Lie #2

“It’s automated! Just sit back and the money rolls in.”

I was going to do the next Lie on the “Lie of money”

But, as I looked at more ads out there I see that “push-button-money-machines” are all the rage again and this topic feeds into the 1st.

First of all. If, the software is that automated and comprehensive. It will cost you more than the average person has and even the mid-level affiliate. Think $5000 to $50000 and even more depending on the scale.

Even, with the most advanced software to automate. There are many things that can happen or go wrong.

Unless, you have a crack support team and scripts to check everything. Problems can come up and you not knowing about them. Costing you dearly.

Again, who when they start. Can hire a team? Let alone some top monitoring and control software? The guy who just lost his job or the girl who wants to make a little more money and still go to school or raise a family? Not likely!

Here is a list of things that can go wrong and if you are away can cost you. This list is not everything that CAN go wrong. So, that alone. Should tell you something:

Server crash.
Hosting issues.
Ads are re-reviewed and declined.
Offer changes landing page and does not notify network.
Offer changes landing page and new pixel is not placed for tracking.
Offer Changes landing page and violates TOS of traffic and your ads are stopped.
Traffic source has an issue and sends traffic that does not convert.
Traffic source turns on all targets when you have them paused.
Traffic source does not send notification of system maintenance and your campaign runs un-controlled.
Traffic source is in-accessible when you need to control traffic spend.
Traffic source adds new traffic pub and you get traffic you never expected in amounts you never expected.
Tracking system corrupts DB/collapses/hacked.
Credit Card needs verification before billing is allowed because your card company has set a new alert limit and payment is declined or denied tell verified.
Email company accuses you of spam and shuts down your account.
Network drops offer with-out prior notice.
Email sent from Network ends up in junk-box and you miss an alert that an offer is now dead.
You cellphone is dead and you miss a text or email alerting you to one of the above issues.
SERP changes algorithm and your ranking site is now at the bottom or somewhere people wont see.
Your automated software attempts to connect but cant so your campaign runs un-managed.
Google shuts down your gmail account.

There are many many more.

I’m sure a whole book could be written.

You can have human and software ways to deal with each. The point is… If you walked away and didnt check or have someone competant to monitor. You could see your money slip away until some limit is met.

So, the “making money on auto-pilot while you sleep/work/vacation” has some serious flaws with-out proper structure and support.

Keep that in mind the next time you ‘drool’ over a “push-button-money-machine” and that is not even getting into technical and money aspects of affiliate marketing. I will cover those in later posts.

Money can be made and keep this in mind: If it was “easy” everyone would be doing it.
If you go to any affiliate event and poll the populace you will see a very interesting spread on who is trying, doing, succedding and thriving. It is a small percentage in the thriving more many reasons.

Lie #1

“IT ONLY TAKES A FEW MINUTES A DAY TO MAKE $100′s to $1000′s A DAY”

???!!!

Really?

Hmmm, let look closely at this.

Even, if you have some of the most advanced automated software out there. Which costs thousands and since you are starting out or mid-level. That is outside your reach. That claim is greatly exaggerated. If, not fraud.

I know of 3 different models for driving traffic.

1. Paid Traffic.

2. Free Traffic.

3. JV or Joint Ventures.

Each one of these takes time:

Time to learn.

Time to research.

Time to implement.

Time to monitor.

Time to optimize.

Now, ONCE you have been doing this for awhile (TIME) you CAN take some time away from the day-to-day tasks.

I know people who check their campaigns and ski or travel, BUT that was AFTER much TIME put in to set-up and tweak AND if something goes wrong. It will take you more than just a few minutes to fix and if you do not catch it. The TIME could really add-up.

So, if you are looking to have the life of beaches and ski trips.

Get real.

There is MUCH TIME you will have to spend before you get there and if you work multiply it by 4x-6x.

Now, most people reading this have some experience and know this.

This is for the brand new people that are lured by the “siren song” of ‘easy money and little time’

If you really have a way that can really take only a few minutes a day, the average person can learn in the time frame they expect ( a few nights) and needs no previous Internet or computer experience. CONTACT ME:

I would be very happy to be proven wrong and give your process or method or software the IMV thumbs up.

Heck, Ill even pay you!

Until that happens good readers. Keep your money in your pocket when you hear “that it takes only a few minutes a night to be a Internet millionaire or even a thousand-er”

IMV

trust no one

Stuggling in Internet Marketing? Maybe you were lied too!

This will probably get me banned from many an Ad:Tech parties and Affiliate Summit, but I am sick and tired of the lies being told to people entering and who have been in the internet marketing space. Bookmark this spot because in the next 10days I am going to pull back the curtain and tell you ever little ‘sick’ secret that makes up this space. Why? because the more time and money people waste the more we are falling back and not moving forward as both a society and species.

THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE. if you accept that you are ignorant.

IMV

The Death of Internet Affiliate Marketing

Stayed tuned.

New Information on the FTC next move on affiliate marketing and this is huge.

They have already had test cases and from my sources they are gearing up for the ‘big kill’ this season.

My advice.

Re-read the FTC links already posted in this blog and make sure you are following everyone of them.

(FTC internet rules)

I will post more as I get valid information, but be ready for a slap that makes the Google slap and Merchant account slap of 2009 look like child’s play

What I do know is this will affect ad platforms, affiliate networks, publishers and advertisers.

I called the last 3 changes 6 months in advance.

Lets hope we have that much time this time.

Oh, and one last thing.

Re-Read your RICO act and anti-trust law. Make sure you understand them.

IMV

‘trust no one’

p.s. for those complaining I am not giving sources.  Your choice. You can ignore the warning & links I do give and wait tell it “rains”

Your choice. I am just here to help in a way I would want others to help me. If, you don’t like it. Then ignore it.

btw. IF you do not have the FTC on RSS feed. You may want to consider it, as well as, a few internet lawyers who are on top of this sort of thing. As any good lawyer will tell you. “The law does not accept ‘ignorance’ as an acceptable excuse.”

Know the rules of the “game” you play and the “masters” OR pay the price. And NO, this is not an endorsement.

Do network owners want you to get banned ?

Interesting title, huh ?

Well, it is because for quite awhile I have gotten “tip” emails from various networks sometimes owners that make me wonder if?!

a. They actually run any campaigns?

b. Is the only way they know how to run them black-hat?

c. Are they delusional and just that out of touch with reality?

The latest email from someone that usually has good information is soooo general that if a affiliate blindly follows it I am sure they will be banned with-in 24hrs from Google.

No mention of what kind of offers or sites Google accepts vs. not.

and I can guarantee that if you direct-link to a game offer that has  a down-loadable or a toolbar.

Your campaign and offer will be short lived, as well as, anything else connected to google (want to do content or mobile in the future… forget it [unless you jump through serious hoops] once banned)

then they go on to tell you to do CPV and how great that is.

Again, with-out even mentioning that many of them WILL NOT allow download-ables,  .exe, tool-bars, pop-ups and sound.

Which most if not all game offers have in them.

Oh, and any mention of cost of traffic vs. payout. Nope!

Hey, I have run and am running game offers on CPV, FB and have on google in the past.

Yes, they are HOT!

BUT and that’s a BIG BUT!

If you do not follow the TOS of the ad plat-form AND network.

You can expect to…

1. Get banned or Have your account frozen and money kept.

or

2. Not get paid on offers from traffic you HAVE paid for.

So, honestly.

I don’t know why a network let, alone a decent one, is giving half-truths in a field that if you p*ss of the wrong traffic source.

YOU ARE DONE FOR!

I guess getting new identities and VM accounts are the “in-thing” now in IM?!

and networks wonder why affiliates scam them with ‘cookie dropping’ ?

Seems to me you encourage it by sending ‘lambs to the slaughter’

Try telling them the down side and technical aspects of promoting an offer and not just the “why are you not making $10K a day.. ya loser” mentality that I see many networks have.

Oh, and general information that can cost people their accounts.

Maybe better that you don’t share the ‘knowledge’ or at least do them the service of telling them the down-side.

Just IMHO.

Trust No One

IMV