Interesting take on the Affiliate Marketing game and how it fits into the overall SEM strategy – written by someone who comes from the SEM side of Internet Marketing. Can’t say I agree with the article, but then again, it focuses heavily on Pay Per Lead and CPA programs, which is only one aspect of our industry. Affiliate Marketers: SEM Friend or Foe? – Clickz

“Marketers often believe they’ve made their lives simpler by shifting risk to a third party. That may be true, but chances are in the typical affiliate relationship, the situation results in the affiliate just going after the low-hanging fruit. After all, the affiliate is likely involved in this style of SEM for several marketers simultaneously. Because it’s investing its own money and time in the campaign, efforts on the easy pickings.”

Thanks to Mike over at the PartnerCentric blog for commenting on this article as it didn’t come up in my blog reader, so I would have missed it otherwise. Mike wrote:

“My issue with the article is that depicts SEM marketers working in affiliate programs as opportunists, simply looking for the low hanging fruit in merchant programs. It portrays affiliates working in search as a contrary force in a merchants complete SEM strategy.”