Open Letter To Affiliate Program Managers
 

As I'm just getting started with my site, I wanted to sign up for a bunch of affiliate programs to see what they offer.

Today I signed up for a few dozen.

Affiliate Managers, take notice:

1 - When you give me an option labelled "SSN/EIN", you need to accept the fucking EIN the way I enter it. The IRS gave me a number that is xx-xxxxxxx so stop telling me it needs to be 9 digits like an SSN. And if your programmer is too stupid to strip out the "-" before validation, well that's too bad for you. You just lost an affiliate.

2 - NATS is gay. Bottom line. When I want to get my link codes, give 'em to me without making me click a thousand different options. If I just want anything beyond basic list of codes for your sites then I'll click through it.

2a - Some NATS sites let you list all the link codes, but you cant cut & paste them all because the fucking link code is in a textbox. TEXTBOXES ARE FOR FORMS, NOT DISPLAYING TEXT

3 - More affiliate programs need zipped content. By that, I mean let me get it as easy as I (want to) get the link codes. I'd rather have a zip file I can filter through on my own time rather than having to drill around through your NATS site to find something good to post on my site. I especially like it when I can get a zip file of images I can make my own galleries from.

3a. the same goes for banners

4. RSS FEEDS! Guess what? Everyone out there who I found has an RSS Feed is now listed on my site.

5. CCBill is almost as gay as NATS. I can't tell you how many affiliate programs I've signed up for that use CC Bill, but the affiliate program never tells you where to get the promo tools. They use the generic CCBill welcome e-mail. Damn, I'd really like to begin promoting your sites, but if you can't be bothered to tell me where your promo tools are, I can't be bothered to hunt it down - not when so many other programs DO tell you.

Just make it easy. The people who've made it easy are already on my site.

Regarding #4, If you sponsors need RSS feeds with a special touch get in contact with me ASAP!

Ok I'll get right on that.

DUMBEST AFFILIATE COMPLAINT EVER... :2 cents:!!

So true... Keep things stupid and simple!

OK genius, you tell me it isn't a pain in the ass to cut & paste the affiliate link code for 12 sites when each URL is in its own individual text box.

What's so hard about printing the fucking things right on the screen?

You don't even have a site, but you already signed up to a dozen sponsors??

Have to agree with one thing - some sponsors using ccbill affiliate backend are really strange. How complicated is it to give your new affiliate at least the fucking link to send traffic through? At least list it with a default ID so I can replace it if its too complicated to use some script. Too many ccbill programs offers nothing to its affiliates, I have to login to ccbill admin and look for the link there and in case the program has more sites I am lost.

I said "Just getting started with my site", meaning the site is new.

Damn where's that I LOL'D pic when you need it... :1orglaugh

we can get you anything you need ... we use nats but if you want me to get your codes for you we can do that too :) we work with and for you :)

I will email any affiliate all of your galleries, codes or anything you need for promotion, all with your referral code inserted. You want a special type or only certain styles of galleries? No problem.

Just contact me via IcQ or email :)

If an affiliate uses ccbill I don't touch it. There accounting system was out-of-date last century.

Skeet on the job!

With any NATS programs its a simple 2 clicks and you get your default linking codes. I find it sad the one extra click bothers webmasters.

We use NATS and there is a process to get link codes, as some people have individual campaigns for all of the sites they run. If you'd like to use us, let me know and I'll get you the info you need. Programs have affiliate managers for a reason: To get the webmaster what he/she needs.

Bullshit.

Here's a step-by step from one NATS site
1. Log in
2. Click "Link Codes" at the top
3. Choose Campaign, click Next Step
4. Choose Program, click Next Step
5. List of each site in the program displays, listed as "Site Name", "Copy Paste" (code), and "View" (which is an active link)

The biggest problem is that every single site's link code is in a form input box, which means you need to highlight & copy each individual code by itself.

There is NO way (on this particular site) to get all of the codes together in a format that allows you to copy them to your clipboard and do something with all of them. The only thing you can do is go through each link code one by one copying and pasting them.

Most programs will help you out and get you everything you need if you just take the time to contact them.

Hit me up if I can be of any service to you. :)

I agree, pain in the ass when the program has a lot of sites :thumbsup :thumbsup

http://static.flickr.com/6/86940188_59bb71898c.jpg

I think the picture says it all.

Very good Reply Sherm and same goes for SatanCash

www.satancsh.com

Congratulations on your new site Karl. :thumbsup

I will be adding you to my ICQ to discuss using our FREE LIVE content on your site. Best of luck!

_

OMG :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh It's a good thing I don't have a full bladder right now.

Anyway, how bout this??

1. click hosted galleries
2. pick one of 3 huge high quality megasites
3. pick movies or picture galleries
4. scroll down and "select all".

One box has the list of galleries. The other box has the list of galleries with descriptions.

:thumbsup

Your so right. Keep It Simple.

Here are some Feeds for your site.

http://www.celebritycash.com/sample-images/feeds.jpg

Do you want these programs to build your sites, pay your hosting bills, and jerk you off too?

Hey Karl,

Please take a few moments to look at our website "Yes we do have RSS"www.InterClimax.com If you know our products and simply wish to sign up Click Here!

I can't find your email, Please shoot me one and I will reply.

Please remember I am here for both our ventures to have a mutually profitable and rewarding future.

Rob

Email: [email protected]
Skype: robinclark
ICQ: 525-989

lol, ur joking i hope
the EIN is nine digits long. A hypen is not a digit. Those fields require "digits" as in 1, 2, 3. Not non-digit characters as in . , - /

lmao
you log into CCBill and click promo tools for the affiliate.

but thats not what ur talking about is it? sorry for my smartass comment.

dont a lot of new or inexperienced sponsors use ccbill?
i notice a lot of small sites that use them. it is unlikely they will notice this thread of yours :)

Oh come on. The NATS backend for links and promo content is pathetic. It's not that a big a deal to get the links displayed, but why in heavens name is every one usually displayed in a separate box?

And it's worse if you want content or hosted galleries. Every site has to be selected individually, choosing video and picture content separately. And you have to back up two or three screens after each selection, losing any detailed choices along the way, so everything has to be done from scratch for every selection.

The time wasted in the case of a sponsor who has lots of sites is significant enough by itself. If you are starting a project and have to collect content from several sponsors at once, then it really adds up.

Many sponsors fail to recognize that everything they offer might be fine, but it is rarely special enough for it to be worth an affiliate having to dig. No-one has an endless amount of (productive) promotional opportunities and these days there is a choice of sponsor for every single one of them, so affiliates can afford to be fussy, never mind just have reasonable expectations.

It just seems so inconsistent to see sponsors hitting the boards and/or running expensive promos, yet their webmaster areas are often going to be killing a lot of the potential they are generating.

No, I'm not joking.
First, smart validation will strip out non alphabetical characters and validate from there rather than choking on it.

Second, when the field is labelled "SSN/EIN", it needs to accept a valid EIN which IS NOT 9 digits.

I agree with u ther ..... it's a pain in the ass

Regarding zipped content, when you download the files name is dynamicaly generated something like (date followed by time '200613101215.zip') and when they have tons of content to download it's makes hard to keep track of which ones you have downloaded alredy. One of my sponsors has this on his site.

Well CCBill sucks and they need to upgrade the user interface. It took me about 4-6 weeks to understand/navigate the layout. It's still confusing sometimes so now I try to avoid CCBill sponsors.

The best layout of the affiliate area I have come accross so far is WildCash. :2 cents:

I have heard you complain about NATS and CCBILL, two of the best and strongest companies in the game, yet you have not mentioned a better third party biller or affiliate admin to use. Please inform us of the great solutions that you have gained knowledge of with your many years in this ever growing industry. I am very curious to hear your ideas.

I agree that programs with a lot of sites could make a textarea or copy to clipboard link to speed things up. I have my NATS setup that way, every template in my program has been customized in some way. My STATS are pretty damn slick, but it’s a work in progress.

Trust me when I say it isn’t the programs fault when it comes to the way hosted galleries or linking codes work. Those templates aren’t easy to make huge custom changes too. Learning how all the NATS templates work, function, and link together is a massive learning curve for even the most skilled webmasters.

Really if you want the linking codes or marketing tool pages to function differently on NATS, then you need to ask NATS to make changes.

A programs time is better spent making slick sites, good content, and nice member areas. Asking a program to spend the time to make your life go by 30 seconds faster could really be hurting you by taking away the programs focus from what’s really important.