Revisited : Affiliate Association - Who should the membership consist off?

[Qui Gon Jinn]

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It has been over 2 years already it seems since the first poll was conducted & orginally discussed and wanted to asercertain had peoples views remained the same, apathetic or whether a joint effort was required, or hopefuly the IAB will address or whether affiliates need to professionally address matters themselves as a group.

If an affiliate association / union / bureau was formed...Who should the membership consist off?

Is it a fundementally important question anymore? to ascertain how a body acts & responds to issues within the industry or any recommendations made to the marketplace & any codes of conduct which are incorporated for affiliates interests at heart. Or have opinions changed & any lack of involvement indicative of the way industry currently is or moving forward or something which is simply not needed.

Archive discussions can be found here:

http://www.affiliates4u.com/forums/b...-applications/

[morleymouse]

Hi,

Pretty sure a lot of the same sort of debate will crop up but thought it was interesting how you labelled the options:

Affiliates & Networks & Merchants/Agencies and Affiliates & Merchants/Agencies Only

As thought merchant/agency its one and the same? No affiliate & network & merchant option

anyway, probably just me reading into it too much

id always say these are the main parties and if you want change then these are the ones that need to be involved. Yes networks can educate merchants, but a network rarely knows the precise circumstances of the merchant. From what I know a lots happened *in the background* but from my point of view, 2 years on, nothings changed.

I know some affiliates would vote for an affiliate union, for affiliates, by affiliates with affiliates involved. But surely that just leads to an isolated view of the industry? Someone there would then at any meeting need to play devils advocate for the other parties.

Then what if you get a merchants union, and they all commission fixing on cheese and milk.

Affiliate marketing’s a powerful tool, but if everyone came together and got a bit more organised it could easily turn into the tool big brands look at first in the run up to any merchants busy season rather than press, tv, google etc

[drivetowin]

I'll stick to the same standpoint I've always had - that it should be fully inclusive of everyone in the sector.

[hpops]

My view is unaltered in that a fully inclusive association is the most appropriate format

[Elaine]

and I'm even more adamant that it should be just affiliates - especially after this latest batch of merchants/networks have proved that they only have contempt and disdain for the majority of affiliates - why would any of you want to share a 'bed' with folk like that! and, I really don't see the point of letting all and sundry into an Association as nothing will be acheived because everyone, obviously, will be batting for their own 'side'.

[ian]

I'd like to see the AMC drive things forward for the industry as a whole, and an 'affiliate association' pushing the interests of publishers, with representation on the AMC.

90% of affiliate grumbles are to do with networks and merchants 'taking advantage' so their aims aren't perfectly alligned with ours. A coordinated professional association from our side of the fence backed up by some serious revenue would help drive things forward.

[renegade]

My views remain the same, it should be affiliates only. AFAIKT the IAB is irrevelant to me and my business and the membership prices preclude most of us from even entertaining the thought of funding a QUANGO. We're no further forward, in fact with the IAB I feel a step further back and more remote from the industry for which I have been a pioneer.

[drivetowin]

Joe

You would be more than welcome to attend the IAB affiliate council - there is no charge for affiliates (or merchants) to participate in the IAB affiliate council - the only people who have to pay are networks and agencies.

[morleymouse]

and I'm even more adamant that it should be just affiliates - especially after this latest batch of merchants/networks have proved that they only have contempt and disdain for the majority of affiliates - why would any of you want to share a 'bed' with folk like that! and, I really don't see the point of letting all and sundry into an Association as nothing will be acheived because everyone, obviously, will be batting for their own 'side'.

I guess my only reply to that would be that you have an issue with Merchant A on Network A, they've had some tracking issues, their decline rates gone up and commissions been cut.

What would help resolve that?

A select group of affiliates all sitting together, many of which probably wont promote that merchant and all agreeing is disgraceful.
… or …
A senior representative of the network, a senior representative of the company and yourself with some like minded people sitting down and thrashing it out.

You could call it ‘battling’ but in scenario 1 you might walk away thinking “yes im right” and have the ideal solution, but from scenario 2 you would walk away knowing that whats been agreed would be actioned. If nothings been agreed then review your relationship with that merchant and/or network

[loquax]

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works and suggest the following.

1. There should be an affiliate association - and that's affiliates only. As the industry expands, grows, gets more networks, agencies etc without the same growth in quality affiliate numbers, the voice of the affiliate is becoming diluted or at worse ignored.

2. There should be an affiliate marketing association - and that should have representatives from all sides.

Imo an affiliate marketing association isn't going to come about until the key element - the affiliates, small, medium or super duper bum shining wonderful - get together and start working as a more cohesive singing from the same song sheet unit - mind that's never ever going to happen until networks make sure all their affiliates play by the same rules.

Think I'm going to have to stop eating cynical cakes

Jason

[D-Mac]

It should be open to everyone. When affiliate marketing will peak is anyones guess, but when it does it will be very important to have open dialogue with merchants to discourage them from leaving. In a declining market I wouldn't like a situation where a merchants' main points of contact are transient network staff.

[chs]

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works and suggest the following.

1. There should be an affiliate association - and that's affiliates only. As the industry expands, grows, gets more networks, agencies etc without the same growth in quality affiliate numbers, the voice of the affiliate is becoming diluted or at worse ignored.

I would also go for affiliates only. Most affiliates are 1-3 person companies spread throughout the whole of the UK therefore it is important for affiliates to have a collective voice on issues they may struggle to resolve on their own. Of course, there would be dialogue with networks, merchants and agencies but I'd like to see an organisation representing affiliates own interests.

[cyates]

i agree .. affiliates only

[drivetowin]

While I stick to my feeling that it should be all inclusive I think in part it depends what you believe the affiliate association should be doing...

if you believe that it should solely be there to stand up for affiliates 'rights' then I would agree it could well be affiliates only

if, however, and this is the line I have always taken, it is about raising standards throughout the industry, setting a code of conduct for merchants, networks and affiliates (and policing that code of conduct) and setting some money aside to promote the whole idea of affiliate marketing to the whole commerce community - then you have to have buy-in from all parties involved - no network or merchant with any sense is going to sign up to a code of conduct that they had no part in drawing up - if you knew how many hours of debate have gone into trying to get a start on a code of conduct with the AMC you'd appreciate how difficult it is trying to get them all to participate in a code of conduct they are a big part of drawing up - so if they weren't involved at all in the process, then I would say the chance of them adopting and adhering to it would be less than zero.

Turning this on it's head, it's also important as to why affiliates should be making more effort to be part of the AMC, so that affiliates can have a big part in drawing up any code of conduct - it's free for God's sake, all it takes is a bit of your time, so get up out of your comfy chairs, stretch your legs once in a while and get along and have your say. Sadly too many people are happy to leave their desk for a beer but when they're given the opportunity to give up a few hours to help the industry as a whole they are nowhere to be seen. Equally they're happy to mouth off on forums like this one but put them in a room full of network representatives and they're quieter than a church mouse with laryngitis. As far as I'm aware, in the whole time that the AMC has been running (some 18 months now) the only affiliates to have attended are me, Lee McCoy and James Little - now ok we all have odd meetings we can't make, but has every other affiliate really been that busy they couldn't get along to even one meeting.............answers on a postcard....

[Ambski]

I would also go for affiliates only. Most affiliates are 1-3 person companies spread throughout the whole of the UK therefore it is important for affiliates to have a collective voice on issues they may struggle to resolve on their own. Of course, there would be dialogue with networks, merchants and agencies but I'd like to see an organisation representing affiliates own interests.

I agree with both chs & loquax.
I have had times (well publicised here) when I really needed The Affiliate Association and in the end, it was 'an association of affiliates' that helped me to solve the problem. Because of this group of renowned affiliates, the Merchant and Network was forced to acknowledge and address the issue.

Rather than seeing The Affiliate Association as being something which has to be 'the-be-all-and-end-all' of associations, why not keep the remit simple and only represent the thoughts and needs of affiliates.

Leave the IAB/AMC/Whatever to have the unenviable task of trying to serve everyone at once instead...