RevShare or PPS?
 

How do you decide on whether to use PPS or RevShare if a sponsor offers both?

Also is PPS more prone to shaving? I mean, some programs offer $50 to $100 per signup, how do they make the money without shaving?

I now realize how new I still am at this and how much more I have to learn.

I have no clue on shaving but often wondered the same.

The only thing that was told to me that I am now doing is that rev gives you staying power and a more steady income. Which I'm sure is of no new news to you.

But I'm interested in hearing about this.

All those high payout PPS programs are upselling and cross-selling the surfer. Retention alone isn't high enough to cover those payouts.

I do mostly revshare. The few PPS programs I push, for the most part, don't offer revshare. In a few rare cases, when inital conversion ratios have been decent, but rebills are poor, I've switched from revshare to PPS.

I'm about 98% PPS. Once I get an initial sale I lose control of the surfer, it's out of my hands. I don't want to rely on a tour to keep a surfer renewing. I can push a 1.95 or 4.95 three day trial in many different ways. But think of this....Sponsors pretty much know what their ratios are so whether you go PPS or revshare, you're probably going to come out the same in the long run.

I did PPS at first then switched to rev share. I do seem to be doing better with rev share, for what it's worth.

I think as many have stated, it depends on the program. I use PPS when I push a trial only because I think or its my opinion that someone that will sign on for $1 or $2.95 but wont sign up at $24 - $30 p/m probably will not renew at the inflated price many of the progs offer to trial renewals. And on the other hand I feel that VOD and Cam SItes probably are best served using RevShare for the long haul. Also, depending on the traffic source I change the PPS/RevShare - for instance 404 traffic I keep at PPS..I think its important to mix it up. Many of the company's that offer both will allow you to promote both..do a test see the difference..if any.

I think for me to sum it up there a few deciding factors.
The Program and what they offer as a means of memberside "goodies"
Is the program just full of upsells for which I dont see any $
The size of the "network" as many offer a sign for one get all policy.
The traffic source
And Past Experience with a certain program

For the larger programs I see how their consoles are. If right from the beginning they are upselling other peoples sites, even though they have 80+ of their own, then I choose PPS with no consoles. I prefer the option in trying to cross-sell my own surfers. JMO

Most of the time you'll notice that the mega sites offer PPS because retention isn't always so good. I'm not saying it's bad, but it's likely not as good as a niche paysite with exclusive content. Those are the ones that are normally better to take revshare with.

That makes no sense. If I was a program owner & I knew that a paysite was not retaining, why would I offer $20-35 PPS when all I get is $3-5 from the trial?

Maybe you should have quoted my entire post instead. And Toby's post answers your question too.

Maybe you need to re-read your posts before you press the button.

The 1st part is from a program owner's POV, the 2nd is from an affiliate's. We all know you're both, so I'm sorry if it's hard for me to understand statements where you change hats in the middle.

Again, you said the programs offers PPS because the retention isn't good and affiliates use revshare for niche sites because retention is good.

Now, if you said that an affiliate should use PPS because retention is not good on mega sites, then I'd have no questions.

No, what I originally posted makes sense.

I did say that, although I didn't go as far to say that that all mega sites had bad retention. I have no idea how true that could precisely be. Just likely not as good as niche sites with exclusive content.

I actually agree with that when it comes to certain sponsors. I think that there are programs built with zero intention of attempting to retain or even appease the member. They're entire focus is the upsell/cross sale. It's really annoying when that type of program offers revshare, even though they are going to do everything within their marketing guru's power to move that member to another site/product.

NO YOU DIDN'T! Re-read it for a 3rd time:

You said "offer" That means that it's the program & not the affiliate. The affiliate can not "offer" anyone PPS.

Now why would an affiliate program pay PPS on a trial if that had bad retention?

No one cares what you think you said, we just care about what you actually posted.

Greenie do you need a Tylenol or something?
Stop splitting hairs.

Splitting hairs? Just be a big boy & admit that you fucked up.

I never mentioned "trial" even once, so would you mind answering your own question for us?

With a sponsor that offers both choices, you could do your own split-tests by using both until you see which one brings you more $$ over time. Depending on how you manage your promotions this can be easy or hard. Easy if you have a way to automatically rotate the links so that about half your traffic gets the PPS link and the others get the RevShare code.

--visually changing hats so no one gets confused-- ;)

And as a program owner I just want to say that I wish everyone would chose our pay-per-sale option 'cause it costs us too much the other way. :D

Be a big boy & admit you fucked up.

|popcorn|

TekAngel - since I know that Evil Chris can't admit that he fucked up, I'll get this back on topic :)

Assuming the program offers all 4, use them in this order:
1 - PPS with cheap trial
2 - Revshare with no trial
3 - PPS with no trial
4 - Revshare with cheap trial

That's not to say there are not exceptions - say a sponsor offers 2 & 3 (this is very common) After an amount of hits or a time frames has passed, you look at your stats & see that the the average Revshare signup is making you less than a PPS, then switch the codes.

There's other scenario's, but that list is a good guide :)

Fine! OK I could have worded the first part a little better.

Let me re-phrase it by saying that "mega sites" should be promoted on a PPS basis since, in my experience, they do not normally retain as well as a niche site with exclusive content.

You know, I've actually wondered if some programs know that their product is so good, that they prefer to buy off affiliates with a quick PPS rather than share the ever-lasting rewards. I wouldn't blame them. Of course, I'd bet that there are very few programs with that kind of product.

I also find this with the cross selling sponsors, your surfer buys the trial and it doesn't retain so you earn peanuts. Those are the great sponsors to promote PPS where ever possible.

I personally like revshare as an affiliate unless I have doubts in the company sticking around long enough to get my rebills out of them