Make Money with Affiliate Programs

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Lisa Picarille and I were reunited for a full blown episode of Affiliate Thing after she missed last week to attend CJU.

We talk about BlogWorld, CJU, some affiliate stats, Lisa launching a blog, and more. If nothing else, listen for Lisa’s moving birthday song to Jim Kukral.

Show Links

• BlogWorld recaps from Lisa and Shawn
• Commission Junction University and CJYou Awards
• Affiliate Summit Videos
• Affiliate Marketers Walk All Over Breast Cancer
• Shawn Collins on TV in Seattle
• OpenX Seminar in New York
• Affiliate Marketing Budgets are Shrinking

Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.

Commission Junction has announced the winners of their CJYou Awards, which were presented at the annual Commission Junction University (CJU).

The CJYou Awards, formerly known as the Horizon Awards, were presented to the following:

• Rookie of the Year, Advertiser: Abe’s of Maine
• Rookie of the Year, Publisher: ShopDiscover
• Advertiser of the Year: Yahoo! Affiliate Program
• Publisher of the Year: RetailMeNot.com
• People’s Choice, Advertiser (tie): BuyCostumes, GoDaddy
• People’s Choice, Publisher: CouponCabin
• Innovator of the Year: Intuit
• Agency of the Year: iMarketing

For more information on the 2008 CJYou award winners, go to www.cj.com/affiliatemarketingawards.

Commission Junction has announced some of their key client signings during the first half of 2008.

New additions to the network include JetBlue Airways, Borders, W Hotels, Le Méridien, Iomega, Callaway Golf Interactive, The Knot, ULTA, Smashbox, Freshpair, PC Universe, Charlotte Russe and Decorative Product Source.

Also, Commission Junction University (CJU), the annual CJ conference in Santa Barbara, CA started today, and runs through September 18. The keynote speaker is Guy Kawasaki.

More details at http://www.cj.com/news/press_releases/press_080916.html.

The Old Navy affiliate program made a new piece of video creative, powered by Qoof, available to affiliates recently.

In addition to the regular commissions available to affiliates for referring sales to Old Navy, when they promote this “fashion files” video, they’ll receive a $25 BONUS on their first sale.

The video has a number of interactive elements for consumers to see product details, photos, and a call to action to click through and purchase.

I’d love to see this become as common as the old dinosaur 468×60 banners.

var Qoof_WidgetId = '0e43e515-9023-4ca2-a62a-0f5d3027f420'; var Qoof_widgetWidth = '300'; var Qoof_widgetHeight = '250'; var Qoof_AC = '1544023'; var Qoof_AID = '10577329'; QoofWriteWidget();

This week on Affiliate Thing, we talked about sessions and events taking place at Affiliate Summit in Boston, as well as the new issue of Revenue Magazine, and advice to remember the breath mints and forget the mandals for effective conference networking.

We also chatted about the launch of pepperjamMobile Powered by M3 Mobile, CJ going green and efficient with higher minimum payouts, and a new affiliate network in the US: Webgains USA.

Show Links

• Affiliate Summit
• UK Affiliate Network Webgains Enters US Market
• pepperjamNETWORK Going Mobile
• Commission Junction Revises Minimum Payout Amounts

Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.

Stream the show on WebmasterRadio.fm or download it.

Commission Junction is revising the minimum payout amounts for affiliates effective August 28, 2008. According to their announcement, the reason for the change is “to streamline our publisher payment process and better support environmentally conscious commerce.”

The new minimum amounts to earn a commission are as follows:

While this may be discouraging to affiliate newbies, I think it’s a good overall move for efficiency and the encouragement of being green affiliates.

Note to self - it’s a good time to move all affiliate payments to direct deposit, though it’s fun to open those commission check envelopes.

The July 9, 2008 episode of Affiliate Thing featured Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille chatting about the latest on the Direct Marketing Association responding to the New York affiliate tax.

Also, news on the ValueClick/CJ adware lawsuit, Top Affiliate Challenge, and a redesign of the Google Affiliate Network.

Plus, the Amazon video widget, and a preview of Affiliate Summit.

Show Links

• New Bulletin on New York Affiliate Tax
• ValueClick/Commission Junction Adware Class Action Lawsuit
• Amazon Video Widgets
• New User Interface for Google Affiliate Network
• Top Affiliate Challenge Review
• Affiliate Summit East 2008 Preview
• Performance Marketing Alliance Advisory Board Announced

Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.

Stream the show on WebmasterRadio.fm or download it.

Two class action lawsuits were filed in spring 2007 against ValueClick and Commission Junction concerning the use of adware.

It’s been pretty quiet around this case, but now news comes out that a proposed settlement has been reached on behalf of affiliate and merchants against ValueClick/CJ, according to Kellie Stevens of AffiliateFairPlay.com.

A proposed settlement has been reached and preliminarily approved in the class action lawsuits on behalf of publishers and advertisers against ValueClick/CJ. The cases centered on the presence of adware in CJ/BF and the impact on both publishers and advertisers. The two cases were consolidated earlier this year by the courts and the settlement covers both cases.

A court date of January 2009 has been set for a Fairness Hearing to determine if the settlement will have final approval by the court.

More details at http://affiliatefairplay.com/newsblog/2008/07/06/proposed-settlement-in-valueclickcj-adware-class-action-lawsuit/.

Commission Junction has announced that they power the majority of affiliate programs for companies in the Internet Retailer 500 with affiliate programs.

According to the release from CJ, 53 percent of retailers listed in “The 2008 Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide” with third-party affiliate marketing partners have selected Commission Junction.

Commission Junction power the affiliate programs for seven of the top ten largest online retailers with third-party affiliate marketing programs in the Internet Retailer list: Apple, Best Buy, Dell, HP, Newegg, and QVC.

See the complete list at http://www.internetretailer.com/top500/list.asp.

Pepperjam just announced that they have partnered with the eBay Partner Network to bring eBay’s links and graphics to Pepperjam’s affiliates.

HIGHLIGHTS: Make up to 75% of all the transactions and up to an additional $35 for every new active user you send to eBay. Pepperjam has in place a dedicated eBay affiliate management team to work with you in real-time to maximize your eBay revenue. Learn more about our aggressive commission structure by logging-in to your Pepperjam Network account!

This is the latest chapter in the Commission Junction and Pepperjam soap opera.

In addition to the recent rift between these two, eBay recently closed their affiliate program at Commission Junction.