Re: How to promote an affiliate program

From: Wayne Browning <info_at_homepagers.com>
Date: Wed 13 Sep 2000 14:23:16 -0500

JP SAUVE <jp_at_scorelarge.com> WROTE:
> We just launched an affiliate program for our site
> Prize-O-Matic.com at Commission Junction. At first we
> received a flood of traffic, but that's slowing down
> and now we're looking for sites to promote the program.
>
> Does anyone have a list of affiliate program
> directories or recommendations on promoting an
> affiliate program?

TO WHICH GLENN SOBEL <Glenn_at_AffiliateAdvisor.com> REPLIED:
> Your site isn't earning them enough to motivate them to
> continue.
> There are two main causes of this.
> 1. Lack of conversion (visitors aren't signing up)
> 2. Your commission rate is too low

I concur but have to mention that services like
Commission Junction are also part of the problem, not
intentionally perhaps , but certainly in the area of
definition these presence's lack.

They are indeed selling infrastructure and in many
cases advertisers confuse that with affiliates. By
entering a CJ or LINKshare program one is not
automatically inheriting affiliate sites that will run
your ads. What really ends up happening , or in our
opinion in any case, is that it becomes a B2B ad
campaign, flower shops selling to coffee retailers.
Most publishers , and by "publishers" i mean sites that
publish content and whose main draw is content, have to
have paying advertisers. Commissions just don't cut it
in most cases. Of course the blame is always back at
you the advertiser, typically you will be told your
site is not of top quality or your pay-outs are too
low. This is true in many cases but not all. The type
of publishers that CJ, Linkshare can lay claim to, as
their own, are truly not the top drawing sites and so
of course your offer dies a slow death.

Rule 1:

Realize the difference between vendors of
infra-structure and vendors of publisher and affiliate
programs. as time passes most publishers realize that
99% of the offers at CJ and Linkshare are on commission
only basis and will run away, as there are many other
options still and will be as this becomes more apparent
to advertisers. The other option, and i fear this, is
that retailers attempting to get going using these type
programs will be mis-led, disillusioned and abandon the
internet for commerce, then we all suffer.

So while i agree that in the case of the site discussed
the pay-outs are too low and the site may lack
substance but that is only part of the overall problem
and strategy.

Wayne Browning





Received on Wed Sep 13 2000 - 14:23:16 CDT