Best Lessons/Training for Arbitrage

[rickkumar]

Hi,

As people say that parked.com allows arbitrage, I am wondering how people do it? Is arbitrage profitable with parked.com system?

I will appreciate if someone can answer the following:

1. How should one get training/lessons in arbitrage? Any recommendations?

2. What is the best way to use arbitrage to make profit?

Thanks.

 

[Varon]

Honestly, No expert at Arbitrage is going to tell you much. Its just plain dollars lost in an already comptetive market. It's also not about being selfish. How many people skilled in a highly competitive and highly paid profession would be willing to share their business secret with others?

If everything is discussed openly, the very next day, you will have 100's of people competing for the same market. This leads to an increase in PPC campaign keyword bids and resulting lowering of actual profits. Simply put, if by sharing your knowledge, you see a salary decrease of 50%, would you do it?

When I found someone really good at arbitrage, I had paid him $500 per hr to guide me over 2 days. I know he didn't spill all the beans, but I feel it was worth it because every bit of knowledge here helps you make a huge difference to your profits and also saves you precious time researching stuff and doing things wrong. There is very less time to lose now.

 

[rickkumar]

Honestly, No expert at Arbitrage is going to tell you much. Its just plain dollars lost in an already comptetive market. It's also not about being selfish. How many people skilled in a highly competitive and highly paid profession would be willing to share their business secret with others?

If everything is discussed openly, the very next day, you will have 100's of people competing for the same market. This leads to an increase in PPC campaign keyword bids and resulting lowering of actual profits. Simply put, if by sharing your knowledge, you see a salary decrease of 50%, would you do it?

When I found someone really good at arbitrage, I had paid him $500 per hr to guide me over 2 days. I know he didn't spill all the beans, but I feel it was worth it because every bit of knowledge here helps you make a huge difference to your profits and also saves you precious time researching stuff and doing things wrong. There is very less time to lose now.

Thanks Varon.

I still believe there are people who share knowledge out of goodness of their hearts. I have been lucky to come across some such people in my life. I try to do same if I know the topic.

Now that leads me to my next question:

Will you share some of your knowledge my friend as I have a feeling you know quite a bit and been helping here all the time on many questions.

Thanks everyone who so far contributed to this topic.

Your help is very much appreciated.

Regards.

 

[Varon]

Rick... its a very complex question. First, you need to find a good keyword for your domain which pays decently well ( atleast $2 and above). That makes running a PPC campaign easier as you have a lower conversion ratio to break even. I mean if you are buying traffic for 0.25 per visitor, your break even CTR for the campaign will be around 13%. That gives you a safety buffer. It means that even if 1 out of every 8 visitors clicks through on your domain, you still break even. Anything better than 13% is your profit.

Now finding the right keywords and running campaigns for high paying keywords using lower CPC keywords on programs like adwords etc is the toughest part. That is something you have to research on your own using keyword tools like wordtracker, KWD etc. I feel that the most successful person is one who has a good keyword analysis knowledge. If you find a keyword that is being searched for with literally no advertisers, its half the battle already won. You end up getting to advertise for pennies driving quality traffic to your domains.

Good luck.

 

[rickkumar]

Rick... its a very complex question. First, you need to find a good keyword for your domain which pays decently well ( atleast $2 and above). That makes running a PPC campaign easier as you have a lower conversion ratio to break even. I mean if you are buying traffic for 0.25 per visitor, your break even CTR for the campaign will be around 13%. That gives you a safety buffer. It means that even if 1 out of every 8 visitors clicks through on your domain, you still break even. Anything better than 13% is your profit.

Now finding the right keywords and running campaigns for high paying keywords using lower CPC keywords on programs like adwords etc is the toughest part. That is something you have to research on your own using keyword tools like wordtracker, KWD etc. I feel that the most successful person is one who has a good keyword analysis knowledge. If you find a keyword that is being searched for with literally no advertisers, its half the battle already won. You end up getting to advertise for pennies driving quality traffic to your domains.

Good luck.

Thank you Sir. Every bit of knowledge helps.

I am going to learn before I even try any arbitrage.

Like one of my professors used to say:

Wise are those who learn from the experience of others,
Fool are those who burn their fingers and then learn! [done it many times myself ]

 

[netmeg]

Even if you are in a competitive field, you can still get keywords for pennies if you can work your way into a good QS with AdWords. I have a campaign in the field of a certain type of rehab, *highly* competitive, with average CPCs of $25 and up. But, with a combination of targeting lower positioned ads (#5-8) and writing really killer ads combined with what I think is a good and informative landing page, my ads are running along at 12 cents per click, and my QS is listed as great. But that's not something really you can TEACH someone - you learn by doing, and doing and doing and making mistakes and losing money and learning some more until you figure it out.

You have to really know your market. You have to really understand how AdSense (or YPN or whatever) works. And you have to REALLY REALLY know how AdWords (or whatever your PPC program is) works.

Quality Score is the thing that can kill you in AdWords. If you can master your way around that, you have a real good chance at making it work.

The best tutorials on AdWords that I know of are the online training lessons that Google puts up for its Google AdWords Professional (GAP) program. This is the stuff we have to study before we take the test to certify, and it includes lots of information that (stupidly) isn't even in the help docs. There's also a kind of overview of Analytics. You don't have to be a GAP to use them, you don't have to even intend to be a GAP, and it's all free. They have CBT video lessons, and text lessons, with sample quizzes at the end of each one. Go check it out. Go through the whole list, and when you're done, go through it again. And if you really want to get serious about it, the next time an AdWords seminar comes to your town, register for it. It'll be the best $295 you ever spent. I started making more money with AdWords / AdSense the very night I came home from the seminar (and I considered myself an advanced user even before I took the course).

Here's a link to the AdWords Learning Center with all the lessons. Good luck:

http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/index.html

 

[GILSAN]

Even if you are in a competitive field, you can still get keywords for pennies if you can work your way into a good QS with AdWords. I have a campaign in the field of a certain type of rehab, *highly* competitive, with average CPCs of $25 and up. But, with a combination of targeting lower positioned ads (#5-8) and writing really killer ads combined with what I think is a good and informative landing page, my ads are running along at 12 cents per click, and my QS is listed as great. But that's not something really you can TEACH someone - you learn by doing, and doing and doing and making mistakes and losing money and learning some more until you figure it out.

You have to really know your market. You have to really understand how AdSense (or YPN or whatever) works. And you have to REALLY REALLY know how AdWords (or whatever your PPC program is) works.

Quality Score is the thing that can kill you in AdWords. If you can master your way around that, you have a real good chance at making it work.

The best tutorials on AdWords that I know of are the online training lessons that Google puts up for its Google AdWords Professional (GAP) program. This is the stuff we have to study before we take the test to certify, and it includes lots of information that (stupidly) isn't even in the help docs. There's also a kind of overview of Analytics. You don't have to be a GAP to use them, you don't have to even intend to be a GAP, and it's all free. They have CBT video lessons, and text lessons, with sample quizzes at the end of each one. Go check it out. Go through the whole list, and when you're done, go through it again. And if you really want to get serious about it, the next time an AdWords seminar comes to your town, register for it. It'll be the best $295 you ever spent. I started making more money with AdWords / AdSense the very night I came home from the seminar (and I considered myself an advanced user even before I took the course).

Here's a link to the AdWords Learning Center with all the lessons. Good luck:

http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/index.html

Netmeg, this was, along with Varon's contribution, Lesson #1 on Arbitrage. Lets all come back in a few months time for lesson # 2 when we REALLY REALLY know how AdWords (or whatever the PPC program is) works.

Thanks
GIL

 

[NPKJB]

Hats off to Netmeg and Varon. I feel that these guys are always there to lend a helping hand. Both of them provide in-depth analysis of how things work and aren't afraid to help others. Thanks guys! I really mean it!!

Now... Let me get back to reading the Adwords Learning Center tutorials. Wish me luck!!!

 

[rickkumar]

Rep added to: Varon, NetMeg, and Gilsan.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[GILSAN]

Rep added to: Varon, NetMeg, and Gilsan.

Thanks for the help guys.

Thanks Rick. About a month ago I also became curious about arbitrage, but soon came to the conclusion that I still have a lot of homework to do before jumping into the deep end of arbitrage. Just hang around Namepros. It's a great place to learn the tricks of the trade!

GIL

 

[hitchhiker]

NetMeg is right, with quality score pushing click pricing up and up, it will be very important to have content on the landing pages . . . simple parked site can help you scale to tens $ per day per site, but you will never make as much money PER SITE as with a fully developed website with adsense. If you want to make thousands, I suggest you build a site, add adsense as a secondary monetization method. . . and MOST IMPORTANTLY, have a affiliate relationship as the main revenue driver (search CJ for your niche). . . . ONE site can make more than 500K a year. . . just look at the creditcard.com people. . . they are going public this year. . .

Even if you are in a competitive field, you can still get keywords for pennies if you can work your way into a good QS with AdWords. I have a campaign in the field of a certain type of rehab, *highly* competitive, with average CPCs of $25 and up. But, with a combination of targeting lower positioned ads (#5-8) and writing really killer ads combined with what I think is a good and informative landing page, my ads are running along at 12 cents per click, and my QS is listed as great. But that's not something really you can TEACH someone - you learn by doing, and doing and doing and making mistakes and losing money and learning some more until you figure it out.

You have to really know your market. You have to really understand how AdSense (or YPN or whatever) works. And you have to REALLY REALLY know how AdWords (or whatever your PPC program is) works.

Quality Score is the thing that can kill you in AdWords. If you can master your way around that, you have a real good chance at making it work.

The best tutorials on AdWords that I know of are the online training lessons that Google puts up for its Google AdWords Professional (GAP) program. This is the stuff we have to study before we take the test to certify, and it includes lots of information that (stupidly) isn't even in the help docs. There's also a kind of overview of Analytics. You don't have to be a GAP to use them, you don't have to even intend to be a GAP, and it's all free. They have CBT video lessons, and text lessons, with sample quizzes at the end of each one. Go check it out. Go through the whole list, and when you're done, go through it again. And if you really want to get serious about it, the next time an AdWords seminar comes to your town, register for it. It'll be the best $295 you ever spent. I started making more money with AdWords / AdSense the very night I came home from the seminar (and I considered myself an advanced user even before I took the course).

Here's a link to the AdWords Learning Center with all the lessons. Good luck:

http://www.google.com/adwords/learningcenter/index.html

 

[projectv4]

That's not the way I understand it, I'm under the impression you can drive adwords,yahoo,ask,msn or any other top tier providers to Parked.com with their Yahoo feed.

Sorry to bump an old post, but I was doing some searching, and was wondering if anyone could confirm the YSM PPC -> Parked.com portion of this post?

 

[vbigdeli]

Sorry to bump an old post, but I was doing some searching, and was wondering if anyone could confirm the YSM PPC -> Parked.com portion of this post?

You can send paid traffic from all PPC camps...like adwords,YSM or adCenter..

 

[projectv4]

thanks for the reply,

so it doesnt matter that yahoo is the primary feed for parked.com while sending ysm traffic to it?? i figured yahoo would be just as picky as google and the whole adwords -> adsense phase. =\

 

[blaknite]

Keep in mind that arbitrage is playing outside the rules. When you ask your fellow domainers for advice about what is allowed, they're most likely responding with what they have gotten away with, not what is actually acceptable. The terms of service for every major parking provider specifically prohibit driving traffic to their pages. They let you get away with it because it is profitable and not worth the effort to police. However an advertiser could get their pants in a bunch over it. If that happens you will be the only one out in the cold.

I'm not saying you shouldn't do it, or that its wrong. I've even concidered doing it myself. I'm just saying its a risk. When and if it ever comes down to someone losing their investment because they got caught, the argument "so and so told me it was ok" simply isn't going to fly. Even if that person happens to be your parking rep...

 

[goodkarmaco]

Blaknite,

my thoughts exactly, well put. I am not going to do it as if there is any chance to lower my click prices for the future, its not worth it. Parking companies that say it is ok are just enjoying the extra money at YOUR expense that arbitrage brings to the parking service. They won't be hurt at all by banning, only the person who is parking their name and sending the traffic will suffer the slap down.

 

[projectv4]

you guys are missing my point.

parked is fully supportive of ppc traffic, its not against their tos or policy. the thing i was curious was about was yahoo search marketing as a source, not arbi in general by adwords or msn. like you guys mentioned, it benefits the company. But at the same time, if they can pull it off, the more the individual earns via ppc traffic, the more they earn as well.

 

[ngenme]

Unless you know what you are doing. I've been using AdWords to drive traffic to several developed websites with AdSense on them for several years. Almost all my quality scores are good and great, and my minimum bids low. Some days I spend more on AdWords than I make in AdSense, but then other days I make way more in AdSense, so that ultimately, I'm ahead. As soon as I'm not, I either make changes or drop it and bring up another site.

In every case, I have spent a lot of time researching and analyzing the niche before I start out.

(Also doesn't hurt that I'm an AdWords Professional)

That said, I've never yet tried to drive PPC traffic to a parked page. Dunno if I could make that work without so much control over content that it would not really be considered parked anymore.

The way I understand it, you cannot use PPC to drive traffic to someplace with a Google feed, therefore no, you can't use it with Namedrive.

I also used to play arbitrage with adsense. The thing is, even though the traffic quality can be high, we pay clicks for impression.

Say I bid 5 cents for some keyword. For every click I pay 5 cents. That click transfer into 1 visitor (ie. 1 impression in my site).

Does anyone can make more than 5 cents per impression?

I top at 2 cents per impression. I got those traffics from adbrite.com at 1 cents per click to make a profit.

 

[PowerUp]

I'm going to subscribe to this thread. Thank you.

 

[goodkarmaco]

Yes, project,

both parties may gain for a while, then the slap down.

When that happens the parking company is not getting slapped you are with quality score. That may set you back way more than the small gains made by arbitrage. Does not matter if a prking company allows it. In the end is it going to improve your overall parking of names or will the slap down be so bad your parking tanks for a very long while?

I see it as a no brainer, use arbitrage only for DEVELOPED web sites, not parked pages.

 

[blaknite]

you guys are missing my point.

parked is fully supportive of ppc traffic, its not against their tos or policy.

This line is in section "G" of parked.com's terms of service.

"All other types of traffic including bought traffic, traffic driven by PPC campaigns, traffic directed from hyperlinks are not permitted."

You are missing my point. If you call your rep and ask him/her if its allowed they're going to say yes. They make money by you doing it. As long as the person paying for the ads doesn't catch on you're golden. If you get caught by the advertiser parked will be forced to keep your parking revenue and you are going to lose all the money you spent on ads.

If you say "my parking rep said it was ok" they're going to say "sorry they were mistaken but we are still keeping your money." There are lots of people who are getting away with it. I just want it to be clear that it isn't allowed so newbies reading this thread don't get the wrong idea.

Just put yourself in the place of the advertiser. If you were paying $30 to get qualified leads for selling your "beach front property," would you really be happy with someone directing traffic that was searching for "california beaches." You could easily be getting clicks from people who aren't looking for or interested in realestate at all. In fact you are likely getting as many or more clicks from kids doing school reports about beaches in california than you are from genuine interest. In severe cases doing this knowingly could be concidered internet fraud.