Re: No CPA on FrankelBiz?

From: Andy Bourland <andybourland_at_yahoo.com>
Date: Wed 21 Nov 2001 16:02:43 -0500

PHIL TANNY <phil_at_philtanny.com> WROTE:

> In my view, CPA is becoming part of this industry
> because a growing segment of advertisers simply don't
> trust those selling online advertising. Please notice
> I'm not saying who is right or wrong. I'm just
> pointing out that the bonds of trust between buyer and
> seller have frayed to a serious degree and that it's
> this psychological, attitudinal element that largely
> explains the emergence of CPA.
>
> We have a human problem here folks, not a
> technical one.

You may well be right, Phil. I think we are experiencing a
serious hangover right now from the VC drunkfest this
industry went through in the late 90's. What's done is done,
but we're now going through the experimentation and growing
pains that we would have had to struggle through had we not
had the massive amounts of VC warping the picture. Now we
have an audience which feels entitled to "all free, all the
time", making it quite difficult to monetizen publishing
ventures.

I do want to take issue with you on one item though, Phil...

You speak about the "bonds of trust" and wonder why people
don't trust us.

As a matter of habit, I always go to the web sites of those
who submit before I reply. I went to yours and saw that you
had a pretty clever and useful information service going on
there.

But then, on one of the pages
(http://subscription-service.com/info/html/mostpopular-info.cgi? )
which has a lengthy form on it, you have what appears to be
a pull down window which says "Show me how to..." followed
by what appears to be a pull down menu -- the first item
being "Promote my website".

Thinking there were any number of choices on this menu at
the top of a form, I clicked in order to get the pull
down menu to appear, only to have it click over to
"marketingtips.com". In my quest for information, I
accidentally stepped on an advertising land mine!

I had no idea it was an ad. I felt like I'd been fooled by
that one and stopped exploring right then and there,
since I had no idea what other "ad traps" might lie ahead.

Trust? Gonzo, once I clicked on that ad. You might have had
me otherwise, because I think you have a great service
going there.

But this is the kind of desperation that CPA brings about.
One has to trick and mislead people, force things down
their throat, follow them around, etc -- in order to get
them to respond.

My trust in that service was destroyed because
MarketingTips.com somehow got you to carry a trick ad
seemingly designed just for that page. How many other
visitors who might have become regulars have been
sacrificed that accidentally clicked the ad only to end
up in a place they had no desire to go?

The same objective could have been accomplished by
carrying a section of clearly labeled "sponsored links"
that are affiliated with particular companies other than
yourself. Relevant sponsored links could be featured
throughout all the sections of your service.

Look at it from your visitors viewpoint. Would you feel
duped?

Andy


=====
Andrew R. Bourland
... Stay tuned!




Received on Wed Nov 21 2001 - 15:02:43 CST