Is is allowed to click on an Amazon link and order something...

1. 78

   jackclee lmposted 7 years ago

   From your own article...
   I have a unique case. In one of my articles, I recommemd a natural supplement that is good for joints.
   This product works for me. It is something I use myself. In this article, I have an Amazon link to this product.
   When I ran out, and time to reorder, is it allowed for me to go and click on this link to reorder.
   It is the quickest way for me to access this link. I can see why it may be an issue of self promotion and adsense violation...
   
   Just for background. I have been writing here for a few years. Over that time period, I have never received any earnings from Amazon. All my earnings are from Ad Program and 0 from Amazon. I have many Amazon links in my hubs related to the item I am writing about. It is curious for me that after all this time, no earnings have materialized. I am curious as to how this works.
   If I order something from my link, would that show up as an earning?
   What if I ask my son to order it for me?
   Would that be allowed? If not, how would they check this?
   I am just throwing this out...as an idea. Not that I would do it.
   I don't write for the earnings anyway. I donate all my earnings to charity.

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I looked at your joint supplement article and can see where your problems might be.
      
      First, your article is way too short.
      Then, you posted the ad for the product at the bottom of the article.  You should always post the ad directly above or below the text where you discuss it.
      Finally, I found several grammatical errors.
      
      Articles should be at least 1000 words in length and ad placement is very important.
      If you have spelling or grammar errors, Google will rank your article lower.  This means fewer people will see it, which means there will be fewer people who will buy your article.
      
      Another problem is that the product you wrote about is not well known.  People are not going to buy a "pig in a poke".  You have to tell them that it has been clinically tested and where, what the results were and how many people are using it successfully.
      
      It is issues such as these that keep people from buying.  I would definitely follow the other advice given in this forum, but I would also update this hub and all others where you are trying to sell products.  Take a peek at my RV sewer tank cleaning articles to see what I'm talking about so that you'll have a visual to remember.

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      1. 78

         jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I guess you are not understanding my question. I am not asking why my article does not measure up...
         It may contain all the items you pointed out...but can a family member buy stuff off my page and will I be able to see or verify if my Amazon account is working properly? Since I never received any amount in the two years here, I am just curious if this is working at all? How would I know if it is not working? Unless I do a test order...does that make sense?

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            TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

            I understood your question.  I was just trying to clarify to you that if you want sales, you need to check your codes and you need to do all you can to increase views.
            
            There is no way you can click on your own ads without endangering your standing with Google.  That is very clear.  Therefore, if you are not getting ad income, it must be due to the other things mentioned here.
            
            Someone totally unrelated to you in any way would have to click on one of your ads and actually purchase the product if you want to do a test.  Maybe a neighbor can do this for you and when the product comes you can simply pay them for it.  I don't know of anything else you might be able to do.

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               jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Thanks, but how could hubpages, google or amazon know if my family members made the purchase?

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                  theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  If they are in the same household, it'll be by the IP address. If not in the same household, then I wouldn't think there'd be a problem. A friend of mine always used my link when purchasing off Amazon. She was 50 miles away and it was fine.
                  
                  Another time, someone, I know not who, always used a certain article of mine on Squidoo to click through when renting/buying movies from Amazon. There would be these tiny amounts of commission every week, sometimes twice, for months. Amazon never queried it.
                  
                  Btw, Google doesn't care who clicks through your Amazon links. They only care if you click on your own Adsense links.

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                  1. 78

                     jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     Thanks. Can you explain how the Amazon affiliate earnings actually works?
                     If someone click on my link, and then order the product, what percent of the price is given to my account? Is this a fixed rate?

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                     1. 84

                        Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        It sounds like you need to review the HubPages FAQ
                        
                        http://hubpages.com/faq/#amazon-signup
                        
                        http://hubpages.com/faq/#amazon-earnings

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                        1. 78

                           jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                           Thanks. I have read them in the beginning and a review was also helpful.
                           I went and did a search of all my earnings and to my surprise, I did have one earning from Amazon. This at minimum proofs to me that my account is active and working. I guess in my two years here, with over 40,000 views and earning 60+ dollars in Adsense, I only made one sale on Amazon and it was in 6/2017...
                           I guess I need to do a better job...with Amazon referrals.
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           thanks to everyone for helping and suggestions.

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                              TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                              ...which is exactly what I was trying to tell you in my earlier post.
                              
                              Marisa taught me how to do ads, and once I caught on to the right method, I started earning regularly.

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            2. 69

               makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               There is no problem clicking on LINKS in hubs to Amazon ads - because that's NOT the basis on which they pay out (unlike Google AdSense)
               
               However you're not allowed to click on an advert to order. Nor are your family. My bet is they can tell - via your IP address and other things eg addresses of family in your Amazon account etc. etc. - and it's not worth the risk.

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2. 84

   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   First of all, I suggest you go to your Account page and check to ensure you have the code correctly showing for Amazon.   Sometimes things go wrong - even if you are sure you activated it, it is always a good idea to check.
   
   Secondly - no, you cannot click on your own link.  It is against Amazon TOS for yourself, family or friends to order through your links.

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      jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I guess the question is how would they know? I see how they can tell if it is me but if my family members goes and click on it and order something, how can HubPages or anyone know?

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   2. 69

      makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Clicking on a link and ordering through a link are two completely different actions.
      
      I click on my links all the time to check details - but I never ever order through them. In fact I have two Amazon accounts - one set up for affiliate status and one set up for my personal account. Keeps things nice and neat and sorted!

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   theraggededgeposted 7 years ago

   Also, you do have an active Amazon Associates account, don't you?

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      makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Good point - Amazon have been known to retire accounts which have no activity on them

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      1. 84

         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I had forgotten about that...

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4. 84

   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   RaggedEdge is right.  HubPages and Adsense don't care if you click on your own Amazon ads.   It's only Amazon you have to worry about.   
   
   You are quite right to question how Amazon would know.   If they don't live at the same address or use the same computer, you would probably get away with it.   To be safe, I would ask someone who doesn't share your surname. 
   
   Of course, bear in mind that if you click on the product when it's displaying HubPages' code, they will get the commission, not you.
   
   TimeTraveler2 may have given you the reason why you never make sales.  It's well known that an Amazon product at the END of a Hub never makes any sales.  The link or capsule needs to be much earlier in the Hub.

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5. 84

   Marisa Wrightposted 7 years ago

   The best piece of advice I can give you is - never, ever put an Amazon capsule at the end of a Hub.  It will not make sales.

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      jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks. I thought that is where they belong. Since my article in this case was about the only one product, it made sense to describe my experience and add the amazon link at the very end so people can read my article and try the product.
      Where should I place it?

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         theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         In-text links are the most natural way of linking to a product. They work really well. For example, I might be writing about dating (although that would be unlikely) and I'd say, "Susan Snakepit, in her book, Dating the Wrong Guy, mentions that it's always good to...." So the title would be the link to Amazon.
         
         Or if it's a product, let's say a hand-held blender... you could write, "When I'm making pancakes at home, I couldn't do it without my Magimix Hand-held -- one blitz and the mix is mixed..." And the item would be the anchor text for the Amazon link.

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            makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            remembering always that the anchor text also needs to have your Amazon ID in it for it to work!
            
            That's the bit where I think it can be really confusing for people using HubPages - or did I miss the help page which explains how to put in the embedded link using the CORRECT code?

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            1. 78

               jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               I tend not to use embedded link for Amazon products.
               A link at the end of the article has the photo of the product and is better in my opinion. I do use embeded links to expand on a topic that I am writing about.

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                  theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  But you said you had $0 Amazon earnings! That makes no sense

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                  1. 78

                     jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     I said that in the beginning but found I actually did have 1 earning in 6/2017 for .93 cents. It is the only one in two years...does it make sense?
                     How would I know?
                     How can anyone verify if the earning distribution is calculated correctly?
                     My mystery is solved. At least I know the setup of Amazon payment is correct.
                     I just need to work harder in promoting some of my articles.

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                        theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        I meant what you said about preferring a capsule at the end of a hub. You might think it is aesthetically pleasing, but if you aren't earning anything from them, they are pointless. I'm saying that in-text links are very effective at converting to sales and therefore, commission.
                        
                        I switched to Adsense from the HP ad prog a few months ago but still making payout with Amazon. You should be making far more than one measly sale -  you've got 432 hubs, I've got just over a hundred.
                        
                        Edit: I never promote my articles, other than the odd Pinterest pin.

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                           jackclee lmposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                           Ok, I will try it going forward. My new articles will be done as you suggest and I can track to see if it improves my earnings.

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                              TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

                              Why not go back and update your old articles so that you can maximize your income?

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               theraggededgeposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               Um... I've never put my own Amazon ID in. HP does it automatically.

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               TIMETRAVELER2posted 7 years agoin reply to this

               I don't get what you are saying because all I did when I signed on was to activate my Adsense account.  I didn't put in codes, etc, and I earn just fine as always.

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         Marisa Wrightposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         People are impatient.   A large percentage of your readers won't read all the way to the end of the article.  If you place the product somewhere in the middle of the article, even readers who do read to the end, will go back to click on the ad.
         
         You can choose to do either an embedded link or an Amazon capsule.

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