Affiliate marketing is emerging everyday as an industry with evolving rules and regulations.  A lot of times though it feels like a small community (one of its pluses) and what the governing rules and regulations actually are can be difficult to discern.

 I just read an article about one company who’s asserting itself as the affiliate marketing patrol one. ParnterWeekly LLC is a performance marketing agency and just recently parterned with AffiliateFairPlay.com to watchdog fraudulent activity and maintain fair business practices. 

What is fair play in affiliate marketing?  Well we know what’s not.  Common foul play includes placing ads that don’t bode well for the merchant, shirking payments, and not owning up to erroneous mistakes.  Affiliate Marketers can be very chameleon-like and simply start anew under a new name. 

Sure there’s software that helps detect and track fraudulent activity and make companies accountable. It’s inevitable too that what defines fair play will become second nature. It’s not rocket science, nor is it an industry exempt from common business ethics. 

Heard of Dot-Mobi?  Sounds like a Star Wars name to me.  Dobi Wan Kanobe it is not however.  Mobile Top Level Domain is the company that allowed the public to register at its wireless web site domain.  According to the Wall Street Journal, over 75,000 people registered their wireless websites with a “dot-mobi” domain name just yesterday. The “Dot-Mobi” works on wireless wepages like cell phones or your blackberry if it hasn’t been taken away from you.

 While I don’t know any one with a ”dot-mobi” just yet, it’s designed to ease internet use on wireless gadgets.  Costs for a DM registrations are fairly reasonable, some going for less than thirty bucks a pop.  What the article did not address is exactly how the domain name makes wireless web viewing any easier.  For one, phones have small screens, which affect overall costs and limits advertising.  On the flip side though, it’s a whole new arena for affiliate marketers.  With ‘dot-mobis’ in over 100 countries now, it’s a trend to watch.

Want to know the secret to having a big time blog that reaches thousands upon thousands of people a day?  Here it is…still coming…on it’s way.  Alright, a surefire way to blog your way to the masses is to become the CEO of a multi-billion dollar company.  Easy, right?
Ok…quite a lofty endeavor.  But just like bloggers in the affiliate marketing community, company big whigs are making a name for themselves and their company by participating in daily blogs. 

Cnn.com reports Sun Microsystems Inc. CEO Jonathon Schwartz, hit the blogging scene along with execs from Boeing Co. and General Motors Corp.  The company heads and analysts view this emerging trend as a way for CEO types to humanize themselves, while also bypassing the red tape that often impedes their ability to reach the public.

So what can the non-CEO types learn from this?  For starters, Schwartz has gone international - publishing his blog in ten languages.  He also allows staff members to keep blogs, which attract potential employees who already have an interest in the company and overall industry.  And the overriding principle to success?  Good writing.  Even the CEO’s need some practice at good prose.

Yahoo revs its advertising engines again!  As it continues its attempt to strengthen its online presence, Yahoo Inc. is releasing radio and television ads.  These ads were created to reinforce Yahoo’s focus on cutting edge techonolgy and internet supremacy.  Well, supremacy may be a bit exagerated considering they’re up against some pretty heavy competition. 

 So why should you care?  Well, if you set your home page to Yahoo.com today, you’ll receive a free coffee coupon at Dunkin’ Donuts!  That’s not half bad.  Perhaps Google will step up with a scone offer…gratis. 

In terms of search engine status, Google’s got Yahoo’s number with a 44% market share, compared to Yahoo’s 29%, and also garners top dollar with processing requests and distributing online ads.  When it comes to page visits though, it’s MySpace.com who’s become Yahoo’s toughest competition. 

Look for Yahoo at the movies too.  They’re going to release ads much like Mt. Dew and other brands that like to annoy people who used to go to movies to get away from commercials (that topic’s worthy of its own blog!)

It’ll be an interesting campaign, especially considering Yahoo’s main competition, Google, spends its ad dollars online and not in typical media blitzes.

No…that’s not an early morning podcast reference in the title.  What’s better than waking up at dawn?  Getting affiliate marketing news on your podcast.  AMSWO now lets people download up to date info, tips, and AM happenings in iTunes, and for free! In fact, several AM companies are catching on and streaming podcasts to enable a greater audience to tune into latest news, conferences, and even video highlights of company picnics.  Well…not entirely sure about that last one, but it’s not a bad idea!

Here’s a good book for affiliate marketing beginners: The Complete Guide to Associates & Affiliate Programs on the Net: Turning Clicks Into Cash by Daniel Gray.

What does this book tell you?  You’ll come to know the 100 ‘best’ associate and affiliate programs out there and how the little guys turn a profit from prominent affilaite programs.  The author will help forecast your finances as well and discern between the honest and deceiving sites.

Are there beginners out there who have found this book helpful?  Several reviews indicated the publication is a tad general, but does provide a solid industry overview.  Gray knows his merchants and includes substantial information on AM bigwhigs. 

 The tricky part about publishing any affiliate marketing book is dealing with the constant change that occurs in the industry.   Search engine software, advertising laws, start up company successes and failures can be quite transitory if you ask me.  Perhaps that’s why e-news, blogs, and guru websites seem to be the primary choice for information seekers.  At least books look good in the office!

Yahoooooooo!  Several blogs, websites, and otherwise credible new sources reported Yahoo’s market share rose and is gaining on all powerful Google…at least a little bit.

Reports taken between June 2006 to July 2006 show Yahoo’s 28.5% market share rose three tenths of a percent to 28.8%.  Depending on how you look at it, a gain is a gain is a gain.  Stalwart Google though still maintains a commanding 43.7% hold on the search community.  No small beans there.

Other factors to consider as well: Search queries were down in July by 2%

Does Yahoo’s increase ring the alarm bell?  Industry experts suggest looking at the entire year, versus a month.  Good point considering a little over a year ago, Yahoo’s market share dropped from 30.5% to 28.8%.   Calling to clairvoyants out there please advise!

Figures brought to you by comScore’s monthly qSearch.

It’s common knowledge we think more clearly when there’s blood flowing through our heads. Although actually getting the blood to flow can be a problem when your job regards sitting on your bum as the most taxing physical component. Industries including and similar to affiliate marketing call for creative thought to differentiate the business and capture an audience. Those spontaneous bursts of ‘I got it!’ are hard to come by though when you realize you’ve been staring at your computer screen for so long that you start to see individual pixels!

If you don’t have a 12,000 square foot gym at your office, or home if that’s where you work, there are other ways to get the oxygen pumping. Are there stairs around you? That’s good for starters. If the thought of clamoring up a dimly lit staircase is unappealing, try going for a brisk walk. Or if you’re at home…turn on the TV (no joke) and try and do sit-ups through an entire commercial break. Yogis out there will confirm that certain yoga breathing techniques increase focus and overall awareness.

Or you could just stand on your head.

In any event, physical exercise is good for your health overall…and if it can add a few bucks to your business, it’s even better!

A recent article on Forbes.com (compliments of legal publisher Nolo) summarized the most important advertising guidelines to follow. And keep in mind this applies to general business/individual advertising.

In a nutshell, Nolo advised to maintain accuracy meaning no false claims about your product, obtain permission to use quotes and other printed information, refrain from revealing negative information about competitors, maintain your stock, and be careful about using the word ‘free.’

In any event, refer to the FTC or your state’s FTC specifications for the specifics.

Advertising and affiliate marketing go hand in hand, with a major focus on creating advertisements that will make someone visit a website or purchase the product. How to do this effectively and within legal boundaries? Check out the DMA website (http://www.dma.org/), also Adlawbyrequest.com supplies up to the minute information include recent FTC happenings and continual information on trademark and brand rulings.

In light of Labor Day and the government’s empathetic nod to workers everywhere, I was thinking about the labor it takes to run a successful affiliate marketing company.  It’s not a typical 9-5er, nor does one have to commute in rush hour traffic everyday to make it to the office.  There are several on the job characteristics unique to AM-ers everywhere.
 
Some of the laborious tasks that came to mind include working into the wee hours of the night, programming computer code till the rooster rises, and summoning your inner Picasso for creative inspiration for sites and banners. 
 
Ok, so several jobs entail similar tasks.  I have seen few industries though that maintain the same level of communication in terms of online support.  I’m sure there are veterinary circles on the web, and surely artists, insurance salespeople, and teachers all have active support communities.  Perhaps it’s the intrinsic appeal of cyberspace that attracts affiliate marketers to participate in various sites whether they’re informative or guiding.  Or it could be due to the relative ‘newness’ of the industry overall that sparks a certain sense of curiosity and eagerness to share. 
 
Moral of the story, there’s a lot of labor involved.  Whether you’re in development, maintenance, creative positions, or play online psychologist to burgeoning affiliate marketers, Labor Day is as good as any to recognize the amount work it takes and to slap yourself on the back for a job well done.