Bloggers and Affiliate Links - The Debate Continues

[5starAffiliatePrograms]

This is an interesting topic and the answers are as different as the personality of each blogger. We've had some good discussions about the topic over at TW.

Here is a new discussion from Jim Kukral at Revenews.
Bloggers Don't Know Squat About Affiliate Marketing
http://www.revenews.com/jimkukral/archives/001086.html

It's true. The "new breed" of bloggers out there are really just discovering the power of a rev-share relationship. They have become spoiled by the contextual model and are only just beginning to see that performance based marketing techniques, especially in niche areas, can make them rich as well, perhaps even better than a few dollars per day from a cost-per-click model.

Jim goes on to ask some very good questions. Then links to Darrens blog which I read over the weekend that discusses the same issue and has some good insight and commentary.

ProBlogger: Affiliate Programs - Transparency and Disclaimers
http://www.problogger.net/archives/2...d-disclaimers/

So where does everyone here stand on the issue? What do you think?

Linda

[MrMackin]

Do whatever you like!

[5starAffiliatePrograms]

Hi MrMackin,

I am not asking the question for me. It's a topic that keeps coming up and has made for interesting discussion other places. So thought it may be a good thread starter here in light of the fact that 2 popular bloggers are discussing the issue this week. Anyone else have any opinions?

[Marcia]

Linda, you really want a totally frank reply with little or nothing held back? It might not be so sweet, or what some people would care to hear.

[5starAffiliatePrograms]

Hi Marcia,

Sure, it's just posted as a topic for discussion and as such all replies or comments are welcome. Just trying to stir up something to talk about.

So spill, what do you think?

[unrelated]

I suspect that the moral-ethical implications could be debated endlessly. I suppose both sides are right - but I also think the phenonemon is self-regulating. People read and frequent blogs/sites based, to some extent, on the credibility of the creator[s] - once the text because dominated/compromised by dubious affiliate relationships then the audience will react one way or another. Personally, I think users must accept some responsibility for themselves - whether links are paid/sponsored/affiliate or not the users are responsible for their decisions. If I find an informed credible source recommending or bringing to my attention a product or service that I also like then I don't care if they're paid for it. Alternatively, some nitwit selling garbage is going to find themselve without much of an audience or commission.

[Marcia]

First, just for basic groundwork, I've looked up some classic definitions and descriptions of what a blog is. From the Weblogs category at ODP, here's their description:

Weblogs are personal surfing diaries -- daily or weekly lists of links that the writer thinks are interesting.

"Personalized news isn't about going to excite and getting words that match your keyword. It's about going to a person you trust. Personalized." -- Sabren

Weblogs come in two major flavors: Weblogs, which are more link-oriented, keeping track of news in a particular topic area; and online journals, which emphasize more of the writer's own thoughts, opinions, and daily life.

Then found with a Google search for define:Blog there's a whole list of commonly accepted definitions. Of course with a blog attached to a business (or a search engine like Google, Yahoo or MSN) it could be news about the company or industry, but it's secondary and it's quite a different thing - the purpose is right out in the open.

That said, with that first one - revenews.com - it is SO surrounded by advertising, that it bears little resemblance to how a blog is expected to appear. Quite plainly, with the BIG banner on the top, the stock size banner under and another one on the right - surrounded by adverts for Affiliate Summit as it is, combined with how the "post" reads, it strikes me 100% as nothing more than a carefully engineered sales pitch. It does *not* strike me as being as much a blog as a commercial website.


As far as the content of the "post" is concerned - the issue raised in the "questions" further on is a moot point.

It's true. The "new breed" of bloggers out there are really just discovering the power of a rev-share relationship. They have become spoiled by the contextual model and are only just beginning to see that performance based marketing techniques, especially in niche areas, can make them rich as well, perhaps even better than a few dollars per day from a cost-per-click model.

Not only is this premise HIGHLY arguable, but it is the crux of the page, according to my interpretation - the punch line to the sales pitch - the purpose of which is to recruit affiliates for the parties involved, and to garner attendees for Collins/Ward/Affiliate Summit.

There's more, but for starters, sorry - I do apologize - that's exactly how it struck me. A sales presentation presented as a "blog entry" is kind of self-evident of how I feel about being honest and up front with what's being presented to visitors, since it completely lost credibility with me in the first 10 seconds.

Maybe I should stop now.

Nah - added:

Bloggers Don't Know Squat About Affiliate Marketing

That title is *totally* offensive and obnoxious. OF COURSE they don't. They are not *affiliate marketers* - they are bloggers. Two different things entirely.

[5starAffiliatePrograms]

Hi Marcia,

I agree with much of what you say so don't feel the need to hold back on my account. That site IMO has really gotten too commercial. I especially agree with this:

That title is *totally* offensive and obnoxious.

Yes, I felt the same. Seemed sort of like a car crash headline geared to get more people to read it. (Side note to Marcia - just kinda funny. I was running a blogad test over there for a month. It just ran out last weekend. Glad my ad wasn't up when you answered this post!)

To Unrelated, thanks for your comments too. I do think for most people it would depend on the type of blog and type of products and also how frequent the affiliate links appear. If someone has a blog about success and motivation and they have an OCCASIONAL affiliate link to a book they think is really good or a new book that just came out, they think their readers could benefit from, I doubt most people would object. But if the blog is really just a sales vehicle filled with all sorts of unrelated affiliate links then it totally defeats the purpose and definition of blogging and no one would want to read it anyway. SO what's the point.

This topic came up on Threadwatch recently too. Nick said: "Here's the deal: The book has an affiliate program, like many other things we talk about here - If i'm going to spend time reviewing it, it seems silly not to join that program and make a few $$$'s on any sales that my review makes it right? The problem is clear: Is a review, tainted by the fact that i've added an affiliate id to the link?"

What followed was 40 some replies that varied a lot but were all interesting to read. Some said no affiliate links, some said it's OK of you disclose them. Things got a little heated. http://www.threadwatch.org/node/3147. In the end Nick decided that using affiliate links for a product he was reviewing was not the right thing to do on his blog. Darren at Problogger promoted Chitika with an affiliate link, but disclosed it. So to each his own I guess.

Anyone else have any opinions or comments to share?