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Affiliate Programs are Just going too far

by InternetMarketingIQ
12 replies
I received this in an email today:

Publishers may NOT:

"Outrank the advertiser in their search marketing campaigns for the following keywords: eHealth, eHealthInsurance, eHealth.com and/or eHealthInsurance.com "

I can't outrank them for these search terms? And why not? There are so many rules now it's nearly impossible to make a living with some of these progams.

And here is exactly why these people are stupid. If I am outranking them I'll just pull the plug on their program and promote someone elses.

Affiliate Managers should EMBRACE successful affiliates. It's free labor.

Ridiculous.
#affiliate #programs
  • Profile picture of the author ShaneRQR
    That does seem pretty weird.
    They have a head-start with their product, domain names and keyword research anyways. Shouldn't be too difficult to keep a top spot if they put some effort into it.

    The worst is: What if they're lazy SEO'ers and their site slips down in rank for those keywords? Do you have to de-optimize your site to stay below them, then?
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    • Profile picture of the author cdhartpence
      Truly. I don't get it.

      If YOU do the work to get to the point of outranking them...what's the big deal?

      Besides, you're making money for them.

      Effort should be rewarded, not shut down.



      -=Vel=-
      (and aside from that, it's not like you have that level of control over where Google ranks you....what? Are you supposed to drop them a note: "Dear Google...I see that as of today, you have me ranked one slot higher than my affiliate sponsor. This clearly violates their TOS. Please rectify"

      Meh.
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  • Profile picture of the author CDarklock
    Originally Posted by InternetMarketingIQ View Post

    Publishers may NOT:

    "Outrank the advertiser in their search marketing campaigns for the following keywords: eHealth, eHealthInsurance, eHealth.com and/or eHealthInsurance.com "
    Why stop there? Publishers may not:

    - Be taller than the advertiser!
    - Be younger than the advertiser!
    - Be better-looking than the advertiser!
    - Be healthier than the advertiser!
    - Have nicer hair than the advertiser!
    - Have cuter children than the advertiser!
    - Date hotter women than the advertiser!
    - Have a higher IQ than the advertiser!

    Hey, here's a better one.

    Publishers must accept that they are inferior to the advertiser, and make damn sure everyone knows it!

    Hey, can I outrank them for the query "absolute loser"?! Because I'm sure they rank pretty well for it.
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    "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone." - Lord Dunsany, The Messengers
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Is it possible that what they actually meant is that you couldn't outbid them on ppc advertisements? If it's natural traffic and not paid, you wouldn't be in complete control of out-ranking anyone. Surely they aren't stupid enough to think that you are going to watch ranking 24/7 and delete your SEO the minute that a descrepency appeared.
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    Sal
    When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
    Beyond the Path

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  • Profile picture of the author Marhelper
    Wow, if they are referring to naturalized listing then I would certainly go with someone else that will appreciate your hard work rather than diminsh it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sara Young
    It looks like they are referring to PPC and they don't want their affiliates to drive up their cost per click.
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  • Profile picture of the author dadvocate
    It's not that the OP can't outrank them. Just not under those search terms.
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    "If you don't build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs." ~Tony Gaskins

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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      I can usually find some kind of sense for a lot of terms and conditions, but this one has me baffled.

      The only thing I can think of is the site owner

      > spent a pile of money on SEO and
      > just wrote a big commission check to an affiliate and
      > found out the affiliate outranked them for those keywords, which the SEO promised they would "own".

      That combination caused a brain fart resulting in the email you received...
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      • Profile picture of the author SantiSantana
        If what they don´t want is you outranking them on PPC it´s fine ( top spot in PPC gets more clicks but usually not best conversion, that usually happens about 3-5 slots so far as I have checked).

        If they don´t want your natural results to rank higher you have two options:

        If the program pays well and you have proof that sales are good, go for longer tail keywords.

        If the program is so so, just move on to the next.

        No need to get emotional about it. I have noticed that my small efforts work better the more I manage to take emotions out of the business equation.
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  • Profile picture of the author yamahafzr
    I think it makes sense because would it be fair to a company that every time someone googled them and goes to the link for them to pay an affiliate?
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by yamahafzr View Post

      I think it makes sense because would it be fair to a company that every time someone googled them and goes to the link for them to pay an affiliate?
      It's eminently fair, as both parties are playing under the same rules, same algorithm, etc. One is just playing better.

      To write into the TOS that affiliates are not permitted to outrank the site owner is silly for reasons already noted.

      On the other hand, if the site owner could determine that the affiliate used unfair or blackhat methods to outrank the owner, it would be entirely fair for the owner to bounce and ban that single affiliate.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rich Struck
    Originally Posted by InternetMarketingIQ View Post

    I received this in an email today:

    Publishers may NOT:

    "Outrank the advertiser in their search marketing campaigns for the following keywords: eHealth, eHealthInsurance, eHealth.com and/or eHealthInsurance.com "

    I can't outrank them for these search terms? And why not? There are so many rules now it's nearly impossible to make a living with some of these progams.

    And here is exactly why these people are stupid. If I am outranking them I'll just pull the plug on their program and promote someone elses.

    Affiliate Managers should EMBRACE successful affiliates. It's free labor.

    Ridiculous.
    Another stupid rule from a clueless affiliate program. I have no patience for this crap, I would simply dump them and move on.
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