What's wrong with Affiliate links?
Apr 23, 2013, 10:42 pm
#1
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What's wrong with Affiliate links?
I see a running theme in posts here that bloggers who link to their own links are some sort of second cousin to Satan himself. Could you give me some input as to why this is the case?
As a blogger who puts a solid amount of time into a post, I think that it is fine that if the product is presented well and you want to sign up you use my link and I get compensated for it.
Is that fair or unfair?
Credit Card links are some of the most lucrative, and Credit Cards are used for many of our games for travel and whatnot (I'm leaning more to the Whatnot right now personally) so since they do partake in affiliate marketing programs I would imagine it would be OK to post links to them.
Personally, when I apply for a new card I go to Frequent Miler, or another blogger who has recently posted clever content. I seek out their links because I think it is a good reward for them.
However, if I wasn't award of the affiliate marketing game, I wouldn't know to pay back FM I would have to seek his unrelated links, since he has a policy of not being so obvious with them (personally I feel that this policy is motivated in order to avoid the negativity that comes with affiliate links).
So, for the average Joanne, why is a post that has a link, or links to a card offer or other a bad thing?
I'm about to gain the credit card links on my site, and want to see how I can balance out revenue from them with the general feeling from the community.
Thanks,
Matt
As a blogger who puts a solid amount of time into a post, I think that it is fine that if the product is presented well and you want to sign up you use my link and I get compensated for it.
Is that fair or unfair?
Credit Card links are some of the most lucrative, and Credit Cards are used for many of our games for travel and whatnot (I'm leaning more to the Whatnot right now personally) so since they do partake in affiliate marketing programs I would imagine it would be OK to post links to them.
Personally, when I apply for a new card I go to Frequent Miler, or another blogger who has recently posted clever content. I seek out their links because I think it is a good reward for them.
However, if I wasn't award of the affiliate marketing game, I wouldn't know to pay back FM I would have to seek his unrelated links, since he has a policy of not being so obvious with them (personally I feel that this policy is motivated in order to avoid the negativity that comes with affiliate links).
So, for the average Joanne, why is a post that has a link, or links to a card offer or other a bad thing?
I'm about to gain the credit card links on my site, and want to see how I can balance out revenue from them with the general feeling from the community.
Thanks,
Matt
Apr 24, 2013, 3:01 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Simple. If you had an Amazon and ebay link, you would put them in your sidebar and perhaps quietly plug them once a month.
You would not, if writing a post on British Airways, find a convoluted route to add in 20 links to books on BA on Amazon and 20 pieces of BA ebay memorabilia, because that would be stupid. You would stick with the sidebar link.
Swap 'Amazon and ebay' for 'credit cards' and you can see how to retain your credibility!
You would not, if writing a post on British Airways, find a convoluted route to add in 20 links to books on BA on Amazon and 20 pieces of BA ebay memorabilia, because that would be stupid. You would stick with the sidebar link.
Swap 'Amazon and ebay' for 'credit cards' and you can see how to retain your credibility!
Apr 24, 2013, 3:41 am
#3
formerly known as Frugal Travel Guy
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the average tv sitcom is 22 minutes long, allowing 8 minutes or 26% of the allotted time for "commercial interruptions" and the American public takes it day after day.
this crowd wants PBS or premium channel programming without paying the fees.
I'll make a long term prediction: it ain't gonna change
this crowd wants PBS or premium channel programming without paying the fees.
I'll make a long term prediction: it ain't gonna change
Apr 24, 2013, 6:08 am
#4
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Simple. If you had an Amazon and ebay link, you would put them in your sidebar and perhaps quietly plug them once a month.
You would not, if writing a post on British Airways, find a convoluted route to add in 20 links to books on BA on Amazon and 20 pieces of BA ebay memorabilia, because that would be stupid. You would stick with the sidebar link.
Swap 'Amazon and ebay' for 'credit cards' and you can see how to retain your credibility!
You would not, if writing a post on British Airways, find a convoluted route to add in 20 links to books on BA on Amazon and 20 pieces of BA ebay memorabilia, because that would be stupid. You would stick with the sidebar link.
Swap 'Amazon and ebay' for 'credit cards' and you can see how to retain your credibility!
Why would I share info about a cool accessory, then not link to it - if the reader learns about the product through my effort, then goes off to google it then how is the site being sustained?
I put affiliate links for everything, if someone wanted to click through and buy what I said then the could, if they didn't then they didn't click, or they could deliberately not click and google instead.
Apr 24, 2013, 6:10 am
#5
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the average tv sitcom is 22 minutes long, allowing 8 minutes or 26% of the allotted time for "commercial interruptions" and the American public takes it day after day.
this crowd wants PBS or premium channel programming without paying the fees.
I'll make a long term prediction: it ain't gonna change
this crowd wants PBS or premium channel programming without paying the fees.
I'll make a long term prediction: it ain't gonna change
Apr 24, 2013, 7:08 am
#6
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Why would you do that, rather than include links in the text? I posted once about 10 travel accessories for your Tablet, such as certain adapters that weren't so obvious and basic stuff like cover, keyboard etc to make it into a usable data entry device.
Why would I share info about a cool accessory, then not link to it - if the reader learns about the product through my effort, then goes off to google it then how is the site being sustained?
I put affiliate links for everything, if someone wanted to click through and buy what I said then the could, if they didn't then they didn't click, or they could deliberately not click and google instead.
Why would I share info about a cool accessory, then not link to it - if the reader learns about the product through my effort, then goes off to google it then how is the site being sustained?
I put affiliate links for everything, if someone wanted to click through and buy what I said then the could, if they didn't then they didn't click, or they could deliberately not click and google instead.
I was thinking more of how you wouldn't write a post about BA launching a new route to Dallas and then trying to force in a bunch of links to BA books and BA memorabilia!
Away from the analogy, what annoys people is when someone writes a post about, say, BA launching a new route to Dallas and then begins to talk about how Dallas just happens to have a Westin and if you were thinking of staying there you could pay with this credit card (link) and get bonus points ....
I mention my affiliate link to Hilton at the bottom of posts talking about Hilton promos. I didn't, for example, in my post yesterday about a BA sponsored restaurant festival, list every Hilton within 2 miles of the site, just in case someone needed a hotel. Others would have.
Apr 24, 2013, 7:28 am
#7
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There is nothing inherently wrong with them. Like most marketing/advertising, when used in context they are subtle, helpful to the consumer (reader in this case) and everyone wins. When they start to skew the content, however, it becomes a more challenging situation. When, as a reader, I have to stop to consider whether the information is being shared because it is good for me or because it is good for the author that's more of a problem.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
Apr 24, 2013, 7:44 am
#8
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There is nothing inherently wrong with them. Like most marketing/advertising, when used in context they are subtle, helpful to the consumer (reader in this case) and everyone wins. When they start to skew the content, however, it becomes a more challenging situation. When, as a reader, I have to stop to consider whether the information is being shared because it is good for me or because it is good for the author that's more of a problem.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
Apr 24, 2013, 7:57 am
#9
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I wasn't talkin about writing about travel accessories, that is clearly an acceptable place for a link.
I was thinking more of how you wouldn't write a post about BA launching a new route to Dallas and then trying to force in a bunch of links to BA books and BA memorabilia!
Away from the analogy, what annoys people is when someone writes a post about, say, BA launching a new route to Dallas and then begins to talk about how Dallas just happens to have a Westin and if you were thinking of staying there you could pay with this credit card (link) and get bonus points ....
I mention my affiliate link to Hilton at the bottom of posts talking about Hilton promos. I didn't, for example, in my post yesterday about a BA sponsored restaurant festival, list every Hilton within 2 miles of the site, just in case someone needed a hotel. Others would have.
I was thinking more of how you wouldn't write a post about BA launching a new route to Dallas and then trying to force in a bunch of links to BA books and BA memorabilia!
Away from the analogy, what annoys people is when someone writes a post about, say, BA launching a new route to Dallas and then begins to talk about how Dallas just happens to have a Westin and if you were thinking of staying there you could pay with this credit card (link) and get bonus points ....
I mention my affiliate link to Hilton at the bottom of posts talking about Hilton promos. I didn't, for example, in my post yesterday about a BA sponsored restaurant festival, list every Hilton within 2 miles of the site, just in case someone needed a hotel. Others would have.
If you write that post on BA launching a new route to Dallas, is it OK to post a link to the BA credit card?
It seems to me that it should be, but I see angst that is overspilling when an affiliate link is mentioned, perhaps what you are saying about stretching the context too far, or what SBM12 is saying about structuring content to make a case for the sale has become so prevalent that there is an overreaction towards any links now.
Most comments I see are 'oh you got X links in that post' even when they appear relevant to me.
Do you think that people, perhaps justifiably so, have gone too far in the other direction now and it is becoming fashionable to bash on Affiliates?
Apr 24, 2013, 8:00 am
#10
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There is nothing inherently wrong with them. Like most marketing/advertising, when used in context they are subtle, helpful to the consumer (reader in this case) and everyone wins. When they start to skew the content, however, it becomes a more challenging situation. When, as a reader, I have to stop to consider whether the information is being shared because it is good for me or because it is good for the author that's more of a problem.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
Apr 24, 2013, 8:08 am
#11
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There is nothing inherently wrong with them. Like most marketing/advertising, when used in context they are subtle, helpful to the consumer (reader in this case) and everyone wins. When they start to skew the content, however, it becomes a more challenging situation. When, as a reader, I have to stop to consider whether the information is being shared because it is good for me or because it is good for the author that's more of a problem.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
As long as I am pushing the best offer for the BA card out there, then I am both helping the reader AND helping myself. I would see that as fine.
Though, in that particular scenario I wouldn't be as excited to post about it since the subject is old news in the FF community, on the flipside of that I don't know if my readership is savvy FFlyers or not, so maybe I would be saving the world one CC at a time?
Apr 24, 2013, 8:24 am
#12
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Yeah I can see that, but I think there are going to be grey areas too. EG if I make a post talking about something totally innovative (say, distance based BA awards on AA in the US) as a vehicle to push the BA card.
As long as I am pushing the best offer for the BA card out there, then I am both helping the reader AND helping myself. I would see that as fine.
Though, in that particular scenario I wouldn't be as excited to post about it since the subject is old news in the FF community, on the flipside of that I don't know if my readership is savvy FFlyers or not, so maybe I would be saving the world one CC at a time?
As long as I am pushing the best offer for the BA card out there, then I am both helping the reader AND helping myself. I would see that as fine.
Though, in that particular scenario I wouldn't be as excited to post about it since the subject is old news in the FF community, on the flipside of that I don't know if my readership is savvy FFlyers or not, so maybe I would be saving the world one CC at a time?
Apr 24, 2013, 8:49 am
#13
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There is nothing inherently wrong with them. Like most marketing/advertising, when used in context they are subtle, helpful to the consumer (reader in this case) and everyone wins. When they start to skew the content, however, it becomes a more challenging situation. When, as a reader, I have to stop to consider whether the information is being shared because it is good for me or because it is good for the author that's more of a problem.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
There was a period of time when the revenue side of the points & miles blogging worlds wasn't such big business. It was easier then to trust that the information you were getting was reasonably unbiased, or at least not motivated by the financial gain of the author. That is a much riskier assumption today vis a vis CC information.
There is also the part where content is being "invented" as a means to push more CC links. It isn't compelling content without the blatant advertising layered in on top. Too much of that and the average value of the content overall goes down to a level such that it stops being worth parsing through chaff to find the wheat.
There is nothing inherently wrong with affiliate links. But when a blog stretches and stretches just to get an affiliate link it, that blog's credibility takes a blow.
When a blog posts previously posted information as 'new' in order to pump affiliates, that blog's credibility takes a blow.
Most significantly, if a blog posts an affiliate offer that is NOT the best offer for that card, that blog's credibility is utterly destroyed (and I would fervently hope that if/when this happens, someone will post about it here!).
Now, some blogs may not care about their credibility with more savvy folks. They may just be after newbies and so see no down side of pumping as hard and fast as they can. That's a marketplace decision.
But for the long haul, a blog's credibility defines its value. So as you start your business my advice would be to be very, very careful with your credibility. A good rule of thumb might be, if your blog post makes you think 'oooh, this will be really good for my readers,' go for it. If your first thought is 'oooh, I could make some dough with this one!' then tread VERY carefully.
Originally Posted by frugal travel guy
the average tv sitcom is 22 minutes long, allowing 8 minutes or 26% of the allotted time for "commercial interruptions" and the American public takes it day after day.
this crowd wants PBS or premium channel programming without paying the fees.
I'll make a long term prediction: it ain't gonna change
this crowd wants PBS or premium channel programming without paying the fees.
I'll make a long term prediction: it ain't gonna change
So some shows have responded by doing in-show commercials, where the commercial blends with the show. Some, like my favorite show Cougar Town, do this well and cleverly. Others, like Amazing Race, do it embarrassingly ham-handedly.
I agree that it isn't going away. The question is how well it will be done.
Last edited by kokonutz; Apr 24, 2013 at 10:36 am
Apr 24, 2013, 9:15 am
#14
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No, we really don't take it day after day. We install DVRs and skip the obvious commercials.
So some shows have responded by doing in-show commercials, where the commercial blends with the show. Some, like my favorite show Cougar Town, do this well and cleverly. Others, like Amazing Race, do it embarrassingly ham-handedly.
I agree that it isn't going away. The question is how well it will be done.
So some shows have responded by doing in-show commercials, where the commercial blends with the show. Some, like my favorite show Cougar Town, do this well and cleverly. Others, like Amazing Race, do it embarrassingly ham-handedly.
I agree that it isn't going away. The question is how well it will be done.
Apr 24, 2013, 10:12 am
#15
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Like when the Cul de Sac crew went to Target. Made perfect sense, fit in with and advanced the story, etc. ^
NOT like Amazing Race where the racers had to carry a Travelocity gnome around Austria for a day.
One feels appropriate even though you know it's a sales pitch. The other just feels like hucksterish shilling.
Again, analogies to the side, just put credibility ahead of avarice and I'm sure you will do fine, imho.