The use of spammy-looking web pages to promote sales

[minstrel]

As some of you know, while I am not at all new to the internet, I am just starting to learn something about affiliate marketing.

One of the things I've found in reading blogs, ebooks, and article on affiliate marketing, and in viewing affiliate web pages is that there is a style in many of these sites which is not only common but apparently encouraged by many gurus. That style I can only describe as generally garish and extremely spammy looking, the kind of thing that any decent spam filter would intercept and funnel to the trash... I know you've seen these pages: Large font. Highlighted in yellow and red. Liberal use of exclamation marks. Liberal use of hyperbole and dubious claims purportedly backed by equally dubious testimonials and questionable science.

When I see one of these pages I'm reminded of the country fair hawker and snake oil salesman, the Billy Mays school of selling. And then I wonder why people use this style.

I assume it must be somewhat successful, although frankly I wonder who reads these pages and actually falls for the pitch. But I also wonder whether a more professional approach wouldn't be more successful.

Can those of you who've been in the business for a while and those of you just starting out like me tell me why this approach is popular? Or am I just misguided about its popularity?

Do you use it? Does it work for you?

[kbldshmn]

I assume it's effective since online marketers are not the only ones who use this method. Infomercials use them too such as Sham Wow and the Billy Mays commercials.

[minstrel]

But do you ever buy the products those people hawk on television?

[jazzguy]

Originally Posted by minstrel

But do you ever buy the products those people hawk on television?

I don't personally...plus whenever I come across those IM style sales pages, I exit out quickly. But they do work I'm sure since not every surfer is like me...

Lyle

[affmeter]

Although personally I am not in favor of those type of pages and do not use them, they are making money.

I have asked the question that you have already asked for a couple of times. And come up with the following explanations

1. Many of the internet users has not understand the difference between good looking web sites then spammy looking one
2. American history of marketing makes buying and selling actions a kind of culture for generations and generations and people has more tendency to buy than not to buy
3.The catch phrases in those pages physiologically has impacts on consumers and drive them to buy. It does not matter the quality of the website
4. Because so many pages are like this and people so get used to them. As a result do not expect anything better

[Laura]

Originally Posted by minstrel

One of the things I've found in reading blogs, ebooks, and article on affiliate marketing, and in viewing affiliate web pages is that there is a style in many of these sites which is not only common but apparently encouraged by many gurus. That style I can only describe as generally garish and extremely spammy looking, the kind of thing that any decent spam filter would intercept and funnel to the trash... I know you've seen these pages: Large font. Highlighted in yellow and red. Liberal use of exclamation marks. Liberal use of hyperbole and dubious claims purportedly backed by equally dubious testimonials and questionable science.

When I see one of these pages I'm reminded of the country fair hawker and snake oil salesman, the Billy Mays school of selling. And then I wonder why people use this style.

I assume it must be somewhat successful, although frankly I wonder who reads these pages and actually falls for the pitch. But I also wonder whether a more professional approach wouldn't be more successful.

I have wondered exactly the same things! I hate those pages. I haven't used squeeze pages yet, but when I do, I do NOT want to make them look like that. But I wonder whether I'll be cutting my own throat if I don't.

I too figure it must work or they wouldn't be so prevalent. But it sure seems to me that a more professional page would be more successful. Maybe I'm vastly overestimating the typical consumer.

[minstrel]

Originally Posted by Laura

I too figure it must work or they wouldn't be so prevalent. But it sure seems to me that a more professional page would be more successful. Maybe I'm vastly overestimating the typical consumer.

Those were my thoughts too. Even if the spammy ones work, wouldn't you expect the non-spammy ones to work better?

[Linda Buquet]

I think the spammy pages you've probably been seeing are more the eBook and Get Rich Quick or Internet Marketing type sites. They are the ones that use the garish sales letters. I think in part it's just become commonplace, so that particular market is used to it.

The average retail affiliate site looks just like an eCommerce site in fact I've seen affiliate sites that look better than the merchant's site. eTail affiliate sites don't usually use the long spammy sales pages at all.

But back to the long sales letters with the hype and garish colors, I've read studies that say they convert, I sure don't understand it though. I tend to want to run when I see one of those.

[affmeter]

Originally Posted by Linda Buquet

I think the spammy pages you've probably been seeing are more the eBook and Get Rich Quick or Internet Marketing type sites. They are the ones that use the garish sales letters. I think in part it's just become commonplace, so that particular market is used to it.

The average retail affiliate site looks just like an eCommerce site in fact I've seen affiliate sites that look better than the merchant's site. eTail affiliate sites don't usually use the long spammy sales pages at all.

But back to the long sales letters with the hype and garish colors, I've read studies that say they convert, I sure don't understand it though. I tend to want to run when I see one of those.

I completely agree with you Linda.

However, whether I like it or not many of the internet users do not pay enough attention to see a quality web page. because when they are given by what they want to hear, they do not care about the rest. And that is why those sales letter pages work well, I presume.

It is difficult to put standards for the whole ethichs, design principles or norms of the internet with millions users out there ready to buy something.