Welcome to Online Advertising Guide
Online Internet Advertising Article
. For a permanent link to this article, or to bookmark it for further reading, click here.
Should You Be Running Amazon Ads?
from:Amazon ads. At first look, their irresistible. You can be an affiliate for almost every product under the sun. You can quickly and easily generate affiliate links. You'll be partnering with a recognized and credible company. They sound like one of the best ways to make money online you've encountered.
And then reality sits in. The conversion rates are lower than you would've ever dreamed. The commissions are puny compared to other alternatives. There are so many other people using Amazon ads that the ones on your site just sort of blend invisibly into the background. The CTR is far lower than you'd ever expect.
So, should anyone be using Amazon ads? Should you still be running them on your site?
In most cases, quite frankly, the answer is “no”. Amazon ads aren't a particularly high-powered method of monetization for most sites. In the bulk of instances, another form of advertising, such as Adsense contextual ads, will produce more income. Amazon ads are fun and they do give you a shot to deal with high-trust physical goods. Unfortunately, they don't make much money.
Usually.
There are, as noted, exceptions. In some instances, it makes perfect sense to use an Amazon affiliate links and ads on your site. An example? If you are running a small niche site that defies other monetization strategies but for which there is a physical product that matches well, you need to give Amazon a shot.
In some cases, it will work like gangbusters. If you can isolate a specialty product that is sold through Amazon and can build the right pages around it, you can make decent money with the Amazon affiliate program..
You can also feel free to stick a few here and there just in case. You might make a few bucks every once in awhile. Just don't ruin your site's appearance for the sake of getting them on the page. If you can sprinkle relevant ads in the right places on a larger site there's no real risk of doing damage. In those “upside only” scenarios, Amazon ads are just fine.
The exceptions are rare. In most cases, it doesn't pay to rely on Amazon ads. They're one of those great Internet frustrations. They look perfect and have so many great characteristics that it's hard not to use them. Experience, however, shows us that it's a temptation we can afford to resist.
Online Internet Advertising News
State Sen. Sharon Broome: Stop passing the broadband buck - Shreveport Times
 The Tech Herald | State Sen. Sharon Broome: Stop passing the broadband buck Shreveport Times A number of prominent Internet companies — who make tens of billions of dollars in profits each year from online advertising and merchandising but who ... FCC chairman outlines broadband plan for kids The FCC Wants You to Test Your Broadband Speeds |
Instant Ads Set the Pace on the Web - New York Times
 Globe and Mail | Instant Ads Set the Pace on the Web New York Times Results like that have some marketers and online publishers suggesting real-time bidding might revive a sluggish market. Spending on banner ads declined 2.3 ... Studio Solution From Canon Simplifies Photography Workflow |
China Issues Another Warning to Google on Enforced Censorship of the Internet - New York Times
 BBC News | China Issues Another Warning to Google on Enforced Censorship of the Internet New York Times Google's China businesses “are still at normal,” and rumors that the company had ordered its Chinese advertising agencies to cease work were not true, ... Google chief says Web future is 'limitless' Chinese minister insists Google obey the law |
New approach to converging online ads with content - KGO-TV
New approach to converging online ads with content KGO-TV Its new online advertising platform provides links where consumers can find the gowns and accessories, or similar ones, the movie stars were photographed ... Pixazza Unveils AdPix, Pioneering the Use of Images for Display Advertising |
Banks.com, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009 Financial Results - MarketWatch (press release)
Banks.com, Inc. Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009 Financial Results MarketWatch (press release) Banks.com, Inc. operates an Internet media property that provides targeted online advertising and services in the financial services sector. ... |
Online ad spend in US expected to beat print in 2010 - Moneyweb
 SAMAA TV | Online ad spend in US expected to beat print in 2010 Moneyweb A study released by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Internet Advertising Bureau in September showed that online spending grew 4.6% to £1.752bn in the first ... US online advertising spend set to overtake all print and DM Internet marketing spend to overtake print 2010 landmark year as online ad spending overtakes print |
Smartphones will shake up paid content debate - Reuters
 Reuters | Smartphones will shake up paid content debate Reuters "It can have either premium subscription or advertising or app store or other kinds of business models." App stores -- online shops for small software ... Smartphones Adding To Debate Over Paid Content Reuters: Smartphones may be a moneymaker for online content providers |