Affiliate Marketing Tips - Sizing Up the Competition by Steven Wagenheim

Let's be honest, the nature of affiliate marketing means that you're going up against other people. You're selling a product that isn't your own and there are plenty of folks out there who are doing the exact same thing. In some cases, many folks. This is where it is critical to size up the competition and see where it is you stand. You might find that your efforts are better spent elsewhere. Don't worry, I'll explain. By the time you're done reading this, you'll have a very good handle on the process.

If you're like most affiliates, you probably get your promotional ideas from the Clickbank marketplace. That's fine. They have some great products there, many of which are proven sellers. But that's also where we can get into a lot of trouble.

See, the biggest mistake that most affiliate marketers make is going to the marketplace and picking out the hottest product that's there. Since the products are listed in order of popularity, the first one on the list is usually the one most affiliates will choose. However, if you take a close look at one of the product stats, you'll see that this may not be the best choice.

The stat I'm talking about is gravity. This is a weighted average of the number of affiliates promoting the product who are making money doing so. I won't get into how the stat is computed because it gets a little hairy. Suffice it to say, the higher this number is, the more affiliates you're going up against. The top products usually have gravities of 300 or more. That's a lot of affiliates.

Now, you're probably thinking that this is good, that it means the product is selling well. It is good, in that respect. However, going up against that many affiliates is going to make it harder for you to get your share of the sales, especially if you're not an expert affiliate marketer with all the top secrets. Going up against 300 or more affiliates is suicide.

Okay, so what's the answer? For me, it's simple. I've discovered that products with gravities of around 50 also sell very well and you're not going up against so many people. As a result, the product sells better for you than a product of a gravity of 300 or more. Sounds simple, and it is.

You can check out my signature for some more great affiliate marketing tips.
Sizing up the competition is critical to being a successful affiliate marketer.

To YOUR Success,
Steven Wagenheim

Tired of being an affiliate failure? Want to turn yourself into an affiliate assassin like I am? Want to land in the top 20 of every affiliate promotion you tackle just like I do? Check out my site at http://www.stevewagenheim.com/affiliateassassin/index.html and start earning a solid income as an affiliate marketer.

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