If you have read some of my recent posts you know that I have been in love with PPC arbitrage lately (I guess this love will end as soon as I start practicing it). I try to understand what PPC arbitrage is, how it ranks with other online revenue channels, what aspects I should keep in mind.

It is a popular topic of forum discussions. One place is a particularly good source of information on this topic: wickedfire.com. Just read a few of the recent discussions. PPC arbitrage is the most discussed topic of this forum section. Wickedfire’s owner also has a few good blog posts helping to learn some basics.

Another cool and reliable research of the topic comes from Michael Gray. This time it is a three part series on Google AdSense arbitrage. Yes, it is posted back in April, but it is the best research on the topic I have found.

Summary: Yes, PPC arbitrage sounds so sweet – immediate traffic, no need to contemplate on new website features, to develop good content, to try to make visitors come back.

PPC arbitrage is a way to get traffic fast and it is easy to control your performance by adjusting your bids and landing pages. I know that it is not that easy when you put it in practice. The only advice that works in this situation – start small. Test spending a few dollars per day first, make necessary tweaking. If and when you are lucky to find a working approach – try to scale.

[tags]google, adsense, seo, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, make money online, home based job, earn your living online[/tags]

I would not call my cooperation with CPA (CJ, LinkShare, Performics) affiliate networks successful (a good list of aff. networks is posted here). It is my fault, no doubt.

At the start of my online career I have started a project doomed to fail – a jewelry website. At that time I had no idea that this way to promote merchants’ offers is completely inefficient, it does not work. But the project is online and the results are miserable.

Time and experience are good teachers. First months I was disappointed with no sale from the website. Then I realized that the project (with its concept; in fact with no concept at all) is a failure as a revenue source from CPA networks.

I have learned that lead generation programs work much better than product sales – especially in the financial sector.

Another type of websites that do quite well with CPA affiliate networks are

-    comparison shopping;
-    loyalty and rewards;
-    shopping promotions.

Recently Performics have published a nice guide: Best Practices of this type of affiliate websites (pdf) I find it really useful. It is a sort of introduction to this type of websites. I wished I read it a year back.

Summary: I think (to tell the truth, I know) that these niches (comparison shopping, bargains, promotions, etc) are also overcrowded – the only road to success with such an affiliate website is innovations (as always).

[eminimall]

[tags]cpa, affiliate networks, social bookmarking, web 2.0, domain names, links buying, myspace, seo, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, blogs, content generation, make money online, work from home, home based job, earn your living online[/tags]

I have a domain name sitting in my account for about 6 months – www.amuseline.com. It is time to start a new website. At the moment I bought the domain I had some simple ideas about the website I will build. Six months later that concept seems doomed to fail.

So, I spend 15-20 minutes for the last couple of days brainstorming new ideas for this very website. I am in a situation when I do not research a new website niche, but I research ideas for website in a certain niche – fun and humor (taking into the account the domain name).

I have diligently reviewed my post and links in Marketing niche for a new website (though in my case I have the niche, but I miss an angle) and should confess that no brilliant ideas came to my mind. In fact, I did not get any excellent ideas so far.

I have made my list of requirements for this new project:

-    define my mission and USP (unique selling proposition)
-    innovate in some (let it be minor) things
-    web 2.0 design style (just neglect the current template online)
-    monetization concept
-    clearly outlined my target audience (the wider the better)
-    avoid the typical structure of this type of websites: jokes, funny images, funny videos, funny flash games, funny quotes
-    some online tools ideas
-    viral marketing elements are a must
-    CMS based website
-    content: what type, sources (user generated content would be nice)
-    maintenance: time and skills required to keep it competitive

I admit that after the several brainstorming days I made some notes, but I am not happy with what I have come with. So, I have two ways – to go on with my daily brainstorming or to let the domain sit for some time more until I get an idea worth the time, money and efforts.

One of the problems is certainly that the Internet is so crowded that it is hard to find a new idea, innovation. All my thoughts come to the standard ‘image-joke-funny video’ type.

And I did not test the competition for those few ideas that I have on my list yet.

Summary: Ideas for a new website do not come easily these days – with experience you become more careful and want to start a project with 100% confidence it will succeed.

Probably, the easiest way to start new websites is trial and error. Just start a project, explore your niche in the process, make changes accordingly. I do not know, but I think it is also an approach to starting new projects. Just go to del.icio.us, explore their popular tags – it is a signal that this type of information I in demand online. Select a website design and structure and slowly start your penetration in the niche. Once you know it quite well find your own innovating elements.

[eminimall]

[tags]website ideas, traffic, social bookmarking, web 2.0, domain names, links buying, myspace, seo, internet marketing, affiliate marketing, blogs, content generation, make money online, work from home, home based job, earn your living online[/tags]