I
am continually swapping links, I think most have been done, unless we come across any rogue ones which we will do from time to time.
TD merchants not on other networks will continue to receive incidental (just a small amount of) traffic, but we are not going to go out of our way to promote any merchants on
TD to their fullest potential, no matter how good a rapport with have the merchant or potential of the program.
Those programs on dual networks, one of which an ethical network will be promoted more or less as normal.
Merchants we see taking a proactive rather than just vocal (do nothing) stance, will be heavily promoted by us.
Why should an affiliate go to the effort of promoting a merchant on an unethical network, if that merchant is NOT going to any effort or assisting an affiliates fight against spyware?
When in fact spyware affects merchants more than it does affiliates. How can they be so blinkered not to realise this?
For a program to flourish there is meant to be a synergy between the two.
One problem I see is that a majority of affiliate managers are not relaying information on spyware to senior management, it should be pre-requisite for the job to be knowledgeable about this and responsible for protecting their brands indentity, CPA & ROI. Perhaps some are afraid of job security, but if they don't inform them then affiliates will, it's their own fault for not doing their job correctly or receive backlash at a later stage from their bosses.
Merchants should just be careful before they get tarred with the same brush as spyware, which they will do sooner rather than later with the gradual increase of press coverage and press releases.
Merchants on ethical networks are given priority receiving our attention and we are promoting them more effectively. As a result we have founds some real undiscovered gems and are benefiting from this.
Yes, it has taken time and effort but I would rather have a clearer conscience than be TOO LAZY to swap links. It's a matter of principle.
Income has not suffered as a result as this is being distributed among the ethical networks, in some instances we have seen an improved conversion rate, which in theory shouldn't be the case.