An affiliate I know tweeted a phrase that underscores something that you will not hear mentioned in evangelistic presentations on affiliate marketing. Here’s his tweet:
As an affiliate program manager, this statement makes me ask myself: what have I personally done to make it less frustrating for my affiliates? While there is very little that I can do about “the punches from search engines”, there is a lot that can be done about merchants (ongoing education can help change a lot of things) and even governments (opposing and uniting affiliate marketers in our fight against things like the anti-affiliate tax is just one example).
Will affiliate marketing ever become a “no-risk channel” that Matt Bailey talked about yesterday in London? I personally do not believe that any sales channel can enjoy a 100% risk-free environment. However, we — as affiliate program managers, affiliate networks, and affiliate marketers — can help it become a less-risk channel for affiliates like Rehan and millions of others.
Amazon just terminated all NC accounts.