My Votes For The A4U Awards Would Go To ...

I don't recall saying who I'd vote for the last couple of years in the A4UAwards - probably as I was in a mardy mood. But as I'm happy and jolly (today), I thought I'd say who I intend to vote for when voting is open or if I was on the panel, who I'd be inclined to recommend for the award.

Innovative Affiliate Network of the Year
Oh man this is a difficult one. Paid on results have a really nice and easy product feed tool, the ability to quickly create deep links - the same goes for Affiliate Window, Affiliate Future have updated their product feed tool, Linkshare are making things easier, Webgains have a comprehensive product feed tool. But I can't see any major strides anywhere that affect me directly. But as I like the ease of use of the range of tools that Paid On Results offers and their focus on using technology to make our lives easier - I think my vote would go there.

Innovative Merchant (Advertiser) of the Year
May have to sit on the fence again. The videos from BuyaGift and Firebox were great and converted. The page peal and custom units from PrezzyBox were a great addition. And I should have won a skiing holiday with Prezzybox - but had to turn it down as I couldn't make it, so my vote was going that way. But I'm going to go with Firebox because they Dare to be different - and Naomi looks better in a bikini than Zak!

Innovative Affiliate (Publisher) of the Year
This is a difficult one. I was going to vote for Mark Pearson (shock horror) of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk because you have to respect the push of the SEO and of the various other forms of marketing he does, especially the Christmas merchant promotions he did. But my vote is going to www.priceinspector.co.uk. Why, you may ask? Well, not only are they mates and clients, but I know what's going on under the hood. Unlike most other affiliate sites, you can't see what they're working on, with this one I know the advances that are coming in the future, and they're damn good! Also there's been no affiliates that I can remember that have changed the industry or made me stand back and think "wow"! Well Easy Content Units is a great tool, but do they come under this category?

Best Use of Affiliate Marketing As Part of an Integrated Campaign
Er!?! To be honest nothing has stood out for me. I don't exist in the non-affiliate world. If there's no keyboard involved I don't take notice of it.

Best Use of Technology within Affiliate Marketing
Man these are serious awards. The one site that I love is www.wheresthematch.com, not only is it created by Wes and Matt, but its a site that I wish I created and knew how it worked. There's also James's Flight Mapping, that I've loved for years and I know he's had a right pain getting all the new maps together and coded. So my vote is with James.

Affiliate Marketing Digital Media Agency of 2009
No idea on this one I'm afraid.

Best New Entrant in Affiliate Marketing
I keep seeing new affiliates coming on, but nothing has made me swear to myself with excitement. As another affiliate working in set niches, I'm not always aware of what other affiliates in specific market sectors are up to.

The Vertical ones are just to er non-relevant to me, so I'll leave those out.

On to the publisher's choice of network. This is so hard. So many of them try so hard to be the best and some don't. I love the Affiliate Future Barbados incentive which really does make me bust a gut to win. Affiliate Window's ShopWindow is great for me, Paid On Results' stance on so many issues and being easy to work with is a model for all networks, Webgain's merchant roster is fantastic for niche affiliates. And not wanting to annoy anyone, I think it'll be a toss up between the Window and the Future - I'll see what the network communication is like on the day that I vote.

Publishers' Choice of Account Manager
J Lil is funny as, stands by what he believes and can drink me under the table, Darren at Linkshare is driven and determined to make Linkshare the best it can be. But partly because I spent a week in Barbados with Hannah Swift from Existem AM chewing on streetmeat, but also because she's always coming up with ideas and getting me to promote her clients then my vote would have to go with her.

Publisher's Choice of Affiliate Manager 2009
Again this is a toss-up between Naomi at Firebox and Zak at Prezzybox, and because I've always been fully-clothed in front of Zak, and he's not in "Team Fun", my vote will have to go with Nim Nim.

Affiliate Management Agency of 2009
Following on from the Hannah vote, I'd have to go with Existem AM also because Bruce is a top fella and we often see eye to eye on the majority of issues. And Mark, of course, how could I forget (cough)? I didn't previously mention Mark, as he is such an institution that he needs no mention. But if I'm having my arm twisted with the threat of being pelted with oggies, then I'd have to say Mark is the driving force, ney, Chief Plate Spinner, of this fine affiliate agency (can I have an EAM pen now?).

Affiliate Marketing Blog of 2009
Obviously I can't vote for myself. To me there has been a real dirge of good blog posts about the industry. Most seem to be thinly veiled attempts at link-bait. On the one hand I could vote for Ray as he's a hilarious guy that says what he thinks (unlike this author - cough), but because he somehow always gets photos of himself with a lovely lady (or two) wherever he goes. But my vote, in the end, goes with Jason as he is one of very few affiliate bloggers that says what he believes because he believes it to be correct and not says what he says for effect or ego polishing - kudos to Jason.