Sphinn … it's all the buzz today and I'm reading about it everwhere I go to catch up on today's latest and greatest.

According to Linda Buquet at 5 Star, latest and greatest is an appropriate phrase to use when describing Sphinn.

If you are into SEO, PPC and Internet Marketing you just may want to take "Sphinn" for a SPIN. (That's the pronunciation BTW.)

Many are saying this will replace the now defunct Threadwatch, but with all the social functionality this site has, I say it will far surpass it.

I was wondering what Danny Sullivan was up to these days and now, I get this awesome surprise from the master of webology.

Danny brings us all up todate on his SearchEngineland Blog with the new changes and other changes coming in the near future.

When Search Engine Land launched last December, I talked about liking the name in part because it sounded like "a community, where people can meet, talk, discuss and network." I promised to upgrade the site to help a community thrive. It took much longer than the original "month or so" I envisioned to make this happen. But today, we're happy to unveil our new social site, Sphinn.

And what specifically is Sphinn?

Sphinn is a social site for search and interactive marketers. It's designed to allow you to share and discover news stories, read and take part in discussions, discover events of interest and network with others.

Now what Marketer in their right mind wouldn't like the sound of that?! Hey Linda, thanks for the ping on Sphinn. I'm really looking forward to watching this grow. 

In typical 5 Star sytle, Linda Buquet announced today the start of several contests for her 5 Star Affiliate Forum members.

If ever there was a time to join the 5 Star Affiliate Forums, it's now!

The 5 Star Affiliate Marketing Forum turns two years old on June 25, 2007 … and it's in that vein of celebration that Linda has announced her biggest give-aways to-date.

The contests offered are as follows:

“NAME THAT 5 Star MERCHANT” Contest
$200 CASH Grand Prize - $100 2nd Prize
Visit our 5 Star Sponsors to WIN!

I "HEART" 5 STAR Contest - $100 CASH Prize 

BLOG BUZZ CONTEST - $300 CASH Grand Prize $100 Runner Up
Which blog can create the biggest BUZZ and send the most traffic to the forum.

GUESS the MEMBER COUNT - $100 CASH Prize

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER - $100 CASH Prize

Thanks Linda, for a valued affiliate marketing resource and all the hard work you do for our community of affiliates and merchants. You're a class act, and with you … 5 star ratings really do mean 5 stars.

Happy Birthday to Linda and 5 Star!

Loren Baker, at Search Engine Journal, posted tabulations for the
awards & publishing winners for the top Affiliate Marketing Blogs.
This years winner is ShoeMoney!

Here are the results:
ShoeMoney 3.46
PepperJam 3.14
5 Star Affiliate Programs 3.08
ReveNews 2.99
Super Affiliate Blog 2.22

Congradulations to all you other Affiliate Marketing Blogs for the
great services you provide our community. You're all winners in
our eyes!

You might remember that I was Tagged by 5 Stars in a little game of tag played with some folks in affiliate marketing. I thought I'd take a few words to reflect on the game a little.

I was inspired to look back on the game by Heather Paulson's blog entry at ReveNews. Heather was also tagged, but it sounds like by the time she was tagged, aspects of the game had changed as they passed from one tagger to the next. As I commented to Heather, … I guess people read directions creatively.

I also noticed that the first reaction to being tagged was kinda of an … "I'm going to get you back" tone. Once past that reaction though, most people had fun with it. It's funny really, we're all still little kids at heart.

Heather put her experience into affiliate marketing terms, and here's what she posted:

Five things I have learned about this tagged experience

1) Many bloggers are being tagged, and the phenomenon is wide spread throughout the internet

2) Viral marketing works!

3) There are many bloggers online who easily have access to each other, and news can spread quickly.

4) Messages and content can be misconstrued to sensitive audiences and information must be considerate even on a personal level concerning what those sensitivities might be especially on a collaborative or business blog.

5) The personal side of blogging is fascinating as we learn more (tidbits) concerning our fellow e marketers.

I think that's very well said. This was indeed an interesting lesson on social communication and the results it produced.