Is it ok to do this?

Just because something is free doesn't mean it doesn't have copyrights attached. That is someone ELSE'S freebie, not yours. Check to see what the rights are for that product before you go handing it out as your own freebie.

There are many PLR and MRR products which you can use as a bait. And if you don't want to invest in these products you can take an inspiration from freebies available on the net and create your own .. so that you don't get caught in any copyright infringement issues

That's just it. I'm not saying I do this -- I'm telling you what a vid I saw recommends (I think).

The suggestion is, you are not giving it out through your own system -- you are not branding it as your own -- you are not "stealing" the content -- you are *using* the content -- you are setting up a virtual *tollbooth* between the visitor to your landing page (YOU got them there as traffic), and the webpage (link) that already exists on the web (free).

++++++++++++++++++++++++

For instance, I could have a squeeze page that offers a "free report" on
>>> How to tie your shoes <<<
(in exchange for the visitor's name + email)

Then they get sent the *already existing (free) link* to this page... How to Tie Your Shoes - wikiHow

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

See? The info was not stolen or lifted or copied, just utilized.

Is that kosher? Or is it black hat?

It's black hat. You are pretty much stealing optins from someone else.

If you are that desperate for optins then create your own product to give away free. Getting someone to opt in to your list just so you can send them to someone else's freebie crosses many boundries, not least of which would be the ethical one.

To Slater...

I'm not trying to belabor this -- really, I'm not. I'm not trying to defend this idea, either.

But the optin "issue" is really not an issue -- the page in question does not require an optin -- so I am not "stealing" their optins -- they don't have (or require) any.

I'm creating a tollbooth where none existed before.

(again, *I* have not done this technique -- I'm just trying to get an idea if it is doable (as white hat).

So in summary from the above.
If you are directing to a page where there is no optin required it's all good everyone wins.
If you want to direct to a site that has an optin, not so good, don't go there.
Does that pretty much sum it up guys.

Setting aside the ethical and hat arguments, it's pretty silly advice if you ask me.

- It's helping build someone else's brand instead of your own.
- It's not establishing your own expertise.
- It's not building a real business, it's only playing at the edges.

I can guess why that advice is given -- it's the lazy way out. It appeals to lazy people. Lazy people seldom find high success.

It's so easy to create your own free report, and have something totally unique, that helps establish your business and establishes you as a go-to person, it's just pure laziness to do it any other way.

Let me know if you want to give away my free reports, I'll let you help build my business all day long.

Please see the specific example in post #4 for clarification.

It is definitely Not black hat. I would think as long as you put in a disclaimer regarding the fact that you have no affiliation to the site your legal. Will that site owner be mad at you? ... maybe.
You are basically acting as a directory for the subject matter the end user wants. You googled it and read some sites and picked out the best source of info based on your own opinion ( expertise ).
Now depending on the subject , your experience and the end users lack of experience -- you have provided them ( the end user ) with value. You have picked a great info source for them based on your years of experience in that topic.
Harvard Law school uses a similar method of education -- is that a scam?

In my view you should first check out the free report the you will be giving away. There might be rights attached to it such as "NO giveaway rights".

Although I think I understand what you want to do I personally think you would be better to get your own free report and offer that as an incentive to your readers to optin to your list. That way you have more control over the subject matter and the quality of the free gift.

I get a lot of emails promoting special offers that take me to an opt in page that promises me a free report and then instead sends me to a sales page - I am just not bothering to confirm my email address when that happens - why? Because I think my time and my contact details are worth something and I would hope that the list builder I joined up with felt the same way. If I have to opt in to two different sites to get my free report I would feel just as p***d off and just wouldn't follow through.

It might be an old fashioned idea to some people but offering value is still key to making a living online IMHO. Don't sabotage your business before you even start - I can see your logic, but am not sure about the ethics.

Best of luck
Lisa

Yep - very good idea, win win.

As long as you're not scraping the content into your own pages & ripping off the creator of the material - obviously that's completely wrong, not just black hat but it's illegal, it's theft of intellectual property - but the method you're describing here is very clever.

What's more, if you send the new subscribers to a page using your affiliate link - even better, because as well as getting the subs, you'll pick up some affiliate commission also.

No product creator will have a problem with this - for instance, see my links below including the list building tutorial I'm currently giving away free - or any of my other material, I would be more than happy for you to use my material to build your list, as long as you're sending them to my material once they've signed up to your list, as you're bringing me new traffic.

Cheers

Kev

To me, you sound like a promoter of a Rock Band (follow me through on this)...

The Band creates a CD that they are giving away on the Band's website. You go out and market the band and their music, get ranked in the Search Engines and start to get traffic to your page. On your page, you say, "Give me your email address, and I will share with you the page where you can get the Band's free music." Now the Band has the music on their site with OUT an opt-in page, so it SEEMS ok..... (Do you see how the SEEMS is emphasized???)

I think the main part that seems to be missing in this thread is your intentions. Sure, you probably want to sell them something, but what? If you have a service to give them a list of sites where you can download legit, free, music, you may be ok. After all, that is the service you provided them. When they filled in your opt-in page, did you explain (or will you explain) that you are promoting sites where you can get free music? If so, I would say you are ok. You are positioning yourself as the "Free Music From Others Guy"

However, if you start to sell to your list and your product is T-shirts from the Band, I would say that is a bit cheesy. In my opinion you would be leeching of of the band. You would be the sleezy promoter looking for a quick buck and you will only end up ticking off people on your list!

On last thought... If I were to become the "Free Music From Others Guy", I would contact each band and let them know what i was doing and get permission to "promote" the band. Which band would say no?

Good Luck
Paul.

If I understand you right, it would be like getting people to opt in to see a video on ________, then once they opt in, directing to a video on YouTube (not your video).

It's not unethical as far as the content is concerned. The content creator is having his content viewed the way he intended.

However, think about your visitors. Don't you think they'd feel somewhat cheated? Even though all they gave was an email address, they deserve better than a simple redirect to someone else's stuff.

Now if you sent them a report that was a list of resources (and that's what they were opting in for), that would be perfectly acceptable. Throw in a scattering of affiliate links within the list and give distribution rights, and you're golden.

TW,

Here's my take on it.

1) Go to the owner of the article, and tell him you'd like to promote it to your list, site visitors, etc.

2) If he says, "sounds good", then ask him...

3) May I use your article/information if I provide a link to your site?

OR

4) Would it be okay if I just directed my folks to your site?

I think by contacting the owner first, you're gonna make HIM/HER happy, and you're going to do it without making waves. After all, you WOULD have permission.

Pete

TW,

What happens when the site owner removes the content or closes their site and you still
have people opting in to receive the info and there is no info at the end of your redirect?

Just a thought!

Have a great Day!
Michael

Looking at this from the buyer's standpoint, if I opted in so that I could get a freebie and then discovered that the freebie was located on WikiHow, Wikipedia, or someplace else that was easily found in Google, I would probably feel baited and used. At that point I might opt out.

I think I would also perceive the secondary site where the freebie was located as being somehow affiliated with the list I had opted in on. Which could cause some confusion.

If that secondary site was commercial in nature and the freebie was a really good one, I might do all of my future buying through that site.

Steve

In understand what you are wanting to do and how it may be a quick way to get opt-ins, but why in gods name would you want to do it when you can pick up a PLR report for a couple of bucks and send it to them as their first email?

Then they would see the value coming from YOU instead of the other guy whose site you directed them too. (and you could put some affiliate links in the report if you wanted and make some money that way).

Lee

I don't see what the big deal is. People pay tons of money for backlink packages that give you a list of free urls that you could otherwise access yourself. Why do they do it? They see value in having those urls assembled by somebody else in one convenient place.

If you are offering value and asking for an email in exchange, I don't see a problem. Yes the content is somebody else's -- that is fine as long as you are having them go directly there and are not passing it off as your own.