Does google pose a serious threat to affiliates

[ian-d]

What i'm interested to know is how google determines an affiliate site is an affiliate site? Surely links can't do that, as a url is a url and i don't think every affiliate url contains the same string of text, so how does google work it out? Surely there would be scope for networks and merchants to work out an alternative way of providing links, or maybe we must use different ways ourselves, like redirects etc etc

[stu-art]

Crikey, what depressing reading.
I'm relatively new to AM, but have always been uneasy with the extent to which G features in just about everything to do related to making money online. I can only hope the next 5 years sees a serious competitor emerge. It is not a healthy environment as it stands.
I can't help thinking all the google tools I use - analytics, webmaster tools, adwords, even search - is only adding to my own demise.
Oh well, there's always leaflets and mail shots.

[zaq]

All you need to do is collect your visitors email addresses then you have 1000s of optin members as a backup.

STOP senting traffic direct to merchants get their EMAIL ADDRESS first.

[Dazza30]

[QUOTE=stu-art;379808]Crikey, what depressing reading.
I'm relatively new to AM, but have always been uneasy with the extent to which G features in just about everything to do related to making money online. I can only hope the next 5 years sees a serious competitor emerge.QUOTE]

Thats exactly why i asked the question, do you think it would benefit us if microsoft bought yahoo, and if so could or would it be possible to compete with google?

[drivetowin]

If it's any consolation there have been murmurs of Google being a threat to affiliates ever since I started in this game over 6 years ago - it hasn't happened yet and I seriously doubt that it will happen in the next 6 years.

Will they do some things to affect affiliates, yes, they sure will, but hey, adapt and survive - it's the only answer.

[jess1]

QGJ: Yes…. I have been squeaking about this for ages, the feedback I got from those I have been speaking to is, oh you need money (BIG MONEY), we could never go up against the likes of Google or MSN..., I say never say never, where are the dreamers? Where are the guts? Where is the fight? YES… an affiliate SE for Affiliates by affiliates. Thing is I don’t know what technology is needed so this is where I start and finish.

No, I don’t want to take google on, I cant and would not dream of it, they are awesome and yes, Im dead jealous of their positioning and global domination. But they are slowly strangling not just affiliates but businesses too… they restrict growth rather then help for some people. So whilst its great to be on page one or google adwords, what about the rest of the world? There is an op waiting to happen.
Im looking at the latest adwords exclusion options and trying to get my head around this... and what it means.
No not a depressing thread at all... its one that should inspire and get people thinking about alternatives to google.

[loquax]

There is an alternative option... and that's hitting the escape button, bailing out and saying well thank you very much it's been fun - as and when the time comes.

In all seriousness are people viewing AM as a long term (10/20 years, pick up the carriage clock business)?

Jason

[Dazza30]

In all seriousness are people viewing AM as a long term (10/20 years, pick up the carriage clock business)?

Jason

If spending weeks on end behind a computer and investing money into your AM venture is serious then YES this business is a long term investment.

Many affiliates see AM as a serious business, not all are in it for a quick profit.

[jess1]

In all seriousness are people viewing AM as a long term

Im hoping it will still be around in the next five years. Of course it will evolve
So was that your contribution to problem solving?

[tonyr]

Good point Jess.

It seems to me that if you create something that becomes popular and takes off on the Internet then the money follows.

Youtube started off with 2 guys in their garage. Google had their own video service but Youtube became the one that people wanted to use.
Then the venture capital money came. (Oh and then Google bought them because of the traffic they had)!

Facebook started with a college student and some PHP code. People liked it and it took off.

I'm sure there are plenty of clever, creative people on this forum who could create the "next big thing", or at least big in the UK.

[loquax]

So was that your contribution to problem solving?

Yes it was... simply as I have no wish to take on Google, and am devoid of all ideas in solving the problem many affiliates face... my apologies!!!

Perhaps we should bring in Andrew Lloyd Webber and John Barrowman for a new 'How To Solve a Problem Like Google' reality program.

I dunno, us short term profit affiliate guys eh

Jason

[KieronD]

What i'm interested to know is how google determines an affiliate site is an affiliate site? Surely links can't do that, as a url is a url and i don't think every affiliate url contains the same string of text, so how does google work it out? Surely there would be scope for networks and merchants to work out an alternative way of providing links, or maybe we must use different ways ourselves, like redirects etc etc

Google don't penalise affiliate sites. Google do penalise crap thin sites, whether they are affiliate sites or not.

Concentrate on building a good site that is of genuine use to your target market and don't worry about Google. I know its easier said than done but I think that anyone who is building a business around using Google AdWords for traffic is playing a very risky game. Instead go for the slow burn, don't worry about SEO even, just build sites with fresh regularly updated content.

[loquax]

Instead go for the slow burn, don't worry about SEO even, just build sites with fresh regularly updated content

Good advice!!

Jason

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Do both at the same time ... Win Win

However, we can point to a few individual sites which have sustainability, or do they, U- Tube (I still like)) might have a longer slow burn than Facebook (the novelty factor wore of quickly for me) i.e. if you refer to predecessors like Friends Reunited & My Space, which with hindsight are maybe now considered as passing fads, but this is success for a few.

But Facebook, Myspace, U Tube, Friends Reunited are NOT affiliate sites, so why are they even referred too?

What are good examples of "fat" affiliate sites?

Hyperthetically speaking assume a network cuts 4000 cheques a month for those meeting the minimum payment threshold. Maybe a quarter of those do affiliate marketing full time, i haven't checked the census.

But at the moment we hear these buzz words like ... thin ... fat ... length ... girth , take your pick on whatever grabs your fancy, but realistically in 5 years time, 10 at most , what is affiliate marketing going to look like, you can't have 4000 Facebooks or U-Tubes, so what will happen to those 4000 cheques cut or 1000 businesses. Will it evolve or dissolve down to a concentrated few hundred fat cat affiliates, if that even, who can recoup a healthy income.

I am a little more optimistic, with the right consolidation of skillsets within this industry, you can make a significant dent in the monoliths monopolisation, not go head to head, but out flank them. You know how to manipulate traffic & inform users, just be more shrewd how you do it. ie do you add content to Wikipedia or do you add content to your own sites or better still get users to add it to yours on various niches instead of Wikipedia. But I find this whole content discussion thing viewed as too black & white.

One thing I will say, Google also looks for a shopping cart, direct to merchant advertising we have done has in the past been affected for those where the secure transaction goes off site, something Google mentioned to us in passing. Maybe trial having ALL external links from your site going via redirects & https & rel="nofollow". Fake the basket.

[ian-d]

Google don't penalise affiliate sites. Google do penalise crap thin sites, whether they are affiliate sites or not.

Concentrate on building a good site that is of genuine use to your target market and don't worry about Google. I know its easier said than done but I think that anyone who is building a business around using Google AdWords for traffic is playing a very risky game. Instead go for the slow burn, don't worry about SEO even, just build sites with fresh regularly updated content.

I accept that strong content rich sites are king, i have a number of merchant sites ranking higher than anyone, for pretty much any related keyword, big or small. None of them have been affected. I also accept that some of my affiliate sites which have been hit are somewhat thinner than they should be, no probs there, but when there is no consistancy to it, i.e. just setup with another domain and your fine for 6 months, i think its unacceptable, also, when other affiliates like 'tbp' are running extremely content rich sites which i find absolutely brilliant, especially with their organic positioning, you've got to wonder whether its just penalising affiliates or thin sites.