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The Google Affiliate Network...

by ShiningHero
18 replies
Do I have this correct:
Google is cool with affiliate marketing so long as they can be the middle man and get paid some of the sale or CPA?

I find this odd. Last I checked, Adwords didn't allow affiliates, and even review sites would get shot for sending people to an affiliate site after the review.

Are they picking and choosing what affiliate offers are allowed?
That's kinda like monopolizing the internet. Is there any sort of class action lawsuit going on between affiliate marketers and Google?
#affiliate #google #network
  • Profile picture of the author lotsofsnow
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  • Profile picture of the author LMC
    Edit reply below
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  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    Google is fine with you sending traffic to their GAN merchants.

    Until the merchant leaves GAN.

    Then you get the email about violating Adwords policies by previously sending traffic to the merchant.

    Frankly, I'm amazed Google hasn't been blitzed with lawsuits from many of its practices. But it will lose a case one day, it will be published in legal reports, and then it will be open season. Guaranteed.

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    • Profile picture of the author ShiningHero
      Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

      Google is fine with you sending traffic to their GAN merchants.

      Until the merchant leaves GAN.

      Then you get the email about violating Adwords policies by previously sending traffic to the merchant.

      Frankly, I'm amazed Google hasn't been blitzed with lawsuits from many of its practices. But it will lose a case one day, it will be published in legal reports, and then it will be open season. Guaranteed.

      .
      So they are OK with you promoting a GAN product on Adwords but otherwise reject you if your an affiliate for anything else?

      Do I have this much right?

      That would mean, they only allow affiliates who they get a commission from when a sale or lead is made wouldn't it?
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  • Profile picture of the author LMC
    Edit

    Just messaged a buddy on this topic and his advice was that Google ALLOWS it.

    However, it is on a per advertiser basis. In the advertisers terms they suggest if they allow "Direct linking" or not. If they do, then it is ok, and like kindsvater said, if they leave, you are against their policies.
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    • Profile picture of the author caskofdregs
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      • Profile picture of the author ShiningHero
        Originally Posted by caskofdregs View Post

        This is funny, and we're making jokes here, but if it's true, ain't this serious business folks?

        If they are being biased to affiliates that aren't in their network, why hasn't Google had their pants sued off yet?
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        • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
          Originally Posted by warhero View Post

          This is funny, and we're making jokes here, but if it's true, ain't this serious business folks?

          If they are being biased to affiliates that aren't in their network, why hasn't Google had their pants sued off yet?
          While some of the practices Brian (kindsvater) talks about are pretty hinky, and someday will get Big G in a lot of hot water, I can't see anything illegal about choosing who can advertise on their property.

          Mainstream businesses do it all the time.

          Awhile back, my wife won some cosmetic products in a drawing. She didn't care for the brand, so we put them up for sale on eBay. I quickly got a C&D letter from the company telling me that only licensed distributors could sell these products.

          I explained the circumstances, and was told in no uncertain terms that I had X days to end the auctions and stop selling the products OR ELSE. Now the guy must have had a heart in there somewhere, because the auctions were all set to end in (X-1) days anyway.

          Why should they have the right to tell me I couldn't sell their products when I obtained them legally and was using a legal forum for doing so? Because that's how they set it up, that why.

          Like I said above, some of the stunts they pull when a vendor leaves their network are just waiting for the right judge to hear the right case before they end up in trouble.
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          • Profile picture of the author ShiningHero
            Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

            While some of the practices Brian (kindsvater) talks about are pretty hinky, and someday will get Big G in a lot of hot water, I can't see anything illegal about choosing who can advertise on their property.

            Mainstream businesses do it all the time.

            Awhile back, my wife won some cosmetic products in a drawing. She didn't care for the brand, so we put them up for sale on eBay. I quickly got a C&D letter from the company telling me that only licensed distributors could sell these products.

            I explained the circumstances, and was told in no uncertain terms that I had X days to end the auctions and stop selling the products OR ELSE. Now the guy must have had a heart in there somewhere, because the auctions were all set to end in (X-1) days anyway.

            Why should they have the right to tell me I couldn't sell their products when I obtained them legally and was using a legal forum for doing so? Because that's how they set it up, that why.

            Like I said above, some of the stunts they pull when a vendor leaves their network are just waiting for the right judge to hear the right case before they end up in trouble.
            Reselling a product you bought without resell rights is very different than being told by the largest search engine in the world that they wont allow you to sell your affiliate products unless you're in their content network (so Google makes a commission off your sale).
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            • Profile picture of the author Nuno
              kindsvater, that is incredible...

              I can tell you this, I was a Google Adwords beta tester, one of the first to get my hands on the CPC model, but even I had my account closed because I promoted an affiliate program. What a mistake!

              I was... flabbergasted.
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            • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
              Originally Posted by warhero View Post

              Reselling a product you bought without resell rights is very different than being told by the largest search engine in the world that they wont allow you to sell your affiliate products unless you're in their content network (so Google makes a commission off your sale).
              Maybe not an exact comparison, but not that much different.

              Both are companies controlling access to their assets. Google is not telling you that you can't sell your affiliate products. They're saying you can't use their property to advertise your affiliate products. Different animals.

              I've had my say, and this subject looks like it might get a bit heated. So I'm not going to add to the heat by arguing with people who have already made up their minds. I'm out of this thread...
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              • Profile picture of the author ShiningHero
                Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

                Maybe not an exact comparison, but not that much different.

                Both are companies controlling access to their assets. Google is not telling you that you can't sell your affiliate products. They're saying you can't use their property to advertise your affiliate products. Different animals.

                I've had my say, and this subject looks like it might get a bit heated. So I'm not going to add to the heat by arguing with people who have already made up their minds. I'm out of this thread...
                You're hitting it on the head though man. Because what is Google...?
                They own the freakin' Internet.
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  • Profile picture of the author JamesGw
    I'd completely support a lawsuit against Google by affiliate marketers. The only problem is that the MMO niche has a bad reputation, so they'd probably have to be from other niches.

    It's starting to get ridiculous.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steve L
      Originally Posted by JamesGw View Post

      I'd completely support a lawsuit against Google by affiliate marketers. The only problem is that the MMO niche has a bad reputation, so they'd probably have to be from other niches.

      It's starting to get ridiculous.
      Hey guiz, have you joined google+ yet? haha
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  • Profile picture of the author PPC-Coach
    You can be an affiliate on adwords still. It's just not easy anymore. If you try to send traffic to a thin affiliate page, then forget it. They want businesses, so act like you are one and you'll be fine.

    It's their sandbox and they can do whatever they want, nobody puts a gun to your head and forces you to use them.



    (I'm working on something to knock them out anyway, so just be patient).

    LOL
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  • Profile picture of the author Gordon Taylor
    Are you kidding? Just put your clickbank link in an Adwords ad and watch it get denied.

    They used to love our money, now they hate us (IMHO) so I use .php redirects with I run Adwords...although lately I have resorted to other methods.

    Adwords just ain't what they used to be...
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  • Profile picture of the author sam770
    I perfectly understand the frustration of the folks in this thread, google act like a monster who stuck its long nose into anyones bussiness and force itself to be the middleman

    However, one thing is not clear to me yet: even if you use adwords to link to a non GAN based product, google STILL make money on you by getting the commission from the adword itself (the commission for the actual click on the adword), so why would they be interested to lose that commission?

    I mean, if they insist to lose you as an adword advertiser - they simply lose money!

    Any idea's? did I miss something?
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