Is it worth sending traffic to affiliate programs, these days?

you've been here since 2005, that's 6 years ... and these are the questions you ask? what have you been doing for 6 years?

What are you busting my balls for? What? I've been busy, you know? LoL

Some one has to drink a-lot and roam around the country aimlessly and do all kinds of crazy eccentric shit not to mention all of the time I spend fixing everyone elses problems

Short answer: I suck at teh internets

I have tested many affiliate programs that also do 1:5000, as soon as you see it's going that way you've got to test another one; rinse and repeat. These days my best tend to be around 1:1100, though I've also found an unsually good sponsor at the moment that's making around 1:300 (roughly). I'll certainly be sending a lot more traffic down that road.

TGP submission isn't completely dead, it can appear that way if you compare it to what it used to be, whereas if we view the glass as quarter full then there's still a lot to play for. These days the best TGP submissions are partners only, so you can look out for people around here selling them or even post up a thread asking for submission partner accounts. For example Shemp will sell you an account for $40 per month and he'll send you good traffic over. (do a search for him in GFY if you don't know him)

Some people are doing well from tubes, I haven't gone down that road myself, but it's clearly an easy way to pull in a lot of traffic then if you stick some Juicy Ads up you can monetize. It'll cost you more money for hosting than a blog though, for my blog I only pay $15 per month.

I started my blog back in 2007, though at the time it wasn't strictly a blog, I changed it to a Wordpress Blog around 18 months ago. When I first switched over sales plummeted and it took them a long time to return. It brings in plenty of Google traffic, I update once per day and I'm very happy with the sales I get. I also started another blog a few months ago, I haven't done much with it and haven't promoted it at all, but Google has already started pumping traffic over, so I see no reason why a new blog can't be set up in 2011; it can still work for the right person.

This is why GFY has gone so far downhill. The guy asked some pretty straight forward questions and he gets drilled. You guys are fucking slow.

As far as tubes and TGP submissions go I haven't really touched either in a while. My blogs still do well. The ratio's will never be what they used to be but sure you can send traffic to affiliate programs and make sales. I'd stay away from the drive by programs though and stick with the guys that have been around.

Traffic Summary for ******* from 2011-02-16 to 2011-02-28
66367 52 1:1276 $35 $1820.00

No, the reason why gfy has gone downhill is because the IQ of the average adult webmaster has dropped by about 20 or 30 points in the last 5 years or so.

Blame it on the tubes.

thanks for the mention ...

blame tracking by cookies, the increase in obvious traffic leaks (A couple of days ago I even noticed "follow us on twitter" links on FHGs! ), floaters that are almost impossible to close and are designed to sell some other site instead of the site you are sending traffic to,...

I am too tired to read, right now ... all I can say for now is that Mickey D's won't work for me because I've never worked for anyone (except for 3 months once) and I can't afford to own a franchised location

Also Mr. Shemp is always A+ in everyones book ... I even had one of those $40 gold pass things and always made some sales .. he's great to work with. I don't like many people, so me saying this, it means something

I'll read the rest of the thread tomorrow
It's getting light out and I have to get some rest

WHERE DID THE NIGHT GO?!

Credit where it's due, I've been really impressed with what I've seen since I signed up!

I agree, Shemp's traffic is golden.

only 2 sales with that amunt of traffic, you should switch sponsors.

affiliates take it in the ass at every turn. With all the traffic leaks and opportunities for your cookie to be lost, you're basically an unpaid salesman. These days you alamost better be planning your own product if you want to be a full-time webmaster.

There's nothing to stop affiliates from approching sites direct, especially ones that don't have an affiliate program.