Why Affiliate Marketing Is Freakin’ Sweet!
Imagine the scenario 10 or 20 years from now! I’m having a reflective moment and wondering what’s been the highlight of my affiliate marketing career (hopefully by then retired and looking after ducks and chickens)! Could it be the money? The success of Loquax and the many users we’ve helped win cool prizes? Or perhaps it might be working in an exciting industry with a bunch of lovely (well mostly lovely) people?
Nope, it’s none of them … it’s meeting Matt Le Tissier at A4UExpo! (*)
As a lifelong (and currently suffering in agony) Southampton supporter I’d like to thank Sky and Stream 20 for providing the VIP room at A4UExpo. I know some people thought it segregated the event, and under any other circumstance I’d agree - but Le Tiss is Le God so on this occasion I’ll make an exception!
I’ve never been into hero worship, but players like Le Tissier are rare. At times he basically was the main reason behind Saints staying up or going down. His talent was underused by England, but he stayed loyal to Southampton and his passion for the club still remains.
So having the chance to meet him was a bit special!
If a cat that has got the cream is happy, then I was happier than a cat who’d got the cream and decided they liked it so much they’d buy the company before partying with a bunch of sexy ladies who love cats and cream!
Ah yes, sometimes this affiliate marketing milarky can be, in the words of Peter Griffin, freakin’ sweet!
(*) subject to change!
Please Can You Tell Me Why Click To Reveal Is Allowed?
Debate continues to rage over the use of “click to reveal” on voucher code sites. Click to reveal can be either a click or a copy/paste action to reveal a code followed by a window opening allowed the consumer to visit the website. Essentially it’s click to gain content via an incentive in exchange for dropping a cookie. Personally, I find this mechanism questionable and yes I’d like the practice to be stopped and networks to enforce that - but I’m open to debate and explanations if the mechanism can be fully justified as being fine.
My argument here is simple.
1. Pop Under/Overs are not allowed. The mechanism here is forcing a click when a user arrives on a page (they get content) and a window opens up for the merchant.
2. Click to Reveal is allowed. The mechanism here is that as the user is staying on the page (they get content) the cookie can be dropped!
3. Incentive to click is also defined as a forced click in affiliate marketing.
If setting a click for content is not allowed for pop under/pop over - then why is it allowed for a one word voucher code? Surely it’s getting content as well as incentivising the user to click and burn a cookie?
Can anyone in affiliate marketing offer an argument that can justify the use of click to reveal, where there’s a code, as not being a forced click or an incentive to click?
Why Agency People Get a Bad Reputation!
In amongst all the excitement of post-A4UExpo I almost forgot to mention an incident that took place during a bit of networking on the first day. Now I know most agency people are lovely, but the actions of one left an incredibly bad impression. At the time I was having a chat with one of the guys from Virgin Games when someone passed by …..
They then stopped, no doubt spotting the merchant badge of Virgin Games and proceeded to just interrupt our conversation - no excuse me - nothing. He took one look at my badge and seeing I was a lowly affiliate decided to completely ignore the fact that I was there and already engaged in conversation with Virgin Games.
He then started pitching his agency to the embarrassment of both myself and Virgin Games.
At the time I’d have loved to taken the tiny little man to task for his abrupt rudeness and ignorance, but unfortunately I was too stunned by his behaviour. He most certainly made a big impression, because neither myself or Virgin Games could remember his name or the second rate agency he represented - which is a real shame as I’d have loved to posted it on here.
I appreciate people have to do “their job” and everyone is after a bit more business, but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of a bit of politeness!
Fortunately this guy’s intrusion didn’t last too long (probably because his audience seemed unimpressed with his pitching technique) and he soon scuttled off - perhaps unaware how close he had come to being named on an affiliate blog for being a total arse!
Click To Reveal & The Pop Onder In Affiliate Marketing
As expected, the subject of “click to reveal” popped up in the voucher code session at A4UExpo. Click to reveal is where a user clicks a link to get information from a website AND open up an affiliate link to the website in question. Voucher code sites use this methodology to stop code copying and also ensure click and cookie as “if the shopper wants the code they’re obviously intent on shopping”.
From the Expo session it does seem that when there’s no code available using “click to reveal” (and so reveal nothing) is a forced click. Yet, if there’s a code available - it’s not a forced click, it’s a “grey area which perhaps bends the rules slightly”.
It’s hoped (because I’ve not heard one network say they’re going to enforce this) that affiliates will develop their voucher code sites accordingly to distinguish between a deal (no code, therefore no forced click allowed) and a code (click to reveal allowed, provided you tell the user what happens when they click).
The question I raised at the session was “at what point does click to reveal become unacceptable”. Geoff commented on the blog did I feel that I got “a satisfactory answer to that question”!
Well, Geoff… no I don’t think so!
The point of my question was that as it’s not ok to use click to reveal if there’s no code, but ok if there is a code - what about using the same mechanic for other site content!?
We can’t force clicks with pop unders or with pop overs… it’s in the network ts&cs and even The IAB say so, but we do now have “Click to reveal Merchant X and Discount Code” as a new way of linking in AM. If this is acceptable (and as it’s neither a pop under or pop over I’ve dubbed it a pop onder!) then what happens next?
Let’s say a consumer is searching for washing machines. They land on a page of washing machine offers and select “hotpoint washing machines” - where we’ll show them some more specific deals. Provided we inform that consumer before they click something like “see hotpoint washing machine offers and a shop that sells them” then woohoo we can start cutting cookies as if it was a voucher site - assuming the same theory as click to reveal!
The consumer is getting information (instead of a code) and they obviously have “intent” to buy (well they wouldn’t be looking otherwise would they?). As an affiliate I’m also protecting my interest by making sure the consumer sets a cookie in exchange for the information I’ve provided too.
Is that an acceptable mechanic in affiliate marketing?
And how long will it be before the “click to reveal” link cuts more than one cookie? Perhaps the next stage in the evolution is “click to reveal a discount and open store, plus make sure you check their competitors for price comparison - to help you we’ve opened up 10 further stores for you”?
Ok, perhaps slightly facetious, but why not? Dub it a “grey area” and “rule bending” and you’re onto a sure fire winner!
The solution therefore is simple… put a stop to “click to reveal” for all affiliates across all networks - and that includes opening up windows with mouseovers and right clicks too. If there are people digging holes that may cause problems in the future, you don’t go outside and hand them shovels!
However, I’d be very surprised if the click to reveal mechanic was stopped where a code was on offer - it’s not something a network would do unilaterally, understandably for business reasons.
Pop onders and “click to reveals” are essentially here to stay!
Best A4UExpo Event Ever!
After writing A4UExpo Day 1 via the iPhone the idea was to follow up with blogs on the boat trip, day 2 and a final round up. Unfortunately things didn’t go according to plan with various beverages, including lager, vodka and sambuca, and lack of sleep conspired together to make sure further updates didn’t come live from Expo.
So here’s a brief overview of the rest of Expo, it truly was a fantastic affiliate event!
The Thames Cruise sponsored by Platform A was brilliant. A good atmosphere, plenty of drink, a bit of food (more next time please), a charity auction an the opportunity to see the sights of London at night. It topped off what was an excellent Day 1 (I promise to not mention the keynote again!).
Day 2 started off late - this was Clarke’s fault for deciding that I should try Red Bull and Vodka! The day’s sessions started for me with the voucher code panel. “Hmmmm!” is the best way to sum up my feelings on what came out of this session and post-session discussion. I may come back to this another day!
The rest of the day, for me, was spent visiting Exhibitors or crashing out at the Existem MA stand! Most trips to exhibitors proved fruitful and it was good to catch up and let people know what we’re doing. Whilst I was touring, Jude battled on with sessions, taking in Affiliate Doctors Live and the Coolest Gadgets Million Dollar Blog session!
The final session of the day was Meet the Super Affiliates. It was interesting with Doug, Kieron and Jamie contributing to a lively session - although through blurry alcohol needy eyes it did look like Keith Allen and Peter Kaye were keeping Kieron company during the session.
And then it was off to the Fox for drinking, football and Matt Le Tissier (courtesy of Sky - more on this for another blog)! As a lifelong Saints fan things couldn’t have got any better unless Ola Jordan turned up - dressed in a catsuit - and, with Jude’s blessing, dragged me off to the Novotel for private dance lessons!
Time for the thanks then!
To the A4UExpo crew - yes it really was brilliant (and I’ve written nice things.. send cheque)!
Sky - legends for the VIP pass to see Matty!
Existem MA - for the ducks and for the traveller’s rest!
Everyone - for the alcohol (except Sambuca!)
Exhibitors - who gave us freebies!
DGM - for the smoothies!
Anyone else - who I’ve forgotten!
Cardinal Chunder - for staying at home this time!
Tips for Next Year
Don’t drink Sambuca…. ever!
Don’t drink too much on the night of Day 1!
Exhibitors - make sure you have sofas and seats (and a console game)!
Don’t leave your camera in hands of drunk affiliates and then go off for a ciggy!
Get into practice for Expo 2009 by going to Amsterdam in April!
Take someone with you - so if you’re hungover they can go to the sessions!
Finally as ever it was great to catch up with everyone in AM (and just one quick note to a couple of friends who weren’t there - we did miss you)!
