We know many people – consumers, other online marketing people and even the press – confuse affiliate marketing with spam, scams and get rich quick schemes. Any time there is an opportunity to set the record straight on national television, I hope we as an industry are somehow able to take advantage of it!

The PMA (Performance Marketing Alliance) did just that. We are lucky that the producers of ABC News were able to connect with Rebecca of the PMA to get some background info on affiliate marketing for a 20/20 show that’s airing on Friday. Rebecca said: “One producer told me she thought work-at-home fraud and affiliate marketing were the same thing!”

This is a great example of the type of public outreach and education we can benefit from, by having an official association the media or government can reach out to when they need industry information.

20/20 and the PMA “On Friday, March 6th, 20/20 is doing a segment on the proliferation of work-at-home schemes being offered to unwitting consumers. Specifically, they are looking at 3 programs that disguise affiliate marketing as ‘rebate processing’, and the promise to ‘Get Rich Quick!’…

Jim Avila is the reporter for ABC News 20/20. It’s a 2-part piece and jumpstarts the ‘Consumer Hour’ airing on March 6th. I don’t know if the PMA will get a mention – but tune in to find out!”

I hope on the show they use some of the information Rebecca gave them to distinguish between these scams and the legitimate affiliate marketing industry.