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Thread: The future of affiliate marketing

  1. #1
    Senior Member chromate's Avatar
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    The future of affiliate marketing

    I've heard a few people say they think affiliate marketing is a current trend that wont last very long. I don't really see why this should be the case. Companies are always going to seek effective ways of promoting and selling their products.

    If anything, I think the affiliate marketing industry will get bigger as companies learn what works and what doesn't. The more people you have trying hard to sell your product the better, right?

    What do YOU think the future holds for affiliate marketing with respect to the 1) the consumer 2) the affiliates and 3) the merchants?
    Last edited by chromate; 03-22-2004 at 10:35 AM.

  2. #2
    Registered Mike's Avatar
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    It should get bigger imho. More and more business' will crop up on the web, and they will probably launch their own affiliate programs.

    I can't really see how the industry would decrease.
    Don't you just love free internet games ?

  3. #3
    Registered flyingpylon's Avatar
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    I think companies might look for ways to concentrate their efforts though, like making it harder to earn decent money unless you're a top-performing super-affiliate or something.

  4. #4
    Senior Member chromate's Avatar
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    Yeah, I can well see that happening. They're going to get very brand aware and they're going to want to make sure that their products are being promoted right.

    This already happens with dating affiliate programs that Udate and Kiss offer. You wont be accepted unless you're producing a decent number of sales each month. If you fall short then they kick you out. It's their way of focusing on the bread winners, like you say.

  5. #5
    Registered Member incka's Avatar
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    I think more will be on affiliate marketing and less on ad networks. I feel AWS type sites for lots of merchants will become more popular, and also cash-back-to-you stores and coupon sites will become more popular.

  6. #6
    Web Monkey MarkB's Avatar
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    Affiliate marketing has been operating since the mid 90s. It's not going anywhere.
    Stepping On Wires - the new blog

  7. #7
    Senior Member chromate's Avatar
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    As a form of marketing it's actually been in operation long before that even. It wont disappear, but it will evolve and change - probably just how flyingpylon suggests it might.

  8. #8
    Administrator Chris's Avatar
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    AWS type sites will not last.

    They only do well because consumers do not know where to go for the products they want, so they search on search engines. As search engines get better and people spend more time online affiliate only sites will go away.

    Plus then you also have to worry about things like Froogle -- Froogle does not accept affiliate sites.

    Right now if I sell a power tool its because someone searched on Google for it, found my site, and visited Amazon. Next time they need a tool they'll probably go to Amazon and search first.

    Affiliate content complementing other content will stay and grow, but affiliate sites filled with duplicate content only exist now due to the ignorance of the net population and the limitations of search engines.

    IMO the best asset for long term (decades) Internet success is a popular message board. Popular forums have more staying power than any other type of site.
    Chris Beasley - My Guide to Building a Successful Website[size=1]
    Content Sites: ABCDFGHIJKLMNOP|Forums: ABCD EF|Ecommerce: Swords Knives

  9. #9
    Registered Member incka's Avatar
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    I agree with the message board thing, I'm planning quite a few forums...

  10. #10
    Registered flyingpylon's Avatar
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    Message boards... funny how those are the hardest ones to get established!

  11. #11
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    SE's, directories, etc. may make it even harder for affiliate only sites in the future, but I think they'll always exist. And there will always be an "ignorant" portion of Internet users. The problem with affiliate only sites is lack of original content and the number of webmasters that create the same sites - all those essentially identical sites competing for visitors with each other. They're basically just "middle-men" sites, but if you can find ways to distinguish your sites from the crowd...

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    Affiliate programs won't dissapear because companies would rather get a sale from a new customer -%5 or whatever, then to get no sale at all. And just like Chris said, once people have purchased through affiliate links they may remember to back directly instead of through your site. If you have a content site though, people will probably buy through impulse buying when they see targetted ads on your page. That's another reason to have your ad inventory changing as new products come out.

  13. #13
    Registered GCT13's Avatar
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    Regarding AWSish type sites, yes there is small likelihood of repeat sales by customers because they may figure out to go direct to the source (Amazon.com) the next time around.

    UNLESS - the technology behind AWSish type sites progress to the point where the entire purchase transaction can be performed on the AWS site (therefore the customer never makes the jump to Amazon). Then I can see where an AWS site could be viable with repeat sales from customers.
    ....

  14. #14
    Registered GCT13's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Chris
    Plus then you also have to worry about things like Froogle -- Froogle does not accept affiliate sites.
    One of my AWS sites has received a smidgeon of Froogle Love.

    Ah well, perhaps it's only a temporary crush and won't last. Love hurts sometimes
    ....

  15. #15
    Web Monkey MarkB's Avatar
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    I wish I could figure out how to make a profit from my forums - with almost 30,000 users, 1,500 of whom visit each day (and that doesn't count unregistered visitors), I make about $300 a month from advertising - and that's not via a network.

    Anyone wish to offer advice on how to best monetize www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/ ?
    Stepping On Wires - the new blog

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