Re: Affiliates-ass-milliates

From: John Gaskill <jg_at_info-central-usa.com>
Date: Wed 12 Sep 2001 12:35:46 -0500

BRANDI JASMINE <brandi_at_brandijasmine.com> WROTE:

>Oh puhlease. I don't know a single person who is not and
>has not been involved on the affiliate side who has made
>much more than coffee money from these things. And one
>usually implements them as instructed by the affiliate
>program - so whose fault is it if they are badly implemented?

TO WHICH ALLAN GARDYNE <allan_at_associateprograms.com> REPLIED:

>Many people DO earn good money from affiliate programs.
>I've interviewed several for the Associate Programs
>Newsletter.
 
<snip>

>The problem is that most of the commissions are earned by
>about the top 5% of affiliates, leaving 95% wondering what
>they're doing wrong - and perhaps claiming bitterly that
>it's impossible to make money with these darn things.

There are probably many reasons why most affiliate
programs don't work for anyone other than affiliate
program packagers, and to a lesser degree, the the
operators of large affiliate programs (such as Amazon.com),
but if I were to put my finger on one primary reason that
most "content" sites have difficulties converting
affiliate links into spendable cash, that reason would
have to be "unrelatedness of link to content."

The average content seeker is not looking for the web
site they visit to be an endorser of products or services
outside the area of interest they specialize in.
Additionally, unless the affiliate links naturally tie in
to the content being provided, site visitors are likely to
surmise, "advertorial," and pay less attention to the ad
than those that fit in naturally.

On the other hand, affiliate programs are preached and
sold as appropriate for all web sites in spite of
overwhelming evidence to the contrary. I was wandering
around a Barnes & Noble the other night and chanced upon
a title on affiliate marketing. This book described the
process as "a new selling technique which will transform
the retailing landscape around the globe" or something
to that effect (you get my drift...). The book was
published in 1998 and will probably ultimately leave
the bookstore on its way to a 99 cents only store, or
something like that.

This is not to say that a related sponsorship/purchase
arrangement would not work better than an affiliate
relationship in most cases. A related sponsorship
would be, for example in the case of Brandi Jasmine's
astrology web site, that an online seller of supplies
and books related to astrology and/or predicting the
future paid a sponsorship fee, a base sum of some
amount to access Brandi's audience for the month,
and provided a selection of items to be offered for
sale during the period of sponsorship. Brandi sets
up a secure page that takes orders either through
a cgi bin or encrypted e-mail. In either case,
Brandi controls the flow of orders and has complete
knowledge of what the buyer opted for and the
total amount of the order. Computing commission is
simplified because Brandi knows what was ordered.
Brandi would be paid commissions on "stock-outs"
as well to prevent the affiliate seller from using
bait and switch tactics and making customers
unhappy (good for both Brandi and the seller).

ALLAN GARDYNE ALSO WROTE:

>Here's something you could try, Brandi. Forget about
>using banners. That's about the worst possible way to
>try to earn money with affiliate programs. Try writing
>an honest, enthusiastic endorsement for a product you
>really believe in, and send your endorsement to a double
>opt-in list of subscribers who have learned to trust
>your opinion. That works.

Although the double opt-in list subscriber is a suitable
target for these "advertorial" solicitations, the fact that
you are getting a commission off of the sale dilutes the
value of your endorsement if it is not fully disclosed.

You will be better off cutting a one to one deal with
the seller asking for specific, exclusive bargains you
might offer your subscribers only, and pitching those
deals to your list. That way there is a benefit to
subscribing to your list beyond the content you offer.

My $ 0.02.

Regards all,

John Gaskill
jg_at_Info-Central-USA.com
Want more advertising for your site?
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Received on Wed Sep 12 2001 - 12:35:46 CDT