For the last five or six weeks we have been developing a tool that offers merchants the ability to monitor specific keywords/phrases Affiliates are using in paid search marketing campaigns. The Paid Search Review tool is available in the Notification Center and as a standard reporting option with performance summaries, sales/commission details, etc. Program managers can access this tool by clicking “Reports” or “Account -> Notification Center” from the main menu.
Inspired by the open source code from Mark Silliman, owner of Spadout.com, the Paid Search Review tool expands upon that original idea with enhanced keyword monitoring functionality specific to, and integrated within our Affiliate network. The Paid Search Review tool is bundled with any service level, making it a free service for merchants. For those retailers (considering AvantLink) interested in quality Affiliates and brand protection, this tool alone is your ROI!
By default, we will monitor each merchant’s name and domain name. For example…
Grim Reapers
GrimReapers.com
This default configuration helps merchants, as well as AvantLink staff, maintain compliance with our Affiliate terms of use. Program managers can also monitor whatever additional keywords/phrases they want. It’s just a matter of going to the Notification Center and adding the keyword.
“One of the major business issues we find ourselves battling every day at AvantLink.com, is the problem generally referred to in the Affiliate marketing industry as Trademark Bidding,” says Scott Kalbach, founder and CEO of AvantLink. “This is the practice of Affiliates bidding on merchant names or trademarks via paid search ads to drive traffic.” He continues, “We have a policy that prohibits this activity, and we enforce it. However enforcement has become increasingly difficult. This tool will assist us, and our merchant partners directly, in more robust brand protection and Affiliate terms of use compliance.”
We believe this is the only network integrated Affiliate marketing tool for Affiliate paid search bid monitoring. Questions, comments or suggestions are certainly encouraged. Special thanks to David Clark for his work on this project!
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1John Powell on Sep 14, 2009 at 10:40 am:
Way to go David! This has got to be a big plus for merchant recruitment once the word gets out. My only fear is that you all are going to be so good that one of the giants buys you out.
The best technology and people of any network.
2Gary M on Sep 16, 2009 at 3:45 pm:
Thanks for the support John. We’re seeing merchants already get value from this. It’s in all of our interests to clean up this activity, and that’s why we report kw bid violations happening on all the major networks…not just here at AvantLink. Gary M