Comments on: Affiliates Getting Cut Out of the Loop? http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/cutting-out-affiliates/ AvantLink.com Blog Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:14:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Ben http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/cutting-out-affiliates/#comment-11617 Ben Sat, 25 Aug 2007 19:42:11 +0000 http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/what-do-you-think-of-branded-links/#comment-11617 Another reason that branded links are good is that many browsers and spyware block access to affiliate link servers, as they consider them as malware sites. For us, that issue is the biggest loss of revenue. And the inability to create an affiliate link to any destination is the biggest technical challenge. Branded links solve both those issues. Bring 'em on! Ben Another reason that branded links are good is that many browsers and spyware block access to affiliate link servers, as they consider them as malware sites.

For us, that issue is the biggest loss of revenue. And the inability to create an affiliate link to any destination is the biggest technical challenge. Branded links solve both those issues. Bring ‘em on!

Ben

]]> By: Scott Hazard http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/cutting-out-affiliates/#comment-11282 Scott Hazard Wed, 22 Aug 2007 03:55:05 +0000 http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/what-do-you-think-of-branded-links/#comment-11282 Merchants using these branded links in an attempt to game the SEO results will only lead to the search engines taking additional steps to discount the value of an affiliate link. We have enough obstacles already. Merchants using these branded links in an attempt to game the SEO results will only lead to the search engines taking additional steps to discount the value of an affiliate link.
We have enough obstacles already.

]]> By: Ben http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/cutting-out-affiliates/#comment-11205 Ben Mon, 20 Aug 2007 03:43:34 +0000 http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/what-do-you-think-of-branded-links/#comment-11205 There's quite a few things going on here: 1. We can't cut out affiliate management programs; otherwise coordinating merchant payments to affiliates is too complex to keep track of for publishers. 2. A link should NEVER show an error, even if a merchant has stopped making payments to the affiliate management program and the affiliate will not get paid for a referral. Affiliates should be notified, and should be required to choose whether to remove their links or not. Having links that produce errors is equivalent to broken links, and reflects extremely poorly on the affiliate. 3. Direct links remove a lot of the real tediousness of creating affiliate links To have to choose from a list of static links that run through the affiliate management website, rather than simply appending some simple querystring argument to any URL on the merchant site that you wish to publish to is silly. There's much more power and simplicity in direct links. And now, the question is, what's the solution. Well, it's not that hard: Affiliate management sites simply need to provide the merchants with small software applications which record and transmit traffic and sales from the merchant site to the affiliate management databases. That way, - direct links are ok - affiliates can still use the affiliate management sites for simple reporting - search engines give hte proper ranking to merchants (which is a very fair point). and, - affiliate management sites can have simple scripts which look for changes in reported numbers. Such changes could indicate "cheaters" who are trying to circumvent paying out or reporting sales or traffic by hacking scripts. This is the right kind of solution; a solution like this makes things cleaner for merchants and affiliates, and puts the onus of managing the connection between the two in the hands of.... the affiliate management sites--squarely where it should be! Anything along these lines would be a big upgrade for the interaction between merchant sites and my site. We are creating ~50 affiliate links dynamically a day, and having a simple scheme such as direct linking is a HUGE win for us. Ben Cipollini http://www.dodtracker.com/ There’s quite a few things going on here:

1. We can’t cut out affiliate management programs; otherwise coordinating merchant payments to affiliates is too complex to keep track of for publishers.

2. A link should NEVER show an error, even if a merchant has stopped making payments to the affiliate management program and the affiliate will not get paid for a referral. Affiliates should be notified, and should be required to choose whether to remove their links or not. Having links that produce errors is equivalent to broken links, and reflects extremely poorly on the affiliate.

3. Direct links remove a lot of the real tediousness of creating affiliate links To have to choose from a list of static links that run through the affiliate management website, rather than simply appending some simple querystring argument to any URL on the merchant site that you wish to publish to is silly. There’s much more power and simplicity in direct links.

And now, the question is, what’s the solution. Well, it’s not that hard:

Affiliate management sites simply need to provide the merchants with small software applications which record and transmit traffic and sales from the merchant site to the affiliate management databases. That way,
- direct links are ok
- affiliates can still use the affiliate management sites for simple reporting
- search engines give hte proper ranking to merchants (which is a very fair point).

and,

- affiliate management sites can have simple scripts which look for changes in reported numbers. Such changes could indicate “cheaters” who are trying to circumvent paying out or reporting sales or traffic by hacking scripts.

This is the right kind of solution; a solution like this makes things cleaner for merchants and affiliates, and puts the onus of managing the connection between the two in the hands of…. the affiliate management sites–squarely where it should be!

Anything along these lines would be a big upgrade for the interaction between merchant sites and my site. We are creating ~50 affiliate links dynamically a day, and having a simple scheme such as direct linking is a HUGE win for us.

Ben Cipollini
http://www.dodtracker.com/

]]> By: Blake http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/cutting-out-affiliates/#comment-11156 Blake Fri, 17 Aug 2007 17:15:50 +0000 http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/what-do-you-think-of-branded-links/#comment-11156 I've had some recent experiences with exploitational networks that taught me that 'times indeed are changing.' But I didn't realize this attempt to milk less savvy affiliates has gone as far as it did. I appreciate the heads-up, and the link to the article and ongoing discussions. At this point I guess I am down to two networks I will work with, period, with avantlink being the Cadillac choice. I can only imagine what it feels like to deal repeatedly with new merchants "trained" to look for this type of relationship with their affiliates. I’ve had some recent experiences with exploitational networks that taught me that ‘times indeed are changing.’ But I didn’t realize this attempt to milk less savvy affiliates has gone as far as it did. I appreciate the heads-up, and the link to the article and ongoing discussions.

At this point I guess I am down to two networks I will work with, period, with avantlink being the Cadillac choice. I can only imagine what it feels like to deal repeatedly with new merchants “trained” to look for this type of relationship with their affiliates.

]]> By: Kevin Delaney http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/cutting-out-affiliates/#comment-11119 Kevin Delaney Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:16:06 +0000 http://www.avantshare.com/blog/2007/08/14/what-do-you-think-of-branded-links/#comment-11119 I concur that this is a very negative trend. The merchant is wanting to get something from their affiliates that they did not buy. The point of this trend is for the merchant to undermine the affiliate. Affiliates are wise to avoid direct link programs. I concur that this is a very negative trend. The merchant is wanting to get something from their affiliates that they did not buy. The point of this trend is for the merchant to undermine the affiliate. Affiliates are wise to avoid direct link programs.

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