Q: Is Google AdWords still viable for newcomers? Is e-mail and e-zine marketing a better option?
A: In my opinion, there is a distinct barrier to entry for succeeding as an affiliate. The barrier keeps back all who are not innovative, creative and hard working.
If you can figure out a new way of doing things and really put your heart into it, you can succeed as an affiliate with search engine arbitrage, e-mail, content sites, data feeds, blogs, social networks… you name it.
Back to Google AdWords. It’s certainly a competitive landscape, but much of it is crowded by people who roll the dice blindly. No testing, no strategy – just throw a bunch of keywords against the wall and see what sticks.
So if you put some strategy behind your effort, keep an eye on things and continually test to optimize your campaigns, you’ll be in the minority.
Also, Google isn’t the Alpha and Omega of affiliate search engine arbitrage. You can also play around with Yahoo! Search Marketing, MSN adCenter, and a host of others.
Dedicate yourself to success and you can make it happen. But if you give a half-hearted effort, there’s no need to wonder why your monthly checks are a disappointment.