Getting The Most Out Of Your Referral Ads

9.4 Getting The Most Out Of Your Referral Ads

Like AdSense units, referral units need to be optimized.

The same principles don’t necessarily apply. The fact that you can recommend the products in your referral ads changes everything.

You can recommend them because advertisers aren’t paying for the click. They’re only paying for the action. If a user reaches their site and does nothing, it’s cost them nothing. They don’t risk anything then, by having you send them users if those users turn out not to be interested.

Recommending products that you advertise is the number one most effective way of rocketing any ad clickthroughs. You’re only allowed to do it for CPA ads such as referral ads and affiliate ads.

Once you’ve chosen your ad then, try to mention the product in your text.

Ideally, you’ll choose a product that you’ve actually used and enjoyed. That will make the recommendation personal — and that’s the best kind. Your readers trust you, so they’ll trust your judgment.

If you haven’t used the product though, try to find a website or a blog that gives it a good review and mention that someone else has said these people have done a great job. That’ s not as powerful as saying that you’ve tried it and loved it yourself but it’s better than nothing. It’s certainly better than

abusing your readers’ trust by talking up something that you haven’t used and which might be poor.

But here’s the thing...

Once you’ve mentioned a product, people are going to look for it. Even if they see a banner and know it’s an ad, there’s still a good chance that they’ll click because you’ll have made them curious.

That affects the format you choose.

The range of formats available for each ad varies. But try to choose either a text link that you can slip right into your article, or a graphic ad that will attract ads.

Usually, I don’t recommend graphic ads. But if you’re recommending a product — and if you keep the image close to the recommendation — it will more look like an illustration than an ad.

Fig. 9.4 Free Junk Car Removal offers a text links, an AdSense-style text block and a banner. Choose the link or the banner.