Affiliate Marketing
It is easy for a new and inexperienced affiliate marketer to get caught up with the standard fare of affiliate marketing that includes lock, stock and barrel motions in marketing the brand and wares. Most affiliate marketers tend to emulate the success of other affiliate marketers without considering their own personalities, preferences, their targeted niche markets and their preferences when venturing into affiliate marketing.
Dynamics of Affiliate Marketing
It is common to note the online ‘war’ amongst affiliate marketers in deploying the latest technology and market trends to outdo their competition with the best of marketing plans devised and implemented online. However, a successful affiliate marketing plan requires in-depth research on current market trends, potential changes and consumer behavior patterns in lifestyle and purchases.
The right market information gathered would assist affiliate marketers to consider the best of affiliate marketing strategies and campaigns that would include identifying the right niche markets and their product or service preferences. Lucrative income could be generated through well-designed marketing strategies implemented in structured marketing campaigns based on the selected products and services for targeted consumers.
But affiliate marketers tend to be alert to changing market environments and rising competition in the market to stay edgy. Many of them tend to veer off to the “shiny object syndrome” where they grab hold of new buzzwords and technologies to impress their target audiences without proper research on their effects and results. They have the mentality of wanting to be at the front of the pack if not the first to be seen as ‘happening’ and advanced in the market to impress others.
Impacts of Shiny Object Syndrome
It is true that the “shiny object syndrome” could prove appealing, fun and rewarding if properly administered, but many affiliate marketers jump the gun without understanding the concept or risks. It is crucial for marketers to check if their targeted audiences are seeking what the syndrome offers.
Affiliate marketers who do not make time to research this syndrome end up frustrated and poorer as they drop their currently successful marketing endeavors to clamor for the new and hot or shiny choices that would supposedly impress their consumer audiences. However, their rash decision could backfire adversely if their audience is neither interested nor ready for such new offers. It is possible that customers and subscribers could leave the business sites if they feel that their needs are not taken care of with the change in business focus or offerings regardless of how ‘hip’ the business has been boosted with the shiny object approach.
Losing customers is very detrimental to the affiliate marketer and the business as it is quite difficult to woo these back again since the trust and confidence is broken or dissipated with the rash decision to covet shiny object syndrome. These customers could also spread bad tidings around the market on the inconsiderate business approach of the affiliate venturing into the shiny object marketing approach.
A smaller mailing list does not augur well with top search engines and consumers alike as the shrunken mailing list size indicates a poor standing of the business in the market. This would not attract more new potential business leads while driving away potential business prospects as well.
Approaching Shiny Object Syndrome Rightly
Affiliate marketers need not avoid shiny object marketing altogether if they find benefits in it to boost their business. When applied aptly, this marketing approach could resolve important consumer problems which no current solution is available. The marketing technique should assist in reaching more customers not driving them away.
If the affiliate marketer is not an expert with the new technologies or their concepts to implement them rightly in their marketing plans, it is best to park them aside until more relevant information is garnered to benefit the affiliate business. Sometimes, the risk of new and unproven marketing techniques or tactics is much too high for the affiliate marketer. Well established ones have fallen drastically with a poor implementation of new marketing concepts not proven with a difficult recovery over a long period.
Affiliate marketers must apply the new tools appropriately and not for the sake of trying out new tools in the market. Sometimes it pays to wait a little while to check on the effects and improvements. Shiny object syndrome marketing could include new marketing software or emerging social media network site that seems attractive with its marketing features.
Some of these new concepts may not be applicable to specific affiliate targeted niche markets. Time and effort as well as heavy cost could be incurred with no results that benefit the business.
Moreover, if a poor reputation is incurred through a bad attempt on new technology marketing approaches, the affiliate would find it difficult to recover from the smarts.
The right approach towards shiny object marketing is to research on it as much as possible and stay alert to its offerings and changes while impacting the market. Such data and reports must be gathered for a proper evaluation before indulging in an intensive marketing campaign that could be costly in many ways.
Stick to the Proven Path
Affiliate marketers who are new or inexperienced in this industry should avoid the “shiny object syndrome” marketing where possible. It is advisable for these novice affiliates to stick to the “ancient” paths of affiliate marketing that are proven right and successful.
New marketing strategies could be developed from proven approaches which cut down the learning curve of the affiliate while increasing the implementation success. Time is always the best factor for success as affiliate marketers use it wisely to build up their own knowledge, concept and skills in this industry for potential success which should come quickly when the right components are put in place.
The basics of affiliate marketing should be sufficient to kick start the new or novice affiliate’s pathway for success over time. This is an effective money generation business venture which affiliates could enjoy sure success with the right steps undertaken without the shiny object syndrome as yet.
