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.
Help people discover more of your web pages with Google webmaster tools
Google's suite of webmaster tools provides you with a free and easy way to make your site more Google-friendly. They can show you Google's view of your site, help you diagnose problems, and let you share info with us to help improve your site's visibility in Google's search results.
Recognize traffic trends with Google Analytics
Get easy access to intuitive graphs that show exactly what's happening on your site. You can pinpoint exactly which links and pages on your site are popular with your readership and which aren't. Or see exactly where your readers are coming from - which website, country, state and city.
Drive traffic to your site with Google AdWords
With Google AdWords you create your own ads, choose keywords to help us match your ads to your audience and pay only when someone clicks on them. That is, you only pay when your advertising works.
Make it easier for users to find your content with Google Base
Google Base is a place where you can easily submit all types of content, which we'll make searchable on Google properties. You can describe any item you post with attributes, which will help people find if when they do related searches.
Harness the power of Google search to create a free Custom Search Engine
Create a highly specialized search engine that reflects your knowledge and interests. Place it on your website, and using our AdSense for Search program, make money from the resulting traffic.
Add interactivity and community to your site
Enrich your site with Google Video
Explore
Google Video and you'll find a wide selection of content that can be displayed on your site, for free. It's fast and easy to
upload a video or embed videos on your site to instantly share them with your users.Engage your readers with Blogger
Use a blog to easily update your readers with your news, photos and videos and encourage feedback and interaction through user comments. Choose from a range of designer templates to get started in minutes.
Integrate Google's interactive maps into your site's data using Google Maps API
Integrate your site's data into Google's interactive maps and embed them in your web pages with JavaScript. You can plot points and lines and display information windows with the Google Maps look and feel. The Google Maps API is a free (beta) service, available for use on any website that is free to consumers.
Enable your users to work together more effectively with Google Apps
Google Apps provides your users with innovative applications to help them become more productive through better communication and collaboration. Give them the tools they need with your own special branding, color scheme and content. Take advantage of Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, Docs & Spreadsheets and Page Creator and have it all hosted by Google without any hardware and software to install or maintain.
Share documents and spreadsheets online with Google Docs & Spreadsheets
You and your colleagues can collaborate in real time, even from different locations, and everyone will always see the most current version. AdSense publishers can use Google Docs & Spreadsheets to create and share site content, edit webpage mockups in HTML or text, or manage marketing plans, contracts, proposals, and budgets.
Collaborate with your users with Google Groups
Create a customizable group to co-author pages with your users, upload and share files (including photos), form email lists and start discussions.
Generate more revenue with AdSense features
Earn more by spreading the word about AdSense and Firefox through referrals
By adding a referral button to your site, you can help connect users to useful products like AdSense and Firefox - while generating additional earnings in the process. If you're not already an AdSense publisher, you'll need to sign up in order to use referrals.
Combine Google search and AdSense with AdSense for search
Adding a Google search box to your site means monetizing more web pages while offering your users an even better site experience. Visitors hang around longer, since they can search from right on your site. And since AdSense serves targeted ads on search results pages, you can make more money from your Google search box as well. If you're not already an AdSense publisher, you'll need to sign up in order to use AdSense for search.
When I found myself asking … What is a WordPress Widget? I discovered a cool website called Automattic that had some right-on information on widgets expressly for use in WordPress blogs.
According to the folks at Automattic…
“Widgets” is just a silly buzzword we’ve chosen for this sidebar-chopping plug-in we have developed. They could have been called Gadgets or Gizmos or Wizbangs or Whatevers. On the surface, they’re just things you can use to personalize your WordPress site without knowing HTML. Way down deep, they may be something entirely more significant.
I thought that was one of the coolest descriptions for widgets I've come across. So, I wanted to share their website with you because it also has information and tips on how to use widgets, widget themes, widget plugins, etc. and all for your WordPress blog.
Widgets are fast becoming a vital tool for affiliate marketers, so get yourself educated. Spend a day with a widget, you just might enjoy yourself.
Affiliates and Bloggers, finally the wait is over. BlogKits has opened it's doors for business!
And guess what, those who use Google's AdSense don't have to worry about chossing. According to BlogKits you can use both without running any risk to your Google account. Sa-weet!
The BlogKits system is very easy to use and the intuative. Just create an account, login and you'll see right away what I mean. Although I have to admit I wanted that cup of coffee they were using as an example.
The tools section for more advanced users is pretty cool tool. It will be fun to watch Jim Kukral grow this site and features like these tool. You can find more tools at the Affiliate Guild.
BlogKits is tied to OfferForge too, in case you didn't know. So, their offers are also listed there for you. Nice to have one stop affiliate linking.
Affiliate Blogger posts and articles are all over the Internet as resources and helpful tips for the success of other affiliates, but this blog … my Affiliate Blogger blog … is my home-base where I bring all those tools and tips together in one place.
I also have the Affiliate Guild, where I offer a ton of educational materials for new affiliates and tools to make the process easier. A lot of those tools are totally free, as are most of the affiliate classrooms and materials.
My personal goal is to help others get started in Affiliate Marketing, and not have to learn the hard way like I did.
Things are much easier these days, and then again with all the changes in technologies happening so freaking fast … maybe in some ways it's harder. That's why I take the time to create thoughtful posts as the Affiliate Blogger … to try and help you stay up with the trends of Internet Marketing.
One of the biggest trends is the movement towards more use of video, and especially interactive video. I've found an awesome tool for you and gotten a great reduction in the pricing to offer as well. It's not free, but it's close to it.
The tool is called Screen Show Pro and it's an inexpensive screen capture tool similar to Camista. Only difference is that Camista will cost you $299 and Screen Show Pro will cost you $29 … this is a keeper!
I'm using Screen Show Pro to build my interactive videos for my various Internet businesses. I'm liking it a lot!
After I made my videos, I joined the new interactive video community sitecalled FreeIQ. It's free to join and gives both a venue to distribute your videos, as well as your products, services and affiliate links.
FreeIQ is full of helpful and informative educational materials and products … many of which are for free.
Visit my FreeIQ website … http://freeiq.com/bobbiegrennier to learn more about all of this because the Internet is quickly moving towards a video rich world and you need to be a part of it to be successful.
No longer is content king. Now it's all about entertainment and video education.
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?
Tomorrow, Nielsen/NetRatings will announce that they are no longer judging the popularity of web sites based on the number of page views. Instead, Nielsen will use a different metric, rating popularity by how much time visitors spend at a site.
You, the web user, drove this change, through the software you prefer and the way you use the web. And most importantly . . . with your interest in watching online video.
One of the biggest trends is the movement towards more use of interactive video.
I've found an awesome tool called Screen Show Pro and it's an inexpensive screen capture tool similar to Camista. I'm using Screen Show Pro to build my interactive videos for my various Internet businesses.
After I made my videos, I joined the new interactive video community sitecalled FreeIQ. It's free to join and gives both a venue to distribute your videos, as well as your products, services and affiliate links.
FreeIQ is full of helpful and informative educational materials and products … many of which are for free.
Visit my FreeIQ website … http://freeiq.com/bobbiegrennier to learn more as the Internet is quickly moving towards a video rich world and you need to be a part of it to be successful.
The use of sites like FreeIQ, are changing the media landscape. Your propensity to spend time interacting with the web via video and other new forms of media makes the time you spend a much more authoritative judge of a website's popularity than the number of pages you view.
MyBlogLog ranks amongst the best in social networking sites, helping to increase your traffic and your social circle.
They provide a dynamic interface that helps their members to build professional and personal relationships.
You can get to know members who visit your profile page and website/blogs.
MyBlogLog offers widgets for your website/blog that shows their visitors to your site.
How MyBlogLog help its members:
● Helps your blog presence irrespective of posts.
● Better personal relationship with your readers and to the authors of your favorite blogs.
● It's a nice SEO tool as well.
● Encourages participation in blogs, and encourages new visitors.
● If people find your blog interesting, they join your community.
I really appreciate the MyBlogLog visitors to my blog!
I received a nice email from Google today letting me know that they've upgraded their analytics tool. Here's the deatils….
We are happy to announce the release of a new version of the Google Analytics reporting interface. Since you are an existing user, you will automatically be upgraded - there is no action required on your part. To access this new version click the "View Reports" link next to any profile in your account by logging in at http://www.google.com/analytics.
For a smooth transition, we've listed some helpful resources and notes below. Also, you will still be able to access your old reporting interface for at least a month by clicking "Previous Interface" below the "View Reports" link for any profile in your account. Other than a few improvements detailed in the version notes below, your data and configuration settings remain unaffected by your choice of interface and your data continues to be tracked in the same way as it was prior to this redesign.
*What is new?* In the new version, your reports have been redesigned for clarity, greater visibility of important metrics, and ease of use. Here are just a few of the features you'll notice:
- Email and export reports: Schedule or send ad-hoc personalized report emails and export reports in PDF format.
- Custom Dashboard: No more digging through reports. Put all the information you need on a custom dashboard that you can email to others.
- Trend and Over-time Graph: Compare time periods and select date ranges without losing sight of long term trends.
- Contextual help tips: Context sensitive Help and Conversion University tips are available from every report.The new interface has everything the previous interface had and more. In addition, links within reports make it easier to navigate related information and explore your data.
The following resources are available to help you get the most from the new Google Analytics interface:
- Report Finder Tool: will help you see where data from the previous interface is located within the new version (it is also linked to from within your reports on the left nav menu.
- Support: if you encounter any issues with the new version that you can't resolve with the help center, you can contact our support team through the Contact Us link at the bottom of the help center web page, or receive higher-touch support through a Google Analytics Authorized Consultant. Find one here: http://www.google.com/analytics/support_partner_provided.html
- Analytics Help Forum: If you would like to discuss the new version or get tips from experienced users, please visit the Analytics Help Forum in English within Google Groups at: http://groups.google.com/group/analytics-help
