There are many ways to conduct business, ranging from co-opetition to cut throat. Many industries operated somewhere in between, but affiliate marketing tends to have more of a community vibe.
So when somebody violates the mores of the collective industry, it tends to result in a swift backlash.
The latest example comes in a thread I was just reading on ABestWeb about Experience Advertising.
This is a company that manages affiliate programs, and the action that caused an uproar was Experience Advertising owner Evan Weber bidding on the company names of his competitors in Google AdWords and running the following ad:
In response to the complaints about his marketing efforts, Mr. Weber created an account on ABestWeb, “hatingonme,” and posted:
Hey guys its Evan here..all the ads are down…why shouldn’t companies be able to advertise in Google for other companies keywords? This goes on everyday…nonetheless, I have removed all of them. If you want to keep bad mouthing me here thats fine, when everyone loves me in the internet marketing industry, but don’t be suprised if I don’t do the same on my site about you.
This reminds me of something Jason Calacanis said during his keynote at Affiliate Summit 2008 West.
He said something along the lines of “just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it.”
Exactly.
{ 14 comments }
Actually you could does not mean you should. I think that bidding on your competitors branded key term or name is horrible. I don't ever buy branded key terms, even though I know some of my competitors buy ours.
> Why is it Hijacking and not offering an alternative…
Somebody is explicitly looking for more information about a brand or individual when they search the specific name.
If they're looking for alternatives, they'll search for generic terms.
> And this business about camaraderie among affiliate companies is garbage…we all know not everyone in this industry gets along.
When I was managing affiliate programs as an OPM, I found my competitors to be friendly with one another.
Not everybody gets along, but that doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to alienate people.
Actually I really don't care what Haiko or any of my competitors say about my company. If they want to bad mouth and call me unethical for running an adwords campaign that’s their right. Why is it Hijacking and not offering an alternative…This is online marketing after all and traffic is the key. Believe me I don't get business without convincing each company I can do a great job for them. And this business about camaraderie among affiliate companies is garbage…we all know not everyone in this industry gets along. Some people in this industry think they own the space apparently…but it couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't think it's wrong to hijack business from yr competitors, what do you care what they are saying on ABW?
What's with endorsements? Pepperjam and CJ running for prez?
Actually you could does not mean you should. I think that bidding on your competitors branded key term or name is horrible. I don't ever buy branded key terms, even though I know some of my competitors buy ours.
> Why is it Hijacking and not offering an alternative…
Somebody is explicitly looking for more information about a brand or individual when they search the specific name.
If they're looking for alternatives, they'll search for generic terms.
> And this business about camaraderie among affiliate companies is garbage…we all know not everyone in this industry gets along.
When I was managing affiliate programs as an OPM, I found my competitors to be friendly with one another.
Not everybody gets along, but that doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to alienate people.
Actually I really don't care what Haiko or any of my competitors say about my company. If they want to bad mouth and call me unethical for running an adwords campaign that’s their right. Why is it Hijacking and not offering an alternative…This is online marketing after all and traffic is the key. Believe me I don't get business without convincing each company I can do a great job for them. And this business about camaraderie among affiliate companies is garbage…we all know not everyone in this industry gets along. Some people in this industry think they own the space apparently…but it couldn't be further from the truth.
If you don't think it's wrong to hijack business from yr competitors, what do you care what they are saying on ABW?
What's with endorsements? Pepperjam and CJ running for prez?
No Shawn you are just brining more credibility to the thread. But it seems you are throwing around your endorsements a lot lately ala PepperJam/CJ…
If you think it is legitimate to bid on my name, as well as Affiliate Summit, go right ahead.
I never said it was illegal. And there are plenty of questionable things people can do that are legal.
Personally, I don't think it's right to try and co-opt somebody elses reputation to bolster your own.
I don't consider anything in my post to be libelous – explain where I have written something false and I will gladly correct it.
Another feeble attempt to slander and bad mouth my company…Maybe I should put all the ads back up since there is nothing wrong or illegal about it. I only took them down because I do run an ethical company and what to get along with everyone, despite being slandered as unethical by AM Navigator and Haiko.
Bravo Shawn!
When somebody tries to get business by leveraging my personal brand and that of a company I've worked hard to build, I think I have every right to have my say.
Happy trolling!
wow, who the f are you to say what someone else can and can't do for there business? get over yourselves!
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