Any suggestions to improve my CJ results?

Hi All,

I've been trying to incorporate some additional revenue streams for some of my content websites. Amazon has only yielded a dollar or two each month. (Though the added content has helped with getting more targeted Adsense ads on the same page.)

Last month I joined Commission Junction in hopes of ensuring 100% targeted advertisements. I've seen only a handful of clicks and only one commission for a lead-based payout. I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong.

One of the pages where I've put the CJ links is: http://www.ourherbgarden.com/basil.html

I have the links on only a few pages of this site and have seen a few clicks but no sales. Based on my search engine traffic, it would seem like the particular programs I'm using are a perfect match for what many of my visitors are looking for. I have noticed that by replacing an Adsense unit and adding the CJ stuff  the remaining Adsense is more targeted but the CTR hasn't changed much.

Any suggestions? Am I going about things the wrong way?

In my little experience with affiliate marketing, I realised that using banners with affiliate offers is not working. What works best is to write full reviews for the products you promote, and then provide links to the product.

Have you tried to work that way?

I read a thread on DP where someone was talking about their CJ success. All of their sites were review sites. He searched for what others had to say about the products and then wrote his own review based on the others. He wrote as if he had really purchased the item and recommended it.

I want to get my income up but that just seems really sleazy to me.

Surely, there's got to be other techniques that work?

I don't think that something works better than reviewing products with affiliate marketing....

Or you could try pay per click marketing but you will have to be pretty good at it no have soem decent results...

The way Nikolas suggests is the best at the current situation...

I remember me that I made most of my hosting affiliate sales at the moment I said I was using the same company ;)

most of the time reviews written by real users are much better than reviews based one existing information you find on the net

With a little research and careful writing I could convince people I own just about anything even when I don't - that's the upside of being a writer. Well maybe not everything but most things that are being sold through these affiliate programs, :)

On the other hand, there is just something dishonest about doing that.

A wild thought I've been toying with is to take CJ links and make them look like Adsense. On sites where I am getting virtually 0% clicks for CJ, I do get clicks on Adsense ads - CTR is low but certainly better than 0. Since so many folks have had success with pictures next to their Adsense ads (before G banned that), perhaps it would be a way to get clicks on CJ ads. I realize people still have to buy but they can't buy if they never visit the CJ advertiser's website in the first place. Has anyone tried that?

I have 250-500 clicks for affiliate programs and NO sales.

Using the right product on the right place is the secret for success ;)
After almost 3 years only my templatemonster sites have good conversions

Yuck, I don't know what's worse - lots of clicks and no sales or no clicks in the first place lol

The first we need are good converting affiliation programs, like templatemonster, getafreelancer and bad enough dreamhost was good too:)

Have you tried advertising via social networks.
Twitter has the best results for me.

Never made much with Amazon.

Clickbank is my choice.