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Thinking about FLOGGING? You may want to read this.

by The Copy Nazi Banned
12 replies
Just got an email from Jeff Johnson. Reads in part -
A month or two ago I reviewed a preview copy of the new "CPA Ninja"
course.

It was solid.

But one word of advice...

Do NOT use the "fakereview blog" techniques they were showing in
their pre-launch videos.

I have never used fake review blogs to sell products...

And neither should you because the FTC is going after people who set up
"fake review blogs" to promote products.

The FTC is also cracking down on the use of testimonials in advertisements
and on salesletters... there have always been rules, but they are being more aggressive about enforcing them these days.

Even the FDA warned Cheerios that they have to either remove those
"lowers cholesterol" studies from their box, or register Cheerios
as a drug with the FDA. Cheerios as a drug... that would be funny
if anyone other than the FDA said it.

The moral of the story is... be careful about everything you do
online, and don't ever use a fake review blog to promote products.
#flog #flogging #read #thinking
  • Profile picture of the author jasonl70
    From what I can tell, Flogs are not really what the FTC is cracking down on.. ANY blogger being paid to endorse products could be effected if they don't reveal the relationship.
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    -Jason

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  • Profile picture of the author Steven Carl Kelly
    How does one determine, exactly, that a review is "fake"?
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  • Profile picture of the author jakesellers
    In marketing material it's risky to assert anything that can be challenged without something to back it up. "Fake" review sites tend to be misleading but aren't as flagrantly offensive as the grant flogs that asserted "I got $55,555 from the government!" Likewise fake testimonials on an **** blog about amounts of weight loss are easily challenged and there's often nothing to back it up.

    It's just that the web's newer, more dynamic and less formally regulated than traditional media. Traditional media tends to have an interest in self-regulation, and courts have held that media channels need to exercise "reasonable prudence" in accepting advertising that may be false or deceptive. Things like the Federal Trade Commission Act are pretty clear about traditional media and advertisers, but you'd have to stretch definitions quite a bit to apply it to an affiliate lying on a blog.
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  • Profile picture of the author indexphp
    I don't think alot of people in this forum look at the CPA world as anything they can learn from, when they really should. While people around here are making a mint w/ small lists and such, lots of CPA guys are making a killing doing straight up lead gen. If you can mix the two, you can build a really huge business.

    Just look at the difference in the way the sales funnel is laid out. With the typical Warrior, it is the old "salesletter". With CPA... it is a "free trial" 2-step with the first step above the fold (the second step asks them for S&H payment).

    I enjoy learning about both sides but I hear alot of people around here giving flack towards CPA. It is not the affiliates (which you can learn from), but rather the shady merchants to watch out for. Not all merchants in the CPA world are like this, but some definitely are.

    My 2 cents.
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  • Profile picture of the author Fernando Veloso
    So, this mean more Russian hosted blogs (it's just a wild guess of a country where FTC can't get in to)?

    Or is this the real deal into world wide web?
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    • Profile picture of the author slvrsrfr
      Originally Posted by Fernando Veloso View Post

      So, this mean more Russian hosted blogs (it's just a wild guess of a country where FTC can't get in to)?

      Or is this the real deal into world wide web?
      i think it's useful to remember that the american military started the internet. and even still, the american government "owns" the internet infrastructure.

      realistically they could shut down any site they wanted. at least that's my understanding.
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      What would you do IF you could do it?
      After twelve years of therapy my psychiatrist said something that brought tears to my eyes. He said, "No hablo ingles."
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      • Profile picture of the author braver55b
        That's funny.

        "Cheerios as a drug... that would be funny
        if anyone other than the FDA said it."

        When I saw the word Flogging, I was think about someone being beating :-)
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        • Profile picture of the author Randy Bheites
          Well, if you're running some baloney like "Chedda's Bling Blog" or "Kathy's Wrinkle Site" (you've seen both, Chedda is infamous for his goverrment grant scam and Kathy has "her" pic - stolen from the Restylane site - all over Yahoo's content network), then you deserve to have your scamming ass cracked down on.

          But it gets tricky when we start talking about being paid to endorse a product. If you write a legitimate review and provide your affiliate link, are you legally being paid to review the product? No, because no such specific contract to provide written endorsement has been entered into.

          I can say "Joe's Oilchange Jockeys suck eggs, but if you are determined to get your oil changed by them, get your coupon here". My review and my affiliate link are two seperate elements.

          It comes down to not lying or misrepresenting, really. You can write an honest review and provide ways for visitors to obtain a product through you without violating the spirit or letter of the law.
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          have a great day
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  • Profile picture of the author InternetMarketingIQ
    What is it about people that makes them want to resort to lies to make a profit? Does anyone want to be on the losing end of that? How do you feel when you've been scammed? What is amazing is that anyone needs to be warned not to be a lying scumbag trying to cheat and swindle people? You don't have to be unethical to make money! Corporate America of course isn't setting much of an Example. Pay the CEO 50 million, charge the consumer 25% interest, then take Billions from the people via the Government. I guess this is what Regan was talking about with his "Trickle Down" philosophy... not.
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    • Profile picture of the author indexphp
      Originally Posted by InternetMarketingIQ View Post

      What is it about people that makes them want to resort to lies to make a profit? Does anyone want to be on the losing end of that? How do you feel when you've been scammed? What is amazing is that anyone needs to be warned not to be a lying scumbag trying to cheat and swindle people? You don't have to be unethical to make money! Corporate America of course isn't setting much of an Example. Pay the CEO 50 million, charge the consumer 25% interest, then take Billions from the people via the Government. I guess this is what Regan was talking about with his "Trickle Down" philosophy... not.

      Like I said, it is the shady merchants, not the affiliates, who could turn this all around.
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    • Profile picture of the author slvrsrfr
      Originally Posted by InternetMarketingIQ View Post

      What is it about people that makes them want to resort to lies to make a profit? Does anyone want to be on the losing end of that? How do you feel when you've been scammed? What is amazing is that anyone needs to be warned not to be a lying scumbag trying to cheat and swindle people? You don't have to be unethical to make money! Corporate America of course isn't setting much of an Example. Pay the CEO 50 million, charge the consumer 25% interest, then take Billions from the people via the Government. I guess this is what Regan was talking about with his "Trickle Down" philosophy... not.
      well said. but i'm certain the scammers will get their cumeuppance. in the meantime it's still buyer beware.

      and the more of us acting ethically the harder it'll be for those that choose a poorer course of action.
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      What would you do IF you could do it?
      After twelve years of therapy my psychiatrist said something that brought tears to my eyes. He said, "No hablo ingles."
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  • Profile picture of the author slvrsrfr
    i love it. we need to get more honest and upfront. i think google's catch phrase about doing good is important.

    i'd like to think that you can do good, and make tons of money. it's all about karma i believe, whether you agree or not. actions have repercussions.

    jason
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    What would you do IF you could do it?
    After twelve years of therapy my psychiatrist said something that brought tears to my eyes. He said, "No hablo ingles."
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