Article Marketing Strategy: If You're Doing Affiliate Marketing, Do You Need A Real Website

I really enjoy it when people come to me with questions about article marketing. Here is an interesting query I received from an affiliate marketer just the other day: "I have been using article marketing for an affiliate product. I have a domain name that I bought that just redirects to the merchant's website. I have noticed that my URL is still not appearing in Google or any of the other search engines. Is this because my URL is redirecting to another location? Do I need a real website of my own in order to get my URL listed in Google?"

This really is an excellent question, and I'll be delighted to provide more information for you. So, presently you have just a URL, and you do not have a real website. That's why your URL is not appearing in Google-there's no content for Google to rank at the location of your URL.

In order to appear in the search engine rankings, you need to create a website with appropriate content on it. Here are some suggestions on the sort of c! ontent to provide in your website:

*You may review the affiliate product you're marketing.

*Take the articles that you've written for the article marketing of the product, rewrite them, and publish them on your website. It is best to keep this content on your own website unique, so you must not use the exact articles you are submitting to directories.

*Now, give your the opportunity to join your mailing list. This is vitally important. The idea is that a person will come to your site where you will be offering a free e-course, a newsletter, or something else that is attractive to your visitors. They will sign up, and you can then send them helpful emails connected with your subject.

For example, let's just say that your affiliate product has something to do with the fantastic healing powers of carrot juice. Then, you might send out a newsletter that contains information related to carrot juice, and every now and then you could recommend the affiliate pro! duct that you are marketing.

You see, if you really would! like to do affiliate marketing and get the best results possible, you must have more than just an affiliate link.

You also need to have more than a domain name that just redirects to an affiliate site.

You even need more than a sales page!

What you really need is a website with really good content and a way to follow up with people who are interested in your subject. The current approach of just having the domain name that redirects to the merchant site is simply not going to serve you very well, because you're not able to follow up with the readers who click the link in your resource box.

You also won't receive traffic from the search engines, because you don't have a website.

The best benefit that article marketing will bring you is search engine traffic. When people undertake article marketing, they want to get a higher ranking for their website for special keywords their target audience is typing into Google.

Then after someone visits your! website, your most powerful ally will be that email list. When people visit your site, they will not necessarily want to buy your products right away. People like to be comfortable, then think about a company, and learn to trust the owner of the website. You must invest in that relationship.

In that way, when you make recommendations people will be more inclined to listen to you and buy these products.

So, in answer to your original question--for the ultimate results you must have a real website, even when you are only doing affiliate marketing. Ensure you invest the time necessary in developing a website and an email list, and you will be maximizing your prospects and lengthening the window of opportunity in which you are able to make a sale.