I just posted to my Webmaster Blog about the sale of vBulletin to Internet Brands.

I'm not looking to double post on this topic, so I'll just direct you to the post … Webmaster Blog.

LinkShare announced their newest affiliate tool called Automated LinkGenerator, but boy did they make it difficult for their affiliates to understand what the heck this thing is and what it does. It's kind of a datafeed, but then again it's kind of not. Here's the email announcement I got….

LinkShare is pleased to announce a new Web services offering for affiliates, called Automated LinkGenerator. Web services are Web based applications that use open, XML-based standards and transport protocols to exchange data with clients.

Automated LinkGenerator creates LinkShare affiliate links for any product on a merchant's site that offers LinkGenerator. This new feature provides the same functionality as the LinkGenerator tool in the Individual Product Links interface, without having to log into the Affiliate Interface to get your links. This new tool does not replace Merchandiser (LinkShare's datafeed), but will be helpful for getting direct links from merchants that do not offer Merchandiser feeds.

If you are interested in using the Automated LinkGenerator, please email us at linkgen_request@linkshare.com to have this new tool enabled. Once you are enabled, the Automated LinkGenerator will be located under the LinkShare Feed Synergy Services area of the Affiliate Interface. To create an Automated LinkGenerator link, you will use a REST (Representational State Transfer) Web services to request links for a given merchant URL. You will then send a URL from the merchant's site to LinkShare using the specified link format (see the Automated LinkGenerator Help area).  The URL can be sent through a browser, a tool like wget or curl, or an automated script.  For each URL provided, LinkShare returns a click link.  You can request up to 1,000 links within an hour.

Web services applications are accessible using SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) and REST. Web Services use HTTP with XML for communication. These are ubiquitous technologies and any device capable of using these technologies is able to both host and consume Web services. Web services concepts are simple to understand and with the addition of various tool-kits provide a low barrier to entry and easy software development.

For information on setting up a Web services, please visit the following sites:
REST - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representational_State_Transfer
Web Services - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_service
Web Services & PHP - http://webservices.xml.com/pub/a/ws/2004/03/24/phpws.html

I was over at the 5 Star blog and saw the video tool for affiliates that Linda was impressed with. The video showcased is from The Secret. It's a powerful video … well, actually it's the trailer for the DVD so, yes a powerful video designed to get you to act on it.

What's interesting is that AMWSO used the movie trailer and laid a layer on top advertising their GAIAM client who is selling the DVD. It kind of reminds me of the branding that TV stations now do in the lower right of your TV screen … although I saw one on the top left the other day that blocked the face of the person talking.

This video overlay service is presented by webvideozone.com.  While it's impressive, my worry was that it infringes on rights of the people who made the DVD. I've been looking around to see how they've dealt with that issues, but I haven't found any info yet. Anyone know that answer? 

Search Engine Strategies returns to New York for its 8th year! The industry converges for a week of spirited discussion, high-level learning and attendees leave with actionable battle plans to go forward with for their companies. For SES Alumni, there will be so much new content and developments that you'll need to stay on top of and should consider bringing your whole team!

Event Overview

• Delivers real-time actionable information you need to grow your business through search engine marketing;
• Teaches the ins-and-outs of search engine marketing from top search experts and the search engines themselves;
• Provides a unique setting to network with fellow marketers and search engine industry professionals and discuss the trends in search engine marketing;
• Grants access to the world's most comprehensive gathering of search engine marketing & optimization-related solutions providers and potential partners & affiliates.

What You Will Learn

• How search engines list web sites for free and through paid placements;
• How to get free "organic" traffic by building a site that pleases search engines and your visitors;
• How to efficiently purchase listings guaranteed to rank your company at the top of search engine results;
• How to calculate the roi of your search marketing efforts by tracking your visitors from the time they hit your site until they buy—and get tips on improving conversion if they don't!
• How to build links that generate traffic to your web site, and how to avoid the penalties of "spamming" the search engines;
• What's coming next in the constantly evolving world of web search, and how you can profit from those changes.

SES New York  | April 10-13, 2007  |  Hilton New York

Related Link: New York Car Insurance Quote free quotes

Several new free affiliate classess have been added on the Affiliate Guild and a couple of free softwares to help you improve your affiliate knowledge and affiliate functionality.

Free Affiliate Classes on Affiliate Guild

As an Affiliate Guild Member, you will have free access to all Free Classes offered by the Affiliate Guild. Membership into the Affiliate Guild is 100% Free. It's a Win-Win for all affiliates and newbie affiliates.

Affiliate Guild offers you Free online classes for both newbies and more advanced affiliates, to teach you how to maximize your internet profits through Affiliate Marketing. Classes are packed with all the information you need.

Free Affiliate Software on Affiliate Guild

To get access to this software, all you need to do is join the Affiliate Guild. By joining the Affiliate Guild you will have access to the Free Online Classes. They have listed each software as its own class … just sign-up for the class and they will email you the access code. Joining the Affiliate Guild will enroll you into the opt-in Affiliate Guild Newsletter, so use an email address that will accept Affiliate Guild's emails to you.

Affiliate Blogger launches a new performance marketing blog focused on performance based marketing and marketing that converts.

[ClickPress, Thu Aug 31 2006] Affiliate Blogger launches a new performance marketing blog focused on performance based marketing and marketing that converts.

Bobbie Grennier, widely known as the Affiliate Blogger (http://affiliate-blogger.com), is following on the heals of Jim Kukral (revenews.com/Forge) who recently announced the acquisition of BlogKits (blogkits.com).

"The shift into performance based marketing for bloggers looking to earn income through blogging has taken a big step forward," said Grennier. "I wanted to be an active voice in helping to shape this transformation within the blogsphere."

Bloggers spend hours each day researching and writing about their topics just as any copywriter or journalist does. The desire for bloggers to earn income from their efforts is growing, though there are divisions between those bloggers wanting to be paid to blog and others who prefer to earn income through affiliate programs or selling ad space on their popular blogs.

In a 2005 survey by BlogKits, 73% of bloggers acknowledged that using affiliate links on their blog was acceptable.

Bobbie Grennier brings a discerning eye to the affiliate space and now to the performance based marketing space. In addition to having years of experience as a media buyer and lead generation solutions provider, she has also racked up many years within the SEO/SEM search engine strategies side of marketing (http://www.seo-writing.com). Bobbie's SEO writing websites, blogs and articles consistently appear in the top ten natural search rankings in Google's search engine for "SEO writing" and "SEO writer" keywords.

The new performance based marketing blog will discuss such topics as media buys, multi-channel marketing, affiliate partners and publishers, search engine strategies, datafeed marketing, lead generation and marketing solutions that convert to sales.

About Bobbie Grennier:
As the Affiliate Blogger, Bobbie Grennier is the driving force behind the Affiliate Guild (http://affiliate-guild.com), an online free guild for affiliates to find a common bond, tools of their trade and an educational environment to learn and fine-tune their skills. Grennier is an Internet Strategist who often consults with merchants, helping them to develop SEO and affiliate marketing strategies, in addition to a focus on affiliate partner relationships through recruitment and management of affiliate programs. Bobbie's articles are widely published throughout the Internet and she offers free reprint articles at the Article Repository Directory (http://article-repository.com).

http://www.clickpress.com/releases/Detailed/17552005cp.shtml

More good stuff from Seth Godin for affiliate marketers:

Seth Godin, author of Small is the New Big, has a mission — to help business people realize how smart they already are. He writes and talks relentlessly about the need to engage customers, to make your products or services remarkable, discussion-worthy, and to make sure your business ultimately keeps (and exceeds) its promises.

Chances are you've heard Godin's message before — he blogs (on TypePad), he speaks, he writes books. He founded the pionieering online marketing firm Yoyodyne and, most recently, the expertise portal Squidoo. His previous books include Permisison Marketing, Unleashing the Ideavirus, and All Marketers are Liars.

On Tuesday, August 22nd at 2:00 pm (PST) we'll be hosting a moderated Skypecast discussion with Seth Godin. To participate, all you need is Skype and this link: skypecasts.skype.com. If you can't join us, we'll be recording the conversation and releasing it as a podcast later next week.

Posted for you by the Affiliate Blogger.

The Affiliate Guild has recently posted a great affiliate help list tips of 25 things that new and struggling affiliates trying to make a go of affiliate marketing should take a look at and give careful consideration to.

The Good Advice for New Affiliates post was inspired by Linda Buquet's super affiliate contest going on at 5 star affiliate programs.

Good Advice for New Affiliates
from the Affiliate Guild

25 Affiliate Tips To Success
1. Too much time building websites will bog you down. Make easy to maintain sites.

2. SEO does matter if you want targeted traffic.

3. Get a newsletter email opt-in on every page of every website you own.

4. Either get a forum or get a blog going. (Need one built?)

5. Write about your affiliate programs (article-repository.com). Tell everyone!

6. Focus on conversion not payout. Commissions are important though.

7. Get really, really niche.

8. Find affiliate programs that will be around awhile.

9. Find a search engine friendly cloaking script for your links.

10. There is more to affiliate life than Google! Diversify!

11. Learn about your affiliate programs and speak intellegently about them.

12. If you don't see what you want to represent, go get it. Consider your own affiliate network.

13. Make friends with Affiliate Managers … and if you have a lot of traffic ask for a bigger percentage on payout.

14. Work with reputable leadership (affiliate guild)

15. Buy from the affiliate program if you want to know how they work. We do it.

16. Monetize your websites.

17. If you have enough traffic sell ad space. If you have good SEO ranking, charge more for ads.

18. Ask for the sale. Most affiliate program banners don't close sales, you must do it.

19. You must work 8-10+ hours daily to be a successful super affiliate.

20. Keep it really simple … accomplish your goals with focused resources.

21. Find affiliate programs that offer a wide variety of advertising opportunities from banners to datafeeds.

22. Find affiliate programs that require strong marketing ethics and follow them, WIN-WIN.

23. Find affiliate programs that payout on schedule everytime. You're in control here!

24. Look for affiliate programs with affiliate tracking for phone sales you generate.

25. Look for affiliate programs with solid servers and software that works 100% of the time. Other affiliates write about the bad ones, so be aware and read the affiliate forums and blogs.

Posted by Bobbie Grennier on August 10, 2006 05:53 PM | Permalink

I logged in to my phpAdsNew the other day to do a little work with my banner ads, and darned if if hadn't gotten cracked. I hate those guys. They cracked in and damaged the database more or less … enough that I needed to repair it.

Then I thought to myself, why repair when I should upgrade. I pulled up my link to phpAdsNew, and I discover another surprise … and this one was pleasant.

phpAdsNew is now called OpenAds … and it's got a whole new look and feeling going on. It's definately worth checking out!

I visited their new blog to see what what was up with the new digs, and learned…

We are the world's largest adspace community! Our open source ad serving software is used by more websites than any other, worldwide. We're celebrating this with the launch of our new website, www.openads.org, and a commitment to the open source community.

I grabbed a copy of OpenAds 2.0 for my new install. I decide to scrap the old one and start over fresh. They also offer another version of OpenAds that used to be Max Media Manager. So, be sure you pick the one that's right fo your needs.

Then show a little love for the new OpenAds with a banner on you blog or website … like the one I added here.

Hey guys,  feel the love in this room … add me to your blogroll?!