Comments on: Affiliates: Heads Up on Mashups http://superaff.com/archives/2006/11/02/affiliates-heads-up-on-mashups/ Resources and hype-free conversation for webentrepreneurs interested in making money online. Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:57:12 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Digger http://superaff.com/archives/2006/11/02/affiliates-heads-up-on-mashups/comment-page-1/#comment-23445 Digger Sat, 04 Nov 2006 07:19:59 +0000 http://superaff.com/archives/2006/11/02/affiliates-heads-up-on-mashups/#comment-23445 Well, one use would be making sure that affiliate links you are using on your actual website are relevant if you don't use PPC programs like AdSense. So they could come in handy to traditional webmasters as well and not just the singular affiliate community. Well, one use would be making sure that affiliate links you are using on your actual website are relevant if you don’t use PPC programs like AdSense. So they could come in handy to traditional webmasters as well and not just the singular affiliate community.

]]> By: Terry http://superaff.com/archives/2006/11/02/affiliates-heads-up-on-mashups/comment-page-1/#comment-23398 Terry Fri, 03 Nov 2006 11:13:38 +0000 http://superaff.com/archives/2006/11/02/affiliates-heads-up-on-mashups/#comment-23398 <blockquote>What does an affiliate have at the end of the day if its only asset is its ability to get customers on the cheap and hand them off hoping for the best? </blockquote> If someone is looking for a hands free method of earning money online, it can be a good fit for them to just be traffic hunters and pushers. Long term strategy? Not a great one. I do hear what you're saying Jeff, and I think affiliate marketers in general (including me) don't fully appreciate or realize just what kind of value their visitors really represent. If we did, we wouldn't be so eager to push them off to every business on the planet without anchoring them to our sites first somehow (at the very least). Personally, I'd rather work on keeping traffic contained totally in-house for myself--but that's moving in circles outside affiliate marketing. btw--you should be able to comment in real time now. Not sure why your comment got stuck in queue.

What does an affiliate have at the end of the day if its only asset is its ability to get customers on the cheap and hand them off hoping for the best?

If someone is looking for a hands free method of earning money online, it can be a good fit for them to just be traffic hunters and pushers. Long term strategy? Not a great one.

I do hear what you’re saying Jeff, and I think affiliate marketers in general (including me) don’t fully appreciate or realize just what kind of value their visitors really represent. If we did, we wouldn’t be so eager to push them off to every business on the planet without anchoring them to our sites first somehow (at the very least). Personally, I’d rather work on keeping traffic contained totally in-house for myself–but that’s moving in circles outside affiliate marketing.

btw–you should be able to comment in real time now. Not sure why your comment got stuck in queue.

]]> By: Jeff Molander http://superaff.com/archives/2006/11/02/affiliates-heads-up-on-mashups/comment-page-1/#comment-23350 Jeff Molander Fri, 03 Nov 2006 00:29:56 +0000 http://superaff.com/archives/2006/11/02/affiliates-heads-up-on-mashups/#comment-23350 Okay... seems LONG overdue (access to APIs) but here's the thing -- affiliates still have little control. The model is one that forces them to, first, spend money on netting the customer and then, second, send them away -- hoping for the best. The only control they have is picking what they believe to be an advertiser who can get the deal done (complete the transaction) enough such that their investment pays off. Affiliates remain in a "traffic-shuttle" environment which is one based on, effectively, arbitrage. In theory mashing things up sounds great and I'm sure some affiliates will have a chance to differentiate a bit using them but sooner than later copy-cats catch up. What does an affiliate have at the end of the day if its only asset is its ability to get customers on the cheap and hand them off hoping for the best? Okay… seems LONG overdue (access to APIs) but here’s the thing — affiliates still have little control. The model is one that forces them to, first, spend money on netting the customer and then, second, send them away — hoping for the best. The only control they have is picking what they believe to be an advertiser who can get the deal done (complete the transaction) enough such that their investment pays off.

Affiliates remain in a “traffic-shuttle” environment which is one based on, effectively, arbitrage.

In theory mashing things up sounds great and I’m sure some affiliates will have a chance to differentiate a bit using them but sooner than later copy-cats catch up. What does an affiliate have at the end of the day if its only asset is its ability to get customers on the cheap and hand them off hoping for the best?

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