Comments on: Immodest Proposal for Affiliate Marketing

By: Affiliates Talk About Quality Too :

Affiliates Talk About Quality Too : — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:47:18 +0000

[...] Shawn Johnson [...]

By: Jesse

Jesse — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 19:56:18 +0000

It is up to the networks and individual affiliate managers (outsourced or not) to make the right choices. I understand that there is a sales pressure for most (shall I terminate an affiliate making lots of sales using black hat techniques?…. or shall I look the other way – I am so close to my bonus, don’t want to miss it…) but my own belief is that in the long run you can benefit more from a “clean” program and can count on your affiliates much better than when having an “infested” program. Unfortunately there are too many making the wrong choices…

Anik, we are watching ACCertified!

By: Shawn Collins

Shawn Collins — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:26:44 +0000

Horses being held.

By: Anik Singal

Anik Singal — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 02:28:08 +0000

Hold your horses Shawn! We’re working on it

Anik Singal
ACCertified.com

By: Paul Avila

Paul Avila — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:29:46 +0000

One thing nobody has mentioned is prosecution. If the scammers are violating your terms then change the terms to promote “you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” and then do it. Take a few of your best fraudsters and go after them legally. I know the networks are aware of the scammers, they’re sending them checks so it shouldn’t be too hard to find these clowns and make an example out of a few of them.

By: Mike 11|15 Media

Mike 11|15 Media — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:21:20 +0000

I’ve been thinking about this for a while as well. I think some kind of standard disclosure that can be tracked by the affiliate networks may work. For example, a few years ago children sites, such as Cartoon Network, needed to insert a splash page when ads were clicked that made it clear the user clicked an advertisement and is now leaving the site. A tracking pixel was used to record the click and splash page impression. It would then redirect to the advertiser after 7 seconds.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:12:51 +0000

As long as there is a system, there will be people that try to manipulate that system. It’s always the system’s fault for allowing a manipulation to go on.

In this case, the affiliate networks would be the system and it is their fault for not putting an end to the crazy.

There are tons of things the networks can do and could have been doing to stop the spammers.

Here’s the reality. Most companies are fine with ethics. Right up until ethics cut into the pocketbook.

Nothing will change until the spammers start hurting the pocketbook of the network. Right now all they are doing is selling and more sales = more money for the networks and advertisers.

How do you do that????

Well, one company has to step up and develop a network that eliminates the spammers. Essentially create the end all be all network.

Then, all of us that are doing affiliate marketing right would exclusively use that company and drop all these other networks until they revamp their system.

Think of it as an semi affiliate marketer strike!

See we win because we are still getting paid.
The advertiser wins because they are still selling.

The only ones that lose are the networks that allow spam.

Just a thought…

By: Jason Calacanis Keynote at Affiliate Summit: Feathers Fly

Jason Calacanis Keynote at Affiliate Summit: Feathers Fly — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:40:40 +0000

[...] “good guys” that have been collected on Jason’s site. I agree with Shawn Collins that it’s time for the NETWORKS to step up to the challenge of being better [...]

By: Shawn Collins

Shawn Collins — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:12:40 +0000

Hi Kellie -

Yes, it is certainly an issue for all parties in the industry, but I figured the networks could be a start, since they are the front door.

As far as black hat, it is probably so generic at this point that it means everything and nothing.

I was using it to refer to the players mentioned in the keynote – sploggers and others that don’t bring anything to the game.

By: Stephanie Agresta

Stephanie Agresta — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:55:24 +0000

Good points Kellie. I will clarify to say that it’s time that the networks took a more pro-active role. They react by terminating, but how are they leading? I for one deal with this almost every day. I know most of my colleagues do. I’m just saying there is a lack of leadership on behalf of the networks – which in my mind is also an opportunity for them. Differentiate, take a stand! I know many that would appreciate it!

Thanks,
Stephanie