgets are an innovative way to provide useful and |
| relevant. While text links offer you a high click-through | | | | relevant information to your site visitors. From price |
| rate, the deciding factor lies in where you place this | | | | comparison tools to currency exchange converters, |
| text link that influences a click to a sign up. | | | | widgets help in engaging your audience and also give |
| Direct Downloads are perhaps used only if you are | | | | you a chance of a higher conversion rate. |
| promoting a webapp or a software. By placing the | | | | There are many more tools that once can choose |
| direct download link from your site, you save the visitor | | | | from but the bottom line being that you need to keep |
| the trouble of going to the merchant site. Merchants | | | | the context and then place the call to action. |