The End of an Era: Yahoo and Bing! Merge

Tonight is not only the end of the 3rd quarter and the End of September 2010.

It is also the end of Yahoo and Microsoft Adcenter (Bing!) being two separate ad platforms.

If you have NOT already backed up your last 6 months of data I would advise doing that before Midnight PST. (Yahoo ONLY keeps your data for 6 months. If, you did not know.)

It’s like 2000.

Will the system crash (will your ads transfer over?)

Already,  from what I have seen its a slight nightmare.

Campaigns that were sleeply living. But, producing over at Yahoo! are now exposed to the light of Microsoft review teams. Now its turning the clock back to the beginning of 2009 and in some cases 2008.

If, you had an account banned at Bing!.  You maybe in for a rude surprise when the merger occurs.

Just like some ex-Google customers when Google ‘absorbed’ Ad-Mob.

That once active account is now in-active!

Some are saying click costs will go up 62%.

I have not seen that yet.

I have over 2 years of data on both Yahoo! and Bing! in several verticals and will be intersting to see what works, what converts and what is even allowed now.

Whatever I find I’ll will happily or un-happily report back.

Good Luck in this new terrain.

And remember…

Trust No One!

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.

What matters is what works. On all levels!

It’s been awhile, since I have posted.

A lot has happened. Directions have had to be re-engineered. New paths mapped and designed.

It is interesting when life gives you options. Sometimes in the form not having an option. Which is still an option.

I have decided after some interesting interactions to go back to the roots of my internet career.

Because, you can look at life as limits and lack or you can look at life as possibilities and potentials.

When I first started IM. It was back in the SEO, opt-in page, get-a-list days. (Not to different than what it is turning into again in some areas.)

One of the people that impacted me most and many consider the ‘grandfather’ of Internet Marketing is Mark Joyner.

His 1st ebook on SEO ranking had over 1 million downloads when he stopped counting in the late 90′s

I have had the rare pleasure of meeting and talking with him in person now a couple of times, after being a student of his for many years.

One of the things I have always loved about Mark, his mind-set and methods is breaking ‘things’; process and results. Into simple, efficient and capable steps and series.

He, also, has an incredible view of the world. The levels to it and how it is all connected.

So, after some projects not going as I had planned and even some doubt about this industry and people in it.

I had a very candid talk with him. About many of the people and what was going on.

It was eye-opening , if not shocking and down-right depressing at times.

Until the end of the talk.

I found talking to him and going back through the process’s that had worked so well for me in the past to be simply.

Life up-lifting and affirming. (corny as It may sound)

You may not be able to get irrational people and events to be rational or make any sense to anyone, but the people involved, BUT…

You can chose to do the best you know, find better and make those around you feel good, as well as, your-self.

The 1st course Mark put out was Simpleology 101 – “the simple science of getting what you want”

It is deceptively simple AND like a true ‘surgeon of the mind’. Marks ‘cute’ little videos (all very short), quizzes (even shorter) and steps (shortest yet!).

ALL change the brain and consciousness on subtle and life changing ways. Until you find yourself getting results and having ease that you didn’t know was even possible. At least not with-out a lot of effort or expensive coaches and consultants.

The best part is… IT IS TOTALLY FREE !!!

Simpleology 101

Yes, you do need to put in your email and info to get it and use it, but unlike many gurus out there that do not walk there talk or send endless up-sells to someone else s course they have never tried.

Mark is a true man of his word and values.

If you want to see what he is about now.

Check this link. Construct Zero

If you want to start on the path to the most efficient way to make money and maybe even live.

I can not suggest a more powerful process than. Simpleology 101 for FREE.

There are additional modules that add to the system, BUT THEY ARE NOT NECESSARY FOR THE CORE RESULT!

Though,  I will tell you.

Whenever I get hung up or want to accelerate my climb and build my success’s even greater than before !

The Simpleology courses are what I return to get my time, money and energy where I want them to be and every time. I far surpass what ever heights I had previously achieved.

Oh, and it doesn’t matter your religion or slant in life. (Unless, you want to stay a victim.)

His stuff works !

And Remember..

If, what you are not doing is not getting you the results you desire. Do something different. Insanity is a choice.

Trust No One

IMV

Breaking News – Google gets Google Slapped

by the Texas Attorney General.

The AT of Texas has opened up an anti-trust investigation on How Google ranks its search engine results.

They do not believe Google is neutral and not lowering the rankings of their competitors.

Finally! Some-one has the balls to question if Google is a Monopoly or if they have at the least gone to far.

Oh, And this isn’t the little guy this is ‘dissing’ Yahoo/Bing and the government is concerned on how they are playing with each other.

Maybe now, We will find out what Quality Scores are really based on?!

I can not tell you how happy this makes me

Trust No One, Including me.

IMV

Breaking News – FTC Finds Paid Reviews Defy “Truth In Advertising”

FTC Finds Paid Reviews:

Another source:

FTC Link:

This was not an affiliate per say AND it goes with-out saying.

If, The FTC will fine and go after companies doing this practice

Small Business needs to be aware.

Playing the game of “they wont come after me” or ” Im too small” or “I host out of the country” is russian roullete NOT a business model. IMHO

I have commented on this enough times.

So, I wont go back over it.

IMV

SES, ASE and the way it REALLY is !

OK,

So,  it has been a few weeks since my last post.

I am not lacking in new insights, new dirt and new shenanigans on all levels of the industry and connections to it.

While many went to ASE (affiliate summit east).

I did not see the benefit THIS time vs. the cost with 2 major projects going on (automation of mobile marketing and SERP compliant game sites) and the desire to save all my capital for the REAL earnings season and traffic.

Yes, you can make money in the summer months, but why make 10%-20% on less traffic or smaller niches. When you can save up and make 50%-500% on larger traffic flows and niches.  (If, you ask nicely I will reveal the MASSIVE waves of buyers that are coming online for buying season.)

SES (SES Conference & Expo) was very interesting.

1. There was very little affiliate action there (not to be surprised), BUT the attendees there are looking for a larger dollar than many affiliates ever see. The corporate and enterprise ad dollar.

2. Large companies doing marketing are having some of the same issues that I have seen in affiliate marketing. At one meeting. Ebay’s head of marketing admitted that they were JUST figuring out what cost their display ads should be.

3. Some of the most basic concepts in affiliate marketing are foreign or brand new to major companies and agencies

Over the next few days. I will post more detail.

It was very, very interesting to see online marketing and money from the top down vs. the bottom up. (according to SES)

The experiance and data confirmed many theories and strategies I have discovered or learned about surviving and thriving on the internet.

More to be posted… so, please come back.

Remember,

Trust No One, including Me.

IMV

Did I call it ? or did I CALL it !!!

Well ppc.bz broke the news.

“FTC to Announce Action Against Internet Marketers of Acai Berry Weight-Loss Pills and “Colon Cleansers”

BUT!

I told you days ago and months ago. What to do.

Know the TOS of your network, traffic & offers, know the Laws of Trade in your country and the ones you deal with, sell a real product with real value and know the history of your industry and others with regards to the gov.

Since, If the gov. slap you.

A Google slap will be the least of your worries.

Funny thing is (or not so funny) I remember last year before ASE is when Google did their big slap and their #1 targets besides ringtones was ACAI and COLON CLEANSE!

History repeats itself.

Now, go read some Claude Hopkins and start telling the truth.

You may not get the customers at first since everyone seems to like the “shinies”

BUT!

You will get the smart ones 1st and the ones who got burned. And that is a big piece of the pie.

Who wants the idiots that keep buying into scams again and again?

Oh!

Right !

The parasites that feed off of them for their income.

(sad how many of them their are)

I warned you before and I will post as the new laws unfold.

This is NOT new and The President even warned earlier this year.

“Sell crap and and we are gunning for you. Sell valid products and services. We are behind you”

It will only get worse for the criminals.

For the public. A new day is dawning on consumer law.

Lets hope this time they read the disclaimers.

IMV

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

The Ultimate Power – Predicting the Future!

Well,

It is nice to be ahead of the curve and if you read my Blog.

You have been.

By months !!!

The lastest one I called correct was the EPIC level of guru’s and courses coming out that are selling the ‘dream’ at high ticket prices.

To my surpise.

One of their own, Joel Comm. Has actually called the whole IM guru crew on it AGAIN!

He talked about it back in Feb 2010 and Then again yesterday 08-08-2010.

My only comment.

Besides, how spot on he is.

Is…

“Didn’t you have something to do with this ? or At least the ‘guru/teachers’ that you and others in your circle look up to?”

I doubt my comment will get posted.

After spending some time with the grand-father of IM and info-product marketing Mark Joyner and finding out that he too. Is sick and tired of seeing the deception and lack of ‘real value’ being brought to the internet by the current group of info-product (frauducts) pushers.

All I can say is…

A LITTLE TO LATE ON THE NOTICE !!!

So, what do I think will happen next ?

Well, I already called it on the Google slap, FB slap, CPV saturation, Mobile money myth. (Oh, wait… I only JUST mentioned that one )

I guess you are already seeing it.

Expect mobile to be the next ‘holy-grail’ as people get burned out on CPV.

Wait tell you see how many budgets get burned on this one and accounts banned when people find out you can NOT just txt anyone

My prediction ?

Watch the FTC and Merchant Accounts.

With new rules and money things are going to change more with those than with traffic sources.

Already I am seeing offers getting pulled that had the FTC take notice of months ago and I expect to see more.

Fake scholarships companies are getting busted.

Which resulted in Offers being pulled since some of them are from the same company’s

I am being very careful with what I run and who I run it with and how.

I would advise you to be too.  Especially with new laws and the money to enforce them.

Read the TOS of all that are involved in.

Read the FTC rulings.

Follow the FTC laws on IM

Watch the Laws being passed, just as much, as the offer trends.

Do not play fast and loose now only to have the FTC slap you later.

Remember, they can reach back and take your revenue from previous years and put you in prison.

Waaaaay, worse than a GOOGLE slap!

Be careful out there and Trust No One!

IMV

Smart Phones + Credit Cards for the USA

Just out !

80% of 18-34yr olds would make purchases on their smart phones with a credit card !!!

(source:bloomberg)

This is huge !!!

Now that credit cards are going to marry easily with phones in the US like they are in ASIA.

The new rush will be on.

Do NOT believe the gurus !

Read the industry journals since this is a highly regulated industry (They learned from fax and email advertising mess and you DO NOT want to piss them off!!!)

Here is the guidebook from the MMA (Mobile Marketing Association)

Know the rules before you charge in and get worse than Google-slapped

IMV