FeedFront Magazine, Issue 2
July 31, 2008
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The second issue of FeedFront, the official magazine of Affiliate Summit, has been published and it will be hitting mailboxes over the coming weeks with 60 pages of affiliate marketing goodness.
Issue two will also be in the attendee bags at Affiliate Summit 2008 East.
The cover story is a profile of Haiko de Poel, Jr. of ABestWeb.
There are also articles on conference networking, diversifying affiliate revenue, perils of white hat SEO, ten affiliate manager commandments, working with video, and coupon codes in affiliate marketing.
Issue 1 of FeedFront Magazine can be downloaded as a pdf file or you can read the articles online.
Get the FeedFront RSS if you’d like to get all of the articles as they are published to the feed.
If you haven’t subscribed, you can get the magazine for free at http://feedfront.com/free-subscription/.
Get Off Your Butt and Start Making Videos by Jim Kukral
July 24, 2008
Five tips to getting started
- Get over yourself. You look how you look. The rest of the world sees you as you are, and you look no different on camera. Quit worrying about how you look and start filming yourself. Nobody is going to criticize you.
- Smile. Nobody wants to see a grumpy person on camera. Be pleasant and inviting. Make your viewers feel welcome.
- Solve problems. People want to watch videos that can help them. Consider making “how to” videos where you show people how to do things you might be an expert at.
- Don’t sweat the equipment. Anyone can make high-quality videos with inexpensive video cameras and lights.
- Just do it! The ONLY way to get started is to just do it. Your first videos will not be perfect, but remember, nobody is doing perfect videos right now. Remember too, your competitors are either going to beat you to it, or envy you a year from now. It’s your choice.
Jim Kukral is a video marketer and veteran online marketing expert. You can read more about Jim at www.jimkukral.com. Or learn more about how to make videos at www.onlinevideotoolkit.com.
Download issue 1 of FeedFront at http://feedfront.com/feedfront-issue1.pdf.
My Favorite Search Engine Marketing Sites by Wil Reynolds
July 23, 2008
My 3 Favorite Blogs You May Not Visit
- http://www.searchenginejournal.com/ - An all around search blog covering SEO & PPC with great editors.
- http://www.redflymarketing.com/blog/ - I’ve picked up more than a fair share of PPC / SEO tidbits here.
- http://www.ppchero.com/ - Great and practical PPC advice.
My 3 Favorite Tools You May Not be Using
- http://www.google.com/trends/hottrends - Use this daily to see what is getting hot every day, jump on trends quickly.
- http://www.seoquake.com/ - One of the best plugins out there to speed up your research.
- http://oyoy.eu/ - new comer but has a bunch of great tools, and a good plugin to boot.
Wil Reynolds is an SEO expert and founder of SEER Interactive, a Philadelphia-based Internet Marketing company and a national leader among SEO companies.
Download issue 1 of FeedFront at http://feedfront.com/feedfront-issue1.pdf.
Affiliate Marketers Unplugged
July 23, 2008
Question: What is the future of affiliate marketing?
“I believe affiliate marketing’s future will to some extent mirror the projected online advertising growth worldwide in the coming years, as several publications have predicted. Right now, affiliate marketing is one of the outlets that is (or should be) in most marketing toolkits and I think this will remain true. I do think the expansion in affiliate marketing will come globally, there will be more education in general on what affiliate marketing is and how to do it right, and there will likely be an increased focus on marketing integrity and compliance.”
-Michael Sprouse
Chief Marketing Officer, Epic Advertising
“I think we’ll continue to see smaller affiliate programs as advertisers grow concerned over knowing how affiliates are promoting their brand. Many affiliate managers don’t have the resources or tools they need to police affiliates and may look to reduce the number of sites they allow in their programs in order reduce their risk.”
-Chris Kramer
NETexponent, Co-Founder and Media Director
“True partnerships between smart advertisers and top publishers will form. I can see some situations where top publishers get stock options or significant bonus pay outs if certain performance levels are reached. There is a “next level” of affiliate marketing that we haven’t seen yet. But it will come.”
-Ola Edvardsson
Performancy, Inc., CEO
“Retailers have learned how to be successful doing online marketing through by advertising from Google, Yahoo and MSN. The “What’s Next?” question is going to lead them to affiliate marketing. Once there they will be excited to see a marketplace that is increasing in strength and sophistication allowing another way to grow their brand or their online presence.”
-Durk Price
eAccountable OPM LLC, President
“Video - Entertaining and informational videos either sponsored or displaying ads in rotation. Although blogs will still be important as a destination, people are getting accustomed to watching video through widgets, video hosting sites (like YouTube, Revver, or Magnify), or from their iPods. Making quality video available at your customer’s convenience is the growing trend.
Social Media - Trusted web authorities selling to communities. An affiliate needs to have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Ning, or another niche community. They must give great value to that community. Think more you must give to get, and less pitching.
Transparency (current Buzz word) - Honesty is the best policy. Web surfers are getting savvier. Be honest with your advertising and they will more likely join your community.”
-Michael Buechele
1115 Media Group, Founder
Question: What is one new thing an affiliate should know?
“Outsource — hire an affiliate manager! There are so many things an experienced OPM can do for you to boost the effectiveness of your program. I finally offloaded this task after running a CJ program myself for 9 years. My new affiliate manager helped me to restructure the program and fix some blunders that were holding me back. They’ve also increased my competitiveness with new creatives, and forged alliances with super affiliates who are already driving new business to Flowers Fast.”
- Bob Rankin
Flowers Fast!, Owner
“Affiliate marketing is not a get rich quick program. It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. That being said, a successful affiliate business can be very profitable, and provide wonderful flexibility.”
-Adam Viener
imwave, inc., Chairman & Founder
“With the recent explosion of super affiliate and make money blogs, there is no longer a need for new affiliates to buy into the whole “make money” eBooks scheme. With so many “make money” blogs out there, new affiliates can learn just as much, if not a ton more, by reading affiliate marketing blogs and interacting with the blog owners, then spending their money on eBooks with old recycled information. My advice to you is… don’t buy eBooks, read the blogs and invest in yourself.”
-Zac Johnson
MoneyReign, Inc., President / CEO
“Try to find a niche and also something that really interests you.”
-Nik Mohan
PC Tools Software, Affiliate Manager
“The best tip for any new affiliate is they need to do is study the programs which they want to work with. Test everything out and fully understand what is expected of them as an affiliate and how to stay within the guidelines that are specified from the advertiser.”
-Collin De Ruyck
Feed Flare, Owner
“Two things a new affiliate should know:
If you are going to be building a content site, use a content management system. Whether it’s WordPress, or Movable Type, or Joomla, take some time to learn about content management systems. Using a CMS will save you a lot of time and frustration.
Any link that goes out from your site should be through a redirect. There are multiple reasons for this, and if you don’t know what a redirect is, do a Google search and some reading about why you want to use redirects. But this one tip would have saved me a lot of time and frustration if I had known it getting started.”
-Jonathan Kraft
Strive4impact, LLC, Fun Guy
“There is always a better (private) pay-out level that you likely don’t know about.”
-Ola Edvardsson
Performancy, Inc., CEO
Question: What is one thing a new affiliate manager should know?
“If you treat your top affiliates like business partners, you can accomplish great things together. Being a great affiliate manager is a tough task, it takes a lot of negotiation and education skills to deal with top affiliates and fight internal battles. A good Affiliate Manager is worth their weight in Gold!!!”
-Adam Viener
imwave, inc., Chairman & Founder
“A new affiliate manager should know to not always assume things, but research the facts before drawing a conclusion. This can relate to reports, but also relate to affiliates that may look “shady” in the beginning.”
-Jesse Bouman
1 & 1 Internet Inc., Senior Affiliate Program Manager
“Don’t underestimate how much can be gained by working really closely with some affiliates and truly treating them like partners.”
-Chris Kramer
NETexponent, Co-Founder and Media Director
“An affiliate manager should know the ins and outs of their tracking system so that they do not have to pass their affiliates along to multiple team members.”
-Ian Fernando
IANternet Media LLC, Affiliate Marketer and Blogger
“New affiliate managers should be proactive! Reach out to each publisher and learn more about what each one does online. Find out more info about each publisher and develop a friendly rapport with each of them. This helps break the ice and will open up the lines of communication, which will provide the affiliate with more targeted campaign suggestions, and as a result, more money!”
-Debby Banning
Market Leverage, Digital Media Relations
Download issue 1 of FeedFront at http://feedfront.com/feedfront-issue1.pdf.
Are You the Next Super Affiliate Blogger? by Zac Johnson
July 22, 2008
Tips from a super affiliate to become a successful blogger.
It seems like every day there is a new “make money online” blog popping up. Where are all of these new bloggers coming from? Are they skilled marketers finally coming out of the basement and exposing themselves, or are they simply trying to make a quick buck in a fast growing niche area?
Either way, the number of marketers coming out and sharing information is increasing daily, and I am going to share several reasons why affiliates and affiliate managers alike should start blogging now.
- Build Your Name Brand and Trust
Having your own blog will not only get your name out there, but what you write about will reflect upon your name and build recognition. As you become a prominent player in the blogosphere, your “name brand” could be your next big project. Establish yourself; build the trust of others, and your name brand will soon be your most powerful asset. - Make Even More Money
Making money with your blog is always an option, but the contacts, information, and new relationships that will form as a result of your blog are priceless. - Help Others, While Helping Yourself
Not only will you start helping others by sharing your knowledge and experience with online marketing, but you can also ask for help and feedback on existing projects or ideas you have, as well. Bloggers love to talk with other bloggers on how they can work together or share ideas. - Blogging is Fun & Motivational
Business can get stressful, and sometimes you just need to step away from your email and ad campaigns. When you have a blog, not only will you inspire others with your posts, but you will also get motivated, as you stir up new ideas with your posts and receive feedback from your readers. - Networking Opportunities Await
It’s one thing to attend marketing conferences and events for networking, but with a blog you are gaining new readers and contacts 24/7. Without a blog, you are losing out on so many business relationships and opportunities. Put yourself out there and make more contacts than you could ever imagine.
Whether you are an affiliate manager at a network, or just getting started in the affiliate space, these are just a few of the reasons why you should be blogging. I started my own blog at ZacJohnson.com just over a year ago, and it’s made an amazing impact on my business ever since day one. Don’t wait another day, start your blogging adventure now!
Zac Johnson is President/CEO of MoneyReign, Inc. You can read more about Zac at ZacJohnson.com.
Download issue 1 of FeedFront at http://feedfront.com/feedfront-issue1.pdf.
Three Rules for More Sales Through Email by Tom Kulzer
July 14, 2008
Build profitable customer relationships by following these simple email axioms
Email holds distinct advantages over other online marketing channels:
- It is widely used by consumers.
- It enables targeted, one-to-one communication with potential customers.
- It is repeatedly cited as delivering superior ROI over display ads, paid search and SEO (among other channels).
Many affiliate marketers use email to boost their sales. The most successful ones follow the “golden rules” of opt-in email marketing:
Rule #1: Start With Permission
Successful email marketers build their campaigns around a foundation of permission. Spamming undermines that foundation, ruins your reputation and ensures that future emails from you won’t get treated kindly by ISPs.
It might seem like a shortcut to buy or rent a list from someone, but shortcuts don’t lead to a responsive audience that actually reads your emails and makes repeated purchases from you over their lifetime. Besides, spamming people is just… wrong. You don’t like getting spam and neither does anyone else.
Build a list of people who come to your website and sign up to get emails from you. They’ll be your most responsive, most profitable subscribers - and you’ll actually get your email delivered to them.
Rule #2: Give the People What They Want
Even though there’s no money changing hands, when someone signs up to your email list, they are conducting a transaction with you. Basically, they are trading you some of their time, privacy, and attention, with the expectation that what they get in return will be more valuable than those things.
To get potential subscribers to sign up, show them how they’ll benefit from your emails. Sell them on the value of being on your list.
Then, once they’ve signed up, (over)deliver on that promise of value. Don’t hammer them with sales pitches right away - give them what they asked for. Earn their trust first with relevant, valuable, timely email messages.
Relevant, valuable, timely emails lead to happy subscribers.
Happy subscribers not only stay subscribed and become happy customers, they refer other people to you, helping you grow your list (and get more happy subscribers) without increasing your ad spend.
Rule #3: Stick With It
Email marketing isn’t a single-use tool. It’s a process whose benefits grow over time.
Many potentially great campaigns are derailed by inaction - sending so infrequently that subscribers forget they ever signed up. Consistency is the key to building the trust that leads subscribers to become customers.
Email your subscribers at least 1-2 times per month. Better yet, decide how often you’re going to email them and tell them when they sign up how often they can expect to hear from you. Then, stick to the schedule you’ve committed to.
Tom Kulzer is the CEO and Founder of AWeber Communications, the leading email marketing service for affiliate marketers and small businesses. http://www.aweber.com
Download issue 1 of FeedFront at http://feedfront.com/feedfront-issue1.pdf.
Advertising in FeedFront Magazine
July 8, 2008
FeedFront Magazine currently offers the following options for advertising:
- Outside Back Cover Page for one issue - $10,000
- Inside Front Cover Page for one issue - $8,000
- Inside Back Cover Page for one issue - $8,000
- Full Page for one issue - $5,000
- Half Page for one issue - $3,000
In the future, we will offer other advertising opportunities, such as classifieds and quarter pages.
See http://feedfront.com/advertising/ for the latest information.
Nobody Would Use a Search Engine with Paid Results by Dan Gray
July 7, 2008
The clumsy and lucrative early days of PPC arbitrage
While it’s been a decade, I remember the indignance, clear as day. To some, it might have seemed unjust, mean, or unworthy (to borrow a definition). To others (including yours truly), it seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
A casino gone mad.
The bank broken… spilling into our pockets.
Once upon a time, Idealab delivered a goose that ate pennies and crapped out ten dollar bills.
Goto.com smacked the search engine world upside the head, turned it on its ear, and spun it around so quickly that all the enlightened could see were dollar signs (and you thought I was going to say stars).
At the inception of pay-per-click search engine marketing, I gleefully bought clicks for pennies and giddily pushed traffic to affiliate programs that paid out crazy terms for new customer bounties.
All was well and good while the milk and honey and bourbon flowed and the VC and IPO money held out, but as the boom turned to bust and the click values rose, it became tougher and tougher to ride those double-digit long shots drunkenly home for ten races every day.
As the temporary insanity and irrational exuberance self-corrected and bid levels rose, I found myself playing the nickel slots less and less frequently.
All that’s left now is the schwag.
The author of the ground-breaking “Complete Guide to Associate and Affiliate Programs on the Net” (McGraw-Hill/1999) and other fine and dusty tomes, Daniel Gray is currently a recovering raconteur and metaphor mixing breakfast cereal Internet entrepreneur.
Download issue 1 of FeedFront at http://feedfront.com/feedfront-issue1.pdf.
