Who Says Work Has To Be All Reports And Invoices?

Last month I thought I'd redistribute some of my affiliate earnings in the form of chocolate to a client who I knew had young kids. I decided to spend some of my Hotel Chocolat bonus on their own range of fantastic chocolate for kids to say thanks for being a great client (ahh gush). It was nice to get a nice little thank you back from the kids too:



So all you miserable buggers out there, buy your clients some nice stuff every now and then - you make enough! And if you're an affiliate, you don't have to have a yacht to treat networks, agencies or merchants - the odd small gift here and there would be much appreciated by them!

And if you're wondering what's in the picture, I think I got them some Fruity Chocolate Puddles, the Strawberry Sensation Egg Sandwich and some other stuff.

Crutial Data To Track For Large Sites - It's Not All Visitor Figures

I was doing a post about how to decide on what information to take on board as a new affiliate, but as the content below began to grow, I decided to leave that bit until Monday and extend this bit - what data should you track?

Back in 2007 I had a post that was featured in the search cap of the day on the Search Engine Land site. That wasn't my intention, but my post "Google Analytics Please Give Me For Christmas" was aimed at trying to get more useful information for affiliates and SEO's. Now, obviously Analytics has improved immensely, and Google Webmaster Tools has become a source of essential information, but I still feel site owners should do a fair bit of their own leg-work.

For many of my client sites I track a number of non-obvious KPI's that will help you gauge the impact of any changes that you'll make after reading "hints" and "tips" from affiliate or SEO blogs and forums.

* Obviously track the total number of pages indexed in each section. Also keep track of the total number of pages present in each section, which will allow you to do the next one.

* Track the total number of pages in a given section against the total number present in Google's database (site:www.sitename.com/section/ or site:sitename.com/ "unique text") - this shows you the level of indexation - your goal should be to try and increase this ratio. (Be careful to track actual pages indexed and not just the links to those pages being indexed)

* Another element to track is the total number of pages in that section against the landing pages to that section (for the site as a whole data you'll need to track total search engine traffic). This will show the effectiveness of the changes that you make. The chart below gives an example of what it could look like (with fictitious data)



Obviously there's no ratio to aim for - its the change in the ratio that counts. You could set yourself targets, but remember, if the total ratio is going up, you may have a certain sub-section doing well, but other pages may be declining. This could be the case if all the pages within that section aren't linked to equally.

* Track the relative performance of "intent keywords" which you should be building into your site's structure. Choose keywords such as "best", "buy", "cheap", "cheapest" etc then make sure you create reports that show you the performance of those keywords. If you start to target specific keywords then make sure you track visits from key phrases that include those keywords.

- * From that look at which pages get traffic from those keyphrases and then look at the other keyphrases that deliver traffic to that page and then consider tracking some of those keyphrase stems.

* If you can, track the ratio of users that use your search service when they actually found your site from a non-brand search phrase. This may indicate that Google isn't delivering the user to the most relevant page and would suggest that you should re-optimise that phrase or extend your content to cover it.

Obviously you should add other KPI's such as:

* Ratio of non-paid search traffic to referral traffic (and the net figures)

* Ratio of brand to non-brand related searches - your brand, of course.

* And a whole host of goal/sale orientated KPI's - but that's for another post.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is, look beyond visits and the how much you're getting from Google. There's stuff under the hood that you need to know about and track whilst you're listening to information on the 'net and modifying your site following guidance from "gurus".

But whatever you do, keep a change-log, if you're tweaking so you can match your "improvements" to site indexation and traffic - and don't be afraid to un-do stuff.

As a parting note, make sure you're aware that different changes you make will take varying lengths of time to be reflected in the search engine databases.

You're Getting Rat-Arsed - Courtesy of CantBarsed & Your's Truly

Ok, so £200 won't go a huge way with 50+ of us going. But Joe from the promotional codes site CantBarsed (cough, anchor text) has decided to convert the £200 of chocolate he won into £200 of Barbados Dollars to spend on my stag do! So everyone say thanks to Joe!!

An Interview With Someone You SHOULD Know - Judith Lewis Search Director at i-level

Don't take me posting two interviews in a row as me being too busy to expose more of my successes and failures, just take it as a good thing - I'm not bitching about stuff ;-)

I heard about the i-level affiliate SEO and content surgery from the mighty Matt Bailey and thought it'd be worth finding out more about the event and the person behind it - Judith Lewis, so I fired her off a few questions and found her responses intriguing and enlightening.

Hi Judith. Give us a quick run down of who you are, what your background is and what you do at i-level.

I’m one of the Search Directors here at i-level but I work across a variety of different departments as we offer fully integrated solutions so my expertise in various fields helps me work within several different departments.


One thing I love about your blog - SEO Chicks is its down-to-earth nature. I often say that a blog should be like having a conversation in the pub - are you really that much of a "hip chick" in real life? What do you get up to away from SEO and i-level?

If you ask my husband, all I do is network when I’m not networking :-) I got online in 1986 and I have to admit that I have had experiences with trying to be someone I’m not online. I got it out of my system and now I’m completely me online and offline (though I try and not swear as often online as I do offline)


If you're like me, you'll have a million and one ideas to blog about, how do you sift through what is useful, what is entertaining and what could offend those in our industry? Do you care?

I do care that I’m adding value somehow. Sometimes it’s just my thoughts about what is happening, sometimes it’s about conferences or new trends. I also write regularly for Technology Weekly so no matter how many ideas I have, there are never enough.


Talking about SEO. I love all these people that bang on about links as if they're the most important invention since Marmite. When you first beginning reviewing a client site where do you start? In-bound links, internal navigation, title tags, scope of content, coding errors, positioning, competitor sites? And why?

I like to start at understanding a clients marketplace and keyword targets. Then I like to look the site over with a technical eye which as I have been doing this for years will include a peek at title tags and meta descriptions. You *MUST* get the basics right first and that means the coding is correct, the title and descriptions are unique and contain a call to action as well as keywords, each page has a focus and the site has a theme.

Once you get the basics right you can look at link building, baiting, competitor sites and the like. If a spider can’t crawl your site, or if you’re trying to target the same keyword in each page, there is no point in adding to the mess., Clean it up then start getting fancy.


I'm amazed that many SEO's still recommend each other. Here I am, MD of an SEO Agency openly recommending that affiliates turn up to your event. Why do you feel that SEO's regularly recommend their "competitors", are we a particular breed?

I think at heart we’re mostly engineers and as such, we don’t feel threatened by competition. Rather it is something we recognize as offering something we don’t, or don’t have time to, or simply don’t work in that vertical. I think we do need to present a unified front to CMOs and the like and embrace the diversity of the agencies around us.


I see you're offering an SEO Surgery for Affiliates but what place do you feel hands-on, Q&A-style events should play in the improvement of affiliates' SEO knowledge seeing as there's just so much miss-information on the internet?

The misinformation out there at times upsets me so much. I am passionate about helping everyone do a better job at their SEO because at the end of it all, everyone will have clarity, focus, excellent build and understand user intent. It makes the web easier to use, celebrates diversity and enables a small jewellery seller to compete with HR Samuel.


Which part will be most interesting - your's about SEO or Matt's about technology in the affiliate space?

I think they will both be interesting to different people :-) I would say that though, wouldn’t I?


You obviously look at many affiliate sites on a daily basis, what would be the most-common mistake you see people making?

Not adding value. That’s the biggest mistake. Thinking you can slap anything up there and let it ride and make a million. Being a good affiliate can be like a full time job at times. You need to add value, differentiate yourself and stand out.

I have a friend who blames me personally for the quality (or lack thereof) of the search results in the travel vertical. That’s not a vertical I play in but it is one I pick on regularly as giving excellent examples of SEO gone wrong and thin affiliates and bad results.


I see many affiliate sites using technology to build a database of offers or products which are often very similar to others in terms of the content and structure. Do you also feel that many affiliates don't do enough differentiate their offering or their content?

Yes :-D


If you could highlight the biggest revolution (event or technology) in the past year for Affiliate SEO what would it be and why?

London A4U Expo. I’ve chosen a conference which may seem weird. I could have chosen update Vince which favoured brands or new ways of getting reviews on sites but I chose a conference. Why? I feel that A4U Expo brought together in London some of the best names in affiliates and SEO and get them together and they SHARED and didn’t hold anything back. It was the most amazing thing to be a part of. I haven’t been to the London CAP event so I can’t comment on it but A4U Expo London was revolutionary.


I'm a big believer in the future of behavioural advertising for online retailers. But what impact do you think that'll have on affiliates? Is it an opportunity or a threat?

Behavioural targeting creeps me out a bit but then again it might be my surfing habits :-)

I think that looking at peoples patterns of behavior is a mistake for a few reasons. One is that I am a very complex person. What you se doesn’t touch on all things I’m interested in nor do I surf the web looking at the medieval re-enactment sites I’m interested in, fantasy book sites or technology sites. If you fail to serve me an ad about a new steam punk computer because I’ve never shown an interest then you’ve potentially lost that sale and possibly that brand awareness.

Is it a threat? Depends – brand awareness is key. If you can get out there, build trusty and awareness within a niche, it could make a huge difference to your sales but the key is exposure - early and often.


Many are saying that Facebook is diminishing as a marketing channel in favour of Twitter. Would you say they're correct, or do different opportunities exist with each of them?

I think different opportunities exist in each market. Each one is used in a different way, at different times. Understanding how people utilize Twitter differently from Facebook is going to be key to leveraging both those channels effectively.

Time though is a factor and possibly the most critical one. Do not try and engage over social media unless you have the time. If you start and abandon it can look as though your presence has been removed from the web and you are possibly no longer trading. Perception is critical – make sure you get it right.


Now I know you love your chocolate, perhaps as much as I do. But if you were a chocolate, which would you be, and what would Matt be?

If I were a chocolate I could be a "Frrozen Haute Chocolate," a blend of 28 cocoas, including 14 of the most expensive and exotic from around the globe. The dessert is infused with 5 grams of edible 23-karat gold and served in a goblet lined with edible gold. At the base of the goblet is an 18-karat gold bracelet with 1 carat of white diamonds. [Ed: I best get one of those (on expenses) to review :-)]

The sundae is topped with whipped cream covered with more gold and a side of La Madeline au Truffle from Knipschildt Chocolatier, which sells for $2,600 a pound. [Ed: Someone want to tell them to do a html version of the site and ditch the flash?]

It is eaten with a gold spoon decorated with white and chocolate-coloured diamonds, which can also be taken home.

I think Matt Bailey would likely be an Espresso truffle – looks innocent but packs a powerful punch ;-) [Ed: I bet he doesn't look good in a pink bow like my reviewed Espresso Truffle (see link)]


And finally the details for the Affiliate Surgery, where and when is it and how do affiliates book to attend?

The surgery is May 26th at the i-level offices here in W1 Fitzrovia from 5pm – 7pm. You can email matt-bailey@i-level.com - he’ll be giving away tickets until there are none. We’ve got limited capacity but if the demand is there we will add more seats if we can. You can ask right up to the day but I won’t guarantee that there will be spaces that late ;-)

An Interview With Purple Martin - Someone You May Not Know

Here's an interview with a hero of mine - Purple Martin! Its not his real name of course! Purple, as he's affectionately known is a successful affiliate who doesn't like to brag about it. He's also very open to his close circle about his successes and failures. I've been nagging for a while for him to do an interview - and he finally gave in!

So Martin, you're an old-timer in the affiliate world. I remember talking to you on Messenger about 7 years ago about useless rubbish to do with the industry back then, but when did you get started in the industry and how did you get yourself into this racket?

Hi Lee, and thanks for asking to interview me.

You are making me feel old by looking back to when I first got started!! I first went on the internet when I was at Uni at Anglia University in Cambridge in 1993. In those days the internet was all text based using lynx. In my final year the uni got some apple macs, and we were allowed some webspace, so I did a little webpage there.

I did not go on the internet for a few years after that until I got the internet at home, and some free webspace. I did the usual shopping directory sites. The first affiliate programmes I promoted were probably Amazon and Streets Online (An online music store owned by Woolworths at one point). The site got very little traffic but I made money by buying CD's online for mates and pocketing the commission.

I then started promoting music festivals and on a search for companies, I found Latestevents.com. This site was run by Kevin Brown who later expanded his affiliate programme with a few more merchants, and he called the service Affiliatewindow, I was one of their first affiliates. Affiliate Window had a message board and a employee of Affiliate Window at the time was Jessica Luthi who pointed me towards the affiliates4u forum run by Matthew Wood. I pretty much lived on the affiliates4u website at this time, sharing knowledge and chatting to other affiliates through the night. I started setting up sites in lots of different verticals.


Most people know you as "Purple" - how on earth did you get that nickname?

Hmmm why the nickname Purple? Well I get asked this a lot and I would love to come up with some amazing story but it is all together quite boring!! When I lived in Essex I used to go out with my mates and we all had different nicknames over the years. On one night out a mate of mine mentioned that he was watching a wildlife show and there was a bird called a purple martin . The Name Purple stuck so when I signed up to affiliate4u message board that was the nickname I chose.

I do not particularly like the colour purple, however when I went to my first big get together in London, I turned up at Tradedoubler office, dressed in Purple Shirt and Tie !!!


Most people actually know you for your concert and festival ticket site "Warn Tickets" but is this your main site, or do you do niche sites off it as most affiliates do?

I do not have a main site any more, I had one site for about 8 years and then Google torched it and my whole income stream went. Over the years I have gone from just the one main site, to having 100s of domains and sites. In the last couple of years I have clipped back my sites to about a dozen which are all in different sectors and get busy at different times of year.


I know you work full time in your day job. Well I use the term "work" loosely. How do you find time to do that, look after the kids, manage your sites and look after your social marketing strategy?


I do not know how I fit everything in, I have been asking fellow affiliates if they have found the 40 hour day yet, when they do I will be using every hour. I manage to do everything as I enjoy all of it. I still enjoy working my day job which gives me some security and a change from affiliate business. My Blackberry has been a revelation it allows me to keep track of my emails , MSN and Twitter wherever ever I am.

My wife is very supportive without her I would not be able to balance everything. My wife and children are everything to me, I still do not see affiliate marketing as work as I just love doing it, and if I was not earning money online I am sure I would be wasting time on the computer in a less productive and profitable way.


I know you're keen on Twitter as a useful marketing tool, but does it work and can you give an insight how you go about using social media (without giving too much away)?

I love twitter it is a very important tool for me, it is instant gratification. I have a decent following for some of my twitter profiles and you can get to know your visitors better, I ask a question or make a comment and I get loads of replies in a instant.

Twitter is also laser guided for finding new customers, it is customer acquisition on acid - it’s awesome. However, it is addictive and if you get too involved your hard built following will unfollow you as quickly as you found them.


I remember talking to you 2/3 years ago about Squidoo and other social content sites. To me they're no longer part of my social media strategy, do you use them now, and which would you place more importance on now; Facebook or Twitter?

Social Media is evolving all the time, Squidoo is still a excellent Social Content site, I do not use it as much as I did when I mentioned it to you a few years back, However Squidoo if you put the time in can give you instant presence online and can help you own the SERPS. Other Social Content sites I would recommend include Wetpaint, Hubpages and Pagerank10. Leeky who runs pagerank10 is a genius and I would recommend giving his pages a go.The secret to these social content sites is how much effort you put into the content you put on these sites.

If you slap on some spammy, affiliate thin content they will not succeed. However if you put together something generally useful it will succeed.

Depending on what niche you are in there are some awesome Social Media site, ones are like that people might not know include ZiiTrend - the Social Prediction Site. All social media sites you get the most from the from getting involved, slapping a RSS feed to Facebook page, or twitter profile is not getting involved, Join the debate, it is all common sense at the end of the day. If you want to stay on top of the latest social media trends and news, Mashable is a must for your RSS Reader.


And blogging, how has blogging changed your affiliate strategy? I know you've embraced Wordpress, but do you spend any time now installing new features, or do you focus most of your time on content?

I mentioned that I started using the internet in 1993, but for my sins I have never really learnt how to code, be it HTML or datafeeds. I have done sites using basic HTML editors and have had a few sites coded for me using scriptlance etc. However my affiliate strategy changed forever when I started using Wordpress.

Wordpress is so easy to use, you could get your Gran blogging, if they can type they can blog. I am not one for messing around with design and the backend of a website, to me Content is King so Wordpress allows me to churn out lots of content without worrying about all the messy backend stuff.
I do use Wordpress plugins, and I tend to listen to what the experts suggest, like Yoast.


Without giving stuff away, as I know you like to keep things under your hat and don't like bragging about things, but what other niches are you involved with? I know you're giving voucher codes a go with your Twitter account but anything really sexy?

Yeah I have joined the bandwagon and have a Discount Codes which is powered by Leeky's fantastic Icodes site. Other sites I am involved with includes a Horse Racing Tips site which is a joint venture with Keith Bond and Lammo and my latest project is a World Twenty 20 Cricket Site


If you could name three tools and three people (or companies) that have had a positive impact on affiliate marketing for you, who and what would they be and why?

I have worked with lots of amazing people so to list just 3 means I am missing out lots of people.

Tools:

* Wordpress - It has revolutionised the way I build and run sites
* Tweetdock - A excellent idea by one of affiliate marketings rising stars Mark Boyd aka hairycornflakes
* A4uforum - Without THE FORUM as it is known, I would not be doing affiliate marketing today,.

People:
* Keith Bond - Has had a huge influence on my affiliate marketing career, he has helped me no end since I first come across him on a4u forum. Any hour of the day he listens to me, but also has been a great role model. I am pleased that last year I got to work with him on some joint ventures.
* Lee McCoy - He is not everyone’s cup of tea, a bit of a marmite! But he has kept me motivated to keep working hard at a time when I was ready to jack it in, lots of his posts on this blog have given me the buzz back and got me thinking in a different way and not to follow the crowd.
* Chris Bowler ( Aquanuke) Chris was a early influence on me back in the day, this guy was a genius and he provided tools to make fellow affiliates life easier when, content units and datafeeds were not even born. He made me realise they was gold in these websites!


Does your wife get involved in what you do? I take it she understands it, but does she help out with content or stuff, would you want her to?

My wife is very supportive, and she is starting to get involved with a Holiday Parks site. I would love her to do more sites, she has a much better idea for design, and she is very in touch with modern culture and fashion. She has a few fashion sites that she is planning which I hope she can launch in the next quarter.


What's the best ever prize/incentive you've ever won being an affiliate?

I always think I have never won anything in affiliate marketing but over the years I have won all sorts. The best was at Christmas when a merchant treated me to see Fulham v Chelsea in a corporate box, as a huge Chelsea fan this was awesome.
However the best prize could be yet to come as I am off to Barbados with Affiliate Future thanks to sunshine.co.uk.


I know you work late into the hours and often hear about you falling asleep at your pc and waking up at 3am with a keyboard imprinted in your forehead. How do you keep motivated to put the long hours in?

My motivation to keep getting keyboard print on my face at 3am is the love of the industry, there are so many great people working in the industry, and I still get a huge buzz from a new site, or with a new merchant.


If you could give any new affiliate any piece of advice, what would it be?

I would say read Kirsty's Blog for getting started info and the other affiliate blogs, read the a4uforum. I would suggest starting by thinking small. I would say get a Wordpress blog and write about something you’re interested in and keep it fun. Affiliate Marketing is not a get rich scheme, you reap what you sow.


What are your general plans for the rest of the year in terms of affiliate marketing? Is there any tactic or niche you're going to focus on?


I plan to go to the A4Uexpo in October as I still haven't been as well as starting a few sites hosted in the US and targeting the US market.

Do I Just Blog For The Freebies And Should You?

Today I got myself some nice bars of chocolate from Montezumas (on Webgains) which Nicky kindly arranged for me and Matt at Hotel Chocolat was saying he'll send some more over and that got me thinking: "Do I just blog for the freebies"?

Well the short answer is no, but they're a nice fringe benefit. The real reason is the profits that can be made. Now I'm not daft enough to call myself a "super affiliate" as to me that's as desirable as "wag", but the profits to me made can be nice as part of an overall affiliate strategy.

Just looking at one site, you can guess which one (but I have many), I was doing well over 200 sales a day all from natural seo which were adding up to over £500 a day.





And what was the cost? Well only my time and some hosting. Virtually all of the products reviewed were sent to me by the merchants, although I did nip over to Tesco and Sainsbury's to get some other products to review. This is in no way "bragging" or "taking advantage" of the merchants as they were able to increase sales because of it. I ranked for generic phrases which complemented their own search marketing agency and added value - as long as I made sure I didn't damage their brand image with anything I said.

But if you wanted to do the same, here's a few tips or things to think about:

1) Receptive Merchant / Agency or Network
For the chocolate one I had a very helpful Hannah from Existem who was always helping with content ideas. I had Matt from Hotel Chocolate that was a great sounding board, previously Buy.at were great with Thorntons, but got lost in new staffers this year, Paul Nel was great with Cadbury's who, along-side Nicky at Webgains helped with stuff.

So my advice would be to choose a merchant/industry where you feel you've already got good relationships with key figures, or you feel you will be able to do so.

2) Choose a product that you're interested in
Chocolate is only one of the things I can tolerate writing about. I'm involved in other niches as well (but I might not mention them here). But with chocolate I don't find it difficult spending an evening or weekend reviewing products.

3) Choose a product / industry that you can wax lyrical about
Some products you may be interested may not have features that are different between them. With chocolate you've got white, dark, milk chocolate with a varying degrees of cocoa content and fillings. You've got different textures, methods of manufacture, market targetting (kids, adults, gourmet, etc). All this leads to the ability to write verbosely about the various features and pick up long tail keywords.

4) Choose something in high demand
Easter eggs alone are a £200m market annually. Although each sale could vary from 30p to £8ish, there's good volume available. Do some research on sales volumes.

5) Choose a product you can easily buy online
There's loads of merchants that sell chocolate, there's not many (if any) where you can buy cigarettes. Think about what options you have to promote that product.

6) Are those products "want" or "need" products?
My theory is that people are more easily swayed with content if they are a "want" product. No one physically needs chocolate, but they may want it. If you can play on people's compulsions, and get people excited about its ability to make them feel good, then you're more likely to encourage online sales, rather than them researching online and then going to Tesco to buy.

7) Is it a continually evolving market?
What I love about chocolate, and other markets I'm involved in, is that it is always evolving. There's always a new chocolate bar, there's always a new toy or gadget. You'll never be stuck to find things to blog about.

8) Think About Returns
I may be wrong here, but I think there's a much lower return rate with chocolate than other products? Only a small point, but worth thinking about.

9) Think About Social Media Spinning
Think about how easy it would be to get other's to market your site for you by referring and re-tweeting. This is a great way to get your site into places that you didn't think possible.

10) Think Voucher Codes
Are there regularly voucher codes available where you can encourage people to buy there and then via your site rather than continuing their internet searches? For chocolate merhcants, most do them. Are there many in your target market?

11) Think Product Feeds
Are there many merchants that offer product feeds? Adding a Affilistore shop to a blog is a very valuable exercise.

12 Think Product Samples Now
Now you think product samples - as they're not actually crucial. I've got affiliate blogs that do well purely based on news flows for the manufacturer, other review sites and merchants supplying information such as stock levels, voucher codes etc. I've also got blogs set up for future products where there aren't obviously any products available to sample.

Another way to think of the product sample angle is that how likely are you to get product samples from non-affiliated merchants? I get many samples for my chocolate reviews blog for retailers that I won't earn a penny from, but it helps with the diversity of the content as well as allows Google to view the site has a hub site purely because I link to relevant sites - don't be greedy with your links as an affiliate.

13) Think Next Year
Would you still be able to blog about it next year? Would you want to? That's the killer. Far too many blogs are started but die down quickly. You need to make sure that all the other factors above will remain (or are likely to) next year.

Unofficial Barbados Rum Ball Rally 2009

[Edit: we may be coming up with challenges on the way to make it a bit interesting - anyone got any ideas? Like receipts for stuff from 3 or 5 bars / shops?]


I've decided to arrange and sponsor a Rum Ball Rally for those going to Barbados next month. The plan is get from our hotel to the Animal Flower Caves at the very top of the Island via any land based vehicle of their choice in the quickest time.


View Rum Ball Rally 2009 in a larger map

The winner will be decided by the first team (3 or more persons) to be fully seated on the benches outside of the cafe at the cave and we'll all set off at the same time.

I fully expect you all to drive within the speed limit (whatever that is) and this obviously isn't endorsed or supported by any of the organisers or sponsors just in case anything goes wrong and you can't sue me, or any of our party if it all goes wrong.

And the winning team will each get a bottle of Mount Gay rum to either consume there or take home with you - the prize will be paid by my fair self.

Also we'll have to choose a day between us when people haven't got anyother major events booked or planned - we can sort it out there.

Just fill out this form if you're interested:



Good luck, and drive safely.

And for the official teams please check my post on the forum.

You've Got To Be In It To, Er, Win It - Affiliate Marketing Blog of 2009 Finalist

At the time of writing I'm not aware of the other finalists for the Affiliate Marketing Blog of 2009 as judged by you lovely people affiliates4u.com and sponsored by www.sunshine.co.uk but I'm sure I'm in a crowd of some fantastic people and blogs.

It's nice to be recognised but I don't blog for acclaim, or anything like that, I just blog when I think I can add value or have a topic to get off my chest. Recognition is a nice bye-product from blogging, not its reason d'etre.

So thanks for getting this blog into the final few and if you want to make my mother a very happy women then feel free to vote for me - at least it'll give her something different to talk about at the WI than my five minutes of fame on the Steve Wright show ;-)

There's some fantastic, down-to-earth, helpful, inspiring, open people in this industry. Hopefully you can give those people some support at the Awards.

Mistakes, I've Made a Few, but Then Again, Not Too Few To Mention …

Business is an evolutionary process and one thing I've noticed in the 7 years I've been building my own affiliate sites is that pretty much all the affiliates I talk with have been modifying what they do and how they do it. As I've finally (and belatedly) decided to transfer my sole-proprietorship business in to my new Get Visible Ltd it got me thinking of all the mistakes I've made in my affiliate business.

I don't think many, if any of these mistakes are unique to me, but I'd be interested to know if any of you have undergone the same process.

1) Much too much, much too young
I was looking at one of my blogger accounts and realised that I had over 60 blogs listed. Now some of them were to target the launches of new products, but others were set up knowing that I didn't have the time to really work hard on them and make the most of my initial investment. Back in my day when my, then, other-half's family was in Amway I remember one of their mentors talking about the shotgun and riffle approach and how its best to put all your effort behind one project and not divide your energies in to many projects - I wish I remembered that back when I first started in 2002 and even in 2006 when I got into blogging in a big way.

2) I shouldn't have rested on my laurels
Back in 2004 I think it was I had a made for Adsense site that was doing around £20k - £25k a month. I know that's big money. But I naively thought it'd last for ever. I spent much of my time faffing on Messenger and playing golf. Any numpty should have realised that it'll all end in tears. Thankfully when Google kicked it out I still had cookie sales coming through for a long time and those affiliate earnings kept going for a while.

3) I let my personal life affect my business life
Around that sort of time there were loads of personal things going on which meant I got distracted from my business and made some really stupid decisions. I moved to London for a while and did chuff all work for a few months. Money was still coming in and decided that Fosters was my friend and not Google - bad move.

4) It took me too long to find a way of doing things I was comfortable with
I still hate building sites, its the faffing around that does my head in. I'm no designer or developer. But when I was sat in Jules' pad in New York in January 2006 it finally dawned on me that I should started blogging as an affiliate. I've not looked back since.

5) Thought too much of "product" and not "process"
I should have been on the discount codes scene at the beginning. But at that time I was purely focused on products and not the process of people's buying decisions and how to monetise them. I'm not complaining a great deal as products like the Pleo made me a hefty packet a couple of Christmas's ago. Other products such as the GHD4 also contributed nicely.

6)I should have realised my own true worth ages ago
Around the time I was doing really well with those product sites I got bored again and decided to do some sub-contracting. This was a bad mistake. I was earning a fraction of my true worth and didn't allow me enough time to really build on those successes. The up side is that I have built up contacts and now get the buzz of client SEO and earn nicely from it and work with some great people. But that year cost me dearly

7) I should have bitten the bullet earlier and re-invested
I've made some nice profits in the last 7 years but when I first started I was skint, berasic, hard up, had nowt. This lead me to need a financial security blanket, which I suppose I still need. But now I'm reinvesting in my sites. The first stage is having new templates built by my brother for the handful of sites I've decided I'm going to carry on working on. I particularly like the Easter eggs one (still want to get the navigation CSS sorted - and remove the out dated voucher codes) and still yet to have my Activity Gift blog redesigned - but I'm having a lot more functionality built in to it.

8) I didn't think "brand" early enough
Pistol was always on at me about using hyphens in domain names, but my strategy was always of the "hit and run" nature. I wasn't worried about creating brands, just appearing in the SERPS with content that I could monetise. Now after the success of the Easter site with coverage on Radio 2, The Telegraph and Radio Mersyside for a domain with hypens and a .org.uk I wondered what I could make of a domain like my Chocolate Reviews one. And I knew what profits could be made out of it. So now I'm attempting to build a brand on that. Many affiliates have created cracking brands, not least Jason and Jude from Loquax who deserves the respect of every affiliate as well as the Chris' and gang who created Holiday Watchdog.

9)I spent too much time doing things and not enough time thinking about how I can do things better
So I started blogging at the beginning of 2006 in an attempt to make my affiliate business more fun and efficient. But it took me until only recently to realise I could use Picassa to quickly upload and (C) photos as well as saving on bandwidth costs. Also only did I find ShortUrl as a tool for managing, encrypting and tracking affiliate links (thanks to Purple).

10) I spent too much time arguing talking with people when I should have been working
I decided at the start of the year that I'd have to spend much less time on the Affiliates4U Forum for a few months and knuckle down and get some work done. I'm coming back next week. But in the past I used to fight my corner excessively. I may of played a small part in helping improve the industry (Spyware, Brand Bidding, Voucher Codes), but on many occasions my "arguments" really didn't contribute anything, and had no chance of doing so. I still have a strong dislike of people who are arrogant and say they're a "super affiliate" when they quite probably don't deserve the mantel, but at the end of the day; what goes around, comes around.

11) I didn't network enough
You'd be surprised how much networking, especially at the Affiliates4U ones can really help your business! You're able to cut through the online crap and speak to people face to face. At first I was networking like crazy, then I went into a self-imposed lull as I got work done. But now I just pick and choose which events I go to a bit more selectively. Hopefully I'll see you at the A4U Awards? But if you've never been to a regional event, then keep an eye out for them.

So: Mistakes, I've Made a Few, but Then Again, Not Too Few To Mention … but hopefully you'll spot some traits in your own business and put an end to them quickly.

But overall, I understand that failure is a fundamental part of success so don't get disheartened if your affiliate sites aren't going well, plug on, become more efficient, be focused and determined to succeed!

Google Even More Social - Direct Links To Social Neworking Sites & GStatic

Having just reinstated the old Archive I was wondering how Google has reacted to it so I whacked my name in (who hasn't) and noticed the 11th listing:

Yeh, furry muff my Google profile is there but then they allow you to search straight into the social networks - nice feature.

Just a shame it doesn't form part of the top ten listings as it would be a nice little extra feature for those that have to SEO client's names (for various reasons - they're always interesting).

Also the links on the profiles are non no-follow and the page doesn't have any no-index stuff.
and if you look at their robots.txt file you'll see:

Disallow: /profiles/me
Allow: /profiles

And even better is that they're actively trying to promote them:

Also check out their Gstatic.com domain and site maps & here.

got to be worth a play around for those that have a bit of time on their hands?

Whilst we're at it has anyone heard anything about Google Ventures?

The Essential Guide For Affiliate Future Barbados 2009 Competition Winners

If you're one of the lucky people that have also won a place on the Affiliate Future Barbados 2009 competition and this is your first time (or you can't remember last time) then here's some unofficial essential information.

I'm lucky enough to be going for the fourth time (thanks to the lovely people at Sunshine!) The first - I went with a touring netball party, the second - I went with Laura and the last time I went without the missus. So I've witnessed the country in various situations. I've witnessed the good sides of the island and the bad - nearly dieing of alcohol poisoning. So if you wanted a bit of guidance or just to get your bearings - here's a quick map with details of the places you may end up going and a bit of a FAQ.


View Affiliate Future Barbados 2009 - Essential Information in a larger map

Update: Added one for J Lil - Will Everything Go As Planned?
Before you book anything, before you arrange any connecting flights or hotels, before you tell anyone you're away for those days ... wait for a few days as things never go to plan. ;-) Oh J! :p


How Much Money Will I Need?
£300 should be a good start - but it depends how much you spend on booze. There's a cash machine opposite the hotel so if you run out you can easily get some more. Also all the restaurants obviously take credit cards - except Oistins Fish Night

Will I Be Forced To Do Stuff I Don't Want To?
Well its a group of lads and some ladies. There's obviously the traditional high jinx but you feel free to do your own thing, but its a great laugh doing stuff as a group. Just let everyone know what you're doing if you go off for a day or two (like last year) - definitely let J Lil or Pete know what you're doing just in case you get lost in the outback. The island is bigger than you think and its VERY easy to get lost.

Will We Have Planned Excursions?
Well it looks like J Lil and Pete have got a list of things to do. These include some nice relaxing days, some heavy nights of partying and some nice trips out. You won't have nothing to do - unless you want to.


Do We Go Out Together Every Night?Not always. If you're taking your other half and want some romantic times together then there's some fantastic restaurants on the Gap and along Highway 7 towards Bridgetown. Ask at the hotel for recommendations. On the night we get there its traditional for us all to go out to the Lucky Horseshoe - if you like HUGE steaks - you'll love it here! Also we do trips out to Harbour Lights which is one of the highlights of the holiday. Here you'll meet "The Snake". Don't miss this trip, but expect to stay out VERY late. There's also other organised nights out.

I Want To Drive Around The Island - can I?
Yes. But you'll have to get a Barbados Tourist Driving License. I've got a few days left on mine but remember to take your UK license and passport when you go to hire a car. It's best that we all arrange them together as then if we're all out around the island then we can always help out if people have any problems or get lost - swap mobile numbers before you leave. I can't remember how much it costs, but it is cheap. Make sure you fill up with petrol before you leave the south part of the island as there's chuff all up the top. A tank should last you a couple of days.

Can I Get Free WiFi In The Hotel
On the left-hand-side of the hotel and in the bar you can get it courtesy of the neighbouring hotel. Don't count on it though! There is an internet cafe 2 minutes down the road that is fairly cheap. Just don't sit on the chairs if you've been swimming - the women goes nuts!

What's The Shopping Like?
There's some duty free shops in Bridgetown and a big air-conditioned shop by Rockley Beach. As well as the Quayside Centre where you can get odds and sods. There's loads of supermarkets along Highway 7 as well.

If you want to get duty free, sort it out in the first couple of days so they can arrange it to be delivered to the airport. Unless just spend your money there.

What Getting Grub In The Hotel?
You may get fed up eating breakfast there. I normally get some milk and cereal from the little shop on the right as you walk out the hotel. If you get hungover you may not fancy venturing out.

What Are The Beaches Like?
Further down from the little shop there's Dover Beach which is great for water sports and a swim. There's also Rockley beach which is great to combine sunbathing with shopping. If you want a stunning beach to do some boogie boarding then head over to Cranes Beach - you could get a taxi, but its great to visit on part of your own island tour. There's also Mullins Bay for a gentle swim on the West Coast and for a wild adventure there's Lakes Beach, but I wouldn't go in the sea there - unless you want to be dragged out to West Africa!

This is Lake's Beach:



And Cranes Beach:



Does Everyone Get Dressed Up To Go Out?
If you're going out to Harbour Lights then don't bother - you'll end up with rum punch down ya:



But some people just have too much style:



Or not:




I'm Not In The Best Shape - I Don't Want To Strip Off?
Why? None of us are in shape:



Should I Get A Holiday Hair Cut?
J Lil - please do!



What Should I Drink?
If you like beer then you'll be drinking lots of Banks:



Or Rum & Coke:



Or the odd cocktail:



Should I Take My Camera?
There's stunning views all round:



What's The Food Like?
Well in the Gap there's a range of posh restaurants, street meat, international food and Mexican stuff:



What's The Weather Like?
Generally hot, sunny with the occasional rain shower:



Will I Get Lucky?
If you're single, then you could easily do:






Will I Make A Tit Of Myself?
Definitely:







Will I Need To Be Able To Sing?
No, but it helps. Here's some songs to learn before you go:

Bye Bye American Pie


The Foundations - Build me up Buttercup


Alan Jackson - It's Five O'Clock Somewhere


The Beach Boys - Fun, fun, fun


The Pretenders - Don't Get Me Wrong


Whigfield - Saturday Night


Macarena - Velasquez


Puff The Magic Dragon (For Joe Connor)


Bee Gees - Tragedy


Hey Jude - Paul McCartney


Robbie Williams - Angels


Or you could listen to Keith Bond's Barbados Memories on Spotify.


Will I Have A Good Time?
You can put your life on it!