It’s really amazing how many affiliate marketers’ PPC advertisements, display ads, and landing pages don’t have a simple call to action anywhere in sight. The ads and landing pages look good. All of the right keywords are there. But customers have to search for a way to buy the product.

The ads and the landing pages don’t tell the customer exactly what to do! They don’t give the customer direction! Vague suggestions don’t work in advertising. The direct approach to advertising works!

What, Exactly, Is the Direct Approach?

Have you ever noticed that successful roadside businesses like fast food franchises use the direct approach to advertising on their billboards? It’s true. You see signs like “Try the New Whatever Burger!” “Claim Your Free Drink!” “Buy Two, Get One Free!”

Why do these successful roadside businesses use such a direct approach? They use the direct approach for two reasons:

1. When cars are speeding down the street/highway in front of roadside businesses, signs must deliver the message in a couple of milliseconds (about the same length of time you have to capture the attention of a potential customer on the Internet). And….

2. The direct approach brings in paying customers! (And the direct approach brings in paying customers in Internet marketing, as well.)

How You Can Apply the Direct Approach

Here are three ways you can take advantage of the direct approach to advertising in your affiliate marketing business:

1. PPC Ads: Your PPC advertisements ideally contain a call to action in the title. That isn’t always possible, of course, but you can surely find a way to squeeze the call to action into the description section. Simple words like, “shop, browse, etc.” work!

2. Banner Ads: Getting a call to action into a banner ad is a bit more difficult given the size and character limitations but still possible. Again, one word like “shop,” “buy,” etc., are effective.

3. Landing Pages: There should be a “Buy Now” (or a similar button) above the fold and there should be “Buy Now” buttons spaced throughout your sales letter. Don’t make your potential customer scroll through the entire sales letter before he can find a place to buy whatever you’re selling!

NOTE: Even though Lurn, Inc. receives compensation for products and services promoted in our blog posts, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences about those products and services.