This looks fantastic…
(Via GeekDad.)
Blog
Twitter Down… Again
Something we’re seeing way too much these days when we try to login to Twitter:
I love you, Twitter. I’ve loved you since Nov 2006. But you’re letting me down with the constant down time. I can (somewhat) understand Steve Jobs’ keynote from Macworld bringing you down, but the State of the Union causes you to hiccup? As Rex Hammock points out, there’s no way you’ll make it through the Super Bowl.
So, please start working (somewhat) regularly again. There’s lots of us out there who love you and are patient… to a point.
My Fav New Blog: The Fail Blog
I don’t know why, but “FAIL!” pictures are hilarious to me. I’m not a mean spirited person or of the Uncov persuasion. Yet, I can’t help but laugh.
See many more at The Fail Blog (the new LOLCats?)
GeekCast Episode 3: Racing Stripes
Shawn Collins, Jim Kukral and Sam Harrelson expound on web celebs, affiliate network interfaces, iJustine and Jim's GuyLights (about an hour)
Show Notes
– TechCrunch Presidential Endorsements: TechCrunch
– Spammer Sam: CostPerNews
– ShowYourAdHere.com: 45n5
– Shawn in Middle of CJ/Pepperjam Spat: Pepperjam Blog
– Super Affiliates For Sale: Affiliate Summit Blog
– Zac Johnson Doing it Right: Zac Johnson’s Blog
– Jim is a Twitter Hater: Jim Kukral’s Blog
– Affiliate Summit Exhibitors Are Missing Out (By Not Doing Video)
First Political Attack Tweet?
I’m an avid Twitter user and fan (you can follow me here). I love when politicians use the service for updates and quick thoughts such as what Democrats John Edwards and Barak Obama have been doing in the presidential campaign as well as what Republican Rep John Boehner has been doing with Congressional business.
My favorite person to argue with, Shawn Collins, let me know that Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain has brought the straight talk express to Twitter with his own account. I noticed what I think might be the first political attack tweet from a candidate:
Other candidates that have been using Twitter have been posting info about events for local followers or either links to YouTube video of rally’s, etc. It would be a shame if the candidates follow McCain lead and bring the negativity so associated with TV political messages into the Twitter medium.
Ryan Adams Live at The Paramount Theater on 2008-01-26
via the wonderful archive.org
I Spammed My MySpace Friends
Evidently, I’m a spammer…
This was sent to me by my pal and super uber affiliate marketer Scott Jangro today. Clearly, that’s my name, my MySpace profile pic and my “identity.”
Seriously, WTF? Clearly this did not come from “me” yet it did come from “me” according to MySpace. If you thought Facebook’s Beacon was bad, then this is terrible.
I’ve logged into my MySpace account (which I rarely do) and everything seems in order. Just to be on the safe side I changed my password.
How in the hell did this happen? Did all of my MySpace “friends” get this? Worse yet, it’s for a ringtone offer. Shoemoney would be proud. I digress.
Ah, the joys of social networks.
[Update] Evidently, I’m not alone. Although the “change your password and everything will be cool” advice really doesn’t make me feel better.
Want More RSS Subscribers? Use Link Splicer
For the past three years, I’ve bookmarked a great deal of things using del.icio.us. Last Spring, I decided to start using Ma.gnolia.com to bookmark marketing and tech related items that might be interesting for readers here and using Feedburner’s “Link Splicer” option to import those bookmarks into the RSS feed and daily email subscription newsletters.
I wasn’t sure if people would enjoy the bookmarks or find benefit but soon realized they did. With the craziness of having a newborn, I feel behind on linking through Ma.gnolia and decided to start again recently. After turning on the Link Splicer again this week, I’ve notice RSS numbers and actives jump up 12% and the most popular feed items are consistently the bookmarks.
I’m not sure if that’s saying more about people’s opinion of my blogging or the benefit that they are finding in the things I bookmark, but I’ll take the increase either way 🙂
So, if you are using del.icio.us or Ma.gnolia (or Furl or Digg) for bookmarks and Feedburner for feed management, make sure to turn on Link Splicer. People do want to see what you think is interesting from your daily web browsing.
GeekCast Episde 2: Auto Approval
Lisa Picarille, Shawn Collins, Jim Kukral and Sam Harrelson discuss the week's news in affiliate marketing and online tech news.
Show Notes
– Affiliate Summit Tips
– Scoble Sells Out
– Ethical Standards and Blogging
– 45n5 and Affiliate Spam
– WickedFire N00bery
– John Chow
– Izea, PayPerPost and Ethics
– 5 Seconds of Suck
– Shawn is Yoko Ono
– Why is Jason Calacanis Affiliate Summit Keynote?!?
– Auto Approval Sucks… or Does It?
– Affiliate Certification?
Gospel Brunch at the Affiliate Summit
One of my favorite events (or at least the one with the best food) at the Affiliate Summit is the Christian Affiliate Marketing Assoc’s Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues.
This is the second year the CAMA is putting on the event, and it should be even better this year since transportation is being provided from the Rio (where the Affiliate Summit is being held) down to the House of Blues. Last year, I walked from where Wayne Porter and I were camping all the way to the H.O.B. and I have to say that I got my exercise on that chilly morning. Good times.
The 2nd Annual Gospel Brunch, presented by the Christian Affiliate Marketing Association, is taking place at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay on Sunday, February 24, 2008 from 8:45 AM to 11:30 AM. Yes, it’s early and most of you will have been partying late into the night on Saturday night, but you could probably use some good food and fellowship to cure that hangover and wash away some of the Sin City taint. In all seriousness, it’s a great event and I highly recommend. As the CAMA points out, you don’t have to be a Christian or from any denomination to attend (and no one is going to beat you over the head with the book of Deuteronomy to make you change your sinnin’ ways…).
So, if you need a moment of respite, rest and fellowship during a hectic Affiliate Summit week, make sure to attend the Gospel Brunch.
Social Network of the Bible
Affiliate Summit Pre-Game Show on Fri Jan 24
Missy Ward and Shawn Collins of the Affiliate Summit Conference are heading up a “pre-show” on WebMasterRadio tomorrow at 1pm. I’ll be taking part as a participant along with Jim Kukral, Wil Reynolds and Stephanie Agresta:
The Affiliate Summit Pre Show will feature the following guests:
Stephanie Agresta – Founder of Stephanie Agresta Consulting, which helps online entrepreneurs and emerging technology companies realize effective, cost-efficient online marketing programs
Sam Harrelson – VP of Biz Dev for OnCard Marketing and one of performance marketing’s best-known voices, designer of affiliate programs for top retailers, operator of marketing networks and manager of a variety of consumer advertising channels
Jim Kukral of JimKukral.com and active, multiple-roled participant in the affiliate marketing industry and leading expert in the blogosphere, recently awarded the Affiliate Summit “Best Blogger” award for his voice and participation, also former publisher of ReveNews.com
Wil Reynolds – Founder of SEER Interactive, dedicated to driving traffic to sites from search engines and analyzing the impact that traffic has on the bottom line of companies
More on Affiliate Summit at http://www.affiliatesummit.com.
Make sure to listen in as this should be a very good show. I’ll try to get a copy to post here and we’ll hopefully have one up on GeekCast.fm for you to tune into as well.
CPA to Eventually Beat Out CPC?
Forget the age old CPA networks vs affiliate networks argument.
What about CPA vs CPC? That argument stirs up fun fighting words.
Aaron Goldman has an interesting piece on SearchInsider about this issue and the potential for macroeconomic trends to have a very real impact on the search and direct response industries:
Will CPA Get its Day?
There are a couple macro trends that lead me to believe a move to CPA might be in the cards. The first is consolidation in the space. For the first time, each of the Big 3 owns reputable ad serving technology. Not only does this provide access to conversion activity, but it delivers more reliable data that marketers will accept for billing purposes. The second is a movement toward transparency that’s pervading all facets of the marketing landscape. The inherent conflicts within GoogleClick, MicQuantive, and YahRightMedia demand a level of transparency heretofore unseen in the search space. There is simply no more transparent pricing model than CPA.
My take is that it is clear that marketers across the board have yet to realize the impact that CPA can have on the overall market economy given the reliance of more and more web2.0, mobile, video or social platforms on response instead of click or impression.
Clearly, there’s a need for improved and evolved metrics in online marketing. I think CPA could be hinting at the possible future of all online advertising and marketing.
Thoughts?
Warhol Would Be Proud
From my favorite new Flickr set, “Understanding Art For Geeks”
Last.fm
Last.fm has probably been my favorite “social” network since I joined in 2005. If you’re a Last.fm user, add me here.
LinkConnector Making Gains: Is There a “Big 4” Anymore?
With last week’s launch of the pepperjamNETWORK and the discussion that ensued about the role of affiliate networks in the online marketing space, it’s interesting to take note of some of the other networks out there that exist (in size but not necessarily quality) between the CJ/Linkshare/Performics/ShareASale affiliate network model and the more direct response driven CPA networks.
One of those networks is North Carolina based LinkConnector. LinkConnector has been active in the industry since 2004, but it looks as if they are picking up steam and advertisers according to a new press release.
LinkConnector kicked off 2008 with nine merchants from the Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide, tripling its market share reach, and closing the gap between itself and other large networks, such as Commission Junction. LinkConnector has redefined for many merchants and affiliates what it is they want from an affiliate marketing network. Many merchants from the Top 500 Guide selected LinkConnector for its exclusive technologies, not found in other networks, and for its notable list of high quality affiliates.
“Many top Internet retailers took notice of LinkConnector in 2007, seeking new and better solutions in affiliate marketing,” said Choots Humphries, LinkConnector Co-President. “Internet Retailer’s independent survey affirms that we are rapidly capturing market share. We believe this is due in part to our exclusive technologies and unique approaches, differentiating us from the crowd. We expect to again grow by more than 100 percent in 2008, providing affiliate marketing solutions to a growing number of merchants from the Top 500 List.”
So, the important question here is how networks such as LinkConnector, or the new pepperjamNETWORK or even the increasingly important CPA networks like AzoogleAds (not to mention agencies like MediaWhiz or the budding widget ad networks) will impact both the affiliate market and the more mentioned “Big 4” networks?
Is there even a “Big 4” anymore?
2008 should be fun as we find out.
“Hushpuppies, Daddy!”
I could watch this all day long:
In the Name of Love
Breaking Bad Has a Good Viral Campaign
Breaking Bad is a new movie TV show coming out about a high school chemistry teacher who creates his own meth lab business. Sounds like a silly movie, but the viral marketing campaign is tremendous.
Here’s one I just sent over to Jim Kurkal:
http://www.waltswisdom.com/flash/waltsplayer_ext.swf?_id=2001jsfyw1
You can waste some of your own time by freely contributing to the marketing of the movie here.
Looks like this will be a hit viral campaign along the lines of that stupid “put-your-face-on-a-dancing-elf” thing from this past holiday season.
Jerash on Flickr
User Gauis Caecilius is posting pics of Jerash (Gerash) in Syria on his Flickr page. Beautiful stuff if you’re interested in the Roman Empire and it’s reach into Palestine and Syria.