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Question for Affiliates, does this put you off promoting?

by Stuart Walker
20 replies
For all the affiliates out there (I am one myself) would you be put off promoting an ebook that has affiliate links in it?

I'm both an affiliate and a vendor and most of my ebooks have affiliate links in them and I've never thought it would be an issue. As an affiliate myself it's not even something I think about checking before promoting but I'm about to release a new ebook (not in the IM niche) and affiliate who can potentially send big sales has just told me he can't promote it unless I remove the affiliate links because the products I'm affiliated with he is too and it reduces his chances of making money through his own links.

Just wondering what your opinion on this is as an affiliate (or even if you're a vendor), would you not promote an ebook that contains affiliate links?
#affiliates #promoting #put #question
  • Profile picture of the author martimoney
    If the product is quality I would promote regardless of the affiliate links. I would also look at the affiliate links to ensure they are promoting quality but they wouldn't keep me from promoting. The quality of the product is the key for me.
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  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
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    Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

    For all the affiliates out there (I am one myself) would you be put off promoting an ebook that has affiliate links in it?
    No, it doesn't make the slightest difference to me.

    Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

    affiliate who can potentially send big sales has just told me he can't promote it unless I remove the affiliate links because the products I'm affiliated with he is too and it reduces his chances of making money through his own links.
    Maybe he has a point, then, regarding his own business? Hard to say ...

    My argument against his perspective is that whenever he's sold a product as an affiliate, it's perfectly legitimate for that product's vendor to do that by email anyway (which we all know is far more effective than doing it just in a product), and as that certainly isn't something he can prevent, I don't see that it makes much difference if it's done in a product instead?

    My guess is that you won't hear this "objection" from many potential affiliates?
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  • Profile picture of the author butters
    Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

    For all the affiliates out there (I am one myself) would you be put off promoting an ebook that has affiliate links in it?

    I'm both an affiliate and a vendor and most of my ebooks have affiliate links in them and I've never thought it would be an issue. As an affiliate myself it's not even something I think about checking before promoting but I'm about to release a new ebook (not in the IM niche) and affiliate who can potentially send big sales has just told me he can't promote it unless I remove the affiliate links because the products I'm affiliated with he is too and it reduces his chances of making money through his own links.

    Just wondering what your opinion on this is as an affiliate (or even if you're a vendor), would you not promote an ebook that contains affiliate links?
    If the affiliate will send you massive sales and depending on what the affiliate links to, why not work with the affiliate and let him put his own in? For example, if you get a big affiliate who will send you sales and your linking to name cheap for what ever reason, let him make them extra additions. He is building you a big list for free, I'd eat the small profit to get buying subscribers.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brandon Tanner
      ^ Exactly. I wouldn't even think twice about that. If you think that someone can send you a significant amount of extra sales and subscribers (that you wouldn't have otherwise had), then why wouldn't you do something nice to reciprocate? Besides, it will only take you a few extra minutes to create a version of the ebook with his affiliate links in it.

      If you don't do that, you're basically just throwing away free money.
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  • Profile picture of the author shintaiguy
    Can't see why he should object he would be getting his cut on every sale. If you are in the same niche you are always going to be taking a share of the same market. If you really wanted to convince him you could change out a link for one of his in the same fashion as a rebrandable report.
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  • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
    Some good answers here, cheers folks. I hadn't thought about letting each of the big affiliates have their own links in but it certainly an added incentive for them to promote hard. Might be worth considering.

    Thanks for your answers. I'm glad I'm not the only who who didn't think it was much of an issue to have aff links in but he's not keen and I'd rather have him on board than not.
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    • Profile picture of the author plugsnpixels
      Interesting question and relevant to an arrangement I discussed with another affiliate in my niche yesterday.

      We agreed to post each others' selected affiliate links on our own websites for those products where we do not directly compete/overlap (i.e., we each promote different products in the same niche as well as the same ones).

      As for the ebook, I can see where the argument can go either way.

      In some cases I am an affiliate for those who not only have their own products which I promote but they also promote the same third-party products I do. So that's tricky (I always wonder if there is a "leak" when I send traffic their way).
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      • Profile picture of the author KitschWitch
        Rebranding your book for your big affiliates sounds like a great suggestion and I would like to use it too!

        How would you go about implementing it using the common download managers?
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        • Profile picture of the author opalfx
          i definitely dont care if there's affiliate links in the book.
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        • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
          Originally Posted by KitschWitch View Post

          Rebranding your book for your big affiliates sounds like a great suggestion and I would like to use it too!

          How would you go about implementing it using the common download managers?
          You'd need to add the product multiple times with each individuals links in it I think. Can't see any other way it would work.
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          • Profile picture of the author iwowwe4you
            why not in stead of having links there you would put your contact details in there, like your skype or facebook page. Then you would be able to give links directly to the people who want them. Also is stead of asking to register, ask for feedback. Then you see what people need and can offer right affiliate link for them with info on why this one.
            For some reasons some IM people afraid to let their potential customers to contact them. Do not hide behind your links.
            This is my opinion.
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            • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
              Originally Posted by iwowwe4you View Post

              why not in stead of having links there you would put your contact details in there, like your skype or facebook page. Then you would be able to give links directly to the people who want them. Also is stead of asking to register, ask for feedback. Then you see what people need and can offer right affiliate link for them with info on why this one.
              For some reasons some IM people afraid to let their potential customers to contact them. Do not hide behind your links.
              This is my opinion.
              I don't get what you're trying to say at all.

              How are affiliate links interchangeable for Skype and Facebook page details...which I would have in there anyway? Two totally different things.

              I'm definitely not afraid to get contact from my customers, I survey them regularly and ask for feedback so no problem there.

              I think you've missed the point of the question.
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              • Profile picture of the author iwowwe4you
                Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

                I don't get what you're trying to say at all.

                How are affiliate links interchangeable for Skype and Facebook page details...which I would have in there anyway? Two totally different things.

                I'm definitely not afraid to get contact from my customers, I survey them regularly and ask for feedback so no problem there.

                I think you've missed the point of the question.
                What I was trying to say that many people are annoyed with affiliate links in ebooks. Those who find your content useful will will get back to you and ask for affiliate link to buy that product or service. Those will usually become loyal buyers as they actually find time to get in touch with you. Most of the people who buy through affiliate links placed in ebook will never come back.
                I would personally never buy any thing until I get chance to get answers to all my questions.
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                Happy to share 18 years experience in MLM/IM. Not doing any other work for over 7 years now. Accredited as a coach by 3 companies I worked with after completing a course of education and passing exams. HND in Business, Economics, Accounting, Market Research, Market Development, Management.
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          • Profile picture of the author Brandon Tanner
            Originally Posted by KitschWitch View Post

            Rebranding your book for your big affiliates sounds like a great suggestion and I would like to use it too!

            How would you go about implementing it using the common download managers?
            Originally Posted by RockingLastsForever View Post

            You'd need to add the product multiple times with each individuals links in it I think. Can't see any other way it would work.
            Google "PDF rebranders". There are tons of them out there. Huge time-saver if you plan to create branded versions of your ebook for multiple JV partners / affiliates. Some are desktop software, and some are server-based which allow you to rebrand ebooks "on the fly" directly from your website.
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            • Profile picture of the author EliteAffiliate
              I don't even think about it. Like Alexa said, they'll be emailing your buyers offers also, perhaps competing ones. That's what you get for 'selling' your leads to them.

              Although I've personally never put a single affiliate link in any of my books or reports, even though I've put lots of links and recommendations. To me, it just seems like a conflict of interest, as the book itself is meant to be educational, so what if the author links to things they don't truly use or recommend and it's all only out of an incentive to sell? How do people trust them?

              I don't like buying educational Ebooks and then find half of it is one great incentivized ad for a dozen other products they're trying to push. I paid for it, it wasn't free, so I don't need ads, only REAL non biased info I can trust.

              Do they work good though? Anyone done testing?
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            • Profile picture of the author Stuart Walker
              Originally Posted by Brandon Tanner View Post

              Google "PDF rebranders". There are tons of them out there. Huge time-saver if you plan to create branded versions of your ebook for multiple JV partners / affiliates. Some are desktop software, and some are server-based which allow you to rebrand ebooks "on the fly" directly from your website.
              Nice one, I'll look into it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Luis Vaugier
    I don't mind if the ebook I'm promoting has aff links, but if this guy can send you lots of traffic it may be a good idea to change it as everybody already said
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  • Profile picture of the author nicelife
    Seems like he's making some decent cash from the same affiliate products you are promoting, considering his worries about losing out on commissions.

    Promoting affiliate products inside and info product is pure gold and he knows it, he wants the commissions for himself, there's no doubt about that.
    .
    Even though his demands might be a bit out of the ordinary, you're the one who's got to make the decision if it's worth it.

    It would be really good if you could some way have a separate copy of your product just for him, if possible.
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  • Profile picture of the author MartinPlatt
    No. Not at all. That's pretty common. So long as the links are not straight up sales. So if you're suggesting a tool to use, and it has an affiliate link in it, then that's okay, as it's helpful, but if it's just an eBook full of sales for other products, then not so much.

    It could offer greater value to the affiliate if you could rebrand the PDF, and include the affiliates links in it also. That's more a style used for butterfly marketing, if you're interested.
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