Affiliate program sites

[Xstr8guy]

Why not open a affiliate program? Granted I have held back a bit on this, but don’t you get people asking you for one? I know many affiliate programs where their is only one site that converts very well, what’s the difference in having one good site, and programs with many sites that only one of them converts worth a crap. $0.02

I'm not just speaking of having a simple page where webmasters can signup to promote a site. I'm specifically thinking of the affiliate program sites that ALWAYS have a Flash header with piles of cash and Ferrari's and a massive list of cookie-cutter sites.

Ok, it doesn't need to be that elaborate. But you can just tell by looking that they have spent way more time (and money) worrying about the affiliate program and the actual paysites are an afterthought.

[Xstr8guy]

Actually, I see your logic, XStr8Guy.

I have definitely talked to people at shows who I got the distinct impression were more focused on image and perception than on their actual program... I think it can manifest a lot of different ways, either having _____cash.com, or bringing a bazillion models to a show, or stretching your budget way beyond in order to make a big impression with webmaster ads or whatever...

I've also heard people talk about how important they think it is to be invited to this party or sit at that table with whomever they perceive to be in the "in" crowd...

I guess it depends on what's important. In the end, having a successful business is what my focus is. To me, that means fostering good relationships with the people I work with in the industry, providing good service to affiliates, having sites that customers will like and want to renew memberships. But to others, being seen as the Big Program or getting to hang out with Somebody Important might be what is important to them... and that's OK too.

Lol, I don't understand people like that at all! The only person I care to impress is the lady at the drive-thru window at the bank. But if I'm going to do that, I'm going to have to make a lot more money.

I can honestly say that I don't care to have affiliates that can't see through the bullshits glamour of a BIG program and see the quality of the content of a smaller site.

And certainly a program can have a great affiliate site and great paysites in their portfolio too. Gunzblazing is one of my very favorite sponsors. And they are a great example of having your cake and eating it too.

[Dzinerbear]

Okay, I give you an example.

Men at Play, great site, hot looking men, you could sell MAP memberships to men getting their dicks sucked in an orgy room at a bath house. It's a hot site, so don't get me wrong here. But why on earth do they need Pinstripe Cash? They only have the one site.

Bear Films, same thing; they have WoofCash.

Jim, the only reason beyond the ego thing is that a program site helps you keep your program away from your actual site. So you don't have surfers easily accessing the free content you're giving to webmasters, you don't have them signing up to promote you just to get content. Still, that doesn't really work as an answer because the webmasters have to get to the program site, so that means a link from the paysite.

Again, I'll repeat. For me, I don't care whether a site has one site or is one of twelve. In fact, I figure if there's only the one there's less chance they'll be NATSing away your sales.

And Patti, I guess I'm the opposite from most webmasters. I'm always a little leary of the big, all-in-one programs. First, I want to know that they're not in Russia; second, if I'm not getting my cheque from ccbill, I'm already starting to get worried; and third, big programs are more likely to shave to pay for those big $35 payouts with exit consoles, popups, cross-sells, and whatever else they might do.

Michael

[Xstr8guy]

Menatplay and Bearfilms are both perfect examples of sites that don't yet need an affiliate program website. But in both of those cases I wouldn't say they were ego-driven. I think maybe they just thought they needed one.

[Chilihost]

It used to be that everyone thought the easiest way to becoming rich was to open up an affiliate program. and of course the affiliate program had to have a unique name so you could grow once you had all that extra cash on hand. Maybe these smaller sites took some bad advice....we all know there are a lot of so-called professional marketers in this industry that have no real clue!!!

cheers,
Luke

[d@sexinc]

Yeah, if you've just got one generic mega site, there really doesn't seem to be any point to having a seperate aff program with a tour, pages, etc. Seems a bit overkill. A webmaster page off of your main site tour seems to be all you would really need.

D.