Comments on: Affiliate marketing must die

By: Ahmed

Ahmed — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:13:13 +0000

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By: Wally The Walrus

Wally The Walrus — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:58:27 +0000

In Australia, in the LameStream Media, this kind of thing is illegal. There was a huge scandal here (called "cash for comment") a few years back when some of the top radio "shock jocks" got caught out. They didn't like it – their kickbacks were somewhat larger than most people take home in a year.

I have to confess a conflict of interest here. I also write for chocablog. When I write I try and find a manufacturer web site to link, so that a read can find what the heck weird place to get to – especially for some of the more obscure products (if it takes me 1/2 hour of searching, then others might as well benefit from that).

There is a big difference between a link, and something with money attached. One is information, the other looks a lot like a secret commission. If it is quite clear that a link is sponsored, has a deal, might be selling something, then I don't have a problem. If its not clear, I do.

By: cybele

cybele — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:23:12 +0000

fatblokeinside – I'm of the mind that the majority of readers are not sophisticated enough to spot affiliate advertising. Especially if it's a link that says "Chocolate Bar's Website" and is the domain of the chocolate bar company but has that affiliate code embedded in it. Unless you know what affiliate ads are, I don't think it'd even register what that means.

I do hope that the new US FTC rules will make things a little better – or at least help the cream rise to the top. (I stopped reading Problogger years ago … made me feel slimy.) I also hate SEO. Once a system (such as search engines) needs to be "gamed" then it's over – it becomes the property of the skeezy marketers and the rest of us folks creating REAL content are victimized by their spam & tactics.

By: fatblokeinside

fatblokeinside — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 17:09:23 +0000

In my time writing for Chocablog I have become aware of the need for some sort of revenue to support the blog, but I am also acutely aware of the fact that the Editor (in this case Dom himself) is constantly striving to keep Chocablog 'real'. We blog reviews of chocolate products, and we do it honestly – to the point where almost every manufacturer we've covered has probably received both positive AND negative reviews. We're a source of information. One would like to hope that the majority of readers can spot affiliate advertising, but this blatantly cannot be the case.

By: cybele

cybele — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:58:20 +0000

I can't stand affiliate advertising and refuse to use it on Candy Blog. I don't even take ads directly from candy companies because I worry that it may appear that I would benefit from a good review.

I have argued with other food blogs about affiliate links within body text. I think they should ALWAYS be identified as advertising. I do admit that seeing affiliate ads makes me think that the "reviewer" opinions are not completely honest or that their passion for whatever they're writing about might be more for monetary gain than enrichment.