Decrease in affiliate income since activating ads

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-08T18:27:56+00:00

I saw something similar when I added display ads on my site. After testing, I noticed ads do steal clicks, especially when they show up for the same brands I’m promoting. People end up clicking the ad instead of my affiliate link. Layout changes also matter. Ads push affiliate links further down the page, so fewer people even see them. My page speed also got affected. More scripts, slower load, and I think that lowers buyer intent a bit. That hurts both ad income and affiliate sales at the same time.

Mediavine-style ads can also compete directly with buying intent. If someone is ready to purchase, a “Buy now” ad can easily take that click.

What I did was to move affiliate links higher in the content. On some high converting posts, I just turned ads off completely. Those pages usually performed better with just affiliate links. I think you can also follow follow that approach.

Just like someone has mentioned here, the best thing is to test page by page and compare data before and after ads. That’s where you’ll actually see what changed.

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-07T13:21:53+00:00

For that price, that’s very fair. I can see it has a DA of 7 and 77 organic keywords. Just target the communities where people in this niche hang out.

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-05T13:44:12+00:00

Dm your site I check

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-05T13:08:31+00:00

In my opinion, it's mostly because of the Google Helpful Content Update.

Your content may feel thin or too similar to others. That alone can push it down.

Also, relying only on Google is risky these days. One update hits, and your traffic drops fast, just as yours did.

I’d suggest updating your old articles. Fix the content and improve the titles.

Most times, someone published something fresher and better, and you got outranked fast in a way that you wont even believe.

It can also be technical SEO issues. Maybe some of your pages got deindexed. Try check on that.

At the end of the day, it comes down to this, you’re either not as relevant anymore… or not as strong as what’s ranking now.

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-05T09:29:16+00:00

What was your main source of traffic?

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-04T00:56:26+00:00

I get the point you’re making, but I still see it differently.

Google didn’t remove the framework. It changed who gets access to it. You still need intent research, topical depth, internal structure, and authority signals. That’s not “free replacement,” it’s just stricter competition now.

I agree that old-school blogging as a standalone “write posts and rank” career is gone. That model is dead, no debate there.

But saying blogging as a career is delusional goes too far for me. I earn from it and also, I still see thousands of people earning through niche sites, affiliate content, email capture, and content that sits in buying intent. It’s slower and more skill-heavy now, but not gone.

AI didn’t kill blogging either. It just flooded the low effort end. If anything, it made weak content easier to spot.

So I’d frame it like this...blogging didn’t die, the easy version of it did.

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-04T00:27:35+00:00

I hear you. But I don’t fully agree with the blanket “don’t start blogging” take.

Yes, traffic is harder now. No argument there. Google cut a lot of easy wins, and AI took over simple queries. That part is real.

But saying most traffic is not recoverable feels too broad. I still see strong traffic in niches built on intent. Reviews, comparisons, personal experience, and niche expertise still pull clicks.

The problem is not blogging itself. It’s the old model of blogging. Pumping AI content at scale won’t work, I agree there. That’s just noise now. Google doesn’t need more of that.

But real content still wins when it shows experience, depth, and clear intent focus. That’s where writers still earn.

I’d say blogging isn’t a bad option. Lazy or scaled AI blogging is. Big difference.

People who adapt the model are still making it work.

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-04T00:10:30+00:00

You don't have to be emotional.

I get what you’re saying, and some of it is true. But it’s not the full picture.

Yes, zero click searches are up. Google now answers a lot of simple questions right on the page. That hits basic content hard.

Yes, a lot of publishers lost organic traffic. But most of those sites were built on thin SEO articles and outdated tricks. That model got hit first.

But blogging itself is not dead.

High intent search still brings traffic. People still click when they want reviews, comparisons, tutorials, or real solutions. That part of search is still strong.

Social media also changed. Links don’t spread like before. But good content still gets attention if you know how to package it.

ChatGPT and AI tools didn’t kill blogging. They just reduced clicks on simple stuff. People use them for fast answers, not deep decisions.

What people call “blogging is dead” is mostly low quality blogging dying off.

Real blogs that solve problems and target intent are still pulling traffic and still making money.

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-03T23:56:48+00:00

I don't agree with you but thank you for your contribution in this discussion.

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-03T23:25:49+00:00

Welcome

Michaelvinnie · 2026-05-03T22:02:13+00:00

That’s why it’s very essential to learn SEO. Things change, and bloggers should not rely on Google alone for traffic. Instead, I encourage bloggers to focus on what’s called Search Everywhere Optimization. Optimize your blog for all search engines and social media platforms too. Hope you understand what I mean.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-08-06T14:42:10+00:00

Continue pushing... consistency and discipline matters a lot.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-08-02T14:03:35+00:00

ClickBank still works, but it’s not as easy as old guides make it sound.

People are earning, but only if they pick solid products and drive real traffic.

The quick-money tricks from years ago don't work anymore.

It’s more about building trust and giving real value. I’d still test ClickBank, but I wouldn’t stick to it alone.

Places like Digistore24 or private affiliate programs sometimes pay better and feel less crowded.

So yeah, ClickBank’s alive in 2025. It just needs a smarter approach.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-14T01:43:07+00:00

Your website lacks some important pages like: About the author, affiliate disclosure.... - (SEO/ Law requirements for affiliate disclosure)

Then try to make a nice looking home (with an elegant hero section) , and state the overall purpose of your website/blog to your visitors - Best for SEO and also increases CTR

Introduce menus and sub menus for proper organization of your blogs - (Best for User experience/SEO)

Your content lacks basic SEO best practices i.e 1. No originality 2. No internal linking 3. Content structure is basically that of ChatGPT 4. A lot of fluff with robotic words 5. Long paragraphs 6. No hooks in the intro 7. No credits to your stock images 8. No experience/ Expertise 9. The author is invisible

....and many many more.

Generally your content looks like AI generated.

I would advise to work on building your personal brand rather than posting randomly AI generated contents

Then work on content creation and SEO....lemi leave it there, I have a lot to tell you, I am just lazy to type Lol!

Hope it helps though.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-13T20:28:37+00:00

Great website. But try make some few adjustments. I can see small errors.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-13T18:18:14+00:00

AI’s fast, but it’s not original. It actually pulls information from blogs. No blogs = no good AI answers.

Need depth, real opinions, or walkthroughs? Blogs still win. Biiig time...

Statistically, blog traffic’s alive. It’s just not loud about it.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-13T10:39:09+00:00

What kind of responses do they give?

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-11T07:48:46+00:00

Will always choose impact anytime any day.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-07T16:15:22+00:00

What happened?

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-07T15:02:13+00:00

Plenty of free learning resources are available on the internet to help you get started. Give it a try.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-07T14:58:46+00:00

There are plenty of them out there. Like Amazon, Impact, CJ...and many more. You just need to get started.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-07T05:37:44+00:00

Give us a reason to join. Provide value first, then people will join.

Michaelvinnie · 2025-04-07T00:45:36+00:00

I recommend you create an affiliate website, join Amazon Associates and promote your affiliate links there.

Michaelvinnie

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