Amazon - AT LAST!!!

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   Suzanne Dayposted 9 years ago

   Just a quick note that after years of Amazon avoidance, I finally made a sale!
   
   I used to use Amazon before Panda and made some sales, then it all died off and Google seemed to be rewarding me for NOT having Amazon on hubs, so I removed all my Amazon capsules. But recently I have added a couple of highly relevant ones for fun and got a sale at last!
   
   Very impressed with my newly minted 53c.

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      Brie Hoffmanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Congrats!

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      SusanDeppnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Congratulations on your sale!  Here's to many more!

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      FlourishAnywayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Congratulations!  I've wondered what others' experiences have been, so thanks for sharing your success.  In the 1 1/2 that I've been here, I've made just enough from Amazon to probably cover the price of a pizza.  But hey, it's something.

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         Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         FlourishAnyway, read my response to Michael - it applies to you, too.  There is absolutely no point in using an Amazon capsule if you can't think of a product your reader might want while reading your Hub.  Never, ever just throw one in for good luck, it's just a waste of real estate and could even be harmful. 
         
         Using that criteria, most of your Hubs aren't suitable for Amazon items, except where you can find a book.  And it has to be a relevant book - for instance, you've got a book about how to write a resume on your Hub about workplace confict:  that won't sell.  A book about workplace conflict will, but you need to be able to recommend it with a short review too.

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            rebekahELLEposted 9 years agoin reply to this

              While I understand your point, someone reading about workplace conflict might find that updating a resume may be a very good idea.  I've seen this exact advice given in a workplace conflict article.  If it's mentioned in the text as a possible solution, it would be appropriate, in my opinion.  Sometimes it gets to the point that the only solution to workplace conflict is to find a new job.

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               Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               True, but if there's no such recommendation in the Hub, then it's not a good idea. Did you see Paul Edmonson's post where he gave an example of a "tangentially related" Amazon product which resulted in a spam penalty?

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                  Kathleen Odenthalposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  Because no one ever clicks on products they see on websites even if they lack recommendations and/or reviews? If so, I am a true anomaly.

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                     Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     Not at all, Kathleen.  That post was in response to a specific situation.  It was a Hub about workplace conflict, and it included an Amazon capsule for a book on how to write your resume.  That would be classed as 'unrelated'. 
                     
                     RebekahELLE made the point that someone suffering workplace conflict might be better off getting a new job, and therefore would find the book useful.   Very true - but the Hub didn't say so.  If there had been a paragraph suggesting that solution, with the resume book next to it, that would have made it OK - and might have prompted the reader to click and buy.  I wasn't saying that a review or recommendation of the book itself was necessary (thought it wouldn't hurt!).

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      lady rainposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, that's awesome! I am so happy for you

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      Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Congrats on the sale.  You've just illustrated why it's so difficult to draw conclusions about Google - when you make changes to your Hubs, and traffic goes up, it's tempting to think your changes caused the traffic increase.  When in fact, it could've been something completely different.   
      
      As I commented on another thread, there was a bit of hysteria on HP for a while about how Google hated Amazon or eBay capsules.  I never saw any such thing on my websites, so I was always dubious. Besides, HP continued to allow one product per 50 words of text, and if they had really decided Amazon was bad, why would they allow so many?   
      
      As you're discovering, the secret is to be highly relevant - that's what makes sales.

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         Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         So true. The highly relevant ones I had were books next to book reviews and pet thingys in my pet hubs. If not highly relevant, it just won't work.
         
         Plus use them sparingly. Too many Amazon capsules make it look spammy. I just put one per hub that is relevant, except for the book review lists.

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            Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            In that case, I think you're missing an opportunity.   Your Hubs have huge potential for Amazon sales and your readers won't think they're spammy if you're providing something they need. 
            
            For instance, delica beads in your delica bead Hub - I wouldn't know where to get them, so I'd find an Amazon ad very helpful. 
            
            If someone is Googling for red peep toe shoes, they probably want to buy some.  I'd say those readers would be very disappointed to find a Hub showing some nice examples, with no information on how to buy - far from being spammy, they'd love to see a selection of red peep toes from Amazon.
            
            TimeTraveller2 is going great guns with Amazon, take a look at her Hubs.

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               Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               Will do. But I tend to avoid putting too many up because as I said, it looks spammy and I think readers want to check out the hub, then be "invited" to Amazon to purchase whatever they wish, with me providing a starting point to the shopping journey. I like them unobtrusive too. Might look at putting something on the delica etc as you suggested and see what happens - completely forgot about putting them in there

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                  Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  But how are you helping them with that shopping journey?   When they discover there are no peep toe shoes for sale on your peep toe Hub, aren't they more likely to click back to their search results?   How likely are they to read all the way down to the end of your Hub, where you might have an Amazon link.   It's well known that Amazon capsules at the end of a Hub never make sales, so I doubt an Amazon link would be followed either. 
                  
                  It's your choice if you want to choose aesthetics over income, of course!

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                     Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     There is a capsule on the peep toes now! I think placement depends on what you are talking about. Eg on peeptoes, I have a para on where to buy them. Amazon fits well there. Whereas in delicas, there was a para on materials needed, further up, I put Amazon in there.
                     
                     I understand - you've gotta be in it to win it. Will be reviewing more options for Amazon in my hubs. But I don't think I need to display as much as humanly possible, as I do want to avoid the spam look. TimeTraveller2's hubs are good because the Amazon is very relevant and isn't too tarted up (ie no giant right aligned blue boxes etc with titles etc making it look like a busy selling page).
                     
                     I have seen hubs before where there is blue right aligned box after box with walls of text and this (just my opinion) is over the top and makes you want to leave the hub as it's selling too hard.

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                        Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                        I agree, box after box is way too much.   I rarely have more than two Amazon capsules in my Hubs unless it's a comparison Hub (e.g. comparing different brands of ballet shoe, in which case I'll have one capsule for each brand - anything less wouldn't make sense).   I also don't use a blue background, I leave them white, which I think is less "in your face".

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                           Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                           The blue background is good if you're just putting one capsule in which needs attention (like my red peep toes - now with functional capsule) or if you space them out with photos + text like Sallybea's (eg part of a much bigger layout). But maybe I've been seeing the wrong hubs and was turned off by many people using Amazon blue boxes in a wall of text (the reader just clicks away, doesn't like the hard looking sell).
                           
                           If you think about how you'd like to be charmed onto Amazon for shopping as a reader, the Amazon links you'd often click on are highly relevant, look interesting/useful to the subject and aren't that in your face. They're just an additional icing on the topic. This is the way I'm going to attempt to sell, I think.

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                              Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                              Yes I think you have been looking at the wrong Hubs!   I think you're on the right track but perhaps being a little too cautious.   As i said, one of the big secrets is not to leave links too late in the Hub, because readers have a short attention span.   We write 1000 word Hubs to please Google, but realistically very few readers will ever get to the end.  The lower a capsule appears, the less likely it is to sell.

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                                 Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                                 Point taken. Will keep it in mind. Though, people who are keen enough to buy something regarding a subject are probably pretty keen to lap up the knowledge presented on it as well.....you'd think....

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      lovebuglenaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I've had a bunch of sales on Amazon from HP but almost everything that was bought was not what I showcased in my hubs. Most bought items were totally irrelevant to the products I featured. Like for example someone bought baby tights and more than one, which I of course never featured. But hey, doesn't matter to me cause that made me money. Goes to show that it doesn't necessarily matter what products you advertise and if they buy them or not. So long as they go to Amazon through one of your links and buy anything you will earn.

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   Jodahposted 9 years ago

   Well done Suzanne. I still haven't made a sale from Amazon.

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   swilliamsposted 9 years ago

   Congrats Suzanne! That's faithful information! :-)

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   AliciaCposted 9 years ago

   Congratulations, Suzanne! Hopefully you'll have many more Amazon sales in the future.

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   The Examiner-1posted 9 years ago

   Congratulations Suzanne. Perhaps you should have just have left it where it was, closed the capsules and counted to ten and reopened them. lol

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      Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Probably but it didn't occur to me at the time!

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   Thelma Albertsposted 9 years ago

   Congratulations! Well done!

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   Michael Kismetposted 9 years ago

   Argh!  I'm so envious!  I've been here for about 5 weeks with 20 hubs and I still haven't seen one Amazon sale.  At this point, it feels more likely I'll see Bigfoot riding a unicorn before seeing that sweet Amazon commission.    I digress, congratulations Suzanne!

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      Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Michael, looking at your Hubs, I wouldn't expect you to make many Amazon sales.  To make a sale from an Amazon capsule, the product needs to be DIRECTLY related to the subject of your Hub.  Anything else doesn't work, and is not only a distraction but risks you getting slapped by Google for an irrelevant link.
      
      So for instance, in your Hub on air conditioners, the Amazon ads for air conditioners and evaporative coolers are fine - but the ads for pillows and towels need to go!    For your other Hubs, it's hard to think of Amazon items that would fit (except books, e.g.  on dating for your dating Hubs, and in that case you must choose specific books and add a short review). 
      
      If you can't find an Amazon product that's directly related to your subject, don't use an Amazon capsule.  Ditto for eBay.  Both capsules provide pretty pictures that may distract your reader to click, even if they have no real interest in buying - and that means they've left your Hub, so you've lost the possibility of them clicking on another ad, or another of your Hubs.

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         rebekahELLEposted 9 years agoin reply to this

           This is not always true.  I'm sure many of us have made an indirect sale from one of our capsules.  Yes, you want the product displayed to relate to your hub, but that doesn't mean that you can't make a sale if someone decides to shop around once they've clicked on an Amazon capsule.

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            Chinaimportposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            I think Marisa is right. You should read about "Appropriate Use of Product Capsules"  for relevant information given in this guide. http://hubpages.com/learningcenter/HubP … d_23601919

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               rebekahELLEposted 9 years agoin reply to this

               I understand exactly what Marisa is saying and I'm familiar with the appropriate use of the Amazon capsule and I've read Paul E's posts.  All I said was that a sale can be made if someone clicks on a product capsule and decides to buy something else.  It happens.  I think we need to be careful in how we word statements in the forums.   

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                  Kathleen Odenthalposted 9 years agoin reply to this

                  I wish hubpages had a like button RebekahElle

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                     LindaSmith1posted 9 years agoin reply to this

                     At the bottom of each hub there is a pair of hands, one is thumbs up, the other thumbs down.  Also you can click among choices of useful, amazing, etc.

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            Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            Rebekah, you're misunderstanding what I said.
            
            If I could go back and change that post now (which I can't), I would say this:
            
            "To make a sale from an Amazon capsule, the product needs to be DIRECTLY related to the subject of your Hub.  Anything else doesn't work, and is not only a distraction but risks you getting slapped by Google for an irrelevant link.
            
            Once your reader has arrived at Amazon, they may browse around and buy something completely different, and that's fine - you will still receive the commission."

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         lovebuglenaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         You can still make a sale, and even more than one, even if the product featured is not exactly related to the content of the hub. What's important is that people go to Amazon through one of the product links. Then they can buy whatever they want and you still earn. I always try to feature relevant products but in the end most of the time what's bought has nothing to do with what I feature at all.

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            Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            That's true, but the point is - your reader has to click on the link in the first place.   And they will not click on the link unless they're interested in the product.  Therefore the product has to be related to what brought them to your Hub in the first place.   
            
            Once they've arrived at Amazon, they may well start browsing and stumble across something else they like.  That's why you see those unrelated products being sold. 
            
            The other thing is that an unrelated Amazon product counts as an unrelated link, which could attract a spam penalty from Google (Paul Edmonson gave an example of one recently, and it wasn't even that unrelated).  It could also attract an unrelated link penalty from HubPages would cause the Hub to be unpublished.

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   LindaSmith1posted 9 years ago

   I have been getting sales recently as well. Amazon has been hit and miss for over 2 years for me.

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   AudreyHowittposted 9 years ago

   Congrats--I still don't understand that whole bit about Amazon on HP

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      Marisa Wrightposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Which bits of the whole bit don't you understand?  Can we help dispel the confusion for you?

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    rebekahELLEposted 9 years ago

    Hey, there you go! 

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    Sylvia Leongposted 9 years ago

    Congratulations Suzanne Day!!!  I just realized that Amazon capsules existed a couple of months ago & started adding them to my Hubs.  I've had only one sale at the end of July & made a whopping 84 cents!  Cheers to many more Amazon sales as the months carry on! *Raises wine glass in a toast...

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    Suzanne Dayposted 9 years ago

    Thank you to everyone for your congrats! Can't wait for the next sale, though guessing from my history, it might be 8 months off Anyway, I thought nothing was going to happen and I have about 15 Amazon capsules up....so it only goes to show.

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    grand old ladyposted 9 years ago

    Congratulations! Your having reached this milestone is a source of inspiration to fellow hubbers, myself included:)

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    SimilarSamposted 9 years ago

    Congratulations! May it be the first of many for you

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    incomeguruposted 9 years ago

    Congratulations! I can see the smile all over your face lol. Wait, won't you celebrate it?

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       sallybeaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Congratulations Suzanne - I find that Amazon definitely works for me.  I went back to take a look at my sales and discovered that since February of this year, I have had 21 sales - albeit small but in my eyes, every little bit does count.  I was so surprised.
       Sally

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          Suzanne Dayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          Thank you for sharing, Sallybea. To be honest, I thought I was one of those people with a black thumb instead of a golden one (I usually am a black thumb, where everything you touch turns to xxx). So happily suprised Amazon is working as intended.

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          Brie Hoffmanposted 9 years agoin reply to this

          I went back and counted, I have 16 sales since January, but 7 of those have been in the last 35 days so things seem to be picking up!

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    Michael Kismetposted 9 years ago

    Marisa!  I know you're just giving me constructive criticism, but it really hurt my feelings.  =/  Recent studies show that ridiculously good looking people are very sensitive,  ergo I am very sensitive.    I'm just being humorous, of course!  Thank you for your ninja-like insights, I will take it to heart.

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    Chinaimportposted 9 years ago

    Congratulations and thank you.
    
    I was in the process of deleting all Amazon / eBay capsules, but it got delayed for reasons that I partly attribute to reading your post and my laziness.  Guess what? Yesterday some kind soul made a purchase via Amazon capsule, leaving behind enough change to buy a small cup of coffee at Starbucks.
    
    Moral of the story? Sometimes it pays to be lazy.

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       The Examiner-1posted 9 years agoin reply to this

       Do not delete. Simply put Amazon on hold, or check off the "Do not use" in Amazon capsules.

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    Elaine Davenportposted 9 years ago

    That's nice. Thanks for the tip.

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    LindaSmith1posted 9 years ago

    I agree rebekahELLE:  I just went through my Amazon account to see what was sold. From one of my personal sites, 2 items that sold for between 200-400 were sold, delivered, and were not one of the products I had shown. In fact, the products I showed were cheaper.  You can have a hub, a blog about gardening and yard decor.  One of your viewers may end up clicking on one of your products, and order a refrigerator.  You never know.  I have nothing to do with video games yet one of my recent sales was just that.    Suzanne:  I have only been doing affiliate marketing and writing for a couple of years.  I made sales here and there but nothing to even make payout through Amazon
    Associates Program. This past year, sales are piling up, one at a time.  I check my own Amazon reports and was totally shocked at how much was sold from my own blogs and sites.  I have started seeing sales  with my hubs this year as well. 
    By the way, I don't get a ton of traffic.  I have been  on HP for 2-3 years  and have not hit 10,000 views with the hubs that I have left on here. My oldest hub right now is  15 months old.
    
    Don't give up. You have nothing to lose by using Amazon capsules other than sales by removing them.

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    DJ Beattyposted 9 years ago

    So you're saying as long as they follow you like you can earn amazon affiliate income if the purchase it not the actual product.

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