You think you’ve seen it all after over a decade in affiliate marketing, but the great thing about this industry is that it never ceases to amaze you! I’ve held off blogging about Blackpool Club Bingo in a clutching at straws type way that miraculously something will happen to remedy the situation we’ve encountered, but no - it’s now almost two months since tracking stopped and that’s more than adequate for anyone to come up with answers!

We used to promote Blackpool Club Bingo via the old Webroute Services system. All went well and it proved to be a reasonably ok program. However, when the program moved to the new William Hill merged Affiliate United network our links had to be changed. This was dutifully done and suddenly, almost to the day, commissions stopped.

Since April 5th we’ve earnt nothing from this program.

Having chatted to other affiliates they seem to be ok - so perhaps it’s just our links that aren’t working! Which is more than a little odd. We’ve been in contact with the affiliate manager but almost 2 months down the line we’re no further forward in understanding why my links don’t work, why revshare from previous sign ups aren’t earning, and what the hell is happening.

It’s a case for Mulder and Scully this one!

For a program to suddenly stop generating commission suggests something has changed. But what could have changed? Is it a cookie issue - you’d think not if other affiliates are tracking ok! Is the new system designed to track revshare as the guys I’ve spoke too are on CPA deals? Was the old system tracking properly? Or has something on my account been changed that we’re not being told about or that is known about?

Who knows… ?

What I do know is that I don’t expect to be kept in the dark for two months when a program that earns suddenly stops. It’s also a bit confusing that the network doesn’t seem too motivated to resolve the issue. If my understanding of the situation is correct the affiliate manager has done what he can but is now stuck between annoyed affiliate and inert technical support.

It’s a classic example of why affiliates get frustrated and have to resort to sharing their experiences to act as a warning to others.

See also Blackpool Club Bingo downturn? over on A4U.

In amongst the recent Please Stop Begging discussion over on A4U was a passionate and somewhat direct response from ex-Wolverine lookalike and new superhero to every affiliate manager Neil Mitchell. Neil outlined his day as an affiliate manager and how we should be open “to give Account Managers their 5 minutes of glory to build their cv’s up and get recognised for the work they do”.

I think that’s fair enough.

I’ve been having some issues of late which has resulted in a good merchant becoming a terrible one. Admittedly I’ve given the AM involved a hard time but if you go from a few quid commission each month to nothing it can be just that tad annoying. However, it’s not the AM’s fault that they’ve been landed with an inept new system. Hopefully it’ll be sorted!

As an affiliate you want to feel that the AM is on your side and when it feels you’re beating your head against a wall or being told stupid answers then it shouldn’t be a surprise that occasionally things can get heated. After all you’re just trying to get things sorted so everyone can go back to earning a living.

Anyway, all this got me thinking… what actually is it like to be an affiliate manager? Are all affiliates really ungrateful so and so’s who berate the affiliate managers and make their lives a misery? What would it like to be an affiliate manager for a day?

Perhaps it’s time networks or agencies encouraged affiliates to see things from their side of the fence with a kind of “bring an affiliate work day”!

Anyway the above video is especially for Neil, who having shaved off his trademark facial hair, is now modelling his hairdo on a young Nik Kershaw!

     

Grow back the Wolverine whiskers man!

Last week the mighty Mr Box of Prezzybox fame asked over on A4U Are we wasting our time doing creative for Affiliates?. Zak was lamenting the fact that his team had put in hours of time to generate Father’s Day banners and content units but as interest from affiliates seemed minimal he also questioned whether the time could be better used.

Zak’s comments resonated as in a blog comment about video creative here on OLD Matt Bailey said that this kind of creative hadn’t really taken off as “affiliate take-up of this has been pretty poor”!

Are affiliates not inspired to get creative?

Well it seems not but are there good reasons for this? On one hand we all want our merchants to provide us with new and up to date tools to promote them, but on the other when push comes to shove we’re not using them - isn’t that just a little strange? It is… but here are just a few possible reasons why!

1. Poor Promotion of New Creative
Login in to any network interface and tell me how an affiliate is supposed to know that a merchant is offering new creative? Ahhh haaaa! How would I know Platform A/Buy.at had just launched video creative? How could I locate Father’s Day banners via Affiliate Window? Would we ever know a merchant has new creative unless we logged into A4U or just stumbled across it? Perhaps networks need to look into better promotion of what’s new and up to date? For example all banners could be dated and tagged appropriately so that an affiliate can find new banners or banners relating to a specific subject.

Or perhaps it’s not worthwhile…

2. Banners/Creative = Poor Conversions & No Incentive
Banners just don’t convert as well as text links, product feeds etc. and it’s quite possible merchants, affiliates and networks aren’t that bothered by them! I still use banners and a good eye catching offer or promotion like a competition, discount, saving or sale, can still encourage clicks. However, there’s usually little incentive, for example extra commission or prizes, for an affiliate to use creative that perhaps is a branding exercise for a merchant.

Is it time merchants started to think differently…?

3. Lack of Dynamic Creative
Perhaps the way banners and creative appear needs to be reinvented? The internet is now running at the speed of Twitter with offers up and down quicker than a Newcastle supporter’s hopes of Premiership survival. Imagine having a 468×60 banner that can be adapted by a merchant at a drop of a hat or even an update on Twitter. This new creative from Crown Bingo is an interesting idea - and perhaps the first use of Twitter in such a way?

Instead of their latest Tweet a merchant could be showing their best seller, a new product, a discount code - anything! By having something more dynamic an affiliate needn’t worry about having to go and change a banner every time something new is uploaded, a merchant can adapt quickly to new market situations, and the consumer (hopefully) becomes less banner blind because the message is changing. Of course dynamic banners need development and perhaps affiliates are being inspired to get creative elsewhere…

4. The Rise of Easy Content Units
Big Idea Media’s Easy Content Units are a major step forward in content unit creative. John, Jason and the team have created a cross network plus Amazon system that allows affiliates and merchants to put together their own product filled banners and creative. Instead of one banner promoting one merchant, an affiliate can target products across a number of merchants. It’s unique, dynamic (cheapest prices) and highly targeted.

With a new Pro-version of the system ready to launch this week and endless opportunities for being creative in terms of the units ECU, merchants and agencies could devise - this is something well worth investigating.

How To Inspire Affiliates To Get Creative!
Networks need to improve ways for affiliates to find new creative!
Merchants could offer incentives for using creative (extra commission)
Dynamic creative through a network could be developed
Easy Content Units may hold the key for all concerned?

As the football season comes to a close, sadly for Zak over at Prezzybox Aston Villa can’t win The Premiership! They started off well, but ultimately they tired and stronger teams emerged to be victorious. And in this year’s A4UAward Blog Nominees this blog is the Aston Villa versus the Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea equivalents of UK affiliate blogging.

With a number of new affiliate blogs emerging (meaning next year this blog could be more like Hull City) I thought I’d look at the other nominees and see why I think they’re top of their game. Perhaps by looking at what they all do well individually it’s possible to give a blueprint for the “perfect affiliate blog” to a wannabe affiliate blogger?

Affiliate Stuff
Kirsty McCubbin provides an incredibly well written and informative blog for all affiliates - newbies to full timers. There are a lot of useful tips and suggestions usually included within her “Ask Kirsty” posts and these are interspersed with tales of travels around the world. Her self analysis of her own sites are insightful and her infectious enthusiasm for the affiliate marketing industry and those working in it comes through. Always willing to help out or offer advice, it’s no surprise that Kirsty has such a popular blog… despite the odd picture of deadly Aussie spiders (scary).

Lee Mccoy
Lee’s site is a must read for everyone within affiliate marketing. Lee is always willing to back up his experiences with stats and data, yet is able to convey any serious message in a well written, entertaining and informative way. Despite the slightly dubious recent rebranding I’d love to see Lee win this year! Lee has also eaten at least a tonne of chocolate just to create a single website.

Lammo.net
Easy Content Unit genius, John Lamerton provides something a little different to the other nominated affiliate blogs and it’s great to see his blog get the recognition it deserves. Lammo.net is very well written and his in depth affiliate marketing guides are mixed in with articles about business and the occasional mention of Plymouth Argyle. John also has the shiniest ever “me” image of any blogger… ever!

Here.org.uk
Double award winner Kieron Donaghue probably has the UK affiliate blog with the most comments and discussion replies. And that probably tells you that his blog is not only incredibly popular but his articles inspire feedback from it’s users. Everyone in AM reading his blog can take inspiration from his ventures, especially those that relate to his latest success Sharemyplaylists.com. Can Kieron make it three in a row? Probably!

So What Is The Blueprint For The Perfect Affiliate Blog?

Well based on the above, the perfect affiliate blog should contain articles to help newbies, an accessible and enthusiastic writer, case studies on your affiliate marketing exploits whilst remaining down to earth, well crafted articles on a variety of business and AM topics, a shiny image avatar and a bumper audience of readers who are inspired to comment based on the quality and consistency of the articles.

What’s quite scary about writing the above is that OLD doesn’t do many of them… but there’s a good reason for that! It just wouldn’t work - and that’s the point.

For all of you wanting to be an affiliate blogger or who are just starting (or about to reembark) on the blog treadmill the message is simple - be yourself! Don’t try and be a Lammo or a Kieron or a Lee or a Kirsty or even a Duck!

Write content about your own experiences in affiliate marketing and be consistent. Most affiliate bloggers fail simply by not writing regular articles. All the blogs above produce top notch content week in week out! Be inspired by the top guys and girls - don’t try and be them! Stand out, be unique and you could be amongst the top UK affiliate bloggers!

So what are you waiting for?

Ah yes.. you want one last bit of good duck advice? If you do decide to give affiliate blogging a go don’t ever be afraid to speak your mind and write from the heart! The rest comes a lot more naturally after that.

It would be great this time next year to see five totally different affiliate blogs amongst the nominations for A4uawards 2010.

The a4uAwards community choice shortlist has been announced and for the second year One Little Duck has been nominated for the best affiliate blog. I’m really pleased about that as I really didn’t think it’d happen this year. A big congratulations to fellow nominees Kirsty (Affiliate Stuff), Lee (Lee McCoy), John (Lammo.net) and Kieron (Here.org.uk). An amazingly strong, consistent and diverse selection of UK affiliate bloggers, which is good to see. Good luck to them all!

If you think that this is the best UK affiliate blog then why not vote for One Little Duck? That’d be cool, but whoever you choose in this category they’ll be a worthy winner! Just make sure you vote in all the other categories too and a big well done to all nominees!

This year I’m going to make the effort and be at the Awards. I’m not a great lover of being tarted up in a tuxedo, but this might well be the last time OLD is nominated as there are so many new affiliate bloggers coming on to the scene! The bad news is that the duck bow tie, last seen at Awin’s event in September 2008, won’t be making an appearance! I’ll be sensibly attired in a proper black tie!

Now how do i get two tickets?

Find out about the A4UAwards