Affiliate Programs: The Problems...
 

Okay for the past week I've been signing up to this affiliate program and that affiliate program.

I'm not going to name names as that's not the point of the post. What I'm going to do is point out the 'problems' I've run into. Hopefully this will get them to see the light and be more efficient.

First off, one big named affiliate program does an excellent job of simple, easy to use and post product. No razzle-dazzle menu laden webmaster consoles, just simple to use and get on about your business options. Only one problem with them, they should name their pics in an unique way instead of 1, 2, 3, etc. Like I've got all freakin' day renaming shit???

Other problems. Only 3 of them didn't email the webmaster with their acceptance data. We were prompted that we would be emailed yet days have dragged on. Those are days of unproductivity. 2 of these sites didn't even give you the " please print this information for your files " option.

Really fucked up.

Promo: If you intend to do an affiliate program and decide to provide banners for promo, HIRE A PROFESSIONAL to create them. It ain't that difficult. There are probably dozens right here on GFY alone.

Instructions: I'm a webmaster, not 'Scotty from Star Trek'. Your linking and program instructions should be understood at a glance. I'm trying to make money not decipher the ancient scrolls of Atlantis.

User/Password: If we sign up with a username and password that is approved, then that username/password should work after we've signed up. That raises a red flag because if our user/pass is screwed up, then what about our customers???

Galleries: If you're going to provide hosted galleries don't put things like ' For our webmasters only ' and still post them as accessible by us. We don't need more taunting. Also, if you're going to provide galleries don't tell us not to submit them to TGP or gallery posts. Suggestions like that might be seen by invading alien armies who would immediately know that some of us are too stupid to put up a resistance and we'd be soon found in alien concentration camps making care packages for Borg victims.

How about HIRING A PROFESSIONAL to design your free hosted galleries? I'm sure there are dozens here at GFY alone. ( brought to you by redundant common sense committee ).

Message boards: If you advertise that you have a webmaster's board on your affiliate site it would be a good idea to actually HAVE a webmaster's board. If not, remove the big-ass flickering colorful 60pt. text that says so. Message boards are valuable commodities as we can troubleshoot together.

Payouts: I'll leave that alone til I'm done with my surveys.

Support: That's what support means, SUPPORT, 'NOT' wiseass comebacks. If I wanted to be demeaned by someone who's solicited me to sell their product I would be a civil servant. A big red flag is raised when lack of accord is present. If you'll be a snide assed bitch to someone promoting your product how will you treat the customer buying it?

Blabbermouth: How in the hell does Joe Shmoe know I signed up for your program if I've not even begun to promote it yet? Oh, he heard it from Sam Shmam who got it from Sue Shmue while they were at the chili bar at the webmaster's convention. If I wanted others to know my business model and frequencies I would HAVE an affiliate program. What I make or made with your program is between me, you and Uncle Sam ONLY. If you want me to do a testimonial then email me.

Overall I'ld have to say 60% of the affiliate programs I've signed up for show promise. Only time and traffic and strategy will tell.

shit happends

the world is an imperfect place :glugglug

Thanks, that's just what we're lookin' for.

You shouldn't have any problems with WEG.

Good post.

Didnt mention the shitty stat pages yet though...

Hey genius, why don't you open up your own affiliate program and show everyone how its done?

Since you know everything you should be stealing everyone's webmasters in no time and own the entire adult internet within a few years.

Thank you for that post, we actually stride to make sure our webmasters are happy. I hope we live up to most webmasters expectations, but its impossible to make everyone happy. Just do your best in any business. :thumbsup


Chuck

Cool! How long does it take to get approved by wegcash?

I have some better advice......use Gigacash.

rofl!!! I had forgotten about one group that uses white 2pt. lettering on a very light gray background on their stats pages. It's sorta like playing golf on a snow covered fairway and then trying to find your ball.

Great post. Should be pinned for everyone launching a new affiliate program.

Good Post!

Lots of very valid observations.

We love to hear from our partners, because it means they are serious about promotion...

Feel free to signup and hit me with your feedback!

Wow Chuck! That's the kind of outlook that brings confidence! I'll be signing up for your programs asap! Thanks!

Thanks Dustman! Which of the programs in your sig are yours? Your outlook brings confidence. What I'm doing is literally scouring through all the affiliate programs that I can assimilate into my presentation profile.

I do cartoons. I can't do cookie cutter stuff so what I like to do is personalize my presentations so that the surfer feels there's a real person behind it. I did that with my AVS traffic by doing a little two-tiered cartoon of why that AVS is cool. Or I do a cartoon for a model's site and ask her permission to do so and give her free content for her own promo. Reason is, IT WORKS. I did two toons years ago. One for Cyber Age and one for Adult Check. People loved em' and I still get emails from fans asking for more. So I see how it works.

Example lets say I signed up for your programs. I would do a cartoon/half page/full page of some sort of adventure that leads the surfer into the tour or signup page. Since it's your program I have to get your permission first and then I give you the toon for your other webmasters to use and customize. It's a fair trade as I see it because it gives me the freedom to make new stuff and personalize.

So I'll be continually going through affiliate programs and seeing which programs I can adapt to my promo model ( while still fixing scanners and computers...this year was the year of fixing computers hell ).

:)

We always take suggestions seriously. Especially from people whore are using or trying to use the program. If we ever had issues like that we would work on fixing them.

Most would. That's why I would suggest getting ahold of the program owners or operators directly to have them help solve the issues. I don't think companies are opposed to constructive critisism... :)

Try our program (see sig)

no gimmicks and fancy stuff. Works perfectly!

Chicks that are into bondage scare me. I mean... an aggressive woman is great. But one who can beat the shit out of you... I dunno. lol.

Correct me if am I wrong but imho I think that persons who are
in a management or higher position in all day life are more
open to be submissive to a mistress / master to break the
"all day life" structure.


But I can be wrong correct me if so :)

Great thoughts Greg. When I built mine I kept in mind the experiences I had with other programs and tried to make things easier. You bring up some good points that I may have missed. Time to check things over again!

I know one thing I'm guilty of... my message board isn't up yet. I don't advertise that I have one but there is a link on the inside pointing to a "not her yet" page which is just as bad.

Those are actually pretty good suggestions. :thumbsup

BigJohn I couldn't have said it better. We have to see things from the other guy's side to make sure we've got the right perspective.

As a webmaster I need my info to the point, exact. I don't need to push 10 links to get to something I could get to with one or two.

What I find amusing is that many of the affiliate webmasters areas that probably have the highest development cost (tons of drop-down selections, etc) are the most cumbersome to use.

Keep It Simple Stupid.

I wont' name names of the ones I hate, but here's one I really like, Siccash. I can get a banner in 15 seconds, without playing the "work this stupid puzzle and you can have a banner" game :)

An odd way to score brownie points in this particular thread.

PS: I would have responded on your message board, but...

Not meaning to bust your balls Greg but when ACpay went down you didn't exactly go out of your way to explain to the folks who were promoting your site what was up.

So maybe you should check the beam in your eye before pointing out the motes in others... :)

Immediate approval.

Seems to me you have started a valuable survey a lot of affiliate programs owners never hear from affiliates until something goes wrong, i feel it would be very useful to program owners to hear some constructive criticism. After all if your affiliates / webmasters are happy then they must be making money and if they are so are you right ?

Cindy xx

OH that's horseshit. I posted what was up on my webmaster's page AND via email AND to the surfers AND kept that notice UP on the site.

If YOU didn't get an email you must be one of the people who's emails bounced.

Greg good stuff. i use lots of affiliate programs and some of them are insane as to what they consider important or not.

They should all have buttons:

Links
Banners
Content
Stats

Stats is in every program I know of but the other 3 are missing on at lest one program I push.

No fucking links! it is in a special place that you can't get to from here and then they are all custom based on shit i have never figured out why i need. ccBill sites the linking code is nice to have available.

Banners if you have them I would like to use them so please link them. CCbill sites this is a must for you guys as you have way too many options of where to put these.

Content: if I need to email you please mention that as I will look only so long for the button and then go make a topbucks gallery.

Rant done.

All the programs in my sig are mine :-)
We have 13 Paysites currently... A wide range so there will be something to fit your adult traffic!

Please do signup and make some kick ass cartoons!
I have one set inside of http://www.GloryHoleGirlz.com and it is very cool...

The sites convert and retain very well. Our top partner made over $1500.00 in just four days...

Let's make some money together!
http://www.howigotrich.com/images/di...ween_bling.jpg

why not start your own paysite:D

NScash should work for you, www.nscash.com - and if you ever have any questions you could just hit me up on my ICQ. And I could answer any questions you have!

We take into consideration what webmasters want. And if you have a suggestion, or a modification that you think would be good, we are on it.q

jDoG

although you could have tempered your comments with a bit more "honey", i think you're right on.

the one thing that people dont realize about running an affilitate program howeverf is that every single little tiny feature is usually run by multiple programs and probably took somebody a week to install and set up. little things like hosted galleries even, sure, it's easy enough to make one.. but try making 500 and then making sure that every program option available is passed through those galleries and that they are rotated etc..etc..

anyways, some of your points are valid and i've personally made note of them.