"Affiliates," Webmasters, maybe we should get ours? - GoFuckYourself.com

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:11 AM

All these "bonuses" to get us to sign up to their programs.

What about some straight up sign-on bonuses? That is what I am waiting for. No time to try new programs anymore, when I have plenty making me money already.

I have signed up to so many programs over the years, but almost zero in the last couple years. Maybe a couple just to check them out, but didn't send traffic, or minimal testing to one of their sites. But nothing significant to the program owner.

Maybe one day programs will just start shelling out say $500 for real webmasters to sign up and actually send traffic. Then I will take these "bonus" threads more serious. A real webmaster knows that $500 is chump change when it comes to gaining long term affiliates who bring traffic and sales.

No conditions, no minimum signups before payment, straight up cash to get you to sign up. Before sending traffic.

Maybe toss in there a one year commitment, or something reasonable to protect the program, but something way more serious than a contest thread or the likes. Aim for Webmasters with good reputations and business references if possible.

Do you think it will ever happen? Probably not, huh.

Program owners can laugh this thread off if they like, feel free to comment.

However, I am being 100% honest here. I make money every period from dozens of programs for a solid 6-8 years now. It didn't happen overnight. I have made thousands of dollars for lots of companies, so my opinion is not one any business person in this industry should cast off. Thinking of how much money I have made adult businesses, a $500 sign on bonus really is nothing, and would make someone like myself take a program way more serious. Way more than these silly $ contest posting threads, most definitely.

And I realize there are lots of webmasters, but still, programs need us when they build a model around affiliate traffic.

Everyone and anyone in this industry right now working within an affiliate model should be thinking long term. I know I am, and I hope the companies I work with continue to do so.

Traffic is King. Right?

Pete-KT · 10-01-2008, 08:16 AM

Good luck, no program is gonna give you 500 just for signing up, they might offer you a deal where if you send a certain amount of sales in a certain time frame they might give you a bonus, but noones gonna shell out money just for signing up

nation-x · 10-01-2008, 08:19 AM

This is one of the dumbest things I have seen posted on this subject on any board. Did you actually put thought into it before you posted?

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete-KT

Good luck, no program is gonna give you 500 just for signing up, they might offer you a deal where if you send a certain amount of sales in a certain time frame they might give you a bonus, but noones gonna shell out money just for signing up

thanks for reading and your reply.

Let me add, my goal in this thread is not to get myself $500 from a program for signing up, but to encourage discussion on such things from a real webmaster angle.

I can't take any of these programs asking for affiliates seriously with watery post whore threads and silly contests. I haven't seen any programs trying to get new webmasters in any manner that has caught my attention on this board in a long, long time.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nation-x

This is one of the dumbest things I have seen posted on this subject on any board. Did you actually put thought into it before you posted?

A lot more than you did on this post, guaranteed.

Do you run a program?

webmasterchecks · 10-01-2008, 08:23 AM

its going to be hard to find webmasters willing to shell out money up front for unqualified affiliates. youll have guys out of eastern europe spreading this on their boards and you have a lot of exposure there, if you have not even seen if they have any traffic yet

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webmasterchecks

its going to be hard to find webmasters willing to shell out money up front for unqualified affiliates. you have guys out of eastern europe spreading this on boards and you have a lot of exposure there

I agree, however there are always solutions around things like that.

webmasterchecks · 10-01-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nation-x

This is one of the dumbest things I have seen posted on this subject on any board. Did you actually put thought into it before you posted?

it wasnt a dumb post imo, its a good exercise to brainstorm how to accomplish goals and have your ideas publicly poked at and questioned. this is not done enough and many people jump into things without first testing their assumptions.

gornyhuy · 10-01-2008, 08:28 AM

One problem is the nature of the affiliate game: there are not contracts or committments and traffic levels and quality are impossible to predict (at least from the program's perspective).

More realistic I think would be a sign up bonus structured on hitting sales quotas. "new affiliates get $500 free after their first $1,000 in sales" This guarantees that the affilliate has links up, has reasonable traffic levels beyond 75% of the dabblers out there, and has some skin in the game before getting paid for nothing.

mightymike · 10-01-2008, 08:30 AM

I do not think this is stupid and it happens on other niches (domainparking for example) and it is somewhat strange that the adult programs do not do this also.

If you can prove you have good sites with results, they could offer a nice price to make you step over. A bit more competition between the programs to get the bigger webmasters would be smart and good for both parties.

FlexxAeon · 10-01-2008, 08:31 AM

this might be a bit off topic but i was wondering something similar yesterday. i'm relatively new to being a traffic pusher, yet I'm probably signed up to a good 50+ programs already. and i'm already decided that i won't be signing up to many more in the near future, at least to save my sanity.

even in my short time i've seen several newer programs rise & fall. putting aside things like shady business practices or just bad biz in general, i assume that newer programs live or die by the amount of "big time" affiliates they get.

so how would a new program get someone who pushes major traffic, has a well known rep, etc, to sign up? Maybe a sign-on bonus would work. or something more along the lines of a "pre-pay" which I've heard has been done before...

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webmasterchecks

it wasnt a dumb post imo, its a good exercise to brainstorm how to accomplish goals and have your ideas publicly poked at and questioned. this is not done enough and many people jump into things without first testing their assumptions.

Thank you.

That is all I am trying to do... brainstorm, create some questions and answers.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gornyhuy

One problem is the nature of the affiliate game: there are not contracts or committments and traffic levels and quality are impossible to predict (at least from the program's perspective).

More realistic I think would be a sign up bonus structured on hitting sales quotas. "new affiliates get $500 free after their first $1,000 in sales" This guarantees that the affilliate has links up, has reasonable traffic levels beyond 75% of the dabblers out there, and has some skin in the game before getting paid for nothing.

Very true, all good points.

But still, sign-on bonuses are not unheard of in almost any industry. When everything looks good, that is.

It is hard to establish what is a good webmaster though, I think that is an issue for sure.

Va2k · 10-01-2008, 08:36 AM

There are going to be idiots saying things are this and that but they are the ones going to be left behind! Nice Idea Cherry for a program owner making 20k or more a month that would be nothing but chump change! Keep brain storming please

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mightymike

I do not think this is stupid and it happens on other niches (domainparking for example) and it is somewhat strange that the adult programs do not do this also.

If you can prove you have good sites with results, they could offer a nice price to make you step over. A bit more competition between the programs to get the bigger webmasters would be smart and good for both parties.

And that is all I mean. When I can send thousands of credit card holding customers your way, what is $500? But there have to be established reputations on both sides.

I completely understand a program owner's dilemma in this. Soooo many scammers out there, weeding them out must be a nightmare.

But talking real business here, not shady business, $500 is probably not even enough for some webmasters to budge.

Then again lots of independant webmasters like myself have just started their own sites to send traffic too. That's just as easy when you know the game.

It will be interesting to see where it all goes in another 5 years with the affiliate model.

Pete-KT · 10-01-2008, 08:51 AM

Hey cherry hit me up on ICQ, ill offer you 500 if we can agree on a certain amount of sales in a certain time frame, but if you cant make the sales in the set time frame, then all you get is your payout

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete-KT

Hey cherry hit me up on ICQ, ill offer you 500 if we can agree on a certain amount of sales in a certain time frame, but if you cant make the sales in the set time frame, then all you get is your payout

Thank you, and I will take a look at your program and consider your offer. This week is super busy for me though, so I can't promise anything.

darksoul · 10-01-2008, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherrylula

No conditions, no minimum signups before payment, straight up cash to get you to sign up. Before sending traffic.

Great idea, everyone should do this. I'm sure every big affiliate is hunting for free money

.

If you're worth your weight, just talk with the program owner, deliver, and you'll get your bonuses.

O MARINA · 10-01-2008, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darksoul

just talk with the program, deliver, and you'll get your bonuses.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 09:06 AM

Let me add a little more insight from myself into this thread.

First of all, I consider myself a true webmaster. I don't go to shows, no affiliate programs I run, and I just make sites and develop traffic.

When I sign up to a new program, that catches my interest, a few things are going on.

I have to see a site that catches my eye, and seems to me will convert. I have been looking at porn sites since 1996, been in dozens of member sections, and have an idea of what works.

The first thing I am going to do after I get my linking code, is register domains. That costs me money. Next, content, my own that I pay for and license. I also create my own logos, my own site brands, and try to create a nice cozy path for the surfer to get to a sign up page.

Within the first week if I choose to send traffic to a new program, with my time, hosting, domains, traffic, and design, I invest easily hundreds of dollars before any sales are even made.

When I put up new sites, and do all of this work, I guarantee they will sit there for as long as my traffic rolls off my pages, onto yours, and generates revenues I get paid for. Simple as that. I have pages from 2001 that still make sales.

Let me add, I don't run any single big traffic site. I am not a whale, and don't promise thousands in sales in a certain period. But what I do does make money, and what I have to say is reasonable for some other business people out there to pay attention to.

long term baby, long term.

96ukssob · 10-01-2008, 09:10 AM

the only way I can see this being probable is if you send X sales in X time then you will get $500.

no one right off the bat is going to offer you a signup bonus unless you are an already huge and widely known affiliate. think of all the smaller guys that would signup, take the bonus and never send any sales.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 09:12 AM

and yet one more thought...

I'm not one of the types to put my neck out on the line and be some sort of example for a public traffic experiment to any program for publicity. That's how you get all your good ideas taken away and copied.

Business is business, and it is not unheard of for a company to take their affiliates marketing methods and tell their other affiliates, fucking up business for the guy who thought of it first. It isn't really illegal either, unless it is in writing somewhere.

Webmasters have to be keen and lay low a lot of times, to protect our own business models.

darksoul · 10-01-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherrylula

Let me add a little more insight from myself into this thread.

First of all, I consider myself a true webmaster. I don't go to shows, no affiliate programs I run, and I just make sites and develop traffic.

When I sign up to a new program, that catches my interest, a few things are going on.

I have to see a site that catches my eye, and seems to me will convert. I have been looking at porn sites since 1996, been in dozens of member sections, and have an idea of what works.

The first thing I am going to do after I get my linking code, is register domains. That costs me money. Next, content, my own that I pay for and license. I also create my own logos, my own site brands, and try to create a nice cozy path for the surfer to get to a sign up page.

Within the first week if I choose to send traffic to a new program, with my time, hosting, domains, traffic, and design, I invest easily hundreds of dollars before any sales are even made.

When I put up new sites, and do all of this work, I guarantee they will sit there for as long as my traffic rolls off my pages, onto yours, and generates revenues I get paid for. Simple as that. I have pages from 2001 that still make sales.

Let me add, I don't run any single big traffic site. I am not a whale, and don't promise thousands in sales in a certain period. But what I do does make money, and what I have to say is reasonable for some other business people out there to pay attention to.

long term baby, long term.

Pretty much the speech of every affiliate. You should talk with a program owner and get a feeling of how many webmasters actually deliver what they say.
No program has any problem in working with an affiliate that delivers. They'll get you anything you need once you prove them you can do what you say.

I'm working long term as well, but a signup bonus doesn't make me any good if that program is going to go under after 2 years. I don't make my choices based on bonuses but on what converts. If you're not converting you can give me all the bonuses I won't spend time on your sites.

Cherry7 · 10-01-2008, 09:14 AM

Traffic has a certain value, and we offer half the fees to affiliates for their traffic.

The more you take off the program makers the less they have to make original and high quality content.

A real improvement can be more detailed sales pitch on your site so that the traffic being sent is more targeted and likely to get sale. Keep the traffic that isn't interested paying on your site or sent to another that can use it.

Our affiliates make money with us, if you already have too much money to be bothered checking out new sites, good for you. We are in this for the long term and are bucking the system in making better and more high budget erotic videos, rather than low cost crap porn. Affiliates that value and "get it " will join.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bossku69

the only way I can see this being probable is if you send X sales in X time then you will get $500.

no one right off the bat is going to offer you a signup bonus unless you are an already huge and widely known affiliate. think of all the smaller guys that would signup, take the bonus and never send any sales.

At the same time there are many companies who have given out bonuses, to be paid with a minimum sale amount, close shop and never pay tons of small guys and keep lots of single or double digit sales.

I guarantee I personally have lost way more 1-2 sales to several different programs than I have taken a bonus and not sent traffic. I'd love to see how some of them spin those little extra sales on their tax returns. We should be getting interest.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darksoul

Pretty much the speech of every affiliate. You should talk with a program owner and get a feeling of how many webmasters actually deliver what they say.
No program has any problem in working with an affiliate that delivers. They'll get you anything you need once you prove them you can do what you say.

I'm working long term as well, but a signup bonus doesn't make me any good if that program is going to go under after 2 years. I don't make my choices based on bonuses but on what converts. If you're not converting you can give me all the bonuses I won't spend time on your sites.

I've talked with many program owners, I know. Worked in offices of adult internet companies.

Most people, in general, do not deliver what they say. Generally speaking in the world.

I look at it this way, real simple: If a program offered a straight up sign on bonus, I would have to think they are very serious in long term business. I'm not saying I think this is about to happen, I know better. But in my business mind, it is about the only thing that would catch my attention on this board anyhow. If such true business can even exist amongst the chicanery here. I don't think it can.

darksoul · 10-01-2008, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherrylula

I look at it this way, real simple: If a program offered a straight up sign on bonus, I would have to think they are very serious in long term business. I'm not saying I think this is about to happen, I know better. But in my business mind, it is about the only thing that would catch my attention on this board anyhow. If such true business can even exist amongst the chicanery here. I don't think it can.

I don't get your rationale behind signup bonus = here to stay
Let alone that it contradicts with your post above, care to explain ?

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darksoul

I don't get your rationale behind signup bonus = here to stay
Let alone that it contradicts with your post above, care to explain ?

It takes money to make money. That is my rationale.

If I seem to contradict myself, sorry for the confusion. I am covering a lot of points in this thread. Probably more than I should.

...and yes, there is *always* risk in business, no matter what. That is part of the game. Creating comfort in dealings is the most difficult.

brand0n · 10-01-2008, 09:31 AM

hun

there are about 10 freelance webmasters on this board who produce traffic now a days

and counting myself and yourself, 20% of them post in this thread

anyone will tell you, you go to a convention right now, all it is us rep talking to other reps about console/cross sale deals (that and whos going to open the next tubesite)

darksoul · 10-01-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherrylula

It takes money to make money. That is my rationale.

very true.
But that applies to webmasters as well, not to sponsors alone.

WiredGuy · 10-01-2008, 09:35 AM

brand0n is right, most reps don't even remember what an affiliate is.
WG

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brand0n

hun

there are about 10 freelance webmasters on this board who produce traffic now a days

and counting myself and yourself, 20% of them post in this thread

anyone will tell you, you go to a convention right now, all it is us rep talking to other reps about console/cross sale deals (that and whos going to open the next tubesite)

Yeah I realize all that, why I made this thread.

Things are changing in a big way. It is not a bad thing, I am not bashing anything. I see so many threads where programs are trying to hard to gain affiliates, it got me thinking.

But there have got to be more freelance webmasters around than that.

One thing I have learned from adult message boards, is for every one person who posts and speaks up, there are a dozen watching and reading, staying quiet taking what they have learned and developing it. Business people. Therefore, I believe there are many more Webmasters out there who feel the same I do.

Fact is, those who know how to make money surely aren't waiting for the next contest thread to figure out how to make money with their traffic.

And my concept of a sign on bonus from these inflated, outdated affiliate programs doesn't really fly with established webmasters at this point either. However it is interesting to think about for a minute.

I will say the programs I deal with and have dealt with over the years are definitely winning at this point in time. I don't know how any startup in the past few years have made it, other than focusing on getting traffic from other programs. But that still has to be one big circle jerk, and my traffic is still better than that.

Karupted Charles · 10-01-2008, 09:47 AM

I commend you for thinking and brainstorming but this post holds the inherent fault in the affiliate/owner relationship. Why would you expect program owners to shell out cash sight unseen? If long term is your real goal here would not working out higher percentages or volume bonuses be a long term answer? We offer $5 per join above the 60% payout to anyone who can do over 100 joins a month. That means that in 1 month you could make your 500 bonus if you will and you can do it again over and over not just once. This makes it a no risk win win for all. Many programs offer tiers of bonuses based on volume and the big/steady affiliates can usually hit them.

pornguy · 10-01-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlexxAeon

this might be a bit off topic but i was wondering something similar yesterday. i'm relatively new to being a traffic pusher, yet I'm probably signed up to a good 50+ programs already. and i'm already decided that i won't be signing up to many more in the near future, at least to save my sanity.

even in my short time i've seen several newer programs rise & fall. putting aside things like shady business practices or just bad biz in general, i assume that newer programs live or die by the amount of "big time" affiliates they get.

so how would a new program get someone who pushes major traffic, has a well known rep, etc, to sign up? Maybe a sign-on bonus would work. or something more along the lines of a "pre-pay" which I've heard has been done before...

When an affiliate is capable of movie SALES, not so much traffic numbers, then the programs are usually more than willing to work with them on things such as payment price 30 40 50 dollars per. How they pay them. Check wire or epass or what not. But they have to move quality sales.

Why would I pay someone more per sale and set him up with ACH payments weekly when the program does not offer that normally, if the guy can only send 15 sales a period. Or maybe he sends 100 sales a period, but only 12 % rebill. Is it worth the extra out of my pocket for him?? Maybe, maybe not. But the affiliate that sends me 100 sales a period and 65 or more % rebill, Then for the most part the programs are going to bend over backwards for them.

FreeHugeMovies · 10-01-2008, 09:48 AM

Too much fraud in this biz.

Barefootsies · 10-01-2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeHugeMovies

Too much fraud in this biz.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karupted Charles

I commend you for thinking and brainstorming but this post holds the inherent fault in the affiliate/owner relationship. Why would you expect program owners to shell out cash sight unseen? If long term is your real goal here would not working out higher percentages or volume bonuses be a long term answer? We offer $5 per join above the 60% payout to anyone who can do over 100 joins a month. That means that in 1 month you could make your 500 bonus if you will and you can do it again over and over not just once. This makes it a no risk win win for all. Many programs offer tiers of bonuses based on volume and the big/steady affiliates can usually hit them.

I agree on the relationship point.

And I wouldn't expect anyone to just shell out cash sight unseen. That also is a given.

But how would you guarantee I make the same amount of money with your program, as I do other programs, with $5 and join %'s? There are sooooo many variables when it comes to making real money as a webmaster with a program, that is what I look for. Those $5 and extra %'s mean nothing if your sites do not convert my traffic well. It takes a lot of time and patience to develop a true, money making, webmaster and internet company relationship. My highest paying ($ per click) programs I guard, cherish and never mention their names to others.

And I'll be really honest. Not a lot of webmasters can just send over 100 joins in a month. However, monetarily, there has to be middle ground to make everyone money. A lot of programs are missing out on real webmaster traffic, because we just don't fit into your model. And some of us despise things like flashy hosted galleries designed to suck us in.

A lot of program owners need to realize there is more money in webmasters than just whales. The whales are less and less, and the small guys like me are more and more. But maybe I am totally wrong, and a in small percentage of Webmasters, like brand0n said.

Again, my proposal of $500 sign on wasn't unreasonable. I just don't trust so many programs nowdays, there are so many sneaky ways to get over on affiliates, and it is happening right now. At some point, they have to look further than some magical noob with traffic showing up. They are long gone...

Karupted Charles · 10-01-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cherrylula

I agree on the relationship point.

And I wouldn't expect anyone to just shell out cash sight unseen. That also is a given.

But how would you guarantee I make the same amount of money with your program, as I do other programs, with $5 and join %'s? There are sooooo many variables when it comes to making real money as a webmaster with a program, that is what I look for. Those $5 and extra %'s mean nothing if your sites do not convert my traffic well. It takes a lot of time and patience to develop a true, money making, webmaster and internet company relationship. My highest paying ($ per click) programs I guard, cherish and never mention their names to others.

And I'll be really honest. Not a lot of webmasters can just send over 100 joins in a month. However, monetarily, there has to be middle ground to make everyone money. A lot of programs are missing out on real webmaster traffic, because we just don't fit into your model. And some of us despise things like flashy hosted galleries designed to suck us in.

A lot of program owners need to realize there is more money in webmasters than just whales. The whales are less and less, and the small guys like me are more and more. But maybe I am totally wrong, and a in small percentage of Webmasters, like brand0n said.

Again, my proposal of $500 sign on wasn't unreasonable. I just don't trust so many programs nowdays, there are so many sneaky ways to get over on affiliates, and it is happening right now. At some point, they have to look further than some magical noob with traffic showing up. They are long gone...

Ok working off the my traffic may not convert with you theory that only further weakens the signing bonus idea. Why would a program owner pay you 500 to move over if your traffic wont convert for them and then you as the webmaster leave maybe only sending a few joins. Based on the fact of what may be a whale or even a steady webmaster with x program does not mean anything to y program.

The way I see it signing bonuses can not work. That does not mean there are not ways to encourage smaller steady webmasters to move over though. We don't do it but I would guess that the one day larger then usual payout days some programs offer would be more inline with something that would work for both. If you see good results you can keep pushing them if not then you don't but at least it will get you the affiliate a better chance at recouping the costs.

FlexxAeon · 10-01-2008, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pornguy

When an affiliate is capable of movie SALES, not so much traffic numbers, then the programs are usually more than willing to work with them on things such as payment price 30 40 50 dollars per. How they pay them. Check wire or epass or what not. But they have to move quality sales.

Why would I pay someone more per sale and set him up with ACH payments weekly when the program does not offer that normally, if the guy can only send 15 sales a period. Or maybe he sends 100 sales a period, but only 12 % rebill. Is it worth the extra out of my pocket for him?? Maybe, maybe not. But the affiliate that sends me 100 sales a period and 65 or more % rebill, Then for the most part the programs are going to bend over backwards for them.

i dig. i meant "major traffic" as in quality & quantity combined

how many webmasters that send said quality traffic are there out there, that are not either a) practically in bed with an aff program or b) vested in their own? i'd figure those true traffic kings have already been bent over backwards for, and probably already get deals similar to what cherry mentioned.

cherrylula · 10-01-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karupted Charles

Ok working off the my traffic may not convert with you theory that only further weakens the signing bonus idea. Why would a program owner pay you 500 to move over if your traffic wont convert for them and then you as the webmaster leave maybe only sending a few joins. Based on the fact of what may be a whale or even a steady webmaster with x program does not mean anything to y program.

Not exactly. I didn't really mean "move over" traffic, more about developing fresh traffic to a site, or even better a niche, that you are familiar with. But regardless, I see your point. There will always be flaws.

Quote:

The way I see it signing bonuses can not work. That does not mean there are not ways to encourage smaller steady webmasters to move over though. We don't do it but I would guess that the one day larger then usual payout days some programs offer would be more inline with something that would work for both. If you see good results you can keep pushing them if not then you don't but at least it will get you the affiliate a better chance at recouping the costs.

Yeah, bonuses probably would not work with the way things are today. I can only say program owners have lots of patience to deal with the shit this industry attracts. Bravo to them.

However at this point personally I am really looking at my list of programs I deal with, and I think by the end of this year I am going to do some serious shaving of my own. Its definitely a time for change.

Thanks to everyone with intelligent posts in here.

webmasterchecks · 10-01-2008, 11:17 AM

now one way may be to credit $$$ into an account that the affiliate would receive if they met goals

but like charles mentioned, there is a lack of loyalty between affiliates and programs, for instance, a webmaster does a contest and gives a prize to the winner. the winner, who may have just gotten a 10k prize, then pulls their traffic. program owner may decide not to do a contest like that again.

but i think thats the way the world has been turning, not just this industry

gotekix · 10-01-2008, 11:19 AM

I'd be willing to throw an affiliate a sign up bonus only in rare cases.

There are far too many scammers to offer this type of thing to everyone. I think a tier bonus model is more fair for everyone since the risk is mitigated for the program owner and the affiliate can gain a bonus for the sales he actually makes, rather than speculation. What's to stop the affiliate from just keeping the bonus and not promoting your site? If the bonus came after the fact then it'd encourage affiliates to promote your program...

10-01-2008, 08:11 AM	#1
cherrylula lol Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 15,969	"Affiliates," Webmasters, maybe we should get ours? All these "bonuses" to get us to sign up to their programs. What about some straight up sign-on bonuses? That is what I am waiting for. No time to try new programs anymore, when I have plenty making me money already. I have signed up to so many programs over the years, but almost zero in the last couple years. Maybe a couple just to check them out, but didn't send traffic, or minimal testing to one of their sites. But nothing significant to the program owner. Maybe one day programs will just start shelling out say $500 for real webmasters to sign up and actually send traffic. Then I will take these "bonus" threads more serious. A real webmaster knows that $500 is chump change when it comes to gaining long term affiliates who bring traffic and sales. No conditions, no minimum signups before payment, straight up cash to get you to sign up. Before sending traffic. Maybe toss in there a one year commitment, or something reasonable to protect the program, but something way more serious than a contest thread or the likes. Aim for Webmasters with good reputations and business references if possible. Do you think it will ever happen? Probably not, huh. Program owners can laugh this thread off if they like, feel free to comment. However, I am being 100% honest here. I make money every period from dozens of programs for a solid 6-8 years now. It didn't happen overnight. I have made thousands of dollars for lots of companies, so my opinion is not one any business person in this industry should cast off. Thinking of how much money I have made adult businesses, a $500 sign on bonus really is nothing, and would make someone like myself take a program way more serious. Way more than these silly $ contest posting threads, most definitely. And I realize there are lots of webmasters, but still, programs need us when they build a model around affiliate traffic. Everyone and anyone in this industry right now working within an affiliate model should be thinking long term. I know I am, and I hope the companies I work with continue to do so. Traffic is King. Right?

10-01-2008, 08:23 AM	#6
webmasterchecks Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,685	its going to be hard to find webmasters willing to shell out money up front for unqualified affiliates. youll have guys out of eastern europe spreading this on their boards and you have a lot of exposure there, if you have not even seen if they have any traffic yet __________________ Webmasterchecks Affiliate Payments - fully compatible with nats/mpa3

10-01-2008, 08:28 AM	#9
gornyhuy Chafed. Join Date: May 2002 Location: Face Down in Pussy Posts: 18,041	One problem is the nature of the affiliate game: there are not contracts or committments and traffic levels and quality are impossible to predict (at least from the program's perspective). More realistic I think would be a sign up bonus structured on hitting sales quotas. "new affiliates get $500 free after their first $1,000 in sales" This guarantees that the affilliate has links up, has reasonable traffic levels beyond 75% of the dabblers out there, and has some skin in the game before getting paid for nothing. __________________ icq:159548293

10-01-2008, 08:31 AM	#11
FlexxAeon Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,765	this might be a bit off topic but i was wondering something similar yesterday. i'm relatively new to being a traffic pusher, yet I'm probably signed up to a good 50+ programs already. and i'm already decided that i won't be signing up to many more in the near future, at least to save my sanity. even in my short time i've seen several newer programs rise & fall. putting aside things like shady business practices or just bad biz in general, i assume that newer programs live or die by the amount of "big time" affiliates they get. so how would a new program get someone who pushes major traffic, has a well known rep, etc, to sign up? Maybe a sign-on bonus would work. or something more along the lines of a "pre-pay" which I've heard has been done before... __________________ flexx [dot] aeon [at] gmail

10-01-2008, 08:36 AM	#14
Va2k I’m still alive barley. Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Va Posts: 10,060	There are going to be idiots saying things are this and that but they are the ones going to be left behind! Nice Idea Cherry for a program owner making 20k or more a month that would be nothing but chump change! Keep brain storming please __________________

10-01-2008, 08:16 AM	#2
Pete-KT Workin With The Devil Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: West Bloomfield, MI Posts: 51,532	Good luck, no program is gonna give you 500 just for signing up, they might offer you a deal where if you send a certain amount of sales in a certain time frame they might give you a bonus, but noones gonna shell out money just for signing up

10-01-2008, 08:19 AM	#3
nation-x Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,370	This is one of the dumbest things I have seen posted on this subject on any board. Did you actually put thought into it before you posted?

10-01-2008, 08:30 AM	#10
mightymike Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 139	I do not think this is stupid and it happens on other niches (domainparking for example) and it is somewhat strange that the adult programs do not do this also. If you can prove you have good sites with results, they could offer a nice price to make you step over. A bit more competition between the programs to get the bigger webmasters would be smart and good for both parties.

10-01-2008, 08:51 AM	#16
Pete-KT Workin With The Devil Industry Role: Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: West Bloomfield, MI Posts: 51,532	Hey cherry hit me up on ICQ, ill offer you 500 if we can agree on a certain amount of sales in a certain time frame, but if you cant make the sales in the set time frame, then all you get is your payout

10-01-2008, 09:06 AM	#20
cherrylula lol Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 15,969	Let me add a little more insight from myself into this thread. First of all, I consider myself a true webmaster. I don't go to shows, no affiliate programs I run, and I just make sites and develop traffic. When I sign up to a new program, that catches my interest, a few things are going on. I have to see a site that catches my eye, and seems to me will convert. I have been looking at porn sites since 1996, been in dozens of member sections, and have an idea of what works. The first thing I am going to do after I get my linking code, is register domains. That costs me money. Next, content, my own that I pay for and license. I also create my own logos, my own site brands, and try to create a nice cozy path for the surfer to get to a sign up page. Within the first week if I choose to send traffic to a new program, with my time, hosting, domains, traffic, and design, I invest easily hundreds of dollars before any sales are even made. When I put up new sites, and do all of this work, I guarantee they will sit there for as long as my traffic rolls off my pages, onto yours, and generates revenues I get paid for. Simple as that. I have pages from 2001 that still make sales. Let me add, I don't run any single big traffic site. I am not a whale, and don't promise thousands in sales in a certain period. But what I do does make money, and what I have to say is reasonable for some other business people out there to pay attention to. long term baby, long term.

10-01-2008, 09:10 AM	#21
96ukssob So Fucking Banananananas Industry Role: Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: If I was in your ass you'd know it Posts: 12,991	the only way I can see this being probable is if you send X sales in X time then you will get $500. no one right off the bat is going to offer you a signup bonus unless you are an already huge and widely known affiliate. think of all the smaller guys that would signup, take the bonus and never send any sales. __________________ Email: Clicky on Me

10-01-2008, 09:12 AM	#22
cherrylula lol Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 15,969	and yet one more thought... I'm not one of the types to put my neck out on the line and be some sort of example for a public traffic experiment to any program for publicity. That's how you get all your good ideas taken away and copied. Business is business, and it is not unheard of for a company to take their affiliates marketing methods and tell their other affiliates, fucking up business for the guy who thought of it first. It isn't really illegal either, unless it is in writing somewhere. Webmasters have to be keen and lay low a lot of times, to protect our own business models.

10-01-2008, 09:14 AM	#24
Cherry7 Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,564	Traffic has a certain value, and we offer half the fees to affiliates for their traffic. The more you take off the program makers the less they have to make original and high quality content. A real improvement can be more detailed sales pitch on your site so that the traffic being sent is more targeted and likely to get sale. Keep the traffic that isn't interested paying on your site or sent to another that can use it. Our affiliates make money with us, if you already have too much money to be bothered checking out new sites, good for you. We are in this for the long term and are bucking the system in making better and more high budget erotic videos, rather than low cost crap porn. Affiliates that value and "get it " will join. __________________ My Neighbour Butterfly PORN-The Musical The Long Goodbye Cinema Erotique

10-01-2008, 09:31 AM	#29
brand0n been very busy Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: the queen city Posts: 26,983	hun there are about 10 freelance webmasters on this board who produce traffic now a days and counting myself and yourself, 20% of them post in this thread anyone will tell you, you go to a convention right now, all it is us rep talking to other reps about console/cross sale deals (that and whos going to open the next tubesite) __________________ want to buy this spot for cheap? it is of course for sale. long term deals are always the best bet. brand0n/ at/ a o l dot commies.

10-01-2008, 09:35 AM	#31
WiredGuy Pounding Googlebot Industry Role: Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 34,487	brand0n is right, most reps don't even remember what an affiliate is. WG __________________ I play with Google.

10-01-2008, 09:47 AM	#33
Karupted Charles Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: MI Posts: 1,662	I commend you for thinking and brainstorming but this post holds the inherent fault in the affiliate/owner relationship. Why would you expect program owners to shell out cash sight unseen? If long term is your real goal here would not working out higher percentages or volume bonuses be a long term answer? We offer $5 per join above the 60% payout to anyone who can do over 100 joins a month. That means that in 1 month you could make your 500 bonus if you will and you can do it again over and over not just once. This makes it a no risk win win for all. Many programs offer tiers of bonuses based on volume and the big/steady affiliates can usually hit them. __________________ TPF 2010 "They are eating our sausages!"

10-01-2008, 09:48 AM	#35
FreeHugeMovies Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 14,137	Too much fraud in this biz.

10-01-2008, 11:17 AM	#41
webmasterchecks Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,685	now one way may be to credit $$$ into an account that the affiliate would receive if they met goals but like charles mentioned, there is a lack of loyalty between affiliates and programs, for instance, a webmaster does a contest and gives a prize to the winner. the winner, who may have just gotten a 10k prize, then pulls their traffic. program owner may decide not to do a contest like that again. but i think thats the way the world has been turning, not just this industry __________________ Webmasterchecks Affiliate Payments - fully compatible with nats/mpa3

10-01-2008, 11:19 AM	#42
gotekix Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 243	I'd be willing to throw an affiliate a sign up bonus only in rare cases. There are far too many scammers to offer this type of thing to everyone. I think a tier bonus model is more fair for everyone since the risk is mitigated for the program owner and the affiliate can gain a bonus for the sales he actually makes, rather than speculation. What's to stop the affiliate from just keeping the bonus and not promoting your site? If the bonus came after the fact then it'd encourage affiliates to promote your program...