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Scumware
Contents:
1. Editor's comments
2. Hot topic: 'scumware'
3. Merchants modifying their agreements over 'scumware'
5. Affiliate and Industry News
6. Thank you for helping me spread the word!
7. Subscribe/Unsubscribe information
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1. Editor's comments
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Its raining!
This is a very rare occurrence here in the middle of the
summer in South Texas, so I just had to show a little
of my excitement.
This week I address the 'scumware' issue. Please make sure
you read this issue and do anything within your power to
help stop it.
This can eat up your profits faster than anything else!
Til next week,
Chuck McCullough
Chuck@affiliatematch.com
http://www.affiliatematch.com
Make money with your website!
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2. Hot topic: 'scumware'
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This topic sure is getting a lot of press lately, and for
good reason.
'Scumware' and 'predatory advertising' are terms that have
been assigned to the newly discovered technology that is being
used to steal visitors from your site.
The basics are that when a visitor visits your site, they can
be shown banners, highlighted keywords, or other forms of
paid advertisement.
Doesn't sound like much of a problem, right?
Well it does once you realize that the advertising dollars
aren't going into your pocket!
Even if you have banner advertisements on your site, some of
these programs can actually stick their own banner on top of
yours.
There goes your advertising or affiliate income.
Some of the major offenders that are getting press on this:
Microsoft with the Smart Tag technology
Gator with their Companion Pop-up Banner
Kazaa Top Text
Unfortunately there are others but these are the ones getting
the most attention.
The way these work is they use one or more of the following
methods to grab away your visitors instead of allowing them
to click on the links that you want them to:
Pop-up banners that hide banners that you have displayed on
your site.
Icons beside keywords found in your text that if clicked will
take the visitor to someone else's site, possibly even your
competitor.
Hot-linked words taken from your content that take them some-
where other than where you want.
The bottom line on this is that as a webmaster you stand to
lose money. Whether through lost ad revenues, product sales,
or affiliate commissions.
My recommendation is to stay abreast of this major problem
and educate as many others as you can, or at least let them
know of the problem.
If enough companies make a stink over this we might be able
to stop it from happening.
Its hard enough to get customers as it is without someone
stealing them right off your site!
Some useful resources:
http://www.scumware.com/
http://www.stopscum.com/
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3. Merchants modifying their agreements over 'scumware'
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Several savvy merchants have gone the extra mile to help stop
scumware by changing their affiliate agreements to include
clauses about the use of scumware.
Basically, they are promising that they won't participate
in any of these scams, and if you use them to promote your
affiliate links you will be terminated from the program.
Yes!
This is the kind of things we need to see more of if there
is going to be any hope of putting an end to this piracy.
Ken Evoy of SiteSell has added this to his agreement:
"Participation in predatory advertising programs will be
cause for the affiliate's immediate termination."
Neil Durrant of AffiliateToolkit says:
"Simply stated this promises that Affiliate Toolkit as a
company will not use such advertising methods. Further,
affiliates using such methods will have their affiliate
account terminated."
Do your part and get involved in this fight to try and
put a stop to scumware as quickly as possible.
If you know of anyone that hasn't heard about this yet,
forward them a copy of this issue so they can become
informed as well.
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5. Affiliate and Industry News
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Gator.com Sues IAB
http://www.internetnews.com/IAR/article/0,,12_874391,00.html
Gator Tarnishes BeFree's Image
http://www.revenews.com/archives/00000143.html
Amazon.com Says Customer's Experience Wasn't a 'Bait-and-Switch'
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/13109.html
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6. Thank you for helping me spread the word!
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AffiliateMatch.com has become one of the top affiliate portals
on the Net. If you know of anyone that might be interested in
making more money from their website, please forward this
issue to them.
Thank you!!
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7. Subscribe/Unsubscribe Information
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