By Mike Brennan

As job losses mount and prices rise ever higher, somethings starting to click. And its definitely not the sound of cursors on ads. Its the realization that, though times are already far from easy, tougher moments almost certainly lie ahead.

And in many ways, affiliate marketers are likely to be amongst the worst affected.

For some time now the clickthrough economy has shown signs of a significant slowdown, and in January of this year Google reported a sharp drop in PPC growth, a warning note matched by other large providers.

Add to this the fact that most are starting to feel the pinch caused by global economic woes, and the click-happy days that sparked an online affiliate boom seem very seriously threatened.

The ultimate marketing mantra is that perfect products fulfill our needs, wants and desires. If times are good, its relatively simple to convince consumers that something they want is something they actually need.

That task becomes much harder in times of economic crisis. And when alls said and done, how many online schemes really cater to the absolute necessities people prioritize whenever moneys short?

But the picture isnt entirely bleak, and even a faltering economy will produce winners alongside losers.

Its clear, for example, that products offering value for money always perform well when cash is hard to come by. So freebies, coupons, discount offers or honest-to-goodness, no frills items will all see a huge rise in demand.

Advertisers are perfectly aware of this, of course, so if you run PPC schemes or similar, expect to see a surge in ads designed to entice despite tough times. In other words, those clicks could still occur.

But its also worth thinking now about the programs you run and how they might fare in the light of on-coming change. If times are gloomy, sometimes its the brightest, liveliest advertising that gives the kind of lift visitors respond to best.

Those depending on product referrals are likely to find themselves worst hit as impulse buying falters and consumers turn their backs on luxury items, gadgets and high-end goods. Nevertheless, certain sectors will flourish.

Home entertainment should experience higher then usual sales as people go out less in an effort to economize. So games and gaming sites, DVD rentals, music downloads, (cheaper) magazines and books are all likely to perform well. More hours spent at home means more time online, too, so many web businesses will gain greater exposure - a worthwhile situation even if profit isnt immediate.

And what about affiliate marketing itself? Will the success stories prove even more alluring as a make money fast solution? Or will its popularity plunge as the real difficulties of earning online become ever more apparent?

Thats something I cant predict, but well find out soon enough.

source: ezinearticles

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