5 Star Affiliate Blogs

Patrice Colancecco calls Jeff Molander down on his own blog, where she is a featured blogger. 1st Jeff does a blog on ThoughtShapers about the InternetRetailer study on affiliate marketing – which I meant to blog about, but never did. He basically says affiliate marketing is shrinking in some markets. Patrice debates much of what Jeff says on his OTHER blog at AffiliateCluetrain.
Thought Shapers: New Studies Show Affiliate Marketing Shrinking Among Some Marketers

Jeff says: “Are revenues associated with affiliate marketing programs moving beyond flat-lining and actually declining among multi-channel online retailers? The answer would appear to be yes given my recent conversations with executive decision-makers at large and mid-sized marketers alike who, broadly speaking, report the below factors driving this phenomenon…”

Affiliate Cluetrain: THE END IS NEAR – The Impending Doom of Affiliate Marketing

Patrice writes: “Let me tell you something: affiliate marketing is not going away. Even if you show companies that it’s “only 22% effective.” Because even though we’ve seen good news here and there, I have seen this kind of naysaying ever since I became an affiliate marketer. We’re barraged by it. And yet…look at all the AMs that are out there consulting on their own. Look at Chris Sanderson and AMSWO. Look at Shawn Collins. Want to really blow your mind? Look at PartnerCentric. I think they’re up to something like 4 kajillion affiliate managers over there, some with upwards of 4 programs they’re managing at a time. They are all reading the same articles that Jeff is, and I think they’re chuckling…”

You need to sort of read the “he said, “she said” at both blogs and the InternetRetailer study for yourself cuz sorry I don’t have time to boil it down right now. But all the comments and viewpoints are interesting. I like the way Patrice writes. She starts her blog off with “Sometimes I wish I were a drinker. I could totally make up a drinking game wherein any time someone reports on how ineffective affiliate programs are, I would do a shot.” Patrice you are right on the money. The sky is not falling on affiliate marketing, it’s as healthy as ever from where I am sitting.

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