Amazon Capsules vs. In Text

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   Natalie Frankposted 8 months ago

   I noticed that the few Amazon capsules that I have left have been taken out and the link changed to in text with a small "a" next to it.  Maybe this is just for niche sites I don't know.  I am just wondering if anyone has kept tabs on how much an amazon capsule was clicked (if you can even do this) before and after their capsules were changed to intext?  Maybe some folks who earn some of their HP income from Amazon monthly?  It just seems that this type of link is easily read over and just doesn't catch the eye whereas the capsules stand out.  This could mean that even when someone might not click because of the product, the ad might remind them they wanted to shop for something on Amazon and click anyway.  Just curious if anyone has thought about this or if it simply makes no difference whatsoever.  Thanks!

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      TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 months agoin reply to this

      I use both, especially if I want to post more than one ad.  I use the capsules if the product is a unique one that people might not know what to look for or I want to emphasize using it.  The combination seems to work pretty well for me.

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         Natalie Frankposted 8 months agoin reply to this

         Thanks for the reply TIMETRAVELER2.  I'm still wondering if it's a niche site vs. HP site thing.

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            TIMETRAVELER2posted 8 months agoin reply to this

            The only time I think this matters is when a hub actually goes to a niche site because the team has become very careful about allowing people to post ads there and ads must be properly posted, no matter which type you use.  Always a good idea to follow the guidelines no matter the location of your hub.  I have both types on the niche sites and numerous capsule ads there also.

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            Glenn Stokposted 8 months agoin reply to this

            Natalie, I already answered you about that. See above. In-text Amazon links can be used on HubPages too. Not only on niche sites.

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   Glenn Stokposted 8 months ago

   Actually a lot of thought had gone into this Natalie. I’ve been using in-text Amazon links for a long time, on both HP and on the niche sites.
   
   I only use Amazon capsules when it makes the most sense. However, in most cases it may seem spammy to the reader. And in most cases people have learned to ignore ad units when reading articles on the web.
   
   That’s why in-text works better, but only if used correctly. You still don’t want to be spammy. You still need to mention only the items that you use yourself and you still need to explain why you recommend it, what it does for you, etc.
   
   The little “a” is simply to let the reader know that this is a link that will take them to Amazon. Many people already recognize the Amazon “a” icon.
   
   In my case, I have found my in-text links work quite well, as I can tell from the Amazon sales report under HP's earnings tab. I get several Amazon sales most every day. So I see what works.

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   Marketing Meritposted 8 months ago

   Personally, I think it's only a matter of time before Amazon capsules are eliminated from HubPages Natalie.
   
   I don't have many Amazon text links on my updated hubs, as it's difficult to justify their inclusion on relationship topics.  However, I do have one text link on a PetHelpful hub and it has a surprisingly good ratio of sales v hub views.
   
   The text links are definitely less obtrusive but probably the way to go. As Glenn has identified above, readers are more savvy these days and may not click on an overtly promotional link. I have no research to back this up, but I am also in the process of removing many Amazon capsules from my own websites and replacing them with text links instead. Too early to tell if it is resulting in more sales, but subtle definitely seems to be the flavour of the month at the moment.
   
   Hope this helps.

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