RosalindGardner.com

Learn Blogging & Affiliate Marketing with Rosalind Gardner

Rosalind Gardner

Super affiliate, blogger, and speaker, Rosalind is best known for her affiliate marketing training in the Super Affiliate Handbook: How I made $436,797 in One Year Selling Other Peoples' Stuff Online. You can connect with her on Facebook.

Affiliates: What Do YOU Want?

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Jeremy Palmer, Scott Jango, Vinny Lingham and I are ramping up for our panel discussion at the next Affiliate Summit called “What SUPER Affiliates Want” to be held on July 9th in Classroom C at 11:30am.

We've built a BIG list of all the things that we, as affiliate marketers, would like to see improved in relation to affiliate programs, merchant site conversions, communication between managers and affiliates, and more.

But we don't want to miss anything at all, so you're invited to add to that list. Please leave a comment and share what affiliate program aspects you really appreciate and/or those that absolutely peeve you the most.

Go ahead, don't be shy – you'll be helping to improve our industry. 🙂

Technorati Tagging Made Simple

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I've noticed that a lot of WordPress bloggers code each of their tags (keywords) for Technorati individually using the [tag][/tag] code – which takes more time than is necessary.

If you use the free Broobles » SimpleTags WordPress Plugin, you can save time by placing your comma-separated keywords and keyword phrases in one line at the bottom of your post in between the following code (without the quotes) – “[tags][/tags]“. Notice that you'll use the word ‘tags' instead of the singular ‘tag'.

Alternatively, if you're code-confident, you can modify the quicktags.js file to tag selected words using your QuickTags. The tutorial is located here.

[tags]Technorati, tagging, blogging, WordPress, simpletags, plugin[/tags]

Can’t See the Merchant’s Landing Page?

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If you're an affiliate who lives outside the U.S. or a U.S.-based affiliate promoting non-U.S. merchants, you've undoubtedly tried affiliate links that redirect to completely unrelated sites (usually a survey site), because the merhcant's offer is only available to residents outside your country.

It's a pain in the butt if, like me, you won't promote offers that you can't check out and soooooo many merchants don't (or won't) provide affiliate links that allow their non-U.S. affiliates access to see the offer firsthand.

Anyway, here's a very simple solution.

Use Proxify.com, a web-based anonymous proxy service that hides your IP address so you won't be identified as a non-U.S. based surfer.

You don't need a paid subscription. Just enter the affiliate link in the search box and voila! you get to see whether or not you really want to promote that product.

On the other hand, you might want to promote Proxify's service to your site visitors and subscribers who have other reasons to remain anonymous. The program is available through ShareaSale.

WordTracker Eliminates 1-Day Subscription

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I noticed awhile back that WordTracker was no longer offering their 1-day subscription service, but as of an email sent to affiliates today, they've made it official.

“We have eliminated our base one-day subscription level. We are confident that this step will improve our average revenue per sale without being detrimental to our conversion rate.”

Subscription rates are now as follows:

1 Year: $275.88 / £140.00
1 Month: $ 55.18 / £28.00
1 Week: $ 27.59 / £14.00 (still a great deal!)

Affiliates promoting Wordtracker should change their promotions to reflect the change, otherwise you might be disappointing your site visitors and losing sales.

Please note also that Wordtracker has a new affiliate tracking system that requires you to change your current affiliate links.

eBay US Affiliate Program Changes

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On June 1st, 2007, eBay US made a payment structure change to their affiliate program that could increase your affiliate earnings.

See the image below for the compensation model, which is only available through Commission Junction

Note: An “ACRU” is a new eBay active user, who registers for eBay for the first time, then confirms their registration and lastly places a bid on eBay or uses BIN (Buy it Now) to buy an item within 30 days of registration.

That's pretty straight forward. The more users that you recruit and the more revenue you generate, the more you make.

On the flip side, here's a policy change that could see your earnings drop.

If you are driving traffic to eBay via paid search, you will not be compensated for traffic purchased from Google, Yahoo, MSN or the associated content networks (Google AdSense, Yahoo! Publisher Network, and MSN ContentAds) if your ad links directly to any of the eBay.com, eBay Express, or eBay Store domains. This change only applies to the U.S. program and the search engines mentioned above.

So, if you're direct linking to eBay with paid search, change those ads ASAP.

Register for eBay

Super Affiliate Handbook Updated for 2007

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Super Affiliate HandbookI just finished another hefty revision on the Super Affiliate Handbook, bringing it completely up to date for 2007.

My primary objective with this revision was to reduce or completely eliminate some barriers to entry for new affiliate marketers – primarily those associated with web-site building.

The book therefore now includes step-by-step instructions for setting up and working with a blog and there are tons of screenshots that show every step of the process.

In a nutshell, through the update you will:

  • Learn how to Install a Blog in 7 easy steps with screenshots to show you every step of the process.
  • Learn how to Post to your Blog.
  • Learn how to put a new Page on your Blog.
  • See how to add Categories and Sub-categories to your Blog.
  • Discover how Keyword and Niche Market Research just got a whole lot easier.
  • Learn how to Set File Permissions with and without FTP.
  • See exactly how to Install Links in your posts and pages.
  • Learn how to put Images in your Posts and Pages.
  • See exactly how to Install a New Theme (look) for your blog.
  • Learn more about Contextual Advertising and where to find the most recommended contextual advertising networks.
  • See how to put Google Adsense on your blog.
  • See 116 Screenshots of how everything works!

The latest version was uploaded late on May 31st.

Those who purchased on or after December 1st, 2006 (until the time of the upload) should have received email notification of the download location which will be available until June 6th, 2007.

If you qualify and missed this message, kindly contact us through the Support Desk (provide your receipt number please) and we'll resend the download instructions.

For owners of the handbook who purchased between December 1st, 2005 and November 30th, 2006, we are in the process of setting up a sizeable discount for you and you will be advised by email when it is available.

Oh, and by the way, the book is still priced at a ridiculously low $47… 🙂

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