Copying PPC Ads?
Ok, I have a question for you all. I have had products I have created in the past cracked and stolen via piracy (Encrypted Messenger) which is one of the biggest reasons I stopped updating the software and just gave it away for free. Since I moved into affiliate marketing I have had entire websites copied and ripped off. I figured that was just the way it went. Am I wrong?
So I did some digging and research and found keywordspy and spyfu and even shoemoney tools as well as some clickbank products and others which all copy keywords and ads more or less. Some people use this information for inspiration, some just copy the ads directly and test which ads work. I have done both.
I got an email from a super affiliate (who apparently makes a ton more money than I do) getting mad at me for copying one of his ads. Is he right? Did I copy him? Not him personally.. no. I really don’t know who he is. I would guess his ad came from one of those places I linked to above.
Is it bad/evil to use the tools above to test different existing ads out there? Feel free to comment, I am really curious what people think about this one.
In 5 years plus time as an affiliate across 40+ programs I have never seen anyone copy an ad. I have had numerous people make variations of my ads - but not copy it exactly. Those tools you referred to show a select few of the keywords that people are running along with the associated ads. I have used the tool & it gives me ideas to write ads, but I do not copy them exactly to avoid these types of problems.
Good luck!
Matt
You raise concerns that everyone in this industry has to deal with. Obviously ripping someone’s site and content is just wrong.
As for those keyword tools, I see nothing wrong with them, that’s just public info organized nice and neat.
Copying someone’s ad is definitely greyish. I try to outperform the other ads that I’m competing with. When they copy my ads, really nothing I can do, never read anything on google’s policy about this.
I think the anger may come from when new competition enters someone’s nice and comfy income stream and takes from it. That’s the nature of the beast. Why is the other affiliate entitled to all the profits???
None of us would like to be copied
But… its part of the business risk.
Why to get angry?
Is it the first time that one of his ads was copied?
unlikely if he is a supper affiliate.
Take it easy.
Do what you have to do.
I have had someone copy my entire landing page from me word for word, copy my ads and used a similar domain name. I was slightly angered for about a minute then I realized that it doesn’t really matter. If you are creative enough you can always make a better landing page, a better ad and that is sometimes your competitive advantage over other people in marketing.
The uber super affiliate who spent the time to contact you, showed that he/she is willing to waste time time better spent on making his/her own ads and programs better. We have all heard “why re-invent te wheel” this seems true in this business. Until (heaven forbid) the government steps in to regulate it, these are things are going to continue to happen. The reality is this you can either spend your time worried about others, or continue to improve what your doing.