A good dialogue popped up in the Yakezie Public Forums asking, “What’s your blog’s primary income source?” With so much opportunity everywhere, I encourage every blogger to minimize direct advertising as a source of income and focus more on affiliate income in 2013 and beyond. Affiliate income is safer, more passive, and more sustainable over the long run. Simply find a product you use or like, and incorporate the product into your writing. You may even create your own affiliate product. Once you build a large enough portfolio of relevant posts, your income will grow handsomely.
For those who have bad memories, or simply choose to ignore all of Google’s algorithmic changes in 2012, just know that Google is not going to let up. Their viewpoint is if you didn’t take heed to all that happened in 2012 and adapt, don’t be surprised if your blog gets hammered in 2013. I continue to maintain we can do whatever we want on our own sites. However, make sure your advertisement is at least relevant to the content of your blog. The blogging word for the year is CONGRUENCY.
AFFILIATE REJECTIONS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME
As you spend time looking through the suite of affiliate offerings by CJ, Linkshare, FlexOffers and more, you will inevitably come across an affiliate program which is either closed, or where you have to apply. I’ve been rejected from affiliates numerous times before. In the beginning, my pride was hurt. But now that it’s become as common as women rejecting me at a bar, I move on like water off a rhino’s back. Let me share with you my latest example.
Imagine being a client of an affiliate for 15 years. In these 15 years, you’ve paid probably close to $50,000 in insurance premiums. You’ve got a half a million dollars in CDs parked with the affiliate, letting them use your money to make them more money. Your grandfather fought in World War II as a Captain, and your father served in the Vietnam war. Meanwhile, your blog has generous content on insurance, CDs, investments, banking, and retirement.
Financial Samurai sounds like a perfect fit for USAA, a financial institution whose roots come from serving military families’ insurance needs doesn’t it? I thought so, but I was wrong. After applying to become a USAA affiliate, I was rejected. After asking my affiliate manager to inquire again on my behalf a couple months later, we are still on ignore mode.
I’m disappointed because I’m really a fan of USAA. However, I also understand that affiliates reject blogs all the time because they are inundated with applications. One affiliate I’ve developed a direct relationship with told me that over 500 blogs applied to become an affiliate in just four weeks! Clearly, she can’t approve them all. I’ll never know why USAA rejected Financial Samurai, but I was later hinted that given the deep rooted conflicts between the Japanese and the US military, it was probably best for USAA not to associate with any Japanese-themed blogs. Interesting, and entirely plausible.
When you are rejected from a job opportunity, you will never really know the real reason. You might be too old, too young, too pretty, too ugly, or too annoying. Your interviewer might dislike you for going to a rival University where he got rejected. Your interviewer might be a racist deep down. Whatever the case may be, you will usually get a common courtesy rejection letter based on too many qualified candidates, or not the right fit. The same goes with getting rejected from affiliates.
ACTIONS YOU SHOULD TAKE ONCE YOU ARE REJECTED
* Don’t take it personally. Due to the sheer volume of applicants, it is impossible for an affiliate to thoroughly review each publisher. More often than not, they will assess your name, homepage layout, and that’s it. It is pointless to be upset or sulk. Business decisions are not personal.
* Find alternatives. There are plenty of substitute affiliate options you can choose from. I spent the next 30 minutes going through other opportunities and found eHealthInsurance as a fantastic insurance affiliate replacement. They are based right here in the Bay Area and provide some of the cheapest health insurance online for the unemployed, the person in transition, or the entrepreneur. Furthermore, their payout is much higher.
* Move your money. If you are a client of an affiliate, and the affiliate rejects you, then you should consider taking your business elsewhere. I will be withdrawing all three USAA CDs once they mature over the next several years into CD investment alternatives. CD rates are way too low anyway, and this rejection is an opportune time to look elsewhere. I’m also going to check out auto insurance companies like GEICO and StateFarm this year as well. If your affiliate doesn’t think you are worthy, there’s no point staying with them because the internet has made moving money so easy.
* Prove them wrong. Although the affiliate doesn’t believe in you, you believe in you. I’m now motivated than ever to write the best insurance, investment, banking, and retirement related articles on Financial Samurai. Every time I feel lazy and want to stop at 1,500 words, I will remind myself of my USAA rejection to continue doing research to write even meatier articles. I’ve used my rejections at the very beginning of blogging every single day. The Yakezie Network was born out of rejection.
* Stay professional. I’ve had a handful of affiliates accept Financial Samurai after Financial Samurai was first rejected. Unless the product is outstanding, I courteously decline their offer because I’ve already put in place affiliate products that I’m already using in my articles. I’m deeply loyal to those who believe in me since the beginning. For products you do still use after being accepted, now is the time to negotiate a higher payout rate. Most times, they will accept.
ALWAYS USE REJECTION TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Rejection is one of the most wonderful things to experience. Without rejection, life would be easy. We wouldn’t create as much and we wouldn’t try so hard. The best way to know whether you are testing your limits is to get constantly rejected. Eventually, you’ll find the right affiliate product. Just don’t stop until you do.
I’m currently consulting for Personal Capital and Motif Investing. I’m also considering consulting for Prosper Lending as well in the second half of 2015. Once you develop a relationships with your affiliates, then you can gain tremendous insight and earn extra income.
Regards,
Sam
Gosh Sam – I must admit, I have never really given it that much thought! Clearly I have the skin of a rhino ;).
My blog is geared towards frugality, so unsurprisingly affiliate links, which are all about spending, aren’t my main source of blog income. However when I have been rejected, I have shrugged it off. Let’s face it, personal finance is a VERY competitive space and for every niche, there are a gazillion companies offering similar products and services.
The only time a rejection DID annoy me was when I had to fill out a really lengthy application form. If there are exacting eligibility criteria in a case like that, I think it’s only fair to share them with the site owner beforehand. That would save everyone’s precious time.
Frugality does seem to go in conflict with affiliate products. HOWEVER, some of the most popular, money making blogs out there are Coupon blogs. There’s always a solution. Just got to build up that audience to make it happen. Good luck!
I wonder if the Coupon game has an affiliate program?
I’ve never taken rejection personally. My site is focused on houses (for the most part), so it’s understandable that not all affiliates fit within my theme. This year, I really have to monetize the affiliates I do work with. Lots of clicks, but no purchases are frustrating. ;)
Yep, I hear ya. Getting clicks is the good first step. Then it’s all about that click through conversion rate. Takes time, just gotta keep working on it.
I usually try emailing them a few times after they rejected the initial application. Companies like Zipcar and Lending Club are a good fit for my site and I’m willing to grovel a bit. I show them the posts that are a good fit for their company and keep bugging them.
I think a lot of companies will automatically reject your application so it’s worth your time to email them if they are a good fit. Just shrugging it off isn’t the way to go.
I’ve been rejected from a lot of affiliate programs too. A lot of them are automatic so I learned not to get emotional about it. I agree that rejection is good motivating fuel. I certainly wouldn’t be who I am today without it.
I’ve been rejected too! USAA is still pending for me, but we will see…hahaha..
Anyway, I’ve found that finding a good affiliate manager that can contact them on your behalf can work well to get you into affiliate programs that you’ve been rejected for.
Now imagine if your family has served in the previous too large wars and you’ve been a customer for well over 10 years!
Rejection is so motivating, it’s fun!
I have just got started with affiliate and no rejection so far. You convinced me that affiliate is the way to go this year and I need to put more effort into it. If rejected, I would just move on to another one, although like USAA it sucks to get rejected by products you love and would pitch really well.
That’s good to hear. Perhaps you will go through the process smoothly.
I’ve found some other affiliates that I was accepted to that has a great product and has a much higher payout. Without the rejection, I wouldn’t have bothered to look.
Wow – it’s nice to know i’m not the only one getting rejection letters from affiliates tied around my head all of the time. Keep pressing on sam, you’ll get there soon!
One day Jeff! For now, the promised land will have to wait.
I’ve been rejected from plenty of affiliates that would be a perfect fit for my content and audience. In the beginning I’d get worried and try to figure out what was wrong with my site and why it didnt appeal to them. Now I just shrug it off and concentrate on writing the best content I can for the affiliates who did accept my site.
I haven’t applied to any affiliate programs yet. But it’s nice to get a head’s up on how the game is played.
Great tips Sam and way to turn a negative into a positive! I’m exploring affiliate products now and taking a look at How To Engineer Your Own Layoff. :)
Sounds good Buck. Glad you found the book useful. Will send you details later today.
Rejection is part of life. I do not take rejection personally. I simply shrug off any rejection but I use it as a learning experience. I have not applied to any affiliate program yet. I would like to learn about it first before giving it a dive.
I remember we were just chatting about this, Sam. Thanks for the in-depth on this. I’ve been rejected through almost every affiliate site for certain credit cards, though I use those card all the time and speak highly of them. I’ve even put free links in to the cards and had people click through and sign up for them. But I still can’t get approved. So I’m with you. I’ll use that as motivation to keep writing killer articles on how best to use those cards, or banks accounts, or whomever it is that rejected me.
Also, I like the idea of finding alternates. I may just find a product that helps me out and surprises me.
There are plenty of great substitutes out there. Unfortunately, we can’t be a user of every great substitute. For those credit card affiliates you are not approved of, perhaps just write about them instead of linking to them. They still get your exposure.
There are a lot of affiliates that you will find that you surprisingly use. Just got to spend the time. Good luck!
Already wrote about them, and will continue to as I build a rewards strategy. Thanks for the encouragement, I haven’t delved too deeply into the other programs out there, but I know there are probably programs out there for stuff I am already using.
I definitely do not take the rejection personally. However, I find that I get a little bit frustrated. There are certain credit cards that I know I could sell on our website if only the company would give us a chance. I’m hoping that those companies will reconsider once we reach a higher traffic volume.
I struggle with finding products that are a good fit. For my food blog, my top three posts all talk about products, but when was the last time you heard of somebody buying a slow cooker, George Foreman grill, or a box grater online? I know the key to winning the affiliate game is out there; I just have to figure it out.
Your niche may be more difficult, but it’s possible. George Foreman and the creator of the Foreman grill crushed it after all. So perhaps you gotta create and brand your own!
I was working on something, but that project is stalled out at the moment. Need to find access to a new woodshop.
I get rejected by affiliate publishers constantly. I have no idea why. Is it my traffic? Is it my CJ sales revenue? Are there spammers who have copied my content, so I’m registering as a site with “non-original” or “duplicate” content? Who knows?! I don’t really think about it too much. I just move on.
Great article, I will definitely share with fellow bloggers, as this is a topic that comes up a lot. I’ve been rejected plenty, I don’t worry about it though, the endless optimist in me knows there are other ways to make money.