When entering a new affiliate niche, most of us buy a new domain or two and start adding a bit of content to help with quality scores. But a technique that has really been working great for me in the last year is buying established sites to send the PPC traffic to. Its a pretty simple concept, just find a site that has already been aged and has good backlinks and trust established with Google. Then when you send your PPC traffic, especially Google, you are way ahead of the quality score game.
Of course, this is an extra expense for your campaign that you will have to absorb with your profits before breaking even. That is why I like to use this technique in the “ramping up” phase, after I already have a tested campaign showing some promise. I consider it a good expense though. If you are building a campaign that will be hitting hundreds or thousands a day in profit, spending a couple thousand for an established site is not much in the big picture. My most recent site buy for PPC was $4,200 for a PR4 site with over 1,000 links in a good niche. That money was recouped so many times over, and continues to pay off every day. Not to mention the site brings in about $300/mo in passive revenue – nice bonus.
The time consuming part is finding the sites/domains. You have to sift through a lot of junk to find winners. But if you have a winning campaign on Yahoo/MSN that just won’t work on Google, it might be worth your time.
Do you contact site owners, even if the site isn’t explicitly for sale?
I’ve tried that a few times, got 1 that way. Most people don’t respond though or don’t want to sell.
Great idea Chad. Are you buying just the domain and reworking the pages? Or using the entire site as is, just incorporating landing pages?
Usually just use the site as is, then add the landing pages.
Quick Question,
Do you have any concerns about a lower CTR due to the new display URL in ad copies?
Ya, definitely a concern. Its basically hoping the increased boost in QS is greater than any loss of CTR from display URL changes.
Have you noticed a difference in impressions with an aged domain versus a new domain?
Also where do you buy older domains? TDAN? DigitalPoint?
Thanks,
- Determined
When I do this, its part of a big expansion of the campaign so it all leads to more impressions.
I have looked on those sites you mention, also sitepoint and sedo.
Chad, good ideas, and a sidebar question – I still have not broken through that ‘glass ceiling’ to campaigns that will generate high 3 figures or even 4 figures per day, despite having invested that much with Google trying. Care to drop hints on what (even broad) areas you’re seeing those kinds of returns? I’ve read previously that you like to think with a contrarian mindset, but smaller niches just don’t have that kind of volume from my experience. Your thoughts are really appreciated!
It’s the eCPC that matters. I read all this blogs articles and that’s the key for your question. The eCPC in any niche. Search eCPC on this blog and you’ll have your answer.
Chad, two questions:
First, to the poster to asked about lowered CTR from different display URLs. I’m confused…if you are buying an existing domain…what exactly in the display URL is changing?
Second, you mention $300/mo in passive income. Do you not define PPC as passive income once the campaign is setup and running mostly unattended? What do you consider “active” income from that site?
Changing from the existing domain I was testing with to the new domain.
Passive income from the main page that had contextual ads running on it.
Great article as always.
Really good stuff. I always suspected that age was a decisive factor in quality score. I’m glad to see it paid off to buy that $4000 domain.:)
interesting it really learns me a lot…