Where does ToolGuyd’s income and support come from?
We discussed the various sources in a post late last year – see How Does ToolGuyd Make Money? – and in this post we’ll focus on affiliate links.
In a recent deal post, a reader suggested that I am “puppeted” because I expressed enthusiasm about a particular product and its price. They described the deal as “a pile of poopy.”
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The deal post focused on the Craftsman V-Series wrench set, which is currently discounted by around 50%. See Craftsman V-Series Wrench Set Deal is Back in Stock!
For the period from July 1st thru August 2024, and in the context of items ordered via our affiliate links at one particular retailer, this wrench set is the number 1 most ordered item and number 3 with respect to commission income.
Compared to 2023’s total revenue, it amounts to… not that much.
Here’s a post from the other day: New Ryobi Cordless Butt Warmer!. There’s an affiliate link to other Ryobi USB Lithium products, but the heated cushion isn’t available yet. I don’t expect to see any sales or affiliate referrals/commissions from that post.
The first link in this post – Misc Tool Talk – August 9, 2024 – earned more affiliate commission than I anticipated, and it’s something I didn’t even check until looking for contexts to include here.
This post doesn’t have any affiliate links – Thoughts on Cordless Power Tools with Built-in Batteries – since I didn’t think it would be helpful. My Bosch Go tool inspired that post, and it’s available here under Dremel branding. It seemed like links would distract from the topic.
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Am I deliberate about affiliate links? Absolutely, and absolutely not. I don’t give it much thought. What’s the price? Where can I buy it? If I check a link, it’s usually worth including in a post.
Here are 4 tools I checked out on Amazon this week, with links to the Amazon pages:
- Knipex/Orbis Angled Cable Cutter
- Vessel Ball Grip it Holder and Mini Screwdriver Handle
- Vessel T-Type Mini Ratchet Bit Set
- Beta Dzus Screwdriver
I can write a couple of hundred words for a tool or gear review, e.g. Rogue Gear Co Protector Phone Tether – Review, but the minute or two it took to put together this combined 4-tool image and couple of links will drive more sales and earn greater revenue.
Maybe there was an opportunity to shoehorn an affiliate link into this post – 5 USA Knife Brands Founded a New Cooperative Organization, but where? It didn’t seem natural.
Amazon has a Precision Tools carbon steel shim stock set for a lot less than I bought it for back in December. I spent $60 and change, and it’s currently $42 and change.
If you need steel shim stock, you might click the link to check it out. A couple of hundred words might explain its purpose to everyone else, but this is something you need or you don’t. I’m shimming equipment, and so it’s good to have around.
If I try to convince everyone and it’s a must-have, and it’s not and you return it, the affiliate commissions will get reversed. I get nothing and stand to lose your trust.
I bought a Hi-Lift Post Popper – $85 plus shipping via Jegs at Amazon – and it worked well to pull a rotting address post out of the ground.
Do you think a long post about the tool is going to earn more revenue than an image and single line of text thrown together in 30 seconds? It won’t. The added work might drive a few additional affiliate commissions.
I use my Dewalt 9ft tape measure nearly every day. You can get your own for just under $8 at Home Depot with free shipping.
If you haven’t seen this tape measure before, you might find it interesting and buy one. If it’s been on your wishlist, you might buy one. If you have one and could use another one or three, you might buy one.
If readers chime in “I’ve got that and love it!”, you might buy one.
If I go into detail about how mine are super convenient, especially since I can stick the magnetic backing to steel cabinets and even shelf support bracket screws, is that going to appreciably increase the number of sales and revenue? Probably not. Maybe it could? I never checked.
There are so many ways to fit affiliate links naturally that there’s no reason to force it.
FYI, this Craftsman V-Series wrench set is on sale for 50% off at Amazon compared to what I paid in June 2023.
Do you see my point?
If affiliate revenue was the primary intent, very few words are necessary.
The same is true for holiday season deal posts. Frankly, I’m sure that I/ToolGuyd could drive more sales and earn more revenue with considerably less work.
That said, I don’t actually know how much of ToolGuyd’s support relies in affiliate commissions. I ran some numbers, and it was 41% in 2023.
This doesn’t include sponsorships by affiliate partners, which contributed 0.9% towards ToolGuyd’s total 2023 income.
I genuinely believe that I can earn a lot more than this with a lot less work. But that’d be super boring.
I’m sure that 90% of you have never seen this Lobster adjustable wrench (currently available from Amazon for around $22).
I bought the Lobster wrench and also this Engineer Pocket stubby wrench (also available via Amazon for around $19) back in 2015.
The Lobster wrench went up in price slightly, but the Engineer wrench is considerably less expensive (I paid $25.65).
If the 2024 ratio would be 42%, all of this might nudge it up to what, 42.0001%?
Micro-managing this stuff would make perfect business sense.
But in the grand scheme of things, I’m having a blast, and I hope readers leave a post feeling informed, interested, and maybe entertained.
If I focused more on affiliate links, I would definitely have burned out by now.
Am I strategic? Sure.
Lowe’s deal of the day today was for a Dewalt’s 20V Max brushless impact driver, on sale for $99 for the tool-only. Amazon’s had the 1-battery kit for $99. Mass media sites would be telling you all about the “wow, save $30, today only.” I can only hope that I’ve kept readers well-informed enough for them to scoff at Lowe’s “deal.”
Maybe an “Amazon beats Lowe’s Dewalt deal of the day” post would have driven some purchases by readers or one-time visitors seeing the post in their news feed. But would it have sparked an interesting conversation? Doubtful, so I skipped it.
With many deal posts, especially around the holidays, I try to balance excitement and detraction. I add analysis, price comparisons and so forth.
Yes, the site is partially supported via affiliate links, but it’s not the point. If affiliate revenue was the goal, or a driving motivation, I’m doing a very bad job so far.
It’s hard to believe, but I try my best to avoid thinking about these things. Are there too many links? Not enough? It’s best to let things naturally fall into place.
Aaron SD
Well said. I’ve always felt the reviews and discussion comes first and that’s what keeps the site so great. I see the links as a convenience and not pushy. That comment came way out of left field and made no sense.
Keep up the great writing and wide range of topics.
Rob G Mann
I was coming here to type this exact comment, so I’ll just reiterate what Aaron said, the links are a convenience. I’d prefer they are they rather than me having to go look myself when I am interested in something you discuss. This is one of the very rare sites that I have on my iPad home page. I trust Stuart enough that he’s not going to push something he wouldn’t buy himself.
Scott F
It is easy to project bad intentions. It is also pretty easy to see that affiliate links are not abused on this site. Do you use them a lot, sure, but you should… the fact that they exist mean you spent extra time to go pull the listing and build in the link, and you typically do so with tact.
Of course there is strategy behind links – at the end of the day TG is still a business that needs to make money. But your strategy has always put the readers first, and in my eyes the links are just another means to help your audience. They just so happen to help the business as well – win win.
I don’t often see links placed without context or research either. For example you posted about the non contact voltage/IR thermometer the other day. In that post you linked to several different NCV products and IR products, but you also provided context and reasoning for each one to justify it being there. Reminds me of high school English class, they told us if you are going to use a quote, you need to introduce it first and explain it after, don’t just drop it in without contextualizing – I see affiliate links in the same light. No complaints here on how you leverage them.
Blocky
*hands clapping*
MKY
Stuart –
“ I genuinely believe that I can ***early*** a lot more than this with a lot less work. “
Stuart
Thanks! *fixed*
Ken
I can’t believe anyone would come to this site and criticize you for making a living. You clearly put a lot of thought and work into each post. I agree that referral links fall into place naturally and I have never read a post that feigned enthusiasm to push a referral link. If a reader feels compelled to criticize someone for using referral links or sponsored content, I hope they never discover YouTube.
fred
There will always be folks who are envious of others, how they make their living or what they think they earn. That envy may turn to anger and vitriol. I would counsel that some introspection might better serve those folks. If you are envious about what you perceive as an easy or disingenuous way to making a living – why not just, try it yourself – and see how easy or hard it is to achieve similar results? Or, if you don’t find value in something like ToolGuyd – then just move on.
Stuart allows readers to express all sorts of opinions about the tools and sales that are posted on ToolGuyd. He presents his own perspectives – but then allows readers to add support or take issue. Readers often present what they believe are better or different alternatives. That has always seemed fair to me – so there has been times I’ve disagreed with a recommendation – but not Stuart’s motives for making it.
Stuart
While that’s true, I think some criticisms, doubt, or questions about motives comes from a lack of understanding.
It seems like a good idea to talk about these things every once in a while.
Stuart
@Ken, That’s the thing – I believe everyone should absolutely be critical and maybe even cynical about the content they consume,
Don’t take even me at my word unless/until I have earned your trust.
fred
Amen – but rampant cynicism can be very destructive. Faults in logic seem to abound and may be aided and abetted by some of what we see on the Internet.
A true cynic might use faulty logic by stringing together propositions like this:
The Internet is full of fallacies and lies
XYZ is posted on the Internet
Therefore, XYZ must also be full of fallacies and lies
Then rather than criticizing the content of XYZ – the cynic might extend that faulty logic by posting ad hominem attacks
Stuart
That’s true too.
I learned 2 things a long time ago. First, I never know who will be reading my posts.
I once heard from a reader who said radio personalities were recommending ToolGuyd on their show.
There were also comments from Milwaukee Tool’s President:
https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-cordless-nailers/#comment-771301%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/milwaukee-cordless-nailers-hands-on/#comment-792350%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I received this message yesterday from a CEO:
OR… you never know which post will prompt a first-time reader to come back a second time, and then again, and again, and then all of a sudden it’s 14.5 years and 8,853 comments later. 😊 (Always glad to have you!)
That leads to the second lesson. What I say in a comment isn’t just a one-on-one response, it’s shared with everyone.
In the case of red herring arguments and ad hominem attacks, the worst soapboxing doesn’t make it past stricter anti-spam and anti-trolling protocols.
For those that do end up in the comments section, it can be difficult to give someone the benefit of the doubt, or to craft a patient response that’s much kinder than someone might deserve.
Sometimes it works out – I received an encouraging “I’m sorry, I didn’t see it that way” long ago. And if it doesn’t, I’m still responding to everyone else.
When I see influencers reply to critics on social media with insults and name-calling, there’s a sing-song voice in my head that says “that’s a mistake!”
Farkleberry
Who knows why some posts and topics catch my or anyone else’s interest, while others never get opened/read.
It’s easy enough to guess what’s an affiliate linked post. If I’m interested in the product, I’ll check out the post.
Sometimes it’s like hearing a word or phrase, that you suddenly start hearing everywhere. Had the word flown under your radar before, and now you’re attuned and noticing? Someone was telling me about a Festool exoskeleton the other day, and I checked it out. I wondered how during all my and others’ Festool bashing of how the brand is stale and past their prime I missed this. I could recall the posts on their branded lifestyle nonsense, and all the entertaining and sometimes enlightening discussions that helped me realize a few more products (beyond domino) that were actually competitive in very limited markets, despite their obscene price tags.
I thought, I should send Stuart a link of this exoskeleton, but first let me search his site. Oh, he posted about it last year, how did I miss that? Maybe I just wasn’t looking at the site closely then, or maybe it just didn’t catch my interest. If every post title started with some click bait like “You’ve GOT to check out X!” or “X will CHANGE THE WORLD!” it would quickly be tiresome.
Constantly posting about different tools with differing levels of commentary, personal experience and enthusiasm from the author is natural. New products will have no track record. Specialized tools, especially large and expensive ones are impractical for non specialists to test and review. Enthusiasm is a slippery thing, and fake enthusiasm is pretty nauseating, we have enough of that during election season.
I do enjoy in depth reviews and comparisons, and summaries of the market as a whole and competitive options.
Readers’ experiences with performance and longevity can be quite valuable.
I also enjoy historical perspective on tools’ development and how differently they’re used, deployed and stored.
I think this format is working: “Here’s a new tool, marketing strategy or tool business development. I’ll often give some background and my thoughts. Please comment if so inclined.”
I originally came here because it was a virtual clearinghouse for tool deals. As the site and e-commerce have become more organized and less wild west, sometimes it feels like something was lost. This is inevitable reality. The best deals, especially at Black Friday, etc. seem to lately be from the largest retailers who can probably negotiate huge volume and shared promotional discounts from the manufacturers. Naturally, these retailers are savvy about marketing channels like Toolguyd. Expecting someone to run a constantly updated site for decades, solely from the standpoint of an unpaid enthusiast is unrealistic. Especially when there are buyers being connected to sellers because of this work, both directly and indirectly.
Did you say all sponsorships were only 0.9% of revenue?
I find the business aspect quite interesting, as it illustrates the huge changes in journalism, self publishing, advertising/marketing, and e-commerce.
If you don’t mind sharing, some more pie charts would be great. Whether and what you share is your prerogative, percentages vs raw numbers, etc.
Stuart
I’ve cut back on tool deals during most of the year because I’ve become jaded about them. Usually I recover from the busyness of the holiday season a month or two into the new year, but this year it seemed like the season-long deals kept going and going. Deal coverage is tied in to an “ooh, I’d take advantage of that price!!” mentality. Less compelling deals means fewer deal posts.
Talking about post titles and such, or content focus, sensationalism has won over the attention of various algorithms. There’s one account I follow, and they’ve switched over to polarizing or controversial memes and posts in what seems to be repeated attempts to go viral.
No – sponsorships from affiliate retailers were 0.9%. They tend to pay through affiliate accounts, and so distinction seemed necessary. I debated about giving a full breakdown, but determined that it’s too messy and also potentially problematic.
Also, Festool Exo post – https://14cyiuhvcgv.com/hilti-festool-exoactive-exoskeletons/%3C/a%3E I have been debating whether to post a follow-up about the USA release, but there’s nothing new for the USA announcement aside from its $3500 price.
Munklepunk
Sometimes I think people have zero clue as to how online business works. Ad revenue is a trickle income. This has been an issue forever, no matter the topic or content, the person or company is a paid shill of course.
But it’s not just the online world. How often has the words, “I can do it better for cheaper”, “that mechanic is price gouging me”, “I know a guy” been spoken out of distrust or ignorance because the impulsive reaction is they are being lied to.
That being said, there are quite a few well known paid loudspeakers on YouTube that I cannot figure why they haven’t shut down their channel.
Stuart
“What do you do for a living?” I have a background in science, and am a tool blogger. 🤨😮 “How do you make money?” often follows.
BigTimeTommy
I like the site but avoid buying things through affiliate links whenever I can, on toolguyd and everywhere else. 🤷♂️
Stuart
That’s one of the reasons I include model numbers towards the beginning and often end of a post. Or just open links in a private/incognito window as it won’t save cookies.
BigTimeTommy
Good looking out.
Jody
If anyone would like to see overuse of affiliate links.. [redacted]
Not sure they even actually review tools on some of their reviews from any trace evidence of uswr experience in the miniscule “reviews”.. It was decent a few years ago though.
TG doesn’t post silly “deals” or have top 10 uses for… Every other day thankfully. Have bought from your links and will continue.
Stuart
I’m not saying I disagree with you, but pointing fingers at other channels isn’t the best etiquette.
A popular mass media site this week posted an article on creative uses for cordless drills. News feed and search algorithms really like lists, even if they’re mindless.
Munklepunk
I built a jig for my drill to roll up string, turns out it was really good for removing fishing line. Was that on the list?
Jared
I bet the majority of complaints about affiliate links are from new or infrequent commenters. Anyone who sticks around for awhile will realize Stuart is knowledgeable, thoughtful and doesn’t push product he doesn’t like.
Affiliate links don’t bother me because I’m here for the content. If I’m persuaded to buy something because of a Toolguyd post, that’s because I trust the information and opinion Stuart expressed. I don’t have any issue with him then making a tiny amount of money from the value I clearly found from reading the article.
If affiliate links are inherently objectionable for some, I wonder what alternative they’re hoping for. E.g. is it better for Stuart’s income to come exclusively from sponsorship opportunities? Should it be a paid subscription service where access is blocked by a paywall? Maybe the site needs more pop-ups, banners and advertising so he can increase the advertising portion of his revenue. Is he supposed to do this without compensation as a community service?
Honestly, I think it’s none of those. Affiliate links don’t cost me anything. If I think a website, Youtube channel or instagram page only exists to get me to follow a link, I’m not going to follow that content and stick around. It’s not trustworthy. On the other hand, if I think the content is trustworthy, then it bothers me not at all that the person behind it benefits from an affiliate link.
Brian
1. If you discuss a tool, a link is useful to me so I can easily click over and exam the tool in greater detail- I appreciate the links.
2. If you go to the trouble of giving me that useful link, I’m happy if you can get a few pennies from the merchant
3. It is particularly nice when you have compared the price at multiple sites and give links to each
Robert
You do a great job, long time reader. Keep it up.
Another Bob
Stuart won’t even sell samples given to him for a profit as he feels it’s not ethical. Nuf said for me in regards to his character. For the record, I think that’s perfectly fine but he has his principal and he has been consistent.
I feel we are all getting a great service that is sorely lacking in this space. I think most long-term viewers would agree this forum is an anomaly in that it’s not a shill for products. I’m glad Stuart is able to make an income off of this platform and I hope we are able to continue this mutually agreeable relationship.
Playing devils advocate, even saying he was “compromised” the deals we are privy to certainly makes up for that. Just my opinion, I’ve been reading this blog for 10 years maybe?
Also, even the comments are valuable. To me it reminds me a lot of what I would hear on the job site from real dudes that use this stuff every day. Also the diy guys chime in. You get a real slice of actual humanity. Just my opinion, but I really think we’re getting hell of a deal.
I think it’s healthy to question any online content but I think when randos like myself are saying it’s legit it gives credence to the product.
Ok Stuart I’m gonna be on vacation for the next month so we’ll touch base later where I want you to send my Lista cabinets too hahahaha,
LGonToolGuy'd
I love the Lobster/Lobtex adjustable wrenches with the sprung ball bearing system to keep it as accurate as possible. Only adjustable wrench I will own.