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Affiliate Program Tip Blog (33 unread)

Free Affiliate Summit West 2009 Passes

Posted: December 14th, 2008, 3:50am MYT by Shawn Collins

Does anybody out there want a free pass to Affiliate Summit West 2009, taking place January 11-13, 2009 in Las Vegas?

I’m not talking about just one, but bunches over the coming weeks - the Gold Pass, which is selling for $549.

This pass gets access to the Affiliate Meet Market, exhibit hall, keynote from Gary Vaynerchuk, Sunday educational and sessions, networking events, access to all recorded educational session videos, PowerPoint presentations and the Affiliate Summit Social Network.

The videos and other conference materials won’t be publicly available this time around, so you’ll need a Gold or Platinum pass to get them.

Anyhow, I’ll be randomly posting messages to my Twitter account with coupon codes to register for Affiliate Summit.

These codes will be good for one use only, so the first person to register with each code gets the free Gold pass.

As with any complimentary passes to Affiliate Summit, these are not transferable.

Keep an eye on [twitter.com] for those Affiliate Summit codes.
21 Essential WordPress Plugins

Posted: December 13th, 2008, 9:28pm MYT by Shawn Collins

The TechVivo blog has compiled a list of plugins for WordPress blogs.

I am already using about a quarter of them, such as the FeedBurner FeedSmith, Google XML Sitemaps Generator, and WordPress.com Stats plugin, and there are others I used and have since deactivated.

My favorite thing about lists like these is the discovery of plugins I haven’t heard about, yet.

The biggest problem I have day to day is spam, so I am most interested in Simple Trackback Validation and WP-Spam Free look interesting.

I’m currently running Akismet, Bad Behavior, and Disqus but spam comments and trackbacks are out of control.

I think I’ll probably grab WordPress Database Backup, too.

Check out the list at [www.techvivo.com].
Top One Percent Report from Joel Comm

Posted: December 13th, 2008, 7:00am MYT by Shawn Collins

I got a copy of the Top One Percent Report from Joel Comm a while back, and it managed to get lost in my inbox.

But I came across it today and read through the twenty page publication. I have the September 2008 issue (#4) and it’s packed with solid information.

Issue #4 includes thought provoking articles, like one on whether you’d like to be profitable or popular, as well as pieces on setting up a green office, marketing via Twitter, and video tips.

You can get a complimentary issue of the Top One Percent Report from Joel’s site. Note that you’ll be billed monthly after the first month if you wish to receive it.

Joel Comm will be speaking at Affiliate Summit West 2009 on mobile marketing.
People You Should Follow on Twitter

Posted: December 12th, 2008, 11:28pm MYT by Shawn Collins
If you’re on Twitter and trying to find some great marketing minds to follow, I’ve got a list for you.

I’ve collected the Twitter user names for most of the speakers at the upcoming Affiliate Summit West 2009 and listed them on the conference speaker page.

Check it out at www.affiliatesummit.com/09w_speakers.php for a quick reference of top affiliate marketers, bloggers, search marketers, and more.

I follow all of these folks and their collective insight is invaluable.

Some other Twitter accounts to check out…
- Affiliate Summit @affiliatesummit
- FeedFront Magazine @feedfront
- Missy Ward @missyward
- Shawn Collins @affiliatetip
More details on Affiliate Summit, taking place January 11-13, 2009 in Las Vegas, at [www.affiliatesummit.com].
Win a Dell Mini from Affiliate Summit

Posted: December 12th, 2008, 12:36pm MYT by Shawn Collins

Affiliate Summit will be giving away a Dell Mini (CNET’s top laptop pick for the holidays) to three people in December 2008.

In order to enter for a chance to win, make a post on Twitter.com that includes the words Affiliate Summit and the following hash tag: #asw09

Example: I get to Affiliate Summit on Jan 9 #asw09

We’ll be picking winners randomly from the entries for the 7 days leading up to each of the remaining Wednesdays in December 2008 (17th, 24th, and 31st), and they will receive the unopened Dell Mini in the mail.

While you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow @affiliatesummit as well as Affiliate Summit co-founders Missy Ward (@missyward) and Shawn Collins (@affiliatetip).

The winners will be notified by Twitter and/or e-mail, and they will be posted on the Affiliate Summit blog.

Anybody who doesn’t wish to enter via Twitter can also enter via U.S. postal mail by sending a piece of paper with their name, mailing address, and email to the following:

Affiliate Summit Dell Mini
221 Sherman Ave
Ste #8 PMB 185
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922-1173

Mailed entries must be received prior to one of the award days (December 17th, 24th, and 31st 2008)in the contest to be considered.
Top 20 Worst Business Buzzwords

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 11:27pm MYT by Shawn Collins
I came across a list of the “Top 20 Most Hated Business Speak phrases” in the UK. It seems that annoying buzzwords refuse to be constrained by borders or oceans.

The following are ranked in order of the most annoying, based on a survey conducted by YouGov.co.uk and commissioned by Ramada Encore.
1. Thinking outside of the box
2. Touch base
3. At the end of the day
4. Going forward
5. All of it
6. Blue sky thinking
7. Out of the box
8. Credit crunch
9. Heads up
10. Singing from the same hymn sheet
11. Pro-active
12. Downsizing
13. Ducks in a row
14. Brainstorming
15. Thought shower
16. 360 degree thinking
17. Flag it up
18. Pushing the envelope
19. At this moment in time
20. In the loop
People really say “Singing from the same hymn sheet” in the UK?!

This all reminds me that I really enjoy working from home and rarely attending meetings where I am subjected to this buzzword bingo.

Affiliate marketing FTW!
GeekCast 47: The Really Ugly Twitter Cage Match

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 9:41pm MYT by Shawn Collins

Enclosure: [download]
Download audio file (geekcast47.mp3)

Episode 47 of the GeekCast show was heavy on Twitter mores, tools, and geek titans clashed on how Twitter should be used.

Also, the Mac vs. PC battle rages on, Shmuly takes on Microsoft, the annoying Mac guy in the movie Waiting, editing green screen video, and Sam Harrelson is down on scheduled sex.

Show notes:
- Warren Whitlock’s podcast
- TwitPwr.com (example link)
- bit.ly
- TweetLater Keyword Alerts and cli.gs via TwitterFeed
- Microsoft Sics Lawyers on a Raving Fan
- LifeTakesVista.com
- Movies to See: Waiting (with the annoying Mac guy aping Jimmy Fallon) and Final Destination
- Green Screens and Video
Subscribe to the RSS for the weekly GeekCast show, or add us on iTunes.
Affiliate Summit Registrations Heading for a Sell Out

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 1:41pm MYT by Shawn Collins

I was just checking out the numbers for Affiliate Summit this year vs. last year in Las Vegas and registration numbers are 10% higher this time around.

So, at this pace, we expect to be sold out pretty soon.

If you’re planning to come out January 11-13, 2009 in Las Vegas, I’d encourage you to register ASAP.

In the past, folks that waited too long ended up paying way over face value on eBay for registrations to Affiliate Summit.

See [www.affiliatesummit.com] for details about Affiliate Summit West 2009.
Two Useful Twitter Tools for Affiliates

Posted: December 11th, 2008, 12:26am MYT by Shawn Collins

I came across new features for two Twitter tools that I currently use, and I think these would be pretty useful to many other affiliate marketers, too.

One tool I’ve been using for a while is TwitterFeed.com. This service enables you to link up an RSS feed to your Twitter account, so any posts that hit the RSS feed will post to your Twitter stream.

Back when I signed up for TwitterFeed.com, they automatically converted URLs to blog posts to a tinyurl.com address, but now they also support cli.gs addresses.

This is helpful, because cli.gs provides stats for any clicks for the URLs that post to Twitter.

Also, Tweet Later is a free service I’ve been using for a while. The initial premise of the site was to set up Tweets to post at a later date.

But the new feature I really like is the ability to set up alerts and track keywords in the public Twitter stream.

It’s basically Google Alerts for Twitter where you can get email updates as often as hourly that display all Tweets that include your specified keyword(s).

Tweet Later is really useful to find relevant people to follow, as well as catching any references to your own account that slip by you.
LinkShare Reports Big Success on Black Friday

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 9:10pm MYT by Shawn Collins

Enclosure: [download]
Download audio file (affiliatething-120908.mp3)

This week on the Affiliate Thing podcast, Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille talked about the impressive numbers by LinkShare clients on Black Friday.

The show also includes effective communications with affiliates, a breakout of affiliate networks used by retailers, contest from MarketLeverage, Merlin Mann’s affiliate site, the Tweet that resulted in a purchase on iTunes, and green screen action.

Show Links
Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.
Online Reputation Management Workshop after Affiliate Summit

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 5:38am MYT by Shawn Collins

Online reputation management expert and author Andy Beal is hosting a one-day online reputation management “master class” the day after Affiliate Summit West 2009 in Las Vegas - Wednesday, January 14.

Like Affiliate Summit, Andy’s Online Reputation Management Workshop is taking place at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

This is a worthwhile event if you’re responsible for your company’s online brand or wish to add online reputation management services to your agency.

Andy Beal will provide expert training to just 25 attendees.

All attendees will receive a signed copy of Andy’s book, Radically Transparent, and a six month subscription to Trackur.

More details at [www.marketingpilgrim.com]. Use coupon code asw09 for $100 off.

Andy Beal is also speaking on the Tuesday of Affiliate Summit on a panel, “Managing Your Brand.”
Green Screen for Affiliate Video

Posted: December 10th, 2008, 12:55am MYT by Shawn Collins
I continue to stand by my assertion that video is the next big thing for affiliates. Video has been leveraged well by a handful of network, merchants and affiliates, but I’m still not seeing it too much these days.

Anyhow, there are some relatively cheap tools of the trade that aspiring video affiliates can use to enhance their productions.

One item I would recommend is a green screen. This enables you to film video in front of the green background and then add different stuff behind you to enhance the look of the video.

You can see examples of green screen usage in videos at MarketLeverage TV.

There are lots of vendors selling green screens, and I made the mistake of buying a really big one with a frame the first time around. This ran hundreds of dollars and it was more than I needed.

Recently, I was looking for software to edit photos in front of a green screen, and found a good one called Green Screen Wizard (they have an affiliate program on ShareASale).

They also sell green screens for a nice price, and I got an email yesterday that they are offering a special Christmas deal. For $59, you can get the following:
- A copy of Green Screen Wizard Lite
- 5′ x 7′ Pop-up Screen
- 20 Magazine Covers
- 120 Backgrounds in six collections
I like this green screen a lot better than my bigger one - it folds up in a carrying bag that comes with it, and it’s big enough for most uses.

The picture above is a quick shot I took of my dog and put it against one of their backgrounds. It was really easy to use - I didn’t bother to read the instructions and completed the process in a couple minutes.
Communication and Motivation for Affiliates

Posted: December 9th, 2008, 8:45pm MYT by Shawn Collins

Q: I sometimes lose touch with my affiliates, because I don’t know how to keep them motivated and how to keep our name on top. Any suggestions on how to motivate our affiliates and what we should communicate to them?

A: As far as what you should communicate to your affiliates, I think a good rule of thumb is if you have nothing to say, don’t say anything.

Communicate vital, mission critical information about your affiliate program. Spread the word if you have some new offer starting or ending, or anything else that is newsworthy and relevant to your affiliates.

New promotions, the launch of products or services, etc.

But don’t send out a communication to affiliates on a regular basis just for the sake of it. That’s annoying to affiliates.

As far as keeping them motivated, one quick and easy thing is to send out a message to ask your affiliates what they want.

And if at all possible and reasonable, give it to them.

There might be some small elements of your affiliate program, such as available creatives or commission rate, which you could tweak to improve the number of active affiliates right away.

Additionally, when you are recruiting affiliates, don’t offer them the public commission.

You’ve identified that affiliate as a qualified prospect, so treat them accordingly and take care of them more than you would any old site.
Affiliate Summit on MarketLeverage TV

Posted: December 9th, 2008, 6:56am MYT by Shawn Collins

I was on the weekly installment of MarketLeverage TV today for a quick interview with Dina Riccobono, Marketing Manager at MarketLeverage.

Take a look at MarketLeverage TV to see the latest offers, interviews, and industry news.

There is also an extended version of the video interview on the MarketLeverage blog.

Check out the interview for some insight into Affiliate Summit, FeedFront magazine, and tips for affiliates.

Speaking of MarketLeverage, I am one of many bloggers running a contest in conjunction with them where affiliate marketers have a chance to win an iPod Nano or Flip Mino HD, plus other prizes.
Black Friday Success for LinkShare

Posted: December 9th, 2008, 4:52am MYT by Shawn Collins

While Black Friday online retail sales were up only 1% on Black Friday compared with 2007, LinkShare experienced a dramatic increase over Black Friday in 2007.

So far, for the holiday season in 2008, $10.41 billion has been spent online, according to comScore.

This marks a 4-percent decline versus the corresponding days last year. However, online spending on Black Friday totaled $534 million for a 1 percent increase.

And the combination of Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday resulted in an increase of 2 percent for online sales compared with last year, based on findings from comScore.

In contrast, preliminary data shows that the LinkShare network is up 17% year over year on a same store basis.

LinkShare attributes the increase to their commitment to helping members of the network maximize Black Friday profits through communication, promotions, offers, and successful planning.

The categories where LinkShare saw the greatest revenue were department stores, apparel, toys/games, and high-end luxury brands.

I look forward to seeing numbers on LinkShare and the other affiliate networks for the Cyber Mondays leading to Christmas.
Top Affiliate Programs for November 2008

Posted: December 8th, 2008, 10:40pm MYT by Shawn Collins
Below are the Top Ten Affiliate Programs for November 2008 as tracked by the Affiliate Tip Affiliate Program Directory.

The Top Ten affiliate programs are calculated by the number of clickthroughs each program received in the affiliate program directory.

Disclaimer: While we attempt to include only legitimate programs in this directory, no warranties are made. Please research each company carefully to arrive at your own conclusions. If you experience difficulties with any of the programs listed, contact us, so that we may investigate them.
CPA networks are treated as individual affiliate programs for the purposes of the Top 10 Affiliate Programs list.

Affiliate programs can be submitted to the directory at [www.affiliatething.com].
Ethical Issues in Affiliate Marketing

Posted: December 8th, 2008, 6:29am MYT by Shawn Collins
This session, Ethical Issues in Affiliate Marketing, took place Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at Affiliate Summit East 2008.

Session description:

There are two sides to all issues and we will entertain audience questions for a panel of industry leaders.
- Haiko de Poel, Jr., Managing Partner, dp internet services, LLC DBA ABestWeb (Moderator)
- Connie Berg, CEO, FlamingoWorld.com, LLC
- Chuck Hamrick, Affiliate Manager, affiliateCREW.com
- Michael Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Pepperjam
- Brian Littleton, President / CEO, ShareASale.com
- Paul Nichols, Director of Sales, Ebates.com
More Affiliate Summit East 2008 audio is available at [geekcast.fm] and video is at [www.affiliatesummit.tv].
Innovation in Affiliate Marketing Award from E-consultancy

Posted: December 7th, 2008, 9:45pm MYT by Shawn Collins

The E-consultancy Innovation Awards 2008 Winners have been announced and TradeDoubler / Dell won the Innovation in Affiliate Marketing category.

The runner-up was sunshine.co.uk.

What they won for (summary): Work for Dell including use of pay-per-call functionality to convert online traffic to sales over the phone. (TradeDoubler)

What the judges said about winner:

“TradeDoubler’s entry stood out for opening a whole new sales mechanism. Taking advantage of a limitation in capability, the innovative approach has created a truly cross-channel, modern, mobile service that links the device with (arguably) a more appropriate form of communication – voice rather than just the web.”

See all of the winners at [www.e-consultancy.com].
Data Feed Problems and Missing Information

Posted: December 7th, 2008, 10:54am MYT by Shawn Collins
This session, Data Feed Problems and Missing Information, took place Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at Affiliate Summit East 2008.

Session description:

Data feed is often missing important information which can help their affiliates in bringing more value to their program.
- Beth Kirsch, VP of Online Marketing, CallWave (Moderator)
- Mitul Gandhi, Director of Marketing, Collectibles Today
- Asif Malik, CEO, GoldenCAN
- Christopher Penn, CTO, Student Loan Network
- Bryan Rhodes, Affiliate Manager, Schaaf Consulting
More Affiliate Summit East 2008 audio is available at [geekcast.fm] and video is at [www.affiliatesummit.tv].
Majority of Top Retailers Have Affiliate Programs

Posted: December 7th, 2008, 4:29am MYT by Shawn Collins

Internet Retailer magazine has released their list of the Hot 100 Retail Web Sites, and 75% of those retailers had one or more affiliate programs in place.

I put together a chart of the affiliate networks that were mentioned two or more times in the results.

Note: when reviewing the profiles for each retailer, I noticed some quirky information in the “Affiliate marketing management” area. For instance, GAIAM is listed in the magazine as having PayPal and Bill Me Later as their “affiliate program management”.

However, last time I checked, GAIAM is on the LinkShare platform and it is managed by AMWSO. So, I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the figures - I’ve tallied what was reported in the magazine.

In addition to the companies represented in the chart, the following were mentioned in one retailer profile: 360i, AMWSO, Bill Me Later, Clixgalore, LinkConnector, PayPal and “various”.

It seems there was some confusion about the semantics, as the company picking AMWSO as their “affiliate management company” was Organic Bouquet.

Organic Bouquet uses Commission Junction as the affiliate network for their program, but AMWSO is the company managing the program.

So GAIAM should have counted towards LinkShare, Organic Bouquet for Commission Junction, and perhaps others that were wrongly attributed to the in-house category or not having an affiliate program at all.

Even so, it’s an interesting indicator, and I’m curious to see of the needle moves in a positive direction in the coming year for the number of retailers with affiliate programs, as companies focus more on measurable ROI with the economy the way it is.
Microsoft Sics Lawyers on a Raving Fan

Posted: December 6th, 2008, 7:04am MYT by Shawn Collins

Former affiliate marketer Shmuel “Shmuly” Tennenhaus reached out to Microsoft to help after their much maligned Seinfeld ads, and the software giant responded with a nastygram from a Microsoft lawyer, according to TechFlash, a Seattle tech news site.

Shmuly created a site called Life Takes Vista, where he mocked up a number of suggested ads for Microsoft Vista, but it was apparently not well received by Steve Ballmer and company.

“Use of the Windows Logo Button on your website implies to visitors that your site is affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Microsoft Corporation, when it is not,” wrote William Ferron, a lawyer with Seed IP Law Group, in a Nov. 12 letter. “Thus, we must ask that you revise your website to remove all instances of the Windows Logo Button from the site.”

Some of the ads were entertaining and quirky, while others were just sort of out there.

Shmuly even produced a series of emails that “prove” correspondence with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on the matter.

It’s not like he got a Zune tattoo or something. Feel the love, Microsoft!

Check out the site Microsoft doesn’t want you to see at [lifetakesvista.com].

This blog post was made with a computer powered by Windows Vista.
Affiliate Marketing Podcasts This Week

Posted: December 6th, 2008, 12:40am MYT by Shawn Collins

I was a little podcast happy this week. In addition to the two I always participate in each week (Affiliate Thing and GeekCast), I was the guest on two other shows.

Scott Fox interviewed me for a podcast that went up yesterday, “Affiliate Marketing: What You Need to Know,” where we chatted about some basics in affiliate marketing and getting started in the industry.

I also had s short interview with Warren Whitlock about how Affiliate Summit is using social media. This one goes up today on his show on BlogTalkRadio today.

Also, key an eye on future episodes of Market Leverage TV and Web Marketing Today for some video interviews I gave recently.

Both the Affiliate Thing and GeekCast podcasts are available weekly via iTunes. Be sure to subscribe to hear the latest news, opinions, tips, and resources.
Enter the Affiliate Triathlon

Posted: December 5th, 2008, 1:45pm MYT by Shawn Collins

Affiliate Summit West 2009, taking place January 11-13 in Las Vegas, wraps up with the first ever Affiliate Triathlon.

The Affiliate Triathlon is a 3-event contest of skill, determination and dexterity open to all attendees at Affiliate Summit West 2009. Athletes and non-athletes are encouraged to participate.

The winning athlete (highest cumulative score across the three competitions) will be awarded their choice of:

One non-corner, 10? x 10? exhibit hall booth (value: $5,195) or four Platinum Passes (value: $4,996) at Affiliate Summit East 2009.*

*Either prize can be sold or transferred to another person and Affiliate Summit East 2009, which takes place in NYC over August 9-11, 2009.

The entry fee for the Affiliate Triathlon is $100, which you will donate directly to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Enroll now at [blog.affiliatesummit.com].

Oh yeah, this isn’t a typical triathlon with swimming, biking and running.

We’ve toned it down a little.

The three competitions will be a race with adult-sized “Wacky Trikes”, a golf driving challenge, and a race against the clock shooting hoops.

Register for the Affiliate Triathlon, benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation, have fun, and maybe win a cool prize.
Copywriting Clinic

Posted: December 4th, 2008, 11:44pm MYT by Shawn Collins
This session, Copywriting Clinic, took place Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at Affiliate Summit East 2008.

Session description:

Panel of copywriting experts discuss the dynamics of producing high performance copy.
- Lisa Riolo, Founder, Hammock Ventures (Moderator)
- Adam Gilad, CEO, Gilad Creative Media, Inc
- Scott Polk, CEO, Purplestream Marketing
- Anik Singal, CEO, Affiliate Classroom, Inc.
More Affiliate Summit East 2008 audio is available at [geekcast.fm] and video is at [www.affiliatesummit.tv].
GeekCast 46: Is Matt Bacak Really the Biggest Douche in Social Media?

Posted: December 4th, 2008, 8:58pm MYT by Shawn Collins

Enclosure: [download]
Download audio file (geekcast46.mp3)

Episode 46 of the GeekCast show touched on all of the important issues of the day, such as the backlash against Matt Bacak, a smut ban on YouTube, and some cool apps for iPhones.

Also, Jim Kukral has completed his conversion to a MacBook pro, some guy is spamming “friends” on Facebook, Pownce is about to pull the plug, and Google wants you to further assimilate with Friend Connect.

Show notes:
Subscribe to the RSS for the weekly GeekCast show, or add us on iTunes.
Any Affiliate Marketers Want an iPod Nano or Flip Mino HD?

Posted: December 4th, 2008, 12:47pm MYT by Shawn Collins
I am running a contest, sponsored by Market Leverage, during the month of December 2008 where the winner will have the choice of either an iPod Nano or a Flip Mino HD.

It’s easy to enter - just submit a video or text tip related to affiliate marketing. It’s got to be original - I will dig around to see if you swiped it from somewhere.

There are a bunch of other blogs in on this contest via Market Leverage, and the winner at each blog will be considered for on of three Grand Prizes.

I select the winner here, and all of the participating blogs running the contest will vote for the Grand Prize winners who will receive a Market Leverage Grand Prize Pack that includes an Amazon Kindle, a $100 Market Leverage Rewards Card and a $50.00 iTunes Gift Card.

The grand prize winners will be announced on January 5, 2009.

Some fine print for you to read…
1. You can only use Market Leverage as an example network in your submission.
2. Your entry can be submitted by a text or video comment on my blog. For a video comment, please upload your video to YouTube, tag it with “Market Leverage Share Your Secret”, and submit the link to your video in the comments section on my blog.
3. All entries must be submitted by 7pm on December 31, 2008.
Don’t put it off - share your tip, so I have the chance to award you an iPod Nano or Flip Mino HD.

Personally, I’d go for the Flip Mino HD - it’s a pretty sweet looking device. Just 3.3 ounces, and it produces HD 720p (1280 x 720 resolution at 30 frames per second; 16:9 wide-screen) video.
New Photo Features from Magnify.net

Posted: December 4th, 2008, 1:42am MYT by Shawn Collins

Magnify.net, the popular video community used by many affiliates to monetize video, has put out some new photo upload management and presentation features.

The beta release of Photo Gallery from Magnify.net is already enabled for most channels on the site, so if you’ve got an account there, you should be able to accept photo uploads from your channel members now.

To post a photo, just go to your channel’s submission page and upload an image file in the same way you would post a video.

The photo gallery is an easy way for your visitors to explore the most recent photos uploaded to your site, one at a time, or in a slide show.

More details on the Magnify.net blog.
Cyber Monday, the Prequel

Posted: December 3rd, 2008, 8:13pm MYT by Shawn Collins
Download audio file (affiliatething-120208.mp3)

This week on the Affiliate Thing podcast, Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille chatted about the impact of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The show also includes Scott Jangro’s frozen turkey, breaking up with the ASUS eee for the Dell Mini, a new WordPress plugin from Chitika, an app for iPhone users that want to pretend they have a Blackberry Storm, Coupon Cabin running a TV commercial in San Francisco, and the Affiliate Triathlon.

Show Links
Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.
PPC Classroom LIVE 2008 This Week

Posted: December 3rd, 2008, 4:22am MYT by Shawn Collins

PPC Classroom LIVE 2008, a three day conference focused on pay per click search marketing, is taking place December 4-6, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County (near Disneyland).

The event is run by super affiliates Amit Mehta & Anik Singal, and the keynote speaker will be Vinny Lingham of SynthaSite.com.

More details at [www.ppcclassroomlive.com].

Total non-sequitur, but since PPC Classroom LIVE is taking place close to Disneyland, I figured I’d share that it reminds me of that very cool song from Dada.
Buying an Affiliate Site

Posted: December 2nd, 2008, 11:32pm MYT by Shawn Collins

Q: I’d like to buy/acquire an established affiliate site. Do you have any places you’d recommend to do this?

A: There are two sites where a lot of buying and selling of affiliate sites takes place: Digital Point and SitePoint.

Some folks use eBay to search for affiliate sites for sale, too.

As far as determining the value of an existing affiliate site, part of the worth of a site will be the domain name. There are some third party domain appraisal services you can use to get an idea about the market value.

I would also encourage you to perform some due diligence on whether the content on the site is original.

And if they are trying to use a metric like an Alexa ranking to prove popularity of the site, don’t put too much stock in it, since it can be manipulated.

I would suggest asking to see the actual stats provided from their host to determine the most popular pages, referrers, traffic volume, etc.

Good luck.
Chitika Premium Ads Plugin for WordPress

Posted: December 2nd, 2008, 12:44pm MYT by Shawn Collins
Chitika has launched a new WordPress plugin for Chitika Premium ads.

Chitika Premium Ads is a CPC search-targeted advertising solution with 20 ad unit sizes that can be be run on the same page as Google AdSense, or on its own as an AdSense alternative.

The plugin enables affiliates to easily change the display of Chitika Premium ads through a settings page in the WordPress admin interface.

The following aspects of the ads can be customized with the plugin:
- Ad size
- Link and text color
- Background color
- Display position (above or below your post)
- Channel
More details at [wordpress.org].
The Economy and Online Shopping for Christmas 2008

Posted: December 1st, 2008, 10:46pm MYT by Shawn Collins

The fragile economy has been a source of great anxiety for many affiliate marketers as we head into the biggest month of our year. But if Black Friday was any indication of consumers opening their wallets, we should be in good shape.

More than 172 million shoppers visited stores and sites over Black Friday weekend this year, which was up from 147 million shoppers last year, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2008 Black Friday Weekend survey.

The survey also indicated shoppers spent an average of $372.57 over Black Friday weekend, an increase of 7.2 percent over $347.55 in 2007.

So today is Cyber Monday, which is often reported as the biggest online shopping day of the year.

I expect it will be a strong day for affiliate sales, but it’s not the strongest Monday of the season, based on holiday trend data shared last year by the Google Affiliate Network (then DoubleClick Performics).

If the past is any indication, we’ve got a few other Mondays and other days this month that should outperform Cyber Monday.
International Options for US Affiliates

Posted: December 1st, 2008, 12:11am MYT by Shawn Collins

This session, International Options for US Affiliates, took place Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at Affiliate Summit East 2008.

Session description:

Discussion of expanding business internationally.

Presenter: Jim Mansfield, CEO, Intela
International Options for US Affiliates View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: ase08 affsum)
More Affiliate Summit East 2008 audio is available at [geekcast.fm] and video is at [www.affiliatesummit.tv].