The Ebay Partner Network, better known as EPN, is one of the best paying affiliate programs available today and is an excellent option for monetizing your website. Why, because perfect niche content sites will send keyword focused traffic to eBay listings.
Build a content focused website that maintains focus on a single subject and your content rich site will attract visitors that are interested in that subject matter.
Content focused visitors appreciate the information provided by the site owner and recognize the eBay product recommendations as a natural extension of that information.
Good niche focused sites are rarely, if ever, simple product review sites. They have usually been online for a significant length of time and they tend to generate a substantial quantity of unique visitors.
And; that’s everything the Ebay Partner Network is looking for in an affiliate partner website.
So, How Do You Join The Ebay Partner Network
Being one of the most lucrative affiliate programs on the Internet the eBay Partner Network is, now, one of the most difficult to be accepted into. The EPN has stringent acceptance policies.
Being accepted is far from certain, but there are a few things you can do to greatly increase your chances of being accepted by the EPN.
The most important thing you need to undertand is NOT TO APPLY until you and your website are ready. If you apply once and are rejected, there is a every chance that any subsequent application will be rejected automatically
- You should be based and applying from the USA, Canada, UK, Western Europe, Australia or New Zealand. Applying from any other country and being accepted will be difficult unless you have a really good site to show the EPN.
- Your IP address must match the address in your application. Giving a US Address and applying with a different country IP is a definite rejection.
- Using a proxy server is cause for rejection and eBay knows them all.
- Your site must contain quality original content that is relevant to a product category on your preferred eBay site.
- Your site must NOT be a review type site, set up purely for the purpose of linking to ebay.
- Your site should not contain eBay or other Ads.
- Your Site should be properly registered with PUBLIC Registration active for at least 1 year and preferably longer.
- Your Public Domain Registration Information and contact email must match your eBay application information.
- Your site must contain easily accessible, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use and Contact information.
- Your site must look the part. your look and feel must demonstrate to eBay that this is a site they would be proud to be associated with.
Key Application Recommendations Highlighted by the eBay EPN team
For eBay to highlight specific areas probably means these areas are a particular cause of application rejections. Be sure you have all of these areas covered before you submit your application.
- Be sure to submit an active phone number where you can be reached within 24 hours of your application – eBay may call to verify details.
- Be crystal clear on exactly how you will promote eBay on your site
- Include all domains in your account that will be used to promote eBay.
- Make sure your primary business model is listed in the options. Otherwise you will have to fill out a special business model application form. This usually means suspension until your sites are manually reviewed.
- If you change your business model at a later date, always remember to change your business model within the eBay Partner Network interface.
In addition, make absolutely sure that all payment information, including the 1099 Form for US publishers, is accurate and complete and includes details on your tax status. Otherwise your earnings will get held up.
Remember; eBay owns Paypal, which has some very sophisticated anti-fraud systems. These systems are propbaly available to the EPN, so be honest in all your dealings and with the information you supply.
Why Do Niche Focused Sites Naturally Fit the EPN Acceptance Criteria …
Well, your website has to be related to a niche that contains eBay product listings and your content can’t just be re-hashed reviews with affiliate links inserted.
The Ebay Partner Network wants quality, original written content that is related to your sites niche. Content that isn’t written as filler content or reviews just to sell affiliate products.
- A good example of a site the EPN would probably reject would be a blog with a bunch of posts, each being dedicated to a different brand of golf club or golf equipment, with affiliate links within each blog post trying to sell that equipment. This would be recognised as a review site and these usually get rejected.
- An example of a site the EPN would probably accept would be a content focused site using HTML or a blogging system, but where the author writes about golfing and golf experiences and thoughts, without any particular focus on golf equipment. Simply a website that visitors would use as a resource for information, tips, tutorials and golf related entertainment. Ebay appears to love sites like this and will usually approve if all other parts are in place.
The second example reads like a summary of any SBI site created by following the action guide and almost all SBI site owners would fulfill the EPN’s selection criteria by just doing what comes naturally … creating unique content and attracting unique visitors who are interested in that content; and doing so by adding one page a day.
So, to summarize ..
Monetizing Your Niche Site with the Ebay Partner Network is a perfect fit as almost all niche sites, are run by real people with a real interest in what their site is about and in providing good value content for their readers.
Simply reading our Website Reviews shows the passion niche site owners have for their websites and demonstrates the difference between websites built with passion, using a stuctured business plan and the re-hashed article and blog sites eBay Partner Network neither wants nor needs.