November 4, 2008
Affiliate Marketing Network Blog Scorecard
If you're new here, please subscribe to my RSS feed. And follow me on twitter. Thanks for visiting!
I’ve come out of my two month blog hiatus (caused by a perfect storm of home and business activities) to discover that yet another of the big US affiliate networks has launched a blog. As of October, Linkshare has apparently seen the light and jumped into the blogging fray. Good onya Linkshare.
This prompted me to take a step back and review what’s been happening on this front. Here’s a quick scorecard of affiliate networks and their blogs.
Google Affiliate Network
Larry Adams, the long-time Performics product manager has been doing a great job with the blog for a few years now and writes thoughtful, quality posts that give insight into the product features and direction. The change to Google has resulted in a new home for the blog, rejuvenation, and participation from other folks in the company. There is always a few comments on blog posts, and Larry does answer questions.
Content: A
Frequency: B
Community: B
Overall: B+
http://googleaffiliatenetwork-blog.blogspot.com/
Going back to August 2007 here:
http://blog.performics.com/affiliate/
Shareasale
The Shareasale blog is one of the oldest, going way back to March of 2005. Brian Littleton, backed by SAS stalwarts Carolyn Tang and Sarah Beeskow, provide a good mix of product information and promotions and new merchants. Brian injects quite a bit of his own personality into the blog with opinion pieces on industry issues as well. This great mix results in a good following of readers and some lively commentary.
Frequency: B
Content: A
Community: A
Overall: A-
Linkshare
As I mentioned in the introduction, Linkshare is the newest US affiliate network on the blog scene with their launch on October 1st.
So far, the blog is a great mix of different authors from product management, marketing folks, VPs and do-bees. It’s still the honeymoon stage for Linkshare blog, but congrats to them for a solid first month. Keep it up guys.
Update Frequency: A
Content: A
Community: C (graded on a scale since it’s too soon to tell)
Overall: A-
Commission Junction
Commission Junction is notably blogless, and as of October 1, they’re the only one of the big guys.
Given what all the other great things the networks are doing with blogs, from promoting new programs, to announcing maintenance windows, to getting the product word out, it’s pretty amazing that they haven’t got on the ball.
There’s not a complete lack of new media coming out of Commission Junction. They’ve delivered a series of enthusiastic podcasts, a skunkworks promotions blog, and most recently a happy-10th-birthday-to-us YouTube video (happy birthday CJ!).
But they somehow skipped chapter one in the social media book: “Set up a Blog”. ???
Overall: DNC
Pepperjam Network
The Pepperjam Network Blog served as the launching point for the network announcements. Things got a little dicey for a while around the launch of the network and some mud-slinging with CJ, but settled down again with some great content mostly from Kris Jones, the President of Pepperjam. The blog has a lot of promotional information about new merchant launches, which can overwhelm the rest of the stuff at times (good problem for them), but Kris does write a good amount of new product information and even some personal stuff. They’ve put out some unique stuff such as the “Meet the Affiliates” feature that’s been going steady for quite a while now. From a community standpoint, the only posts that get any comments are product-focused (indicating that’s really what people are interested in seeing.)
Update Frequency: A
Content: A
Community: A
Overall: A
http://www.pepperjamnetwork.com/blog/
Also check out Pepperjam’s Marketing blog http://www.pepperjam.com/blog/
Buy.at
No blog, but at least they are active on twitter: http://twitter.com/buy_at.
Overall: DNC
AvantLink
I don’t currently do anything in this network (not for any good reason), so I don’t pay much attention. But since they do have a blog, I’m adding them on. Like PJN, their blog is heavy on the new merchant launches and promotions, but there is a smattering of product information as well. Community-wise, it does have a pulse with the occasional commenter. I think if they went after more industry and product issues, they could get some more activity out of the reader-base.
Update Frequency: A
Content: B
Community: B
Overall: B+
http://www.avantshare.com/blog/
There are of course other smaller networks with blogs, and individual merchant programs that have great bloggers working for them. But I’ll stop there or I could spend all day on this post!
If you have a favorite that I’ve left out, feel free to comment below.
Scott,
Thanks for the post.
I don't want to declare a winner and loser here, but based on the numbers Pepperjam Network comes away as the “Winner” and our friends at Commission Junction come away as the “Loser” since they don't even have a blog.
Congrats to Linkshare on starting a blog.
Kris Jones
CEO,
Pepperjam Network
Kris,
That comment makes you look like a douche bag. Can you stop making these types of comments all over the internet? They are making me lose respect for you.
Your friend,
Todd
Todd,
Please explain yourself.
You've already lost my respect with the douche bag comment - the word is sexist and is extremely derogatory - it wasn't appropriate. In fact, it was brought to my attention by a female - my wife and read by dozens of women from PJ.
I was simply responding to the fact that PJN Blog received the highest scores out of any network. I was also highlighting the fact that CJ continues to not to blog, which is something I (and most others) believe they should do.
You cleary have a problem with PJN or are having a bad day, which is completely understandable, but it's not appriopriate or professional to call someone a douche bag because you didn't like a comment he / she made.
I'm also surprised to see that “douche bag” passed Scott's language filter - the word is deplorable, dirty, and completely inappropriate.
If you have a bone with me or PJ I'd be happy to address it with you offline.
Kris
I believe what Todd was trying to point out to you was that instead of graciously just coming by and saying “thanks for the good review” you continued to bash CJ - which isn't really necessary or professional. If your network is as great as you obviously believe it is, just let it be great and show everyone with the performance and the good content in your blog.
Your attitude in the comment and “all over the internet” (incl. that ABW debacle recently) is coming off very cocky and kind of like a jerk. And focusing your response on the word he used really doesn't make you look much better.
Please take this from someone who really DOES like PJN and is an affiliate on that network, but I hate to see you continuing online with this attitude that's not doing anything positive for your reputation or that of PJN.
Scott, thanks for the great reviews! I'm excited to see the networks blogging and taking advantage of the medium to distribute the great content that they have access to.
TrishaLyn,
Your comment is fair.
I know you are an active supporter of PJN, which we greatly appreciate, and yes I am passionate about PJN's success.
I have to admit - I don't think my comment was out of line or unfair - however, Todd's comment was completely inappropriate.
The fact is that Scott rated several network blogs. Scott gave PJN Blog the highest rating and CJ the lowest rating. The reason CJ got the lowest rating is because they don't have a blog.
BTW - I wasn't looking to pick a fight here, especially with people I've known and respected for years (Todd).
I sincerely appreciate when indepenent posts are made and PJN comes out as a formidable competitor to the big three - I was simply responding to that excitement.
If I offended anyone (including you, Todd, or CJ) I am sorry - that was not my intent.
Kris
Kris,
I thought your response to my comment would have been; “ha, ha, you're probably right. thanks for pointing that out”. I didn't expect you to take offense. Also, I didn't call you a douche bag, I said that your comments make you look like one.
Todd,
Appreciate the clarification.
Honestly, I didn't post the comment with negative intent.
I also appreciate the dialogue we've been having offline.
However, I certainly won't aplogize for calling CJ out for not having a blog - I mean come on - that's just silly in this day and age of social media.
Congrats again to Linkshare for making the plunge into the blogosphere.
Kris
Thanks, Scott.
BTW, we're on Twitter too at http://twitter.com/linkshareblog.
Wow, thanks alot. I was really looking for some advertising affiliate networks for my blog. I have heard alot about pepperjam,and I was lookinf for some validation. Thank you!
Great post, Scott. Thanks. ShareASale is also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/shareasalenews
Nice roundup.
The presence of a corporate blog also partially signals the networks intent to engage with it's stakeholders - affiliates and merchants.
The lack of a blog is pretty telling and probably shows that the management might be overdue for a lesson in customer relationship management.
Hi Kris,
Scott did a great job of highlighting the corporate transparency of various networks, and the quality of a blog (represented by the content, community, frequency ratings) are pretty subjective.
It's an indicative and subject judgement and can be useful for the newer affiliate.
Just because a blog or other type of websites has won an award doesn't make it the best, though it shows that the site owner is adept at generating buzz and publicity.
-
The judgmental and inferred intent in your post are probably what I and some of the other commenters in this thread have taken note of and are giving you feedback.
Thanks for the mention and review Scott…. I think you actually over-graded me on the “frequency”, but it is an area I hope to improve on.
Mike - there are actually two ShareASale twitters… http://www.twitter.com/shareasale and http://www.twitter.com/shareasalenews We are trying to seperate merchant launches from general news, etc…
Hi Brian,
I did not know about the ShareASaleNews twitter account.
Have added that.
As always your modesty continues to enhance your rep in our sometimes less-than-stellar industry.
I'd like to invite you on my Friday Podcast series. Still figuring out an angle for the discussion.
I look forward to seeing you at ASW09 and those legendary SaS parties.
Andrew:
Great idea on interviewing Brian. He's one of the VERY few people in this industry that when he speaks (in an official capacity of course), I stop what I'm doing and listen. He's about the most level headed of the network “faces”, and genuine through and through.
When he discusses the Cubbies, however, I tune out……………..
I like PepperJam's blog the most because it's more like a real blog instead of just a bunch of professionals(guys with degrees) trying out-impress each other.
Great review Scott! Shame about the direction of the comments. Can't we all just get along!!!
uh no, it seems we cannot Adam.