Wiseaff

Forbes: How to Become an Affiliate

On the surface, affiliate marketing (also known as performance marketing) seems simple. Brands offer affiliate partners a percentage of every sale or lead the partners generate via their online promotional activity. Anyone can join these affiliate programs and easily monetize their online content and influence and get paid for promoting any brand they want.

If only it were that easy.

You can read the full article here

Yazing Reaches 50k Members!

Yazing, the influencer monetization and cashback shopping platform, launched by Adam Viener in 2015, recently announced that they have reached 50k members after a record breaking year in 2020.  Yazing now has over 3,600 brands on that platform that any member can instantly start promoting and earning cash rewards for generating sales.  Members have generated nearly $4 million dollars in commissions on the platform.

“Companies have long offered affiliate programs, but these deals can be difficult to navigate and out of reach for the average individual, influencer or blogger.” said Adam Viener, Founder of Yazing. “I believe that EVERYONE has influence and deserves to be compensated for the sales they help generate. I launched Yazing in 2015 with the goal of making these often elusive opportunities accessible to anyone looking to earn some extra money from home promoting and supporting the brands they love.”

Anyone with an email address and the ability to receive payments via PayPal is welcome to join Yazing for free and start earning money.

CPA Network Survival

Chris Trayhorn wrote an interesting CPA Survivor article for mThink, in which he looks at the landscape of CPA networks and the number of failing networks and those that are "refinancing, merging or crouching in a defensive posture" and questions which ones will survive.

Chris believes that BRAND is the key to survival in the CPA network space.  While I think having a good brand is important for standing out from the crowd, I believe that in this space brand is but one small piece of the puzzle and won't be the key to survival and it's hard to create a real brand without differentiation!

For too long the CPA networks that have been popping up have been focusing on "offers" and pushing the same offers that can be found in almost all of the other networks.  In fact a lot of the platforms are specifically setup to be able to share these offers from one network to the other.  This has lead to the commoditization of the networks.

Traditional affiliate networks have always stood out by 3 main factors:

1. The Quality of the Companies (Advertisers) on their Network.  
2. The Quality & Quantity of Affiliates (Publishers) on their Network.
3. The Confidence in their Tracking and Payment Technologies.

Of course there are other factors, but these are the 3 key points. 

So how does a CPA network make the transition and secure their place along the sides of Commission Junction, Linkshare and the likes?

Here is what I would do to change the game:

Exclusive Distribution Partners

For a long time networks have focused on bringing in the top advertisers, and affiliates have come to those networks in order to be able to promote them.  Now that the industry has matured, these top Advertisers are finding that 5% of their affiliate partners are driving 95% of their sales.  The network that controls these 5% of top affiliates writes the rules going forward.  The market is fragmented, and many of these top affiliates are ripe for acquisition.  A strong network with good cash flow could acquire these top affiliates and would find it a lot easier to win the exclusive relationships needed to differentiate themselves from the pack.

Former Linkshare President to Head GSI Media, Inc.

GSI Commerce has appointed Stephen Denton, former President of Linskshare, to head up their new GSI Media Division with the vision of combining leading media networks under one roof.  Here is the press release:

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., Apr 20, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- GSI Commerce Inc, (NASDAQ: GSIC) the leading provider of e-commerce and multichannel solutions, today announced that Stephen Denton has joined the company as president of GSI Media, Inc., where he will oversee the operations and strategic direction of the company. The Pepperjam affiliate network, acquired by GSI last year, will operate under the GSI Media brand. GSI Media is a separate business unit of TrueAction(TM), GSI's digital design and marketing agency, reporting to Nick Pahade, president of TrueAction and CEO of GSI Media.

"GSI Media, Inc. was created during the acquisition of the Pepperjam affiliate network with the goal of combining leading media networks under one roof to drive optimal value for clients," said Pahade. "Steve is one of the most respected and experienced leaders in the affiliate marketing and ad network industry. The affiliate network can drive significant traffic for our clients and hiring Steve is proof positive of our seriousness and vision to grow the network over time, financially and geographically. We feel very fortunate to have Steve join our team."

As president of GSI Media, Denton will lead and manage the company's affiliate network, Pepperjam, as well as shape and drive the direction of the overall GSI Media business unit. In 2009, GSI Commerce acquired the Pepperjam affiliate marketing network to expand the breadth and depth of TrueAction's marketing services capabilities. Since the acquisition, several of GSI clients, including Modell's and Shop.NHL.com, have successfully transitioned over to the Pepperjam affiliate network.

"Leveraging top tier marketing services is critical to online success, and GSI Media will represent the opportunity to coordinate GSI's current network, Pepperjam, with other media networks in the future," said Denton. "GSI offers clients a unique end-to-end e-commerce solution, and I'm excited for the opportunity to provide clients with a performance-based media network that is aligned with their brand and e-commerce goals."

Denton has over 11 years of digital media experience and 20 years of successfully leading sales and marketing teams. Prior to joining GSI Media, Denton helped clients manage and monetize cross media marketing solutions as senior vice president of Cross Commerce Media. Prior to Cross Commerce Media, Denton was president at Linkshare Corporation, a leading performance marketing network provider, where he was responsible for all client facing operations including sales, merchant services, affiliate development, search, and marketing. Denton also served in key leadership roles at FedEx Corporate Services, The Times-Mirror Company, and PepsiCo.

As part of the transition, Pepperjam founder, Kristopher B. Jones, will be leaving the organization to pursue other opportunities but has agreed to continue to act as an advisor to the company for a period of time. "Kris has made great contributions to the affiliate industry and to the success of Pepperjam. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors," said Pahade.

About GSI Commerce

GSI Commerce(R) is a leading provider of services that enable e-commerce, multichannel retailing and interactive marketing for large, business-to-consumer (b2c) enterprises in the U.S. and internationally. We deliver customized solutions through an e-commerce platform, which is comprised of technology, fulfillment and customer care and is available on a modular basis or as part of an integrated, end-to-end solution. We offer a full suite of interactive marketing services through two divisions, TrueAction(TM) and e-Dialog. Additionally, we provide brands and retailers a platform for online private sales through RueLaLa.com, and an online, off-price marketplace, SmartBargains.com.

About TrueAction

TrueAction(TM) (http://www.TrueAction.com) is a full-service digital agency focused on creating experiences that drive consumer actions. More than 50 of the world's leading brands and retailers rely on TrueAction to deliver effective digital solutions through a deep understanding of strategy, usability, design, media, and photography. TrueAction, with offices in New York; San Jose, Calif.; and King of Prussia, Pa., is a GSI Commerce company.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements made in this release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "will," "would," "should," "guidance," "potential," "opportunity," "continue," "project," "forecast," "confident," "prospects," "schedule" and similar expressions typically are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business of GSI Commerce. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors which may affect GSI Commerce's business, financial condition and operating results include the effects of changes in the economy, consumer spending, the financial markets and the industries in which GSI Commerce and its clients operate, changes affecting the Internet and e-commerce, the ability of GSI Commerce to develop and maintain relationships with strategic partners and suppliers and the timing of its establishment, extension or termination of its relationships with clients, the ability of GSI Commerce to timely and successfully develop, maintain and protect its technology, confidential and proprietary information, and product and service offerings and execute operationally, the ability of GSI Commerce to attract and retain qualified personnel, and the ability of GSI Commerce to successfully integrate its acquisitions of other businesses and the performance of acquired businesses. More information about potential factors that could affect GSI Commerce can be found in its most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports and statements filed by GSI Commerce with the SEC. GSI Commerce expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: GSI Commerce Inc.

Commission Junction give affiliates more email control ....FINALLY!

For a while we (along with others) have been telling CJ that we need more control over the email notices that are distributed through their system.

There are certain emails I want to get personally, but I couldn't do that for fear that my inbox would instantly fill up with newsletters and offers to join programs.

We spoke with CJ about this in the past and again at Affiliate Summit West last month.  Either this was already in the works, or they are just really quick! 

When I logged in today I saw the following:

Get too much email?

Clients can login to update their communication preferences with our upgraded Mail Settings tab.

It’s easy – simply head to the Mail > Mail Settings tab.
 

So I checked it out.  When I got to the settings I found this screen:

 

So now I can filter what emails go to each email address based on roles.   This is a great enhancement and one that is long overdue!

So let me say to the whole CJ Crew......"Thank you for listening!" 

What is (should be) the Job of the Networks?

I’ve debated this post for a while because it’s really calling out the some pretty basic flaws in the affiliate business.  But the issue keeps popping up and I have to express my feelings.

What should be the function of the networks in the role of the affiliate space?  

Seems like a loaded question and to a certain extent it is. 

I’m not trying to raise the ire of any one network (or all of the networks), but I think there is a fundamental truth here that is often overlooked.
 
Affiliate Networks need to focus on getting the basics right before they implement these crazy widgets and gizmos. 

1) Track the Sales
2) Pay Affiliates
3) Provide all the necessary Reporting

It's not rocket science.

We work with a lot of different networks and there are good points and bad about each, but the number of network s that have problems paying commission and providing accurate reporting is amazing. 
In some cases reports just don’t work. 

In Linkshare for instance, some months you click on a payment amount to get the detail report and you get an error.  They seem to know about the problem and will fix it when you ask, but it keeps happening month after month.  This forces us to get a manual accounting.  To their credit they are prompt with that, but it’s still a pain.  Perhaps they should just fix the problem?

In some cases the reports just don’t exist.  OneNetwork Direct is the worst.  They send a payment with no accounting of what merchants we are being paid for.  They have promised a solution for at least a year, but nothing.  So, every month when the check comes in we have to ASK for the detail.  Isn’t someone calculating these payments?  Someone HAS to have this info.  All I ask is that you give it to us with the payment.  We had a similar problem with PepperJam but in just 2 days they provided that needed report in their interface.  Kudos to Kris and his team.  Now if we could just get PepperJam to pay on a calendar month all would be well.  (Hint, hint)

Share A Sale also doesn’t have this report in their interface.  They provide it manually each month when I ask, but it would just be nice to pull it off the interface.  Brian Littleton has told me he’s working on it, but my guess is it’s a bigger programming issue and that it is just easier to get it to us manually than fixing the code.  But again, a it’s a pain because I have to ask month after month.

We have been hounding Google Affiliate Network for years about the length of time it takes to get paid by their merchants.  For some reason they don’t require pre-pay like other networks which we’ve been told is the main reason for the delays.  For a search affiliate like us, getting paid 60-90 days after the fact means that we are floating the advertising cost.  But worse than that is that there are critical reports in the interface that are missing.  We recently discovered that there is NO WAY to get a report of outstanding commission that have been earned but not paid yet.   So basically if you are not keeping track of your receivables you would have no way to know what commission you are owed and from what merchants.   And with the 60-90 day delay, this can get a bit confusing if you don’t have a good system.

I have a hard time believing that I am the only one having these issues. 

I know I have a minor in accounting… perhaps that may be part of the issue? 

There have to be more affiliate companies out there struggling with these issues.  If you want to run a successful business managing receivables is critical.  I just wish that the networks would understand this and help us by solving some of these issues. 

Party like it's 1998 @ CJ - Happy Birthday!

Commission Junction just turned 10!  Happy Birthday CJ!!!

Jumping on the Deep Linking Bandwagon

Attention Affiliate Managers.

If you haven't read this blog post from our good friend, Scott Jangro, then you should take a moment to go trough it.  Deep Linking is so important for top affiliates, if you don't have it, don't expect great results!

"Virtually every affiliate network supports deep linking in some manner, though not all merchants allow it."

Do you support deep linking in your program???

Performics and Pepperjam Spoke, Wiseaff Listened!

I am not sure if you missed some of the back and forth between Larry Adams of Performics and Kris Jones of Pepperjam over the title of Larry Adam's Blog Post: "Publishers Spoke, We Listened".  Apparently Kris felt the blog title was a little to similar to their "Affiliates have Spoken. Pepperjam Listened" marketing campaign they have been using.  Here is a copy of the back of the shirt I got at Affiliate Summit:

In the comments of this Revenews blog post, Kris went as far as to suggest the following:

"Larry - we applied for the trademark “Affiliates Have Spoken. Pepperjam Listened.”

An Larry pointed out the following:

"I was at the Summit, although I can’t say that I remember any of your t-shirts; Vegas can be a distracting place. I’m not saying I never saw it but let’s just say that neither of us are going to get a trademark on the “[You] spoke, [we] listened” motto - http://tinyurl.com/yom86a"

All probably a little silly if you ask me, and when I put my Pepperjam T-shirt on this morning, It did all come back to me, and I thought it was odd, and interesting to note, that their TM mark on the T-shirt isn't actually on the phrase, it's on the Pepperjam term only.

Back to your regularly scheduled program...

Kowabunga! Get's $20M loan

Yesterday, Kowabunga! released a press release detailing their $20 in new debt funding from Wachovia Bank.

Jody Brown, chief financial officer of Kowabunga!, stated, “The new credit facilities with Wachovia provide us greater financial flexibility at attractive borrowing rates. It will allow us to continue to maintain a strong balance sheet, while providing the company an additional source of capital for general corporate purposes.”

Scott P. Mitchell, president and chief executive officer of Kowabunga!, added, “We are very pleased to continue our long term banking relationship with Wachovia and consider these extended and more flexible credit facilities a strong vote of confidence for what we are building here at Kowabunga!. Access to capital on more flexible terms will enhance our ability to continue on the path of growth, particularly in our Ad Network business, which grew approximately 65% in the fourth quarter of 2007 over the same period 2006.”