FeedFront Magazine, Issue 31

䄀昀ǻ氀椀愀琀攀 匀甀洀洀椀琀 䔀愀猀琀 ㈀ ㄀㔀

䤀猀猀甀攀 ㌀㄀ ⴀ 䄀甀最甀猀琀 ㈀ ㄀㔀

䌀爀攀愀琀椀渀最 䴀愀爀欀攀琀椀渀最 䌀漀瀀礀 吀栀愀琀 䜀攀琀猀 刀攀愀搀 䈀礀 䐀攀戀漀爀愀栀 伀ᤠ䴀愀氀氀攀礀 倀愀最攀 ㌀

䤀琀 愀氀氀 䜀漀攀猀 䈀愀挀欀 䤀渀 琀栀攀 䈀漀砀 䈀礀 䨀攀 䈀礀 䨀攀爀攀洀礀 匀挀栀漀攀洀愀欀攀爀 倀愀最攀 ㄀㐀

䄀昀ǻ氀椀愀琀攀 匀甀洀洀椀琀 䔀愀猀琀 ㈀ ㄀㔀 䄀最攀渀搀愀 倀愀最攀 ㌀㔀

FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN YEARS,

THANK YOU.

For the last fifteen years, ShareASale has been an innovating force in the Affiliate Marketing industry. Well known for our top notch personal service and powerful, easy to use tools, the ShareASale network is solid and robust enough to help both Merchants and Affiliates alike see their creative visions turn into money making reality.

SHAREASALE IS BUILT FOR AND BY PEOPLE LIKE YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS! SHAREASALE.COM BLOG.SHAREASALE.COM

TWITTER.COM/SHAREASALE

FACEBOOK.COM/SHAREASALE

Issue 31 - August 2015

2

Table Of Contents Editor’s Note: Maybe Stick With Your Cushy Job

3

Creating Marketing Copy That Gets Read

5

7 Ways to Increase Landing Page Conversions

6

5 Ways to Ruin an Affiliate Brand

7

Sexier Looking Prices Mean More Sales

By Missy Ward

By Deborah O’Malley

By Zac Johnson

By Gary Marcoccia

By Tim Ash

Ecommerce Power of Content: Do’s and Don’ts

By Oliver Roup

8

5 Tips For Getting Freelance Blogger Jobs

By Sharon Mostyn

9

By Gary Kibel

10

Networks Liable for the Acts of Affiliates

11

4 Ways to Get More Blogger Revenue

12

Digital Insights: Improving Your Affiliate Site’s Performance

By Nicole Young

13

3 Common Mistakes Beginner Affiliates Make

By Rae Hoffman

14

It All Goes Back In the Box

17

Increase Traffic and Conversion Rates with HTTPS

18

3 Insights for Crafting PPC Ad Copy

20

5 Reasons to Outsource E-Commerce Order Fulfillment

21

3 Ways to Rethink Your Campaign Performance

22

Why Video Matters to Every Marketing Strategy `

By Rick Anderson

24

Five Tips: Engaging Blog and Content Sites

25

Three Essentials for Website Conversion

27

The ROI of Social Media Marketing

29

Lessons From Recent FTC/State AG Collaborations

31

Thinking Outside the Box to Find Affiliates

32

Dietary Supplements in the “DNA Barcoding” Era

33

Incremental Value: Holy Grail of Affiliate Marketing

34

Value of Outsource Program Management Agencies

35 - 51

Brian Littleton - Keynote Speaker Bio

53

Tim Ash - Keynote Speaker Bio

54 -63

Other Speaker Bios

64 -65

People To Follow On Twitter

66

Thank You Top Sponsors!

67

Marriott Marquis New York Floor Plan

Missy Ward, Shawn Collins

By Brenda Marion

By Brad Dobbins

By Christina Vickstrom

By Courtney VanDyne

By Michelle G. Held

By Rachel Hirsch

Contributing Writers

By Wade Tonkin

By Ginny Sanderson

By Geno Prussakov

By Jonathan Goodwin

Affilate Summit East 2015 Show Agenda

52

Co-Publishers

By David D. Ruiz

Is Your Affiliate Network Killing Your Brand?

By Lee Currie

30

Missy Ward, Shawn Collins

By Shannon K. Steffen

Two Strategies of E-mail Marketing

By Matt Stowe

26

Co- Editors In Chief

By Jeremy Schoemaker

Reach Out! Don’t Just E-mail

By Robin R. Talbott

23

STAFF

By Stephanie Robbins

Rick Anderson, Tim Ash, Lee Currie, Brad Dobbins, Jonathan Goodwin, Michelle G. Held, Rachel Hirsch, Rae Hoffman, Zac Johnson, Gary Kibel, Gary Marcoccia, Brenda Marion, Sharon Mostyn, Deborah O’Malley, Geno Prussakov, Stephanie Robbins, Oliver Roup, David Ruiz, Ginny Sanderson, Jeremy Schoemaker, Shannon Steffen, Robin R. Talbott, Wade Tonkin, Courtney VanDyne, Christina Vickstrom, Missy Ward and Nicole Young

Graphic Design

Affiliate Summit

Logan Gattis Designs www.logangattis.com

9532 Liberia Avenue, #127

Magazine Coordinator

Amy Rodiguez

Manassas, VA 20110 tel: (417)-2SUMMIT(278-6648) fax: (908)-364-4627

Articles in FeedFront Magazine are the opinions of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine, or its owners. FeedFront Magazine always welcomes opinions of an opposite nature.For more information, visit: www.FeedFront.com Interested in advertising? Please visit http:// feedfront.com/advertising/ or email us at: contact@feedfront.com © 2015 Affiliate Summit, Inc. and Individual Authors.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Editor’s Note:

Maybe Stick With Your Cushy Job

By Missy Ward Missy Ward

Y

our job may be cushy, but is it just a paycheck? Do you love getting up to go to work, or are you just getting through the day?

If you’re putting in your 9-5, but there’s no passion behind it, you’ve probably contemplated a change of some sort. You might have considered becoming a full-time affiliate marketer, but you know it’s risky because you know that you won’t make money, if you’re not making sales and you need a safety net.

It’s ok. You’re not alone. Many people who would definitely rather be doing something else choose to work for larger companies in related fields, where their earnings are capped and their freedom is limited.

Many are fairly certain that they’d be much better off on their own, but they just don’t seem able to make that leap. Are you ready to make that leap?

2). You like being told what to do.

Your cushy job won’t require you to think like you’d have to if you were self-employed. If that’s what you like about your job, you probably wouldn’t want to leave it. Not everyone wants to have the responsibility of being in charge, and it isn’t the right choice for every person.

3). A paycheck can trump your passion.

Being passionate is needed if you’re going to be a self-employed person, especially if you’re going to get into affiliate marketing. If you’re not typically a passionate person, or you don’t want to get involved with a job that actually matters to you, keeping your cushy job would make sense.

4). You don’t want to make decisions.

Being the decider is required if you’re self-employed. Who else is going to do it? The boss? That’s you. Not everyone wants the opportunity

If you’re not sure whether it’s time to become self-employed - even if it’s just part-time - take a careful and thoughtful look at why you should stick to your cushy job.

1). You think flexibility is overrated.

Some people like routine. They don’t want to have a flexible schedule or the option to do something different with their time. If you’re like that, working for someone else is the way to go. You’re told when to be there and when to leave, so you don’t have to worry about making your own schedule or changing up the rules. It’s safe - if you like that sort of thing.

to make decisions, and some people certainly don’t want to be required to do so. If you fall into that category, that cushy job could be the best thing for you.

Now that you know why you should stick to your cushy job, is that really what you want? It may feel safer, but you have to analyze whether it’s really giving you everything you need to be happy and fulfilled in life.

For many people, a cushy job just doesn’t do that. But self-employment will.

Is it time for you to test out the waters? [FF]

2

Missy Ward is the Co-founder of Affiliate Summit, Co-Publisher FeedFront Magazine and blogs on MissyWard.com.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Two keys to creating marketing copy that actually gets read.

Creating Marketing Copy That Gets Read

By Deborah O’Malley 2). Make Your Images Congruent With Your Copy A picture isn’t always worth a thousand words. Valuable pictures are ones that match your marketing content and appeal to your visitors. Ac-

Deborah O’Malley

W

ant to create marketing copy that actually gets read? Here are two key ways:

1). Remember: White Space Is Not Wasted Space!

White space is the empty, or blank, space surrounding elements on the page. It separates text into paragraphs or pictures from text. It is essential for creating clear, readable, visually attractive documents. You can easily create white space by hitting the “hard return/enter” button on your keyboard. Despite being so easy to create, white space is often overlooked. However, once you’re aware of its importance, you can consistently create visually appealing, highly readable works.

Test if your document has enough white space with this simple exercise: ask yourself, if you had to review the document Monday morning, would you want to? If the answer is no, the document likely needs more white space – and you probably need more coffee. If the answer is yes, the document probably contains enough white space enabling it to actually get read.

As a general rule of thumb, typed paragraphs should be no longer than six to eight lines. Anything more is intimidating to read – especially on a mobile device. Look for logical places to break longer paragraphs.

But, also look beyond chunks of text. Think about generously incorporating white space around your graphics, margins, and columns.

White space draws attention.

cording to research by Kara Pernice Coyne of the Nielsen Norman Group, images that don’t appear realistic, or related, are like obstacle courses, blocking access to your copy.

In a large eye tracking study, Coyne found people don’t pay as much attention to images that seem inauthentic, look like stock art, appear like ads, come across as too polished, or are not related to the content. In our company’s study, “Conversion Conversations”, image psychologist, Dr. Brian Cugleman confirms website credibility arises when your images match your text. Additionally, he claims that props, in staged photos, must be used congruently.

For example, the presence of a stethoscope on a person modeling as a doctor greatly influences whether viewers consider your entire website credible and trustworthy. Credibility, according to Cugleman, is the most important deciding factor on whether visitors click, or convert, on your website.

Another study, ”Happy Versus Serious Captain”, provides a great example of how credibility influences conversions. In this unique study, the image of the serious captain was tested against a picture of the same man appearing happy. The serious captain image led to more people purchasing annual boating memberships. Likely because the picture fit viewers’ perceptions of how a captain should look.

It was congruent.

The serious captain picture seemed to portray authority, promoting

Let’s try that again. . . White space draws attention!

a stronger sense of trust and credibility. When choosing images for your marketing content, it’s crucial you find ones that match your content, as well as your visitors’ expectations. [FF]

Deborah O’Malley is the Senior Reporter at WhichTestWon.com, an unbiased website optimization resource.

3

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Best landing page optimization tips to increase earnings

7 Ways to Increase

Landing Page Conversions

By Zac Johnson Zac Johnson

T

o make it as a successful affiliate marketer, you must use landing pages in nearly all of your marketing efforts. Sending traffic directly to your advertiser’s landing page will only get you so far, and in

many cases, it’s not even allowed.

A landing page is the best way to pre-sell your offer, while also being able to create custom ad campaigns that cater an offer to an exact demographic audience.

Below you will find a list of seven of the most effective ways to increase landing page conversions and performance.

1). Mobile Optimized Landing Pages With more people using mobile devices and tablets than ever before, it’s extremely important to make sure your landing pages are compatible for each. For best results, when collecting lead data through a mobile device, make it as dead simple and fast as possible.

2). Clear Call to Action The call to action is the most important area of your landing page.

Make sure it’s easy to understand, right in their face and makes them want to take action immediately.

3). Fast Loading Site You’ve worked extremely hard to build a great landing page and ad campaign, so don’t let a slow loading site kill your conversions. You only have one chance to make a great first impression. Make sure your web site and landing pages load extremely fast every time

4). Create a Sense of Urgency Nothing works better than a limited or one-time offer. Increase conversions and engagement on your landing page by implementing a countdown clock, or setting daily limits on supply available.

5). Remove Distractions By removing distractions and outbound links on your landing pages, you will eliminate the need for someone to leave your site without focusing on the call to action. Be sure to remove any unnecessary headers, footers, navigation bars and links found within your landing page.

6). Target Your Exact Audience Gone are the days when ad campaigns are being sent out to a general audience. With a landing page, you should continually build out customized pages to cater to the interests and needs of your target audience. For example, dating offers do this extremely well with gender and geographic targeting.

7). Split Test Everything The most important thing you can do with your landing page is to continually split test everything. This include traffic sources, call to action area, button colors, placements, and everything else in between. A simple 1% or 2% increase in conversions can result in thousands of dollars over the life of your ad campaign.

Implement these seven landing page optimization tips into your existing marketing efforts and see higher earnings across the board. [FF]

Zac Johnson is the founder of blogging.org and currently blogs about on-line marketing at ZacJohnson.com.

5

tl;dr Advertisers need to be mindful of their affiliate program’s brand. Here are five ways to ruin that brand.

Issue 31 - August 2015

5 Ways to Ruin an Affiliate Brand

By Gary Marcoccia

I

n performance marketing, there are many publisher recruiting tactics, but a strong affiliate brand may be the best recruiting tool

Gary Marcoccia

of all. When programs are managed correctly, momentum builds,

sales can increase aggressively, liabilities decrease, and ultimately a stronger ROI is recognized.

When managed incorrectly (or not at all), the opposite holds true.

Momentum slows, sales are incremental at best, liabilities present themselves, and costs go up.

Avoid offering outdated banners or text campaigns. One true sign of a neglected program is to see banners focused on the holiday season in June. This is a strong indicator that there is no active management and no program support. Best practice is to maintain ad options that change

Publishers talk and word spreads, so be mindful of a program’s reputation. Advertisers should avoid complacency and invest in an experienced affiliate manager. The competition is always attempting to pull away top publishers. Even a one-time thriving and popular program can blow it. In order to avoid ruining an affiliate brand, establish good management and keep a program clear of:

Running on Autopilot The worst thing an advertiser can do is to neglect their affiliate program. Publishers can see a program running on autopilot from a mile away. It is entirely counterproductive and unwise to spend the time, effort, and money to launch and/or establish a program and then ignore it. This allows rogue publishers to exploit unethical practices and steal conversions from other legitimate affiliates, as well as the advertiser.

Unresponsive Management Top publishers play a major role in helping an advertiser expand reach, grow sales, and acquire new customers. Serious publishers are busy and if they are ignored, they simply move on to promote a competitor.

Program managers should be responsive to all inquiries. Responses to emails should be sent within 24 hours, ideally the same day. Even if the issue cannot be resolved immediately, a timely response is crucial.

6

Outdated Ads

routinely based on seasonality, new promotions, or new inventory. More is less, so consider managing 15 dynamically changing ads, rather than 100 ads that never change.

Advertiser Leaks Publishers want to know that advertisers are doing everything in their power to convert the traffic they send to a commission-earning sale.

When merchants place their own banner ads on pages, the traffic leaks demonstrate blatant disregard for a business relationship based on trust.

What publisher is going to send traffic to an advertiser that stands to benefit exclusively from that referral?

Lack of Personalization It is not unusual to see advertisers list program management contact(s), or sign-off on correspondences, with “Affiliate Management Team” instead of an individual. This is a mistake. First and foremost affiliate program management is about relationships and trust, so be sure there is a specific individual assigned to program management, rather than a vague reference to a team.

Affiliate brands matter. Good ones attract top publishers and provide a competitive advantage. [FF]

Gary Marcoccia is the Director of Helping and currently assists Schaaf-PartnerCentric with special projects.

tl;dr: Price presentation and appearance can have a dramatic impact on your conversion rate.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Sexier Looking Prices Mean More Sales

By Tim Ash Now, I don’t want you to give me the “logical” and considered response. I bet that your first-blush reaction was that the number on the left

Tim Ash

S

pending money is experienced by the same parts of the brain as feelings of physical pain

As marketers, we have to minimize this perceived loss of resources symbolized by money. Fortunately, we have many tools at our disposal to accomplish this. There are a number of ways to manipulate the offer via framing and context, but I will focus on the actual presentation of a single price that has already been previously determined.

If it is clear that the number represents a price, drop the currency symbol Since money is experienced as pain, we have come to strongly associate the actual currency symbols with the anticipation of the pricing experience. Removing the pricing symbols will lessen the pain associated with the number. This is why you often see high-end restaurant menus omitting the dollar signs. If you can’t absolutely get rid of the symbol, then at least make it as tiny as possible.

Strip out extra characters to make the price seems lower We all have a natural ability to judge sizes. But this often leads us astray in the case of money. The actual length and complexity of the numerals can make them seem more imposing. Which of the following looks like the larger amount?

was higher. Of course, it is the same amount, but its physical appearance and length makes it look more imposing, and therefore somehow larger.

Changing the leading digit can have a powerful effect We’ve all heard of the “.99” effect – that ending the price in .99 or .97, or .95 makes a big difference. People have even tested which of the above is the most effective. In fact, the conversion impact does not depend too much on these less significant digits. Its power actually comes from changing the most significant leading digit. Our brains focus on the whole number before the decimal point, and will discount the part after it because of its position.

$2.00

$1.99

$199

This can be combined with a different representation of the fractional digits for maximum impact - to make them seem smaller and less important as well.

Changing the number of digits will make your price seem smaller A special case of the changing the leading digit happens when you combine it with shortening the length of the price (as discussed above).

By eliminating a whole digit, you make the number seem substantially smaller. So if you have the flexibility to adjust your price below such an important boundary, definitely do it.

$100

$99

As you can see, our irrational subconscious minds are always looking

$2,000.00

$2000

for shortcuts. So what you thought was an objective element of your offer can easily be manipulated to maximize value and the conversion rate. [FF]

Tim Ash – Affiliate Summit keynote, SiteTuners CEO, Landing Page Optimization author, chair of Conversion Conference.

7

tl;dr The do’s and don’ts of combining content with commerce in today’s digital world

Issue 31 - August 2015

Ecommerce Power of Content: Do’s and Don’ts

By Oliver Roup

G

one are the days of shopping via mail-in catalog. Today, consumers are influenced to purchase products across the digital world— from Pinterest to Instagram to blogs to emails. It’s imperative that

brands develop a marketing strategy that reaches all of these channels and

Oliver Roup

devices.

Consumers want timely content, and if you can help influencers to It can be a difficult, time-consuming, and expensive task but to increase

provide that, your chances of working together are much greater.

sales and brand awareness, there are a few do’s and don’ts to follow.

Leverage Analytics Tap Into Influencers

In marketing strategy, it’s crucial to track success through reads,

Influencers are now the trusted experts driving consumption behav-

click-throughs and user engagement. Publishers and influencers

ior in industries across all digital channels. According to a survey by

constantly check their dashboards to ensure they produce successful

Research Now Group, two in three respondents read blogs at least a few

content.

times per week. Of those consumers, 84% buy products based on the content of a blog.

This is important to know for content strategy. For example, some publishers find that their readers will buy more products through a tweet,

This presents a tremendous opportunity for brand awareness and

than through blog posts, so they focus on promoting via social media.

sales. The key is finding the right influencers who are already writing

Others find that readers want to read blog post reviews on a product

about your industry, or your product, and pursue collaboration through

before buying. These are important details to know when determining

trend pieces, product reviews, co-hosting an event, or presenting at an

your strategy.

industry conference together.

Don’t Underestimate Mobile Working with influencers is an efficient way for brands to reach consumers across media platforms.

While this may seem obvious, there is a lot of discussion around mobile commerce. According to the Online Publishers Association, Internet usage on mobile devices surpassed desktop usage for the first time.

Diversify your Approach If you’re a brand looking to pursue a content marketing strategy, create a plan that leaves room for compromise.

The majority of the time (99.5%) spent on mobile devices was expended access content/information. Consumers now use their smartphones as the primary device to researchand purchase products. Unlike desktop

One of the most important elements of advertorial content is that it should feel organic. If you’re promoting a new consumer electronics prod-

computers, mobile devices only show one screen at a time, so the consumer is completely focused and engaged on that screen.

uct, think creatively about how you can expand your reach beyond just the tech space. Create an overall theme of “The Top Tech Gadgets for Sum-

Mobile should be front and center of your content marketing strategy

mer Vacation,” then be creative by approaching influencers and collabora-

for ecommerce, especially as the mobile shopping experience continues

tors in technology and diverse areas such as travel or automotive.

to improve. [FF]

8

Oliver Roup is founder of VigLink, the leading solution to monetize content and track engagement.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Follow these five easy tips for winning (and keeping) a freelance guest blogging position.

5 Tips For

Getting Freelance Blogger Jobs

By Sharon Mostyn

Sharon Mostyn

F

reelancers are hired to create content in the form of blog posts/ar-

those social platforms to promote your freelance content. Freelancers

ticles, photos, infographics, videos, and podcasts. Whether you’re

who share on multiple social media platforms generate traffic for the

trying to win a freelance blogger contract or keep one after you’ve

company’s site, which is always appreciated. Feel free to ask the com-

gotten the first assignment, here are five tips to help you create content

pany to share your content on their social media channels as well, when

that companies will love.

possible and where appropriate.

1). Follow the editorial guidelines

4). Represent yourself (and the brand) well

If you submit something that needs a lot of editing, you probably won’t

If you’ve got a byline on a company’s website, you’re considered a

be asked to write again. Always use proper language, grammar, and punc-

brand ambassador for that company and, to some extent, on your per-

tuation. Review your posts before you submit them – and have someone

sonal blog and social media. Make sure you represent both yourself and

else review it too. Do they use the Oxford comma? Which style guide do

the company that you freelance for in a professional manner. No compa-

they follow - AP Stylebook, Chicago Manual of Style, MLA or a modified

ny wants a contributor who gets in more trouble than the celebrities in the

style guide? Make sure you know these answers before you create your

tabloids.

post. It’s important for the company’s blog to present a professional tone and voice, so follow the rules.

5). Build a relationship Start a dialogue with the company you want to freelance for, including

2). Be reliable

following them on social media or meeting them at conferences like Af-

Editors like dependable bloggers: freelancers who use writing styles

filiate Summit. Remember things that are important to both the company

consistent with the site, are regularly available, and – most importantly

and your contact, and share items that might be of interest. If you already

– consistently turn their content in on time. If you are given a deadline,

have an existing relationship, ask about extending it into a long-term

make sure you meet it. If there is a possibility that you are going to miss a

contract. Have you only been writing for them but also have great images,

deadline or if you are going to be unavailable (for example, you’re traveling

videos or infographics that they could use? Find out if there’s room to add

and don’t have good internet access), let the company know in advance

them to the items that you provide.

or submit the post before you leave.

Follow these five tips and you’re on your way to extending the free-

3). Share and share alike

lance blogger contracts that you already have and attracting even more

You’ve built your social media friends, fans, and followers; now use

freelance opportunities! [FF]

Sharon Mostyn, a Google-certified marketing professional, has experience in email, SEO/SEM, social media, and analytics.

9

tl;dr A recent FTC action shows that, contrary to popular belief, affiliate networks can become liable for the acts of affiliates.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Networks Liable

for the Acts of Affiliates

By Gary Kibel

W

Gary Kibel

ith so many participants in the affiliate marketing ecosystem, it is not uncommon when things go wrong for people to start

The court decided LeadClick could be liable for the deceptive con-

pointing fingers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and

tent on its affiliates’ websites, notwithstanding the FTC’s concession that

a federal court recently pointed the finger squarely at an affiliate network

LeadClick had not created the fake news sites.

for the acts of its member affiliates, when these affiliates were promoting a company that sold weight loss and colon-cleanse products through deceptive means.

The court explained LeadClick employees had known “fake news sites were being used to promote LeanSpa products on [the network],” had recruited the affiliates, had the power to approve or reject their websites, and

Case. The case began when the FTC filed a lawsuit involving purported

had given feedback about the content of those sites.

weight loss and colon-cleanse products sold by a marketer under various brand names by LeanSpa, asserting that LeanSpa had made misleading weight loss claims and had offered false promises of “free” trials.

Even though the affiliate network contended it could not be held liable because it had not actually created the fake news sites, the court decided it had participated in, and had the authority to control, the affiliate marketers’

The marketer had hired a network, LeadClick, so that its products could

conduct in so far as it related to the fake news sites.

be made available to affiliates through an affiliate network. According to the FTC, LeadClick used its network of affiliate marketers to lure consumers to LeanSpa’s online store, including through the use of bogus news

LeadClick was ordered to disgorge nearly $12 million it had received from LeanSpa as payment for its affiliate marketing services.

sites (a/k/a flogs) that misappropriated the logos of legitimate media outlets and falsely claimed that independent journalists had endorsed the products.

Take Away. This decision makes it clear that affiliate networks can be held responsible for the acts of their affiliates even if they do not create the content used by the affiliates.

Court Decision. In its decision, the court found that fake news sites used to promote LeanSpa products – with logos of genuine news outlets,

Therefore, all participants in the affiliate marketing ecosystem should

a fake “news page format” that claimed a reporter was conducting inde-

consider implementing appropriate controls to prevent them from being

pendent tests of the LeanSpa products, and purportedly independent con-

associated with bad actors.

sumer comments – were deceptive, material misrepresentations that were “likely to mislead consumers acting reasonably under the circumstance” as a matter of law.

10

Further, all parties should ensure that they are drafting, negotiating and signing sound agreements that are designed to shield them from liability. [FF]

Gary Kibel (gkibel@dglaw.com, @GaryKibel_law) is a partner in the law firm of Davis & Gilbert LLP

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Get more affiliate revenue from the bloggers already in your program.

4 Ways to Get More Blogger Revenue

By Stephanie Robbins

A

Stephanie Robbins s an affiliate manager, you have mastered blogger recruitment.

• Send out regular newsletters covering relevant affiliate marketing

You’ve sent out personal emails, connected over social media, and

topics, as well as your program promotions.

• When sending out coupon or sale promotions, outline ways to promote.

put together a compelling campaign. The blogger signed up and

3). Get Creative. Remember with bloggers you are competing with

the victory dance is complete. Now you just need to get the blogger active and producing regularly.

public relations for their attention. You need to be creative with your campaigns. As always, your campaign should be customized to your blogger.

While the recruitment of bloggers brings its own set of challenges, the road to success is far from over once a blogger signs up for your

Below are creative and successful campaigns I ran with success to my bloggers.

program. Below are four ways to get more revenue from your existing bloggers.

1). Keep it personal and regular. Successful blogger recruitment

• Provided a special category page dedicated to the blogger’s

favorite items on the store.

• Offered a valuable SEO link on my merchant’s blog as part of

requires more than a simple email. Recruitment takes place over email,

the campaign.

• Presented a gift card as a bonus once agreed upon goals were met.

social media, and the phone. Once your blogger sign ups, continue to

4). Make recommendations. Similar to education, blogger success

communicate in this same and personal way. Below are some examples.

• Retweet and engage with your bloggers to stay top of mind.

• Send personal emails referencing recent activity on the blog

with recommendations for affiliate marketing.

• Write a recommendation on LinkedIn. • Schedule a call to discuss the next campaign.

requires concrete recommendations. Let’s be clear, I am not writing blog posts here or doing the blogger’s work. However, I do make recommendations of post topics or ways to increase conversions. This goes back to many bloggers being new to affiliate marketing. Below are examples of recommendations.

• Hold Meetups to reach out to local affiliates.

• Recommend an evergreen post, based on the target audience.

• Emphasize and provide examples of call to actions that convert.

2). Educate. Many bloggers are new to affiliate marketing, or do not use affiliate marketing as their main source of income. As such, education will be key in getting more revenue from your blogger channel.

• Provide videos and blog posts on how to use network tools, as

well as broad topics such as SEO. • Give case studies to illustrate how bloggers are successful.

• Recommend an inclusion of a video to compliment the post

for both SEO and conversion purposes.

• Provide best practices in affiliate marketing for social media promotions.

Blogger revenue can require additional effort to increase, but the ac-

companying brand equity makes it all worthwhile. Good luck with your blogger initiatives! [FF]

• Guest blog post on blogger networks and forums.

Stephanie Robbins connects brands to niche online influencers to incrementally grow revenue through affiliate programs.

11

tl;dr By implementing five cutting-edge digital marketing best practices, affiliates can ensure that their sites are prepared for 2016 and beyond.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Digital Insights: Improving

Your Affiliate Site’s Performance

By Nicole Young

I

s your website performing as well as it could? As affiliates prepare for 2016, now’s the perfect time to develop a digital marketing strategy for

Nicole Young

improving website performance – like lower bounce rates, increased

conversions, and, above all, maximized revenue-earnings potential.

Affiliates’ strategies can focus on the following key elements.

Content Marketing Today, effective affiliate marketing is less overtly promotional. It’s more about creating original, insightful content that engages site visitors yet also subtly promotes the brands with which you work.

This approach involves bringing on-site content channels to the forefront. A barely visible blog can be integrated into a new content-focused home page that also includes feature articles. Along with social media and e-newsletters, articles are the most popular content channels for B2C firms, according to the Content Marketing Institute. Affiliates’ strategies should include all three channels.

Are You User Experienced?

Developing a content-focused site requires an evaluation of its user experience (UX). Before affiliates make this transition, they need to analyze how visitors interact with their web pages so that the conversion funnel can be mapped.

This research will provide the data to ensure affiliates’ content-focused site is as user friendly as possible. Once the new site is live, conversions will only be maximized if the user journey is closely monitored and A/B testing is carried out constantly. The site can then be re-calibrated accordingly.

Marketing with Sound and Vision Affiliates’ content must be as engaging as possible. Digital video has the highest impact of any content piece. Undeniably, click-through rates for video ads are 42.5% higher than banners, according to Coull.com.

12

Affiliates first need to create a YouTube channel and then develop original videos that focus on sharing insights – from how-to videos to product demos and customer testimonials. The digital videos can be integrated into both their on-site content and other social media platforms.

Mobile SEO Although content is vital, affiliates shouldn’t neglect organic search.

Following Google’s #mobilegeddon algorithm update in April, SEO is today all about optimizing their mobile search ranking.

To ensure their site isn’t being penalized, affiliates need to ensure that all their webpages pass Google Developers’ Mobile Friendly Test. If their site has been developed with desktop rather than smart phone users in mind, then that thinking should be broadened into a cross-platform approach.

Apps The majority of smart phone and tablet users’ time is not spent browsing the mobile web but in apps – 86%, according to Flurry Analytics. Affiliates can respond to this trend by developing their own apps.

Apps function as a powerful engagement and retention tool for affiliates’ sites. They also open up a whole new acquisition channel. According to TUNE, approximately 50% of iOS and Android apps are discovered by users searching in app stores.

Of course, before affiliates focus on app store optimization (ASO), they first need to develop their app. Fortunately, affiliates have over three months to integrate their app into a broader marketing strategy to prepare them for 2016 – and beyond. [FF]

Nicole manages Share Results’ business development and its team of affiliate managers and software developers.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Affiliate marketing can be very lucrative, but you will always fail if you do these three things.

3 Common Mistakes Beginner

Affiliates Make

By Rae Hoffman Rae Hoffman

I

’ve been making a full-time income with affiliate marketing for over 14 years. Because of that, I’m often asked what the secret to success in affiliate marketing is.

scared to make any move because they’re not sure it’s the “right” move.

Once you understand the basics of affiliate marketing, have found a potential niche and have developed a general plan, you simply need to get started. The reality is that you’re going to make mistakes. Some of the

Aside from hard work, it can be hard to define universal truths when it

most valuable lessons I’ve learned in affiliate marketing were the result of

comes to successful affiliate marketers. However, I can find much more

failed attempts. Disorganized action will achieve more than meticulously

uniformity in the reasons people fail when it comes to affiliate marketing.

planned inaction - every single time.

3). Underestimating the work involved

1). Failing to follow through

Many online gurus would like you to believe they can sell you the secret

I often refer to this as only being interested in “the thrill of the chase.”

to making thousands of dollars a day in only a few hours a week. Much like

Starting an affiliate venture is fun. You’re filled with ideas and excitement.

the weight loss pills that claim you can eat whatever you want and still lose

There’s nothing quite like seeing your website start to take shape. You

weight, they’re selling a dream.

make diagrams of the site structure. You work furiously on the design. You write content like your life depended on it. You talk non-stop about your

While finding success in affiliate marketing means you can make your own hours and work on your own terms, the “passive” side of the income is

new site and how awesome it’s going to be to anyone who is willing to listen.

almost always the result of years of hard work.

And then you launch. Suddenly that exciting phase is over. Now it’s time Affiliate marketing is a real opportunity. It can make real money. But

to sit down and promote the site, and add to it, and improve it. The thrill

as with any business opportunity, it requires real work and dedication to

is gone. You find yourself procrastinating. Then, a new idea hits you. You

achieve success.

quickly register a new domain and begin the process all over again.

2). Analysis paralysis Starting your career in affiliate marketing usually comes along with do-

Most affiliates that have failed to find success with affiliate marketing have a proverbial shoebox full of these abandoned sites.

ing a lot of research and a lot of planning - which is a good thing. Every business venture should have a plan behind it. But, I have conversations with so many aspiring affiliates that are stuck in analysis paralysis; too

You cannot find success in affiliate marketing (or any business) without following through. [FF]

Rae Hoffman, AKA Sugarrae, is a veteran affiliate, blogger and Co-Founder & CEO of PushFire.

13

tl;dr There is way more to life than making money.

Issue 31 - August 2015

It All Goes Back

In the Box

By Jeremy Schoemaker Jeremy Schoemaker

M

any years ago, my grandfather and I would play monopoly. It

lar on the Internet was one of the most thrilling and exciting things.

started with him whooping me but eventually I got really good at it. I was a greedy tycoon and dominated not only him but

Just like in Monopoly I became obsessive. I got greedy.

also any challengers.

By the time I turned 31, I had over a million dollars in the bank.

My grandfather was a very humble and hardworking man. He grew up Over the next 9 years, I expanded my skillset and had an amazing journey,

during the Great Depression and served in World War 2.

earning over $10 million dollars from making money on the Internet.

While I would be cocky after my Monopoly board game victories, he would

Right before I turned 40, my wife and I met with our accountant, who told

say, “Relax there. It all goes back in the box in the end, and we start over

us we could easily never work again and maintain our current lifestyle.

next game“.

After examining my current lifestyle, both professionally and busiNow that happened when I was around 10-12 years old. I have never for-

ness-wise, I realized I wasn’t happy. Long story short, I closed my

gotten it for some reason. It wasn’t until recently I realized how important

downtown office and stopped doing the things that I didn’t like to do.

that statement would be to me.

Then that saying my grandfather said 30 years ago – “it all goes back in the Since I turned 40, I had a pretty big awakening business wise on what I was

box” became clear to me.

doing and the changes I have made.

When we die, we are all equal. Whether we have $100 million dollars or nothThe most highlighted line from my book, ‘Nothing’s Changed But My Change:

ing. We all are buried in a box (or an urn or whatever your belief), and all is

The ShoeMoney Story’ is “Having money isn’t everything, not having it is“. I

reset.

have been on both sides of that. When I turned 30, I was unemployed and over 50k in debt.

I know what some of you are thinking, you can leave it to your kids and they

Then one day I made a dollar on the Internet. For me, making that first dol-

will be set.

14

Jeremy Schoemaker, aka “Shoemoney”, is a serial entrepreneur made

Issue 31 - August 2015

I have some personal experience with this. On my father’s side of the fam-

I have 2 daughters (6 and 8) and I wouldn’t say I have neglected them at

ily – when my aunt died of cancer (I was like 14) she left her money to her

all – but my work, at times, has taken priority on some extracurricular stuff.

children in a trust. They fought over it for years and eventually it got very

And I wasn’t even happy with what I was doing working wise.

bitter. To this day they don’t talk.

The primary reason I moved back into my house from my downtown office On my mother’s side of the family – when my great grandfather passed,

was because it’s only a few blocks from my kid’s school. I get to go to lunch

he left my grandmother and her sister his land and money. This was before

with them, take them to school, and do a ton of daytime activities with

I was born, but I was told it was a vicious dispute over who got what and

them. It’s pretty awesome.

they became enemies. It wasn’t until my grandmother died, a few months ago, that for the first time I met my great aunt. I got to spend some time

I also changed a lot of what I do professionally, focusing back on what I

with her and she is a very nice woman. I am bummed I never met her

love doing, and an ironic side effect of that is that I have profited more since

before.

working out of my basement in the last six months than I had in the last 3 years combined.

Everyone seems to be so focused on making money, no matter what financial position they are in.

So, with all of this said, I would like to leave you with the following, and I say it violating one of my primary beliefs (never tell people what to do, instead

I fully understand that when you are barely getting by and all of your fi-

share your experiences and let them take from it what they will).

nancial decisions on everything, from going out to eat to if you can take a vacation, are based primarily on money.

Take a look at yourself, and see if what you are doing really matters. We have such a short life span, and no matter how much money we have, in

Then money is everything.

the end, it all goes back in the box. [FF]

But when you have enough money to never have to work again, then what really matters?

famous by running one of the highest-trafficked websites worldwide, Shoemoney.com.

15

GHC

GHC

GREGHOFFMAN

CONSULTING

GREGHOFFMAN

CONSULTING

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr How to use HTTPS to increase your website search engine ranking and conversion to stand out and get found online.

Increase Traffic and Conversion Rates

with HTTPS

By Shannon K. Steffen Shannon K. Steffen

G

2). Google Prefers HTTPS Encryption for SEO Rankings – Paired withother white hat SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategies, web-

oogle loves secure websites. If you want to increase your web-

sites using a SSL certificate for HTTPS encryption will rank higher. Google

site’s search engine rankings, while helping increase sales, then

doesn’t give a deadline as to when HTTPS will trigger more then 1% of an

you should have a secure website as well.

increase in search engine rankings. However, they’d like to encourage all

Your website visitors expect a secure online experience when visiting

website owners to switch from HTTP to HTTPS to keep everyone safe on the web.

your website. The HTTPS option for your website protects the integrity and confidentiality of user data, which ensures that the user communicates only with the authorized owner of the site.

3). Users Loves Security and Users Could Impact Ranking – The more Google serves up secure websites, the more your target market will be clicking those links. The increase in user activity to a link could increase

What is HTTPS?

search engine rankings for that link.

You’ve probably seen websites that begin with a HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) address. This is a signal to the visitor that their

If not done correctly, changing to HTTPS could have damaging effects

information is secure through encryption, data integrity, and authentica-

by killing your search engine rankings or get your website blacklisted from

tion.

the search engines. This is not a simple flip of a switch, but rather a strategic plan that must be created before attempting this major URL change.

By providing this level of security, you are letting your visitors know that you value their security, but this also tells Google that your website is to be trusted.

You will need the help of both a SEO strategist and website developer to ensure that your 301 redirects are implemented correctly. Also, the SEO consultant will need to verify that all search engines are aware of the URL

Why HTTPS is so important to Google’s search engine rankings.

1). Google Love Website Security – Google loves security and hates

changes for higher search engine indexing.

However, it is a change that can have a huge impact on your success online.

spam. Using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certification encryption on your website makes it more secure to both the search engines and humans visiting your website. Changing your website address from http:// to https://

Google considers website security and encryption to be important enough to deserve search engine algorithm changes.

makes it more difficult for hackers and technology goons to steal information. It also gives website visitors a sense of security when they use your website to submit their credit card number or fill out forms online.

Now is the time to make the necessary security changes to increase the safety of your website visitors and increase those search engine rankings. [FF]

Shannon is a twenty-year SEO veteran, award-winning independent Human SEO strategist, and blogs at shannonksteffen.com.

17

tl;dr Ideas for PPC copy that will engage a user

Issue 31 - August 2015

3 Insights for Crafting PPC Ad Copy

By David D. Ruiz

P

PC (Pay-Per-Click) ads are short text ads that are displayed to audiences when a keyword is typed in a search engine. Every time

Elicit emotion:

an ad is clicked by a searcher, the advertiser has to pay the search

• “Recapture summer – cool breeze, hot sun - with an indoor grill”

engine a fee.

When PPC is working correctly, the fee is trivial, because the visit is

• “Tired of being taken advantage of by your insurance company?

Read up on your rights!”

worth more than what you pay for it (i.e. if the advertiser pays $1 for a click, but the click results in a $100 sale, then the advertisers has made a profit).

PPC ad copy consists of a headline, descriptive text, and a URL. The

Action words, or verbs, when used more often than nouns result in more overall engagements. Asking for an action like “Download my app” usually results in more downloads.

message is short and succinct, while the campaigns powering the text can be a complex machination of research and targeting.

3). Numbers- Numbers tell you how much time you have left, how much you’re going to spend, and how many points you’re going to get.

The research and targeting can be terrific, but if the copy does not engage a user, then the campaign will not perform. It’s essential that the copy make an impact on the user, and here are three ways to improve ads.

Audiences respond to numbers. Look at the difference the addition of numbers makes in each of those ads.

Before:

1). Persuasive Words- Use a persuasive voice in your copy and encourage your audience to take action.

You – few things grab a person’s attention as when you address them directly.

Because – Because always leads to a reason or an explanation. People

• Get Unlimited Music from Spotify. Listen to what you want,

load now!

• Cookware set, on sale now for a limited time only!

with a reason to click.

After:

Instantly –The brain gets really fired up when presented with the

• $9.99 per month for Unlimited Music from Spotify. Listen to

instantly a reality thanks to the ability of a single click actually leading to instant gratification.

when you want!

• White Papers written by marketing experts, available for down

simply like to have reasons for what they do. Provide your audience

prospect of instant gratification. The Internet makes the concept of

David Ruiz

what you want, when you want!

• 10 White Papers written by marketing experts, available for

download now!

• 15 piece cookware set, on sale now for a limited time only!

2). Emotion & Action- make sure the copy is actually encouraging an action, or reaction, which is to click on your ad. Use action words to form a call to action that is compelling.

18

PPC ad copy needs to be carefully crafted, so that the text hits all the points that are important to the prospect. [FF]

David D. Ruiz runs 7search.com as their General Manager.

tl;dr Outsourcing e-commerce order fulfillment can result in benefits for you, your employees, and your customers.

Issue 31 - August 2015

5 Reasons to

Outsource E-Commerce Order Fulfillment

Brenda Marion

By Brenda Marion

E

ventually, most e-commerce businesses reach the tipping point of outsourcing order fulfillment from an in-house process. Although the decision may seem overwhelming at first, reviewing the top 5

isting shopping cart platform with a fulfillment company’s tech? They bear the cost of keeping systems up-to-date and should provide you real-time

reasons how outsourcing can improve your business may help.

access to your inventory, order statuses, return reports, and more.

1). Save Time At the end of the day, who couldn’t use more time? If you are spending

4). Reach New Markets

all of your working hours receiving orders, packing and shipping orders,

Outsourcing your fulfillment can save you time and money as shown

handling calls, customer service issues, order tracking, etc., you should

above, but it can also help you expand your reach to new markets. E-com-

consider outsourcing these processes to a company that specializes in

merce by definition can reach virtually anyone, anywhere with an internet

fulfillment services.

connection, but shipping your product to those people in foreign countries is another story. Fulfillment companies leverage their shipping volumes

2). Save Money

to numerous countries for volume discounts not readily available to busi-

Outsourcing the above processes allows you to reduce or eliminate

nesses shipping smaller order quantities.

staff previously dedicated to those tasks. When you factor in the additional savings on overhead expenses for storing and insuring your products, you

5). Improve Customer Service

can see how your bottom line can increase accordingly.

Regardless of whether you outsource your customer service to a fulfillment house that provides a call center, or keep this function in-house,

3). Utilize Technology

the resources that are freed up in the above examples clearly show how

Why invest in the latest technology, hardware and software updates,

you will have more time and energy to focus on what matters most

and IT staff to maintain everything, when you can simply integrate your ex-

20

—your customers. [FF]

Brenda Marion is Corporate Communications Director for Fulfillment.com.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Insights on how to calculate and determine your overall campaign performance to see your true return.

3 Ways to Rethink

Your Campaign Performance Brad Dobbins

T

By Brad Dobbins The formula to calculate this is (Upsell Conversions from 1-click +

he most common trait among successful affiliates is their ability

Stand Alone Spot 2 Conversions) / Spot 1 Conversions.

to analyze their performance and see the big picture. It’s a key differentiator between the guys doing $5k per day and the guys

doing $50k+ per day.

[Example: A 1-click upsell offer has 150, Spot 1 conversions with 100 conversions on the upsell, and the Spot 2 standalone offer has 40 conversions. This results in a blended attach rate of 93%.]

These affiliates have aligned themselves with the best partners and can monetize their online traffic more efficiently, resulting in higher returns.

3). Your True Return: To determine your true return on a 1-click upsell

Here are three ways to rethink your full campaign performance to increase

offer compared to an offer with no upsell, the blended EPC (earnings per

your efficiency and maximize your returns.

click) must be calculated.

1). The Power of the 1-Click Upsell. The upsell has proven to be successful in many verticals. Upsells not only benefit the consumer by sim-

The formula to calculate the blended EPC is (Earnings from 1-Click + Earnings from Stand Alone Spot 2) / Spot 1 Clicks.

plifying their buying process, they also provide affiliates with higher returns by allowing them to earn revenue on multiple sales from a single consumer during the same transaction.

[Example: A 1-click upsell offer has 2000 clicks, with $10,000 in earnings from the upsell combo and the stand-alone Spot 2 has $2000 in earnings. This gives you a blended EPC of $6.]

2). While there are many types of upsells, the 1-click upsell is the most successful as it captures the trust the consumer has already demonstrat-

With a large number of offers moving to a 1-click upsell model, it’s

ed for the advertiser/product, and allows them to purchase the additional

more important than ever for affiliates to be able to analyze their true per-

item with a single click. Offers with 1-click upsells generate 65% higher rev-

formance when running them. The additional insight provided by calcu-

enues compared to offers without built-in upsells. Calculating Blended

lating the blended attach rates and blended EPCs provides affiliates that

Attach Rates. It is important to recognize that when running 1-click upsell

opportunity.

combos you should calculate the blended attach rate and not just theattach rate to understand the overall performance. Calculating the blended

At the end of the day, revenue is the deciding factor when running a

attach rate shows these metrics for the entire buy, as it factors in the con-

campaign-be certain that your affiliate manager provides you with the total

versions on both the upsell and the stand-alone Spot 2 offer.

campaign performance when recommending a new offer. [FF]

Brad Dobbins is the Vice President of Affiliates at Clickbooth.com

21

Tl;dr Five things you should know before adding video to your marketing strategy

Issue 31 - August 2015

Why Video Matters to Every Marketing Strategy

By Rick Anderson Rick Anderson

Y

ou may have heard the speculation that video is going away. But at this point, I can tell you, that it simply isn’t going to happen. In fact,

umental moments as they happen, and from a wide variety of mediums.

when it comes to the hierarchy of brand awareness, video remains

Nowadays, everyone voraciously consumes video, regardless of the time,

an impactful medium that just keeps evolving.

place, or medium. This means marketers must always understand the target audience. Identifying whom that turns out to be, will determine the best

A strong example is “trackvertising,” a hybrid that blends music video with branded advertising. According to Forbes, 2014 saw a marked rise in

timing and placement for your video – be it via television, online, or a blend of venues.

trackvertising. If this isn’t enough confirmation that video is still effective for reaching your audience, here are five more reasons to include video in your marketing strategy:

4). Turn any communication into a “more than” experience.

Thanks to the tidal wave of interactive gaming and virtual reality, people can now become mentally and even physically immersed in your market-

1). Video remains at the top of the funnel. This should not be news to

ing. Combining motion video with the ability for audiences to react and

anyone, and it isn’t going to be changing anytime soon. According to Cisco,

respond both mentally and physiologically, opening a new marketing uni-

by 2019, global consumer Internet video traffic will be 80% of all consumer

verse with endless possibilities.

Internet traffic. The thing to appreciate here is that video will continue to impact all channels; even as ever-changing technology influences the way

5). Video is a key element in the Direct Response marketing discipline. Video is one of the most potent tools in any marketer’s toolbox as

it’s delivered.

it provides experiential motivation. Beyond its obvious storytelling superi-

2). Nothing is as versatile as video when it comes to creating a new awareness. Humans are highly visual beings. We demand information

ority, it can be a cost-effective and efficient means to compel action, with results that can be measured in real-time.

at light-speed while being entertained at the same time. So what better means is there than video to effectively reach and resonate with the multitudes? Marketers have yet to find an alternative.

Great video is no longer a privilege only accessible to big brands and big budgets. There are endless streams of data proving 2015 to be “The Year of Video Marketing.” YouTube statistics supports this, reporting 300

3). Video is a universal link among all demographics. While past

hours of video are uploaded every minute.

generations can still recall what it’s like to receive information through the radio, digital natives are accustomed to the experience of viewing mon-

22

Isn’t it time to get the cameras rolling on your marketing strategy? [FF]

Rick Anderson, Gragg Advertising’s seasoned Creative Director, helps clients discover the power of their brand.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr The art of correspondence is not outdated, as sending a warm e-mail leads to better affiliate relationships, credibility, and closures.

Reach Out!

Don’t Just E-mail.

By Robin R. Talbott Robin Talbott

And, while the odious information led to the death of Philip Barton Ke II

S

ome people feel the art of correspondence is outdated, but sending a warm e-mail handshake through your mouse leads to better affiliate relationships, credibility, and closures. It can even

bring a sense of order to an otherwise hectic schedule and calendar.

As we gather in early August, in New York City, for Affiliate Summit East 2015, we must remember a Maryland legend Francis Scott Key, whose birthday was August 1, 1779. Not only was Francis Scott Key the lyricist for our national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner,” but history also shows he was the father of Philip Barton Key II. Phillip Barton Key was a widower who began meeting Teresa Sickles, the wife of Dan Sickles, a Congressman from New York, for companionship and more while in the upper social circles of Washington, D.C. The illicit relationship went on for over a year, and it seemed everyone in Washington knew about it, except her husband, Dan Sickles, who spent too much time away on business trips.

Until one day, an anonymous note arrived in a splendid hand saying, very courteously, “There is a fellow by the [name] of Philip Barton Key who rents a house for no purpose than to meet your wife. He has as much the use of your wife as you have. With these few hints, I leave the rest for you to imagine.” What a pleasant way to introduce the subject of an unfaithful wife to a hitherto trusting husband.

at the hand of Dan Sickles, in Lafayette Square, directly in front of the White House, the decorum of the poison-pen letter lent an elegant panache to an otherwise sordid situation.

Can you imagine, had this betrayal taken place today by the light of the laptop and the informative announcement hastily e-mailed, what corners might have been cut, removing any gilded elevation of the affair?

Rather than have a flirtatious rustle of lifted satin, we’d have a pared down phrase describing a bump and grind, not nearly enough to delicately solace a shocked husband. In truth, there would be no decency, what-so-ever to these changing life events. And, that is often the problem with barrenly hasty e-mails today. What a social outreach, i.e. sales, opportunity lost!

The ability to demonstrate respect for one’s reader is universally appreciated. It might be thought of as a handshake through the mouse, the same way it is important to smile while on the phone. Take the time to write e-mails with a polite greeting, a well-formulated body of text and a heartfelt closing, because, the introduction an e-mail is often the first impression of a profitable business dealing.

Courtesy and high regard, with a gentle deference to the intended recipient show a gracious level of care, a flourish too often forgotten in this New York Minute world, but one that will be long remembered and welcomed, during sure-to-follow sales contacts. [FF]

Robin R. Talbott (@SunbonSmart) digitally markets at SunbonnetSmart.com

23

tl;dr Engaging influencers and creating content is just the beginning when it comes to building your online marketing program.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Five Tips: Engaging

Blog and Content Sites

By Christina Vickstrom

A

Christina Vickstrom

s marketers, it’s easy to get so excited about our products that we forget not everyone shares our enthusiasm immediately. While most advertisers want more blog and content traffic, due to its

extremely high quality and lifetime user value, not many know how to effectively engage these publishers. portunity with smaller blogs who are searching for fresh content to post on In order to effectively engage blog and content sites, brands need to

a daily basis. These bloggers are often looking for sample blog posts that

know what these publishers looking for in a partnership, and how to get

they can use as a template and then customize the message to suit their

them behind promoting your products.

audience. The same is true for product photography. While many bloggers have the ability to take their own professional photographs, others typical-

Here are five tips for building successful and lasting relationships with blog and content sites:

ly need photography provided by the brand. Brands should strive to create both content and photography that is natural and compelling, and will blend seamlessly into bloggers’ posts.

1). Offer a sample Bloggers and content sites are fiercely loyal to their brand, and need

4). Reserve budget for sponsored posts

a personal experience with a product. Offering a sample of your product,

Online marketing is a pay-to-play world. Many bloggers make their full-

whether it is a good or a trial of a service, is a critical step in building trust

time living off their blog, and do not have inventory for unpaid posts. Allo-

with bloggers. Once bloggers have had a positive interaction with your

cating a specific budget for content posts dramatically expands the reach

brand, they will then be willing and able to promote your product to their

available. It is common for bloggers to work on a paid-post model, rather

audience and convey what sets it apart from competitors.

than an affiliate CPA model. Brands should have the budget and tracking necessary. Paid posts are powerful for driving branding and awareness, in

2). Engage their audience

addition to sales.

Consumers are bombarded with online messages each day. While convincing a blog to promote your product is the first step, encouraging

5). Make a personal connection

readers to engage with your brand is the second. Offering a promotion, dis-

Bloggers prefer to work with partners who they have a connection

count, or giveaway is an effective way to increase consumer interest and

with. Do your research before reaching out to bloggers, and customize

engagement. History has shown that campaigns that offer specials have

your messaging to show that you’ve checked out their site and under-

significantly higher conversion rates than those that do not.

stand their audience. Engage with them through multiple communication channels, including email, phone, and social media. Listen to any

3). Provide sample blog posts and photography

special requests they have, and recognize that each blogger partnership

While most large blogs write their own content, there is also a great op-

will be unique. [FF]

24

Christina is a digital compliance expert with an impressive track record of ensuring publisher conformity.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Renovate your website to drive greater conversions by focusing on three essential elements: site speed, crisp content, and guided pathways

Three Essentials for

Website Conversion

By Courtney VanDyne

website. For example, hallways act as your main menu items, doorways are your sub-menu items, and stairs escalate visitors to a new level of

Courtney VanDyne

T

hink of your company website as a home. It houses the important

commitment, your call to action.

Avoid site abandonment by structuring your navigation with your customer in mind.

aspects of your business, protects your brand identity, and acts as a trusted hub of essential tools for your customers.

Whether you have just built it and need to do simple tweaking or you

Ask questions such as: • What is the main purpose of this page?

• How will this page direct the visitor closer to a conversion?

are in need of a major overhaul, you’ll want to create a positive, intentional experience for your visitors.

Consistent placement and color of call to action buttons enables visitors to get to the desired endpoint, faster. Remember to show your visitors

The Power Supply: Site Speed Site speed can significantly impact your website’s ability to convert.

According to PhoCusWright, 57% percent of consumers will abandon a

where they are in relation to the rest of the site.

The Interior Design: Crisp Content “Brevity is levity.” - William Shakespeare

page that takes longer than three seconds to load. This statistic cannot be ignored in an industry reliant upon the success and profitability of online marketers.

If numerous items are emphasized, they lose importance. Desired conversion actions should be obvious. Avoid burying key selling points below the fold or under lengthy content.

Consider using Google Page Insights to pinpoint specific problem areas. This tool suggests simple fixes for problems it detects within your site.

If you find yourself sifting through a large mass of content, be mindful

Additionally, make a conscious effort to compress image files as you go.

of your target audience and your core conversion goal. Keep the points that

Reducing the size (in bytes) of graphic files will speed up downloads and

draw your visitors’ attention to those goals. Eliminate the rest; or, consid-

improve page rendering time for repeat visitors.

er adding a ‘read more’ link, providing additional content on a secondary page.

The Blueprint: Guided Pathways To a new visitor, a website may feel like a complicated maze of pages, where the information you seek may not always be easy to find. Setting up

Don’t allow your content to compete with itself, but rather, position your text in a way that compliments your main selling points.

guided pathways throughout your site is essential to capturing your visitors’ attention, and ultimately guiding them along a path of conversion.

Whether you choose to renovate your website piece-by-piece or all at once, remember to welcome and guide your visitors towards your desired

In a home, there are various pathways leading to different parts of the house. The navigational elements found in your home can translate to your

conversion goals. Give them a positive experience—a reason to return to your site in the future. [FF]

Courtney VanDyne is the Marketing Specialist at LinkConnector Corporation.

25

tl;dr ESP email marketing and bulk email marketing are two ways to leverage email as an affiliate.`

Issue 31 - August 2015

Two Strategies of E-mail Marketing

By Matt Stowe Matt Stowe

E

-mail marketing is synonymous with change. Every time I turn around, I’m constantly evolving in order to effectively

more value to subscribers. At the same time, you can balance it with adver-

e-mail market.

tisements that can be presented in a way to let the user know you’re trying to help them with a potential need.

ISPs (Internet Service Providers) are continually changing their rules for allowing e-mail to be successfully delivered.

For example, you may have a lead generation campaign for an auto insurance advertiser. You can simply let them know that discounted rates

There are two different strategies to e-mail marketing that I use. The first is ESP (e-mail service provider) e-mail marketing. This type is used by

are available for auto insurance in their area, and you’d like to see them benefit from it, while being able to monetize your e-mail list.

anyone who generates high quality e-mail data through their own website properties or similar sources.

The other strategy is called bulk e-mail marketing. This form of e-mail marketing holds the purpose of strictly sending advertisements with the

ESPs allow you to market through their reputable platform allowing you

goal of delivering into the spam box. This is a numbers game. The more

to reach the inbox with your message. Sometimes though, depending on

e-mail you deliver, the more clicks you’ll receive on your advertisements or

the content, even an ESP won’t be able to deliver your content if it seems

products and services.

too much like spam by major e-mail providers, such as Yahoo, AOL, or Gmail.

This method tends to work well, and is very popular with many affiliates. Bulk amounts of e-mail data are easier to come by than high quality

Each of these providers analyze your message for a number of factors, including user experience, IP (internet protocol) reputation, domain reputa-

data; however, you have to e-mail from your own platform with your own IPs, domains, and e-mail data.

tion, and content of the message.

This can cause headaches. For example, email providers will block doFrom my experience, the best way to reach an inbox is to keep a per-

mains and IPs of e-mailers they view as sending spam. There can be some

sonal and beneficial relationship with your e-mail list. Most ESPs have

tests and trials with this method before finding a strategy that’s profitable.

features that allow you to include the first name of each of your email addresses when sending messages to them. This gives it a personal touch.

Regardless of the method you choose, it will take time to master.

Countless split testing and adjustments will need to be made. But, if you

You can also give away e-books or other free items, in order provide

26

put the time and effort in, you can be successful with e-mail marketing. [FF]

Matt Stowe is the CEO and co-founder of LeadVision Media, LLC and RevenueAds.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Do you ever wonder if your social media marketing is worth the time and effort?

The ROI of Social Media

Marketing

By Michelle G. Held Michelle Held

W

hen a business owner wonders if their social media marketing is working, we all know the hard metric they really

ment, brand recognition, customer service, and product discovery. Only

want. It goes like this, “How much have sales increased

once you define your goals and set realistic expectations can you begin to

since I started posting, tweeting, and pinning? Posting on social media

measure them.

costs me time and money!”

Facebook reach may correlate with brand awareness. Comments and Return on Investment (ROI) is traditionally defined as how much money

shares can be interpreted as an indicator of product interest while a Tweet

is invested versus the benefit returned, usually in the form of sales. ROI is a

leads to an email sign-up that nets a sale. Increased Twitter conversation

number we can arrive at using a mathematical formula.

may improve the bottom line through reduced customer service costs or

Social media ROI can indeed be measured in this sense. We can track a

lower customer acquisition costs.

click on a Facebook post and follow it all the way through to a sale.

Not seeing the results you want?

Hard metrics don’t have to be so hard!

There are brands that are successfully using social media to increase

Measuring the true ROI of social media can be divided into hard and

their customer base and to make sales. Be realistic. Are you sincerely put-

soft metrics. All marketing efforts should define what qualifies as a conver-

ting in the effort it takes to successfully manage a social media campaign?

sion. Is it a sale, a phone call, an email list sign-up, or a customer review?

Do you genuinely interact with your audience? Are posts and photos tai-

Getting more followers is great, but do they eventually (or ever) translate into sales? Although, for most, the ultimate goal is to boost sales, there

lored to each platform? Are you on the right platform for the best possible results?

are other hard metrics to consider. We want to measure the effect of social media on overall traffic to our websites, as well as the amount of time this

Most of all, understand it takes time to cultivate and engaged audience.

user segment stays, what pages are viewed, when are purchases made, or

You would not expect to wield Twitter to sell your book when you only have

if the user only gave us a “like” without ever hitting the buy button.

100 followers, would you?

What about the soft metrics?

Measuring the soft metrics of social media ROI is more challenging.

Other metrics that matter are your number of followers, follower engage-

How do you define success and how do you define the value of social media? I’ll talk about this in more depth at Affiliate Summit East on August 4th. [FF]

Michelle is an entrepreneur, author and speaker who blogs on metrony.com and pintalk.net.

27

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr How to Respond to State AG Complaints to Avoid Dual-Enforcement Collaboration Between the FTC and State AGs

Lessons From

Recent FTC/State AG Collaborations

By Rachel Hirsch Rachel Hirsch 2). Re-Evaluate. If your company is receiving multiple consum-

W

er complaints, especially from the same State AG office, it may be e have all seen the headlines that start with the same omi-

time to examine and re-evaluate your customer policies. Typically,

nous language: “FTC Takes Action Against…,” or “FTC Sues to

your terms and conditions and refund policies will likely need to be

Stop…,” or even the dreaded: “At FTC’s Request, Court Shuts

revamped to ensure that material terms are disclosed clearly and

Down….” These headlines generally signal new enforcement measures

conspicuously and are written in a customer-friendly format.

that the FTC has deemed a priority for that fiscal year, such as shutting down illegal robocallers or stopping supplement makers from deceptive advertising and illegally debiting consumers’ accounts.

3). Train. Most State AG complaints arise from customers dissatisfied with their ability to cancel future shipments of a product or to obtain refunds of past product purchases. These types of problems

Lately, however, the FTC has been sharing the spotlight with other

can be the result of unqualified customer services representatives.

agencies, which pair up with the FTC to flex their respective enforcement

Make sure that all customer service representatives are trained to

muscle. Notably, in recent months, there have been quite a few press

respond to these requests efficiently and effectively.

releases regarding collaborations between the FTC and State AGs offices.

4). Monitor. Sometimes consumer complaints do not emanate The most newsworthy pairing between the FTC and State AGs offices

from your business practices, but rather, the business practices of

was announced in May when the FTC and all 50 states and D.C. charged

your partners. Make sure to monitor your partners to ensure compli-

four cancer charities with bilking over $187 million from consumers.

ance with all applicable laws through periodic auditing and iron-clad agreements.

In the context of FTC/State AG collaborations, the consumer complaints resulting in enforcement actions usually emanate from the State

5). Maintain. To the extent you respond to a customer complaint,

AGs offices, which are the first responders to any illegal or deceptive

make sure you maintain thorough records of your responses. And,

marketing practices. So what lessons should affiliate marketers learn

if your company has received any positive customer feedback, keep

from recent dual-enforcement cases?

track of those records as well to demonstrate good business practices if you are ever the subject of any investigation.

1). Respond. The first course of action, when confronted with a State AG complaint, is to respond, and to respond thoughtfully. Make sure you

Remember, there is only one FTC, but there are 50 State AG offices

investigate the claims being presented, and your formal written response

(plus, the District of Columbia). Keeping their offices happy can be

reflects the findings of your investigation and your overall commitment to

key to avoiding future collaborations that will put your company in the

customer care. In most cases, a full customer refund will do the trick.

headlines. [FF]

Rachel Hirsch is a Senior Associate at Ifrah PLLC, a law firm in Washington, D.C.

29

tl;dr Why branding is essential to the success of your affiliate business and how some network practices compromise this.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Is Your Affiliate Network

Killing Your Brand?

By Lee Currie

T

Lee Currie

he symbiotic relationship between your affiliate business and affiliate network can be a delicate thing. Offset the balance and you risk losing the support of your network, causing great detriment to

Prioritizing these types of offers means easy revenue now but won’t

the business you have worked so hard to build.

appease loyal customers, especially if these offers conflict with brand conI’ve worked both sides and can say from experience, few things are

sistency. Your customers have come to expect offer types relevant to their

more important to the success of an affiliate business than branding (the

needs. Providing anything different will only tarnish your reputation and

way your customers perceive you). That brand can be compromised by

damage the relationship.

affiliate network practices.

2). Redirected Offer Links Before establishing my brand identity, or even realizing the importance

Amidst the day-to-day handling of clients and data, affiliate manag-

of having one, buying clicks was how I mostly got traffic to my affiliate site.

ers don’t always find the time for general housekeeping. This may cause expired offer links to sit on your website that will redirect customers to ir-

I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with buying traffic, but it’s a bit like paying for sex. I’d much rather apply myself and get it for free.

Once I had a brand concept and applied it across all content, including

relevant, perhaps objectionable webpages. Nothing good comes from this scenario.

3). Route Domain Identified as Spam

the types of offers I was running it became easier to build an active cus-

The route domain, through which traffic is directed and tracked by your

tomer base. I started receiving site visitors on my own merit and began

affiliate network, is gradually sullied with “poorer quality” links. The adverse

sustaining them for the long-term. Such is the value of clear and consis-

effect of the route domain being identified as spam, regardless of the final

tent affiliate branding.

customer destination, can discredit your brand. Tools for identifying ‘unhealthy’ links can help prevent this problem.

Your affiliate network won’t consider the fact they might be damaging your brand. It’s up to you to ensure the values and consistencies you have

4). The Pressure to Push

carefully structured, remain intact.

The ratio of offer promotion to content output should always favor the latter. Fresh, insightful, and valuable content is what defines a brand and

Here are four things to keep in mind when protecting your brand:

Your affiliate manager may pressure you to run an offer that is

1). Prioritizing the ‘Instant’ Payout Often your affiliate manager will advise running an offer that yields a quick or ‘instant’ payout but they may not consider whether it fits your brand.

30

keeps your target audience base engaged.

time-sensitive, currently trending or has been requested to be pushed by the advertiser. [FF]

Content writer for Monetise UK Affiliate Network, loves all things marketing.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Affiliate Marketing isn’t just about working with coupon and loyalty sites. Find your shoppers and you’ll find your niche affiliates.

Thinking Outside the Box to Find Affiliates

By Wade Tonkin

F

Wade Tonkin

or years, I have frequented affiliate marketing discussion boards and forums and have seen the question of where to find affiliates and how to recruit them come up. Many affiliate managers who are new

to the game incorrectly assume that their affiliate network should be the only source of affiliates for their offer.

When those targeted affiliates don’t come knocking and they are greet-

ed with an endless stream of applications from cookie cutter coupon and deal sites they get frustrated and blame the network. They may also think that affiliate marketing just doesn’t work for their business.

So where do you find targeted affiliates? The most successful managers take what they can from the networks, and are effective at recruiting their niche affiliates specific to their merchant offer.

Here are some suggestions on how to find targeted affiliates for your offer, or brand, by finding where your shoppers consume their content and discuss their interests:

Podcasts Millions of people listens to podcasts every day and if you can find related podcasts you can approach them to promote your offer. Some free product for fan giveaways might go a long way to get you connected to some passionate fans. It also helps if you can track based on coupon code redemption as most listeners won’t be in front of a computer, but can remember a brand and code for Free Shipping.

Discussion Forums These sites aren’t high-tech or graphically impressive, but they can be

Wade Tonkin is the Affiliate Manager at Fanatics, Inc.

a great place to reach people passionate about a topic. They likely won’t want to run banners, but banners aren’t big sellers in most cases anyway.

Approach them with an offer to assist with covering their hosting charges and time spent. Encourage transparency and even calls to their fans to “shop and support” or offer cool tools like the ALE Script from AvantLink to help encode product keyword mentions with affiliate links with minimal effort on their end.

Local Media You would be surprised how many newspapers will work with a strong rev share or CPA deal these days in their online versions.

Fundraising` If you have a kid in school or sports, you are likely gettng hit up with fundraising offers. Fundraising shoppers are motivated to shop and shop big vs. shopping for discounts. Fundraising can be a great way to attract non-traditional affiliates like sports teams, school groups and community organizations.

There are some great tools out there for fundraising including FlipGive.com and ShareASale’s Fundraising Storefronts that provide easy to use fundraising infrastructure.

There is nothing wrong with building a broad base of topically relevant affiliates who contribute 6-10 sales per month and send you customers who aren’t just looking for a deal. With some smart development of training tools like quick getting started guides and videos, the support effort can be minimized.

Now get out there and think like a shopper and meet your new customers where they are. [FF]

31

tl;dr Navigate FDA, FTC, and state regulation of supplement advertising to protect your brand against government investigation and class action lawsuits.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Dietary Supplements in the “DNA Barcoding” Era

By Ginny Sanderson

Y

Ginny Sanderson ou’re a marketing genius, so you decided to do what all the other marketing geniuses are doing: get into the supplements game.

Supplements are easy—easy to acquire through a white-label

supplier, easy to store, easy to ship, and easy to promote online.

Unfortunately, supplements are also proving easy to prosecute for false advertising claims—by class action attorneys, by state attorneys general, and by the FTC. The good news is that these prosecutors only want two things from you. The bad news is that those two things are (1) annihilation of your business, and (2) all of your money.

Even the country’s largest nutraceutical retailers are not safe from such prosecution, as New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman made clear in February 2015 when he announced that supplements on the shelves of GNC, Target, and Walgreens failed DNA barcode testing for ingredient identity.

tioned, GNC has already entered into a settlement requiring rigorous and transparent testing in the future.

So, if a behemoth like GNC is vulnerable to such prosecution, how can you protect your brand while still turning a profit? An important first step is to conduct a frank analysis of both your product and your advertising claims, including by asking the following questions:

Is your product what it says it is? The point made by A.G. Scheiderman is that a list of ingredients from your supplier is not enough. Records of independent testing to identify all components and their percentage of

32

porting each of your product benefit claims? Links to consumer-friendly articles on WebMD or CNN are insufficient, as are videos from news programs or talk shows, even when they feature real doctors. While you aren’t required to commission such testing yourself, you do need to have records containing legitimate published results of related testing.

Are you relying too much on fine print? Some fine print, such as the disclaimer that “these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration,” is required under the law. But an overabundance of disclaimers will raise a red flag for any prosecutor. If your labels and advertising are awash in asterisks, it’s time to tone down your product benefit

Although both the testing methods and results have since been ques-

the whole are required.

Do you have articles from peer-reviewed medical journals sup-

claims so that they don’t require footnotes.

Do you have a paper trail for all testimonials? When the authorities come calling, they will want proof that each testimonial was from an actual user of the product, as well as the contact information for that user. This is easy to collect and retain through a testimonial affidavit.

Identity testing, medical research, and recordkeeping—it turns out that running a successful supplements empire might not be quite as easy as you originally expected, but you should be up for the challenge.

After all, figuring out how to promote your supplement brand within the confines of the law in a competitive industry requires nothing short of a marketing genius. [FF]

Ginny Sanderson is a partner at Kronenberger Rosenfeld, LLP and advises on Internet advertising compliance.

Issue 31 - August 2015

tl;dr Advocate for affiliate marketing being a value-add “channel” argumenting for it.

Incremental Value:

Holy Grail of Affiliate Marketing

By Geno Prussakov Geno Prussakov

2). Failure to manage the affiliate program, actively steering your affiliates’ marketing efforts. Once advertisers realize how all-encom-

E

passing affiliate marketing really is, the next step is to leverage affiliate arlier this year, a TechCrunch article by Tom Goodwin noted: “Uber,

expertise to power their marketing in the areas where they can add value.

the world’s largest taxi company, owns no vehicles. Facebook, the

This will ensure that affiliates will complement their company’s marketing

world’s most popular media owner, creates no content. Alibaba, the

efforts.

most valuable retailer, has no inventory. And Airbnb, the world’s largest ac-

commodation provider, owns no real estate.”

3). Failure to police (and enforce) compliance. Finally, it is integral to understand that prohibiting unwanted affiliate behavior never prevents

As I read this, I felt a glow of pride for the industry in which I have an honor of working because affiliate marketers have been doing all these

it, but only gives grounds for advertisers to take action should the rules/ policies be broken.

things since 1994. As a good friend of mine, Chris Sanderson, puts it – for over twenty years affiliates have been “doing merchants’ marketing better than they can..., profiting from it.”

Monitoring and enforcing compliance is crucial for two main reasons: (i) it prevents low/no-value affiliate activity, and (ii) it safeguards the good affiliates in your program from having their cookies overwritten by viola-

Our industry, however, has been focused on the incrementality of the

tors.

business that affiliate efforts bring. And, let’s face it, some affiliate programs find ways for affiliates to bring incremental value, and others don’t; ending up shutting their affiliate programs altogether.

Well-developed and closely managed affiliate programs yield an ROI that is, generally, higher than that of any other type of online marketing.

During Steve Denton’s Affiliate Summit West 2014 keynote speech, he in-

I believe, the three chief obstacles that prevent advertisers from seeing their affiliate programs yield incremental value are:

dicated that in over 20% of cases, affiliates are “introducers”, or the first touch point in paths-to-purchase; and nearly half of affiliate-referred customers appear to be new customers.

1). Failure to understand affiliate marketing’s place in the digital marketing ecosystem. Contrary to popular belief, affiliate marketing is

Additionally, according to “The Value of Online Performance Marketing”

not a channel of marketing. It is a marketing context , where the marketer is

study, conducted by PwC for the Internet Advertising Bureau UK (IAB); af-

compensated based on the referred performance, regardless of the chan-

filiate marketing programs yield £14 for every £1 invested by advertisers.

nel of marketing that the affiliate uses.

The choice is yours; either manage your affiliate program in a way that It is integral for advertisers to understand that affiliate marketing exists at the crossroads of all online marketing channels.

encourages incrementality or let your competition gulp down your piece of the pie. [FF]

Prussakov runs AM Navigator affiliate management agency, chairs Affiliate Management Days, speaks, writes, blogs, consults

33

tl;dr What the value an affiliate program management agency brings versus other alternatives - time vs money.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Value of Outsource

Program Management Agencies

By Jonathan Goodwin

T

he affiliate channel adds significant value to online marketing efforts, and many merchants face challenges selecting an effective, successful management team. Should the merchant outsource

Jonathan Goodwin

their affiliate program to an agency (OPM)? Hire in-house? Utilize other resources?

Proper assessment and analysis of all options is necessary to ensure their investment yields the highest dividends. Each option offers benefits, which is why finding the right management team will help determine your ability to achieve your affiliate channel goals.

OPMs A well-constructed affiliate management agency has the bandwidth, expertise, and proven ability to maximize affiliate program results. By tak-

receive from a group of seasoned professionals with their resources, tools, and expertise yields excellent results.

Everyone Else Merchants need bandwidth and creative ideas to drive the incremental revenue needed for an effective affiliate program. Most options outside of an OPM do not have the ability to devote the time and attention required.

Many of these options are cheaper for merchants to utilize, but typically focus only on the low hanging fruit.

ing advantage of industry-vetted talent, brands can minimize program

Although in-house management teams may accomplish a lot, due

ramp-up times and reduce some risks associated with a staffing decision.

to focusing on a single client, OPMs have the proper resources to cover

Affiliate channel development demands copious time and attention.

what’s needed to manage programs effectively.

That alone displays the benefit of working with a market-tested resource.

Most in-house management teams consist of one person, whereas an

Recruiting, activating, and testing optimization tactics, working with hun-

OPM may have three people working on several accounts, with support

dreds or even thousands of affiliates takes considerable time to figure out

staff. Not only do you have a team working on your program, but also they

what works and what does not.

have opportunities to brainstorm with other seasoned marketers in their

OPMs have tested strategies and relationships within the affiliate com-

company on the best strategy for the program.

munity to fully understand and cater to consumers for each affiliate. Each

Agencies are also well acquainted with publishers in the industry, and

publisher is unique, requiring appropriate promotional methods to engage

have established relationships, whereas most in-house managers are new

their consumer demographic.

and must take time to cultivate those relationships.

From loyalties, coupons, daily deals, or comparison-shopping affiliates,

Choosing the right management team is very important. Merchants

an experienced OPM will easily cater to each segment. In order to achieve

want a team with the experience and expertise to grow the channel. Time

the goals for the affiliate channel, the OPM must align their strategies with

and the right strategic methods separate OPMs from everyone else.

the client’s goals and initiatives, and deploy the right tactics to achieve the client’s goals.

The team approach to affiliate program management creates opportunities to utilize more expertise and breadth of experience than any single

Often times, OPMs are the most expensive option, however, the ROI you

34

person can provide [FF]

Jonathan Goodwin is the Director of Accounts at JEBCommerce.

Affiliate Summit East 2015 Agenda Day 0

Saturday, August 1st Early Attendee Check-In

Come by Saturday to pick up your badge and attendee bag so you

can enter immediately on Sunday when the show opens!

Meet Market Table Setup

Meet Market Exhibitors may set up their tables during this time.

9:00 am - 12:00 pm@ Westside Ballroom Salons 1-4 & Foyer

(Badges with Exhibitor or Sponsor Ribbons Only)

12:00 pm - 8:00 pm @ 3rd Floor Foyer

First Timer Orientation

Day 1

Sunday, August 2nd Attendee Check-In

Pick up your conference badge and attendee bag, and get started

with Affiliate Summit.

8:00 am - 6:00 pm @ 3rd Floor Foyer

All first-time attendees are welcome to join Affiliate Summit

Co-Founder Shawn Collins for tips and advice for getting the

most out of your time at Affiliate Summit.

10:00 am - 10:30 am @ Astor Ballroom

Speaker(s):

• Shawn Collins, Co-Founder, Affiliate Summit

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher,Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Networking

Exhibit Hall Booth Setup

Exhibitors may set up their booth at this time.

8:00 am - 6:00 pm @ Broadway Ballroom

(Badges with Exhibitor or Sponsor Ribbons Only)

Refuel, Rendezvous & Refresh Room

All attendees are welcome to take advantage of the tables and WiFi

to have meetings, catch up on work, or simply take a break. Coffee

and Tea available to those with Refresh Drink Tickets.

8:00 am - 6:00 pm @ Empire Complex

(Open to All Pass Holders)

(Open to All Pass Holders)

Affiliate Program Showcase

This is a chance for affiliates to discover the affiliate programs

available to them. Attendees with a badge type of Advertiser,

Affiliate Management, OPM/Agency or Network will have a chance

to claim one roundtable and camp out at it. There will be limited

tables, so it’s first come, first serve. After claiming a table, Advertiser,

Affiliate Management, OPM/Agency or Network attendees can put

out business cards, pamphlets, etc.

10:00 am - 12:00 pm @ Empire Complex

(Open to Advertiser, Affiliate Management, OPM/Agency and Network attendees)

35

Issue 31 - August 2015

Niche/Vertical: Monetization

Speaker Ready Room (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

This is a space where Speaker(s) can find some quiet, and run

through their presentations one last time to ensure that it goes

smoothly during their sessions.

10:00 am - 5:00 pm @ Duffy

(Badges with Speaker Ribbons Only)

Session 1a - Optimize Word Press Like a Super Affiliate

Are you an affiliate using WordPress? Watch WordPress

personality David Vogelpohl share great growth tips for promoting and

optimizing affiliate offers using WordPress. Don’t miss this session!

11:00 am - 12:00 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Speaker(s):

• David Vogelpohl, Vice President of Web Strategy, WP Engine

Session 1c - Partials vs Buyer Data, Best Way to Monetize Leads

How to properly monetize the leads before and after the sale.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm@ Lyceum Complex

Speaker(s):

• JJ Alan, Owner/CEO, Creative Ventures Media

• Ian Fernando, Boss, Jersey Consolidated

• Bryant Hussey, Director of Online Marketing, Atlantic Coast Media Group

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Leads

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: WordPress

Session 1d - 10 Hot New Ways to Drive Massive Digital Success

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 1b - Buying and Selling Websites

Expanding your affiliate business through website acquisitions and

sales? Our experts will provide detailed strategies for buying and

selling websites guaranteed to maximize your revenue potential.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm @ SoHo Complex

Speaker(s):

• Mark Daoust, President, Quiet Light Brokerage

• Chuck Mullins, President, Cash For Your Site

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher

36

Learn the ten hottest ways to generate massive traffic and con

versions for your digital properties: real in-market success stories,

cutting-edge conversion, and the best new traffic strategies.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm@ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s):

• Jay Berkowitz, CEO, Ten Golden Rules

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Performance

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Issue 31 - August 2015

Meet Market

Press Room

The Meet Market at Affiliate Summit is an extended session of struc

The Press Room is an area reserved for credentialed Press only to

tured, face to face networking. Affiliate programs and networks have

grab some desk space, blog, interview, relax, and network.

tables set to meet with affiliates to discuss their offers and cut deals.

Vendors that cater to affiliates and merchants will also have tables

12:00 pm - 6:00 pm @ Columbia

to share information about their products and services. Each table is

a meeting spot for teaching, learning, closing deals, creating partner

(Badges with Speaker Ribbons Only)

ships and finding new opportunities.

12:00 pm - 6:00 pm@ Westside Ballroom Salons 1-4 & Foyer

(Open to All Pass Holders)

37

Issue 31 - August 2015

Session 2a - Live SEO & Monetization Site Reviews

Want to know why your site doesn’t rank or how you can make more

money? This session will help Affiliates & ecommerce sites increase

their traffic, user experience and generate more revenue!

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Session 2c - Six Figure Blogging: The Myth, Dream & Reality

This super panel of six figure bloggers and online marketers will

discuss exactly what it takes to grow your blog and brand to six

figure business using affiliate marketing and more.

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm@ Lyceum Complex

Speaker(s):

• Kenny Hyder, Founder, Hyder Media,

• Roger Montti, Owner, MartiniBuster.com,

• Scott Polk, Founder / CEO, Marketing Nomads

• Adam Riemer, President, Adam Riemer Marketing

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: SEO

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s):

• Syed Balkhi, Founder, WPBeginner

• John Chow, Titles Are For Wimps, John Chow dot Com

• Zac Johnson, President, MoneyReign Inc

• John Rampton, President, Adogy

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: Blogging

Session 2b - 10 Proven Ways to Make Money as a Internet Marketer

I will be discuss different business models and careers to

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 2d - Google Updates, Link Building, SEO and SMM from a Ninja

make money on the Internet. Complete with numerous strategies

Boykin will talk about Google updates, content marketing, link build

and examples.

ing, how Not to be a Thin Affiliate, changes in SEO, how to leverage

social media to help grow your brand.

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm @ SoHo Complex

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm@ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s)

• Evan Weber, CEO, Experience Advertising

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser

Speaker(s)

• Jim Boykin, CEO, Internet Marketing Ninjas

Niche/Vertical: Marketing

Experience Level: Intermediate

Niche/Vertical: SEO

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser

38

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Issue 31 - August 2015

VIP & All Access Snack Break

Session 3c - How to Attract Quality Web Traffic & Leads with Instagram

Take a break from the networking and education for some snacks

and drinks in a relaxed networking environment. (Snack Tickets are

Instagram is a powerful platform for marketing today. Businesses

also required.)

are using it right now to get quality web traffic, leads, and sales. This

session will teach you the insider secrets of how to do it.

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm @ Lyceum Complex

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm @ Empire Complex

(Open to VIP and All Access pass holders with snack tickets only)

Speaker(s)

Session 3a - Testing Is Not CRO But It’s Still Darn Important

Testing has hit the mainstream, but when something is popular - bad

habits form. In this session you’ll learn when you should test, what to

test, and how to construct a winning optimization campaign.

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Speaker(s)

• Justin Rondeau, Conversion Optimization Manager, Digital Marketer

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher,Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Optimization

• Sarah Davidson, Founder, Palm Valley Media LLC

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: Instagram (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 3d - Case Studies In Dynamic Commission Payouts (Attribution)

A look at how top retailers are using commission splitting to grow

more data-driven, affiliate-friendly programs. Learn what attribution

actually means for this industry besides just clickstream data.

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm @ Julliard Complex

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

Session 3b - 5 Musts For Mobile Ad Campaign Success

These tips from the front-lines are proven strategies that marketers

can practice to ensure their mobile ad campaigns are set up for success.

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm@ SoHo Complex

• Chad Waite, Marketing Manager, AvantLink

Experience Level: Advanced Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Attribution (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

• Dale Carr, CEO, Leadbolt

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Mobile (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

39

Issue 31 - August 2015

Session 4a - Mobile Optimization Mastery: 5 Reasons Why Your ROI Sucks

Discover the top strategies I use to develop highly profitable and

scaleable mobile campaigns. You’ll discover exactly what’s holding

back your mobile campaigns and how to finally achieve optimal ROI.

2:45 pm - 3:15 pm @ Astor Ballroom

prior to purchase. People want what they want now. Learn how hu

mans search and 3 proven tactics to increase search engine rankings.

2:45 pm - 3:15 pm @ Lyceum Complex

Speaker(s)

• Shannon K. Steffen, President, Shannon K. Steffen International LLC

Experience Level: Intermediate

Speaker(s)

• Rohail Rizvi, CEO, Rohail Rizvi

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: SEO (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: Mobile (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 4d - Affiliate Strategy: Bourbon Neat vs. Long Island Iced Tea

Don’t put all your booze in one glass. Strategy tips for content

affiliates that won’t result in a killer hangover.

Session 4b - Avoiding Legal Risk in the Ever-Evolving World of Mobile Mobile has become one of the strongest marketing channels

for brands, affiliates, and agencies. But this channel comes with a

unique set of legal risks, which will be discussed in this session.

2:45 pm - 3:15 pm @ SoHo Complex

Speaker(s)

2:45 pm - 3:15 pm @ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s)

• Christen Moynihan, Editorial and Accounts Manager, The Broke-Ass Bride

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: Strategy (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

• Slade Cutter, Member, Wittliff Cutter

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Legal (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 4c - Things You Don’t Know About Human SEO, But Should

Session 5a - Social Marketing Friend to Friend

Learn how experts from the eBay Enterprise affiliate network have

embraced user behavior to crack the code to performance based so

cial commerce marketing and build brand advocacy.

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Speaker(s)

• Tara Siegel, Manager Paid Search & Social, eBay Enterprise

40

We live a search-happy world. 93% of all buyers use a search engine

Experience Level: Intermediate

Issue 31 - August 2015

Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Social (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 5b - The Next Affiliate Battleground: Inbound Call Marketing

Session 5d - Leveraging Competitive Intelligence in Native Advertising

This session will define the native advertising opportunity, break

down the key components of an effective native campaign, and high

light how to leverage competitive intelligence for success.

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm @ Julliard Complex

Getting consumers to call you directly is the Holy Grail of marketing.

Learn how to use direct response call marketing for enhanced cus-

tomer acquisition and mobile monetization opportunities.

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm @ SoHo Complex

Speaker(s)

• Daryl Colwell, SVP, Matomy Media Group

Speaker(s)

• David Kelly, VP of Business Development, WhatRunsWhere

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Native (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Inbound (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 5c - SEO for the Modern Day Affiliate

Looking for ways to reap the benefits of SEO in 2015 as an affiliate?

In this session we teach practical examples of SEO tactics that can

drive traffic that converts to leads!

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm @ Lyceum Complex

Speaker(s)

• Cliff Ritter, Chief Marketing Officer & SEO, Lowest Rates inc.

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Network Niche/Vertical: SEO

Ask the Experts Roundtables

Handpicked experts will handle topics in their specialty and con

duct chats, answer questions and share opinions during this net

working and educational session.

Compliant Affiliate Marketing for High-Risk Verticals • Thomas Cohn, Deputy General Counsel, NBTY, Inc. Creepy Video Marketing Tips and Tricks. It’s Amazing • Jace Vernon, Owner, YINC Hands On With Affiliate Tools • Joe Sousa, Affiliate Coordinator, Fanatics.com High Risk Processing & Operation Choke Point • Heather Petersen, CEO, National Merchants Association Is Your Affiliate Strategy Hurting or Helping your Brand?

• Todd Boullion, GM, UnsubCentral

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders) Tips from an FTC Pro: How to Stay on the Agency’s Right Side • Bill Rothbard, Attorney, Law Offices of William I. Rothbard Using Search Partners to Boost Affiliate/PPC Search Programs • Christopher Park, Affiliate/Partnerships Manager, Blair.com

41

Issue 31 - August 2015

Using Video in the Affiliate Space • Nouriel Gino Yazdinian, CEO, Modulates

Refuel, Rendezvous & Refresh Room

You’ve Made a Boatload of Money... Now What?

All attendees are welcome to take advantage of the tables and WiFi

to have meetings, catch up on work, or simply take a break. Coffee

and Tea available to those with Refresh Drink Tickets.

• Tony Fiorillo, President, Asset Management Strategies, Inc. (Open to All Pass Holders)

7:30 am - 5:00 pm@ Empire Complex

(Open to All Pass Holders)

Opening Cocktail Reception in the Meet Market

Wrap up the end of Day 1 with a cocktail inside the Meet Market while

you network with fellow attendees.

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm @ Westside Ballroom Salons 1-4 & Foyer

(Open to All Pass Holders)

Press Room

The Press Room is an area reserved for credentialed Press only to

grab some desk space, blog, interview, relax, and network.

8:30 am - 6:00 pm @ Columbia

(Badges with Press Ribbons Only)

Newcomer Program Meetup

The Affiliate Summit Newcomer Program helps connect first-time

attendees with Affiliate Summit veterans. Conference veterans vol

unteer their time to share their past experience ideas and informa

tion to help newcomers optimize their time at the conference. This is

an opportunity for those first-time attendees and conference vete

rans to meet. (You must be enrolled in the Affiliate Summit

Newcomer Program to participate in this event.)

6:30 pm - 7:30 pm @ Duffy

(Open to Pre-Registered Newcomer Program Participants Only)

Day 2

Monday, August 3rd

Buffet Breakfast

9:00 am - 10:00 am @ Westside Ballroom

(Open to VIP and All Access pass holders with breakfast tickets only)

Exhibit Hall Refresh

Exhibitors may use this time to refresh their booth, catch up with

their employees and enjoy a selection of morning pastries and coffee

before the Exhibit Hall opens.

9:00 am - 10:00 am @ Broadway Ballroom

(Badges with Exhibitor or Sponsor Ribbons Only)

Attendee Check-In

Pick up your conference badge and attendee bag, and get started

with Affiliate Summit.

7:30 am - 5:00 pm@ 3rd Floor Foyer

42

Speaker Ready Room

This is a space where Speaker(s) can find some quiet, and run

through their presentations one last time to ensure that it goes

smoothly during their sessions.

Issue 31 - August 2015

9:00 am - 5:00 pm @ Duffy

(Badges with Speaker Ribbons Only)

Session 6a - Going Global: How to Take Your Program Abroad the Right Way

Affiliate programs face challenges expanding abroad, including

network and regulation differences and trouble recruiting affiliates.

Panelists will offer tips for successfully going global.

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Astor Ballroom

Speaker(s):

• Todd Crawford, VP, Impact Radius

• Robert Glazer, Founder & Managing Director, Acceleration Partners

• Alec McNees, Partnerships Manager, North America, Yieldify

• Nicholas Lamothe, Senior Marketing Manager, Reebok

Experience Level: Intermediate

Session 6c - How Vendors & Affiliates Can Partner in 2015 and Beyond

Panel discussion across affiliates, OPMs, networks, & advertisers:

key success drivers & new governance needed to grow revenues and

build a strong program in an omni-channel world

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Lyceum Complex

Speaker(s):

• Rick Gardiner, CEO, iAffiliate Management

• Michael Ni, CMO/SVP Products, Marketing, Network, Avangate

• Michael Robichaud, President, Chicago Affiliate Marketers

• Costel Sticea, Global Affiliates Sales Manager, Bitdefender

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Omni-channel (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: International (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 6b - Industry Watercooler: 8 Things You Should be Talking About

Get the latest buzz on the most important topics impacting perfor

mance marketing including attribution, blogger recruiting, employee

compensation, regulatory updates, mobile and more.

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ SoHo Complex

Speaker(s):

• Mike Allen, Chief Executive Shopper, Shopping-Bargains

• Dave Naffziger, CEO, BrandVerity

• Lisa Picarille, Online Content Strategist, Lisa Picarille.com

Experience Level: Intermediate

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser

Session 6d - Becoming a Better Recruiter of Affiliates

A deep dive into how to successfully recruit great affiliates. Led by

experienced recruiters, this session includes techniques and

practices to make you more successful in your efforts.

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s):

• Van Chappell, Founder/CEO, 5IQ

• Stephanie Harris, CEO, Schaaf-PartnerCentric

• Lauren Pfanmiller, Managing Director, Adperio/Ignite

• Karen White, CEO, Chateau 20

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Recruiting (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Niche/Vertical: Issues (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

43

Issue 31 - August 2015

Session 6e - The eCommerce Power of Content

Luncheon Buffet

In today’s digital world, Purse Blog and VigLink will discuss the best

strategies for connecting content to commerce to increase sales/

commissions, social engagement and brand awareness.

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Times Square

12:30 pm - 1:45 pm @ Westside Ballroom (Open to VIP and All Access pass holders with lunch tickets only)

Speaker(s):

Session 7a - Finding Profitable Content Ideas

• Vladimir Dusil, PurseBlog.com

• Scott Jangro, President, Shareist, Inc.

Learn how to find the competitions’ best performing content & new

• Oliver Roup, CEO, VigLink

content ideas, how to create content that drives revenue (and not

just traffic), how to promote that content and get SEO benefit from

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: Monetization (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

• Rae Hoffman, CEO, PushFire, Inc.

Experience Level: Intermediate

Exhibit Hall Open

Meet with a wide selection of affiliate programs, networks, affiliate

program managers, and vendors. All attendees are welcome.

10:00 am - 5:00 pm @ Broadway Ballroom

(Open to All Pass Holders)

Opening Remarks & Keynote

11:15 am - 12:15 pm @ Westside Ballroom

Speaker(s):

• Ashley Coombe, Marketing Director, Prosperent

• Brian Littleton, President/CEO, ShareASale

(Open to All Pass Holders)

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: Content (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 7b - Amazon vs. Walmart: Affiliate Marketing Lessons to Learn

One is the planet’s biggest online store; the other is the world’s larg

est company by revenue. Both engage affiliates to drive sales. Come

to discover how & what practical lessons merchants can learn.

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm @ SoHo Complex

Speaker(s)

• Geno Prussakov, CEO & Founder, AM Navigator LLC

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Management (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

44

Issue 31 - August 2015

Session 7c - Great Idea, Now Execute: How to Start Your New Startup

You have the marketing skills. You have the business ideas. Now

learn actionable, real-world methods to create, build, and launch

your new company.

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm @ Lyceum Complex

my mistakes and successes in blogging, networking and marketing.

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm @ Times Square

Speaker(s):

• Tricia Meyer, Owner, Sunshine Rewards

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Practices

Speaker(s):

• Sean Steinmarc, Founder, psGive

• James Thompson, Owner, Daft Labs, LLC

Experience Level: Intermediate

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Niche/Vertical: Entrepreneurship

Session 8a - Strategies and Tools for Managing a Virtual Staff

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Home-based employees may mean top talent and lower overhead.

But, they present challenges in HR, productivity and executing com

pany vision. Learn strategies and tools to face these challenges head on.

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser

Session 7d - Affiliate Marketing 3.0 What’s Wrong, What’s Right

Affiliate marketing has the potential to contribute to new revenue op

portunities. Explore the pitfalls of affiliate marketing and conversely

how to leverage affiliate marketing in new innovative ways.

Speaker(s)

• Rachel Honoway, CEO, FMTC

Experience Level: Advanced Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm @ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s):

• David Sendroff, CEO, Forensiq

• David Stewart, CTO, CAKE

Experience Level: Intermediate

Niche/Vertical: Virtual (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Niche/Vertical: Affiliate Marketing

Session 8b - The Future of Pay Per Call: Technology Improving Conversion

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

The current landscape of pay per call, transition from leads to calls

including Google mobile focus. The future of click to call, in-browser

phone calls, conversion, and affiliates source tracking.

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm @ SoHo Complex

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Network

Session 7e - 20 Questions and Answers from Behind the Scenes

I’m the person who spills the beans about everything from tracking

to increased commissions to FTC disclosure. Learn from 10 years of

Speaker(s)

• Bryan George, CEO, Ring Router, Inc.

45

Issue 31 - August 2015

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Pay Per Call (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 8c - Affiliate Fraud Trends & the Policies Needed in the Industry

The industry needs established policies for monitoring affiliate fraud

or identity theft: review online traffic, survey consumers, &

implement fraud detection software or affiliate scrubbing service.

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm @ Lyceum Complex

Session 8e - Making Money as a Mobile Affiliate

With the growing popularity in mobile this session will share some

simple tips for affiliates who know how to make money on the web

– to do the same on mobile.

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm @ Times Square

Speaker(s)

• Chen Levanon, CEO, ClicksMob Inc.

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Network Niche/Vertical: Mobile (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

• Monica Eaton-Cardone, COO/Co-Founder, Chargebacks911

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Fraud (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 8d - Photo Tips for Better Product and Website Photographs

Session 9a - Affiliate Program Management in the ShareASale Network

An in-depth, live peak inside an active ShareASale program. As an

Outsourced Program Manager (OPM), I live inside the network every

day. I will give managers tips and tricks to maximize programs.

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Speaker(s)

• Greg Hoffman, President, Greg Hoffman Consulting

Bad website photos can hurt sales. Increase sales with great lighting,

better product photography setup, resizing photos for websites,

Experience Level: Beginner

great color, and prevent double chins in your headshot.

Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser

3:15 pm - 3:45 pm @ Julliard Complex

Niche/Vertical: Management (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

• Jerry Hughes, Owner, Easy Photo Class

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Photography (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

46

Session 9b - Biting the Hand that Feeds You: How Agencies View Affiliates

Traditional and digital agencies have long viewed Affiliates with both

skepticism and optimism - with many agencies being overly

cautious when recommending an affiliate program.

Issue 31 - August 2015

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm @ SoHo Complex

Speaker(s)

• Tony Wright, CEO, WrightIMC

Session 9e - The Future is Web 3.0: Social Commerce

Web 3.0 will enable advertisers to directly sell to consumers within

social media properties. More importantly, each sale can easily be

Experience Level: Intermediate

shared by the consumer to create a viral word-of-mouth campaign.

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher

Niche/Vertical: Agencies

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm @ Times Square

• Rey Pasinli, Executive Director, Total Apps, Inc.

Experience Level: Beginner

Session 9c - Exclusive Insight Into the Mobile App Marketing Movement

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network

Mobile is on the rise. Now is the time to focus on user acquisition

and discuss the importance of mobile app marketing, effective

(Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

means to app discovery, and App Store ranking (Apple vs. Google).

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm @ Lyceum Complex

Niche/Vertical: Social

Speaker(s)

• Brian Fox, CEO, AdAction Interactive

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Mobile (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 9d - Facebook Video Ad Domination

How to successively create a winning Facebook video campaign:

which styles of video work the best, how affiliates can leverage

Facebook video ads, and how to get views for less than five cents.

4:00 pm - 4:30 pm @ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s)

• Akiva Ben-Ezra, CEO, BenEzra Marketing

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Facebook (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

47

Issue 31 - August 2015

Speaker(s)

Session 10a - Back to the Basics: Affiliate Management 101

• Michelle Held, Owner, Metrony, LLC

Session details will include terminology, recruitment, commission,

Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher

fraud, technology, and more. Affiliate managers new to the industry

can use this information and apply to their programs immediately.

4:45 pm - 5:15 pm @ Astor Ballroom

Experience Level: Intermediate Niche/Vertical: Social (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

• Marty Marion, Affiliate Program Manager, Deluxe Corp

Experience Level: Beginner

Session 10d - Activating a Community of Brand Evangelists

Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Management (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 10b - Internet Marketing 101

This session will provide a blueprint for activating a community

of brand evangelists by leveraging best practices to reach members

of large-scale affinity groups to driving customer acquisition.

4:45 pm - 5:15 pm @ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s)

With so many different Internet Marketing channels available today,

where do I start? How much should I spend? Who should I trust?

Which channel is better than another?

4:45 pm - 5:15 pm @ SoHo Complex

• Blake Hall, CEO, ID.me

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Affinity (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Speaker(s)

• Darin Carter, CEO, Darin Carter

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher Niche/Vertical: Internet Marketing (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 10c - How to Measure the ROI of Social Media: Is it Even Possible?

Social media can make you money! Learn to measure social media

return on investment. Todays online buying process is complex.

Measuring social media ROI may not be perfect, but it’s not impossible!

48

4:45 pm - 5:15 pm @ Lyceum Complex

Session 10e - 10 Ways to Stay on Track When Working from Home

So many of us work from home. With kids, pets, & all the daily dis

tractions of home life, it can be hard to really focus to get work done.

Learn 10 strategies to stay focused while working at home.

4:45 pm - 5:15 pm @ Times Square

Speaker(s)

• Trisha Lyn Fawver, Affiliate Program Manager, Snow Consulting, Inc.

Experience Level: Beginner Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Home (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Issue 31 - August 2015 Day 0

Tuesday, August 4th Attendee Check-In

Pick up your conference badge and attendee bag, and get started

with Affiliate Summit.

Exhibit Hall Refresh

Exhibitors may use this time to refresh their booth, catch up with

their employees and enjoy a selection of morning pastries and coffee

before the Exhibit Hall opens.

9:00 am - 10:00 am @ Broadway Ballroom

(Badges with Exhibitor or Sponsor Ribbons Only)

8:00 am - 3:00 pm @ 3rd Floor Foyer

Speaker Ready Room Refuel, Rendezvous & Refresh Room

This is a space where Speaker(s) can find some quiet, and run

All attendees are welcome to take advantage of the tables and WiFi

through their presentations one last time to ensure that it goes

to have meetings, catch up on work, or simply take a break. Coffee

and Tea available to those with Refresh Drink Tickets.

smoothly during their sessions.

8:00 am - 4:00 pm @ Empire Complex

9:00 am - 2:00 pm @ Duffy

(Open to All Pass Holders)

(Badges with Speaker Ribbons Only)

Press Room

The Press Room is an area reserved for credentialed Press only to

grab some desk space, blog, interview, relax, and network.

8:30 am - 4:00 pm @ Columbia

(Badges with Press Ribbons Only)

Session 11a - The Path to Becoming a Mobile Performance Jedi Master

Our mobile performance Jedi Council will share the latest tips and

tricks to conquer the galaxy. Leading networks will discuss how

they’ve used the Force to successfully build their mobile empires.

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Astor Ballroom

Speaker(s):

Buffet Breakfast

9:00 am - 10:00 am @ Westside Ballroom

(Open to VIP and All Access pass holders with breakfast tickets only)

• Konstantin Dieterle, Managing Director, AppLift

• Florian Lehwald, Founder & President, KissMyAds GmbH

• Cameron Stewart, General Manager, TUNE

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Mobile (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

49

Issue 31 - August 2015

Session 11b - Tips for Building Relationships and Sales with Bloggers

Session 11d - Auditing the Merchant – Network Relationship

This session will go beyond standard blogger recruitment tactics

Auditing your network relationship is a key part of managing an affil

and focus on how to increase blogger sales by focusing on coaching,

iate program. Here are the Top 10 points to consider when reviewing

understanding blogger concerns, and resolving attribution issues.

your affiliate network’s capabilities and performance.

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ SoHo Complex

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Julliard Complex

Speaker(s):

• Ciaran Blumenfeld, CMO, Hashtracking

• Debbie Bookstaber, Owner, Element Associates

• Kelby Carr, CEO, Type-A Parent

• Anne Parris, Managing Partner, Midlife Boulevard

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Bloggers (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 11c - Trials and Triumphs From Affiliate Marketing Front Lines

Speaker(s):

• Jeannine Crooks, Senior Account Manager, Affiliate Window

• Kellie Hudson, Affiliate Marketing Specialist, lynda.com

• John LoBrutto, Director of Affiliates & Partnerships, 1 & 1 Internet, Inc.

• Karen McMahon, Affiliate Marketing Strategist, The Affiliate Whisperer

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Trends (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Session 11e -Affiliate Publisher Trends - Who's Growing? Who's Not?

An analysis of growth trends across publisher types. We will slice

these trends across the coupon, loyalty, discovery, and CSE categories.

continued discussion on proven strategies, effective resets & more

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Times Square

10:00 am - 11:00 am @ Lyceum Complex

Speaker(s)

Extension of a top 10 session; 4 industry leaders compare further

insights & lessons learned from unexpected changes in AM trends; a

• Kyle Schumacher, Partner Development, Impossible Ventures

Speaker(s):

• Sylvia Cintron, Director Digital Marketing, Check Into Cash

• Jackie Eldridge, Director of Marketing, DollarDays

• Helen Fang, Director, Marketing, Coupons.com

• Tara McCommons, VP Sales and Marketing, LinkConnector Corporation

• Carrie Rocha, Owner, Pocket Your Dollars

.

Experience Level: Intermediate Target Audience: Affiliate/Publisher, Merchant/Advertiser, Network Niche/Vertical: Insights (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

50

Experience Level: Advanced Target Audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/Vertical: Networks (Networking Plus with Session Ticket, VIP and All Access Pass Holders)

Issue 31 - August 2015

Exhibit Hall Open

Workshops

Meet with a wide selection of affiliate programs, networks, affiliate

These are a series of 15 minute interactive, tailored conversations,

program managers, and vendors. All attendees are welcome.

where attendees can interact one on one with experts on various

topics at a pre-arranged, scheduled time. Workshops covered will in

clude affiliate relationships, buying and se`lling businesses, network

APIs. SEO, social media.

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm @ Westside Ballroom

10:00 am - 4:00 pm @ Broadway Ballroom

(Open to All Pass Holders)

Speaker(s):

Opening Remarks & Keynote

11:15 am - 12:15 pm @ Westside Ballroom

Speaker(s):

• Ashley Coombe, Marketing Director, Prosperent

• Tim Ash, CEO, SiteTuners

(Open to All Pass Holders)

• Darin Carter, CEO, Darin Carter

• Sal Conca, Founder, Streamline Marketing

• Michelle Held, Owner, Metrony, LLC

• Rae Hoffman, CEO, PushFire, Inc.

• Chuck Mullins, President, Cash For Your Site

• Eric Nagel, CTO, FMTC

• Courtney Pearson, Senior Affiliate Manager, Ovative/group

• Nathan Smith, President , Zynali Incorporated

• Shannon K. Steffen, President, Shannon K. Steffen International, LLC

• Lisa Tufts, International Marketplace Manager, SHOP.COM

(Open to Pass Holders that Pre-Registered for the One-on-One Work-

Luncheon Buffet

12:30 pm - 1:45 pm @ Westside Ballroom

(Open to VIP and All Access pass holders with lunch tickets only)

shops Only)

Networking Pub Crawl

Refer to your Pub Crawl map of participating sponsors and visit each

one for great networking opportunities and, of course, free beer. All

attendees welcome.

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm @ Broadway Ballroom

(Open to All Pass Holders)

51

Issue 31 - August 2015

A

Keynote Bio Brian Littleton s the founder and CEO of ShareASale, Brian has connected thousands of merchants and affiliates alike, ensuring mutual profitability while preserving the spirit and core values of the affiliate marketing industry. Since 2000, his leadership and vision have

helped shape the industry into what it is today. ShareASale celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and currently supports over 3,600 small- to medium-sized merchants, working strategi-

cally with its clients, both on the advertising and publishing end, to maximize their individual potential.

52

[FF]

Issue 31 - August 2015

T

Keynote Bio Tim Ash

im Ash is the author of the bestselling book Landing Page Optimization, and CEO of SiteTuners (a firm that improves website conversion rate via conversion-focused redesign blueprints, landing page testing, and training of internal optimization teams). In

the mid-1990s he became one of the early pioneers in the discipline of website conversion rate optimization. Over the past 19 years, Tim has helped a number of major US and international brands to develop successful web-based initiatives. Companies like Sears, Google, Expedia, eHarmony, Canon, Nestle, Symantec, Intuit, Yahoo! and many others have benefited from Tim’s innovative perspective. Tim is a highly-regarded keynote speaker and presenter at industry conferences worldwide. He is the founder and chairperson of Conversion Conference and a frequent contributor to print and online publications such as ClickZ, and Website Magazine.

[FF]

53

Issue 31 - August 2015

Affiliate Summit East 2015 Speaker Bios JJ Alan

Jamie Birch

What began as an idea in JJ Alan’s entrepreneurial mind 16 years ago, laid the groundwork for his innovative and creative journey online. JJ Alan is a successful marketer, who has exploded into the affiliate marketing scene and is known for his “Scared Money Don’t Make Money” motto. His aggressive approach to online advertising and creative strategies is what really sets him apart from the pack. Armed with creativity and passion, JJ Alan offers entrepreneurs advice to make money online.

Jamie is the owner and principal of JEBCommerce. His extensive internet marketing experience includes all facets of online marketing: email, paid search, customer retention programs and much more. This wide range of disciplines has enabled Jamie to excel as a business leader and JEB Commerce to realize a great level of success for clients like Charlotte Russe, DownEast, Johnston & Murphy and Country Outfitter.

Mike Allen Mike Allen founded Shopping-Bargains.com in February 1999 and currently serves as President and “Chief Executive Shopper.” Designed to help people save money shopping 2,000+ trusted online retailers, Shopping-Bargains was a finalist for the LinkShare Golden Link Merchant’s Choice Award in 2005 and the LinkShare Golden Link Advertiser’s Choice Award in 2008. Mike received the Affiliate of the Year award at the 3rd Annual Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Awards in 2009. In addition, Shopping-Bargains was inducted into the Mississippi BBB’s Business Integrity Circle of Honor in 2007. Mike attends many affiliate marketing industry conferences and has presented at Affiliate Summit, New Media Expo, Affiliate Management Days, and several affiliate network conferences. Mike has served on a variety of industry and business advisory boards, founded Businesswright Consulting in 2013, blogs, serves on two PMA councils, and is a frequent guest on WCBI-TV.

Syed Balkhi Syed Balkhi is the founder of WPBeginner and List25 an extremely popular entertainment site with over 1 million subscribers and 150 Million video views. Syed’s work has been featured in NYTimes, HuffingtonPost, Yahoo Small Business, Wired, Mashable, and countless other well-reputed online magazines.

Akiva Ben-Ezra Akiva Ben-Ezra is the owner of Israel-based Ben-Ezra Marketing, which helps small to medium businesses, both in the US and worldwide, to gain market share worldwide. As a speaker and panelist at international Internet marketing conferences and through webinars, he teaches non-experts how to understand difficult web concepts and methods and put them to work building revenues and sales.

Jay Berkowitz Jay Berkowitz is an entrepreneur, author, educator and an International keynote speaker. Mr. Berkowitz is the author of The Ten Golden Rules of Online Marketing and 10 Free Internet Marketing Strategies that went to #1 on Amazon. He is the Founder and CEO of the award-winning digital marketing agency www.TenGoldenRules.com, He developed the curriculum for the University of San Francisco Internet Marketing Course and he has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal, The Business Journals and he was interviewed on FOX Business TV. Mr. Berkowitz is a popular keynote presenter at conferences and events such as Inc 500, eBay Live, Affili@Australia, Ad-Tech, Affiliate Summit, Webmaster World, The Direct Marketing Association, The American Marketing Association and The CEO Executive Forum. He is on the Board of Directors of The Strategic Forum, a Founding Board Member of The South Florida Interactive Marketing Association, and Past President of The American Marketing Association.

54

Ciaran Blumenfeld Ciaran Blumenfeld is the co-founder of http://Hashtracking.com and Publisher at http://Momfluential.Net. She has been named as one of the "15 Most Powerful Moms in Social Media" by Working Mother Magazine. You can follower her on Twitter at @momfluential.

Debbie Bookstaber Debbie Bookstaber is the President of Element Associates, where she leads integrated social media, affiliate marketing, PR and blogger outreach campaign for her clients. Debbie brings a unique perspective to projects based on her experience as both an affiliate manager and a successful blogger. As the blogger behind Mamanista.com and Bloganthropy.org, Debbie was recognized as one of the “Top 25 Parent Bloggers Who Are Changing the World” by Babble.com in 2012 and as a “Best of the Net” Blogger by Working Mother Magazine in 2013. Debbie has over a dozen years of marketing experience at brands such as Expedia and Travelocity. She has managed online marketing programs responsible for several hundred million dollars in annual sales. Debbie has advised PR firms and Fortune 500 companies on blogger relations and effective social media strategies, and she serves as the Director of Social Media for Child’s Play Communications in New York, NY. Follow her on Twitter @buzzmommy.

Todd Boullion Todd is currently the president of UnsubCentral, which is a software solutions company that helps Fortune 1000 advertisers comply with federal anti-spam laws. Prior to Todd’s role at UnsubCentral, he spent over 10 years at Dell in functions spanning finance, online, product marketing, communications, product management and global operations. His first role was the business analyst on Dell’s pioneering E-Business team, where they generated over $50MM in revenue a day via online channels. His last role was leading a Global Commercial Marketing team co-located in the US & EU, responsible for creating and executing worldwide plans to drive market share across all commercial offerings. Prior to Dell, Todd had a career in commercial banking.

Jim Boykin Jim Boykin is the founder and CEO of Internet Marketing Ninjas, a full service online marketing company based in upstate New York. Jim started his SEO business in 1999, and today Ninjas has grown to about 80 full time, in-house marketing experts. Jim has also purchased several online internet marketing communities including: WebmasterWorld.com, Cre8asiteForums.com, SEOChat.com, DevShed. com, ThreadWatch.org and more. To date Jim has added over 100 free tools to these communities.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Dale Carr Dale Carr is the founder and CEO of Leadbolt, the next generation mobile marketing platform delivering high-performance advertising for app developers and advertisers. Recently named by Ernst & Young as Australian “Entrepreneur of the Year” for Technology, he is a recognized industry expert and has been a leader in the technology, mobile and digital advertising industries for over 15 years. In 2010, Dale launched Leadbolt, having noticed that mobile advertising at the time was merely about moving standard web advertising onto a smaller screen. This was not only ineffective, but it was not taking advantage of the inherent technological advantages that were available on mobile. Leadbolt was formed to bridge this gap. Today Leadbolt serves 10 billion mobile ads a month, across 65,000 apps in 165 countries. Leadbolt was named “Most Innovative Company of the Year” by Best in Biz International, and named Gold Stevie Award Winner for “Technology Company of the Year” among others.

Kelby Carr Kelby Carr is the founder and publisher of Type-A Parent. She also is the organizer of the Type-A Parent Conference. She is the author of Pinterest For Dummies and Pinterest Marketing For Dummies. You can follow her on Twitter at @typeamom.

Darin Carter Darin Carter has been in the Internet marketing industry for over 16 years, specializing in search marketing (SEO & PPC), affiliate marketing, social media marketing, online reputation management and lead generation. Most recently Darin served as Chief Operating Officer / Chief Technology Officer for BMI Elite a full-service digital advertising agency and helped build the company from 20 employees to over 75 employees. Darin was also responsible for building out the agency services business that took BMI Elite from just a eMail marketing company to a full-service digital advertising agency. Over the past 16 years he has overseen over $100,000,000.00 in online marketing spend. Darin has been featured on MSNBC, AOL, ABC, Affiliate Summit, CBS, NBC, Palm Beach Post and Sun Sentinel. Some of his accreditations include: Google Technology Beta Tester, Google AdWords Professional, Yahoo Ambassador, Microsoft AdExcellence Member, SEMPO Member, and Omniture Customer Advisory Board Member.

multi-channel efforts across SEO, paid search, email marketing, affiliate marketing, lead generation, website & landing page conversion optimization, and UX for Check Into Cash and its related brands. At the Affiliate Summit West 2013, Sylvia led a highly informative panel about the 4 M’s (Monitor, Motivate, Manage, & Mentor) of Effective Affiliate Marketing Management, her own take on successful business relationships.

Thomas Cohn Tom Cohn is Deputy General Counsel, Regulatory of NBTY, the leading vertically integrated manufacturer, marketer and distributor of nutritional supplements in the U.S. and worldwide, with dozens of company and third party brands and over 22,000 products. He oversees all local, state, federal and international regulatory compliance (FDA, FTC, other agencies), conducting all compliance reviews of advertising, marketing, promotional and social media content for all brands and products. Tom served at the FTC for over 17 years, including nearly 8 years as Regional Director and Senior Assistant Regional Director in New York.

Shawn Collins Shawn Collins has been an affiliate marketer since 1997. He is a Co-founder of Affiliate Summit, the leading global conference and tradeshow for the affiliate marketing industry, and Co-Editor-in-Chief of FeedFront Magazine. He has authored the books “Affiliate Manager Boot Camp“, “Extra Money Answer“, “How to Get the Most from Exhibiting at Conferences”, “How to Get the Most Out of Attending a Conference”, and “Successful Affiliate Marketing for Merchants“. Also, he co-publishes the annual AffStat affiliate marketing benchmark reports. Shawn blogs daily on affiliate marketing at AffiliateTip.com, and hosts the weekly podcast, 7 Minutes in Affiliate Heaven, on GeekCast.fm. Additionally, Shawn has been quoted in numerous publications, including Entrepreneur Magazine, Internet Retailer, Inc. Magazine, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

Daryl Colwell

Van Chappell is the founder of 5IQ, a leader in providing data to Affiliate Managers to make them more effective in their Affiliate Recruiting efforts. Van first began working in Affiliate Marketing in 2009 when he joined BrandVerity as the VP of Sales. Prior to Affiliate Marketing, Van spent a number of years in the US Navy and working in the Healthcare IT industry. He has 3 children and a beautiful wife. The family is temporarily living in Brooklyn but they call Seattle home.

Daryl Colwell oversees Matomy Media Group's (LSE:MTMY) North American performance advertising business, including client procurement, strategy and media.

He is responsible for successful client and media management in order to maximize revenue from the relationships between advertisers and Matomy’s global base of media partners and networks. Advertiser partnerships he has forged for the company include such blue-chip marketers as American Express, HSBC, Nielsen and The Home Depot. Prior to joining Matomy in August 2008, Colwell spearheaded the financial services and travel verticals for Relevance-X, the online behavioral and life-stage targeting division of Acxiom. Colwell also served as vice president of sales for SilverCarrot, where he provided strategic advice and counsel to leading direct-response marketers, including Lending Tree, Netflix, Overstock and Meredith Publishing.

John Chow

Ashley Coombe

John Chow, a damn fine person, friend of the community, Ultimate Fighting Championship contestant, member of the Save the Whales Foundation, the man who controls the black market on baby seal pelts and member of the “probably yo’ daddy” foundation.

Ashley Coombe started in Internet Marketing in 2006 when she purchased a baby gifts e-commerce site. After two months of zero sales, she set off to learn everything about search engine and conversion optimization and got hooked. Since then, she has built a number of niche affiliate sites, consulted local business in traffic and lead generation with SEO & SEM, as well as increasing customer engagement and sales through social media management. She recently joined Prosperent, an affiliate tools vendor, as their Marketing Director. She continues to work with content marketing platform, Shareist, as their Content Marketing Evangelist. Ashley is a frequent speaker at Affiliate Summit and has been sought out by publications such as Forbes and the Shark Tank blog for her social media expertise.

Van Chappell

Sylvia Cintron Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sylvia Cintron is a seasoned marketing professional with over 17 years of experience. She has proven herself to be an excellent manager and strategist, overseeing complex, multi-tiered teams and formulating long-term strategic account plans for B2B, B2C, and non-profit organizations. As Director of Digital Marketing at Check Into Cash, Sylvia is responsible for aggressive growth in revenue for multiple online products, as well as digitally initiated revenue for stores (more than 1,000 locations nationwide). She also manages all

55

Issue 31 - August 2015

Todd Crawford As a co-founder, Todd Crawford evangelizes the opportunities presented by a multi-channel approach to the performance model. Prior to Impact Radius, he served as vice president of sales and business development for Digital River’s affiliate network, oneNetworkDirect. Todd also contributed to the founding team at Commission Junction in 1998 and led its business and sales development efforts as vice president for more than seven years.

Jeannine Crooks As the Senior Account Manager with Affiliate Window US, Jeannine works closely with many of their largest programs such as 1&1 Internet, Lonely Planet, Agoda. com, and Ctrip.com. She is also the organizer of the Denver Affiliate Marketing Meetup, and is a frequent speaker at numerous events. Jeannine is a prominent affiliate advocate in the fight against the affiliate nexus tax, and continues to testify and lobby against legislation in Colorado and assist in other states. She was honored by being voted “Best Network Rep 2013” by the members of ABestWeb, and was nominated again for the 2014 award. Jeannine believes that the most important take-away from any session is truly actionable information – so that every attendee leaves with ideas to make their programs perform better immediately. Jeannine loves sports, especially watching hockey or football, travelling, and hanging out at home with her husband, Brad, and their two Siberian Huskies, Dusty and Harley.

Slade Cutter Slade Cutter is a veteran digital marketing attorney who has represented large online advertising networks (desktop and mobile), website and mobile app developers, affiliates, agencies, publishers, and technology providers. Among other things, Slade frequently drafts and negotiates network advertising agreements, software licensing agreements, and content distribution agreements. Slade is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) and recognized expert in privacy matters.

Mark Daoust Mark started Quiet Light Brokerage in 2007 with the idea that entrepreneurs who have direct experience buying, selling, starting, and growing an online business should be more qualified to help other entrepreneurs do the same. Since 2007, Quiet Light Brokerage has transacted over $65 million in total acquisitions with significant growth occurring every year. Mark is now joined by a team of successful entrepreneurs (who all happened to be previous clients as well) who help other e-commerce business owners prepare, market, and sell their e-commerce business.

Sarah Davidson Sarah has extensive marketing experience from running several of her own successful businesses to leading marketing programs for Fortune 100 corporations and startups. She is the host of the popular web program Spark Your Profits, a free education series that helps businesses keep up with today’s fast changing digital world, and grow their bottom line using the latest marketing strategies and tools.

One of Sarah’s specialties, and something she’s very passionate about, is helping businesses use Instagram to generate web traffic, leads, and sales. She does this through speaking, training, consulting, and workshops. In her free time, she loves the beach, stand up paddle surfing, and fooling around with her young son.

Konstantin Dieterle Konstantin has a track record of 4 years in running successful performance marketing campaigns for games (mobile, browser and client). He is currently the Managing Director for the US office at AppLift. Before joining AppLift, Konstantin joined Google, where he managed and supported German-based online gaming clients with their online/performance marketing strategies. Konstantin holds a double diploma

56

degree in international management from the ESB Business School in Reutlingen and Reims Management School + just finished the Berlin triathlon for the second time.

Vladimir Dusil Vlad is the co-founder, CTO and resident nerd of PurseBlog.com and PurseForum. com. The unlikely career in luxury accessories started back in 2005 when he decided to help his then-girlfriend, now-wife Meaghan to build a niche fashion blog and forum around luxury designer handbags. 10 years and 28 million posts later, PurseForum ranks as the top community online on luxury shopping and women’s lifestyle.

Monica Eaton-Cardone Monica Eaton is an entrepreneur and business leader with expertise in technology systems and threat metrics, product development, e-commerce retention, risk relativity and agile process design. She has co-founded a number of successful companies—including Chargebacks911, eConsumerServices and Global Risk Technologies—and currently fulfills executive management roles within each organization.

Eaton has earned a reputation for developing effective and innovative business solutions, helping merchants and banks to achieve maximum sustainability while supporting consumers in resolving transaction issues in order to main greater balance. Eaton's deep understanding of the digital transaction life cycle and unique value chain echosphere, provides the Company with unparalleled knowledge and skill set. Her newest venture includes ending affiliate fraud that lead to increasing chargebacks so a merchant's reputation and revenue is sustained.

Jackie Eldridge Jackie Eldridge, Director of Marketing for DollarDays.com, the country's premier online wholesaler, is an accomplished marketing professional who uses creative strategy to produce innovative marketing solutions that boosts sales and business development. Eldridge manages all aspects of marketing for the company as well as identifying innovative solutions to grow sales. Eldridge holds a bachelors degree in journalism from Ohio University and has 30 years of marketing experience.

Helen Fang Helen Fang is well-versed marketer with a background and passion for SEO, affiliate, and content for both B2B and B2C companies. She’s on a mission to create, build, and market consumer web products to improve the way we shop. Helen’s been a part of the affiliate community since 2007, when she helped launched a coupon and deal site as a “side project” for Vendio, a company acquired by Alibaba. com. She’s been hooked ever since and remains a huge advocate for the power of the coupon site. At Coupons.com, Helen serves as a Director of Marketing, responsible for leading the business strategy and marketing for in-store and online initiatives helping Specialty Retailers on Coupons.com expose their offers to over 17MM unique visitors each month. Helen is a proud Cal Bear, mom to two rescued pups, and can’t decide whether her best social media moment was when Dave Mathews or Matt Cutts tweeted at her.

Trisha Lyn Fawver Trisha began as an in-house affiliate manager in 2006 at PsPrint.com and grew their affiliate program exponentially. She then moved on to the life of an outsourced program manager to grow several affiliate programs to six and seven figure status. Trisha has spoken at essential conferences such as Affiliate Summit, Social Media Marketing Summit, and Affiliate Convention. She has given back to the Affiliate Marketing community in the form of mentoring programs, mastermind groups, podcasts, contribution to books, and articles appearing on Marketing Pilgrim and in FeedFront Magazine. Fawver graduated from Humboldt State University in 2003 with a BA in Theatre Arts (Dramatic Writing Emphasis) and a minor in Media Studies. She uses these super powers to win costume contests.

Issue 31 - August 2015

Ian Fernando Ian Fernando is an influential blogger and affiliate marketer. His views and insights have been seen all over the Internet as he provides useful tools and tips on online marketing, affiliate marketing, blogging, and related topics. His blog, IanFernando. com, is geared to providing substantive advice to the up and coming online entrepreneur. Ian is an aggressive Internet marketer. He has utilize the power of the internet to become an influential and respected blogger and affiliate marketer. Ian is an ‘out of the box’ thinker and is an example of a successful entrepreneur that has made and continuous to make money online.

Tony Fiorillo Tony Fiorillo attained a degree in Economics from Eastern Illinois University and studied International Business at the University of London. In addition, he studied Investment Decisions and Behavioral Finance at Harvard University. He worked through college at a public accounting firm, advising clients on tax and financial matters. Although his tax experience has proven invaluable, he has specialized in investments for more than twenty years. Mr. Fiorillo served as a Controller of a multi-state produce distribution company for three years. Mr. Fiorillo has held designations as a Registered Securities Principal as well as a Registered Securities Representative with a national NYSE registered broker-dealer, member NASD/SIPC. He is President of Asset Management Strategies, Inc., a national SEC Registered Investment Advisory. The firm works closely with several accountants and attorneys, including the largest national law firm that specializes in litigation against stockbrokers.

Brian Fox With over 15 years of online and performance based marketing experience, Brian is a true expert in the field. He founded AdAction Interactive in 2013 to help mobile app developers acquire quality users through a cost per install basis. The company is rapidly expanding as Brian and his team build cohesive campaigns with clients such as Match.com, Zynga, Beats, RetailMeNot, and Machine Zone, with new developing partnerships every day. Previously, he has led the strategic execution, media planning and buying for key blue-chip clients such as Netflix, Discover Card, Experian, Disney and many others.

specializes in auto insurance, and works with major insurance carriers. Ring Router received Series A Funding last year. Bryan has a BA in Psychology, Masters in Personal Finance from small CA schools. He recently relocated to the Seattle area due to company growth. He has started, and grown many businesses, been an online marketer, and an affiliate. Bryan created multiple in-browser call technologies, that are currently patent pending. Bryan was a US National team field hockey player in his youth, even trained for Olympics. He is an avid golfer, and Bitcoin day-trader.

Robert Glazer Robert Glazer, founder and managing director of Acceleration Partners, is a customer acquisition specialist with an exceptional track record in growing revenue and profits for fast-growing consumer product and services companies. In demand by top consumer brands and investment firms, Robert has extensive experience and demonstrated thought leadership in the consumer, e-commerce, retail, online marketing, and ad-tech industries. Clients include adidas, eBay, ModCloth, One Kings Lane, Reebok, Shutterfly, Target, Gymboree, Tiny Prints, zulily, and many other consumer brands. In 2013, Acceleration Partners drove more than $300 million in online revenue for its clients. The company was awarded the 2012 Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for the industry’s top affiliate program, ranked #260 on the prestigious 2014 Inc. 500 list, and ranked #3 on the 2014 Boston Business Journal Pacesetters list of fastest growing private company in Massachusetts.

The #1 Performance Marketing Technology

Rick Gardiner Rick Gardiner is the CEO of iAffiliate Management, a leading affiliate management agency for software and consumer technology brands. Rick has over 10 years of performance marketing and eCommerce experience and is responsible for finding and developing partners that align with client needs and the agencies core values.

Prior to founding iAffiliate Management, Rick worked on the network side and was instrumental in growing oneNetworkDirect—Digital River’s flagship affiliate network. His tenure there enabled him to work with brands like Symantec, Microsoft Store, Uniblue, PC Tools, avast!, Targus, Roxio, Logitech, and Trend Micro. When unplugged, Rick enjoys spending time with his family in their Minneapolis home.

He and his wife enjoy cooking and discovering new restaurants with their two sons.

Rick holds a B.S. in Communications and Marketing from the University of Minnesota, where he was a member of the University of Minnesota men’s swim team and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

Bryan George Before Ring Router, CEO and President Bryan George was an insurance agent for 10+ years, owning two successful agencies. After calling Internet leads for years, he left the business to help change the industry, with the opportunity that calls and affiliate marketing provided. Ring Router is the backend call technology that powers affiliate network call generation. PayPerCallMarket is an affiliate network that

Visit us at Booth #5000 or Meet Market #722 www.hasoffers.com @HasOffers

57

Issue 31 - August 2015

Blake Hall

Rachel Honoway

Blake Hall is the Founder and CEO of ID.me, a digital identity bank designed to empower consumers to control how their personal data is shared with third parties.

ID.me was selected by the United States Department of Commerce as one of the top five digital identity products in America in 2013 and awarded a $2.8M grant to increase consumer trust in online transactions. ID.me has received 16M in financing and counts over 100 leading retailers as customers. The Wall Street Journal selected ID.me as a Finalist for Startup of the Year in 2013. Entrepreneur Magazine named ID.me one of 100 Brilliant Companies in their June 2014 issue. A veteran of the Iraq war, Blake led a platoon of scouts and snipers in Iraq for fifteen months during 2006 – 2007. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for leading his men during a firefight against insurgents in an action senior commanders credited with saving the lives of twenty Americans.

Rachel is the CEO of FMTC, a premier affiliate datafeed and tool provider and a member of the PMA Board of Directors. She’s an affiliate marketing veteran who got her start in the space as it was beginning back in the late 90’s. With previous roles as an executive at KowaBunga!/Think Partnership and at Lurn, Inc, Rachel has had a well-rounded experience in the industry. She has helped merchants launch new programs, assisted affiliates in starting their businesses and has been a part of developing technologies that help both sides maximize their results from the channel.

Stephanie Harris Stephanie Harris brings over 10 years of experience to her role as CEO of one of the top affiliate management agencies, Schaaf-PartnerCentric. Stephanie's conceptual management skills and quick decision-making have been vital in the strategy and growth of the agency. She has overseen two acquisitions, two company launches, numerous services expansions as well as a global expansion. She currently manages over $162M in revenue across 75+ affiliate programs and 37 employees. Her insight makes her a voice for the trends and issues facing the affiliate industry today. In 2005 Stephanie won the Scholastic Exceptional Marketers Award. The company is a past recipient of the Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for the industry's top program management agency and has been nominated multiple times for agency of the year. Stephanie lives in New York with her husband and three children.

Michelle Held Michelle is an entrepreneur, author and philanthropist involved in digital marketing for over 17 years. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Her company, MetroNY, LLC, specializes in customized web programming, search engine optimization and social media services. Michelle serves as a consultant to clients on topics such as digital marketing and project management. As a speaker, she conducts seminars and training sessions on social media and web technologies. Michelle was recently a featured speaker at Affiliate Summit West 2015 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. She is the author of “Pinterest Tutorial.” Follow Michelle on her blogs, metrony.com and pintalk.net.

Connect with Michelle on Twitter (@metrony or @pintalknet).

Greg Hoffman Greg Hoffman is the President of Greg Hoffman Consulting, an agency specializing in affiliate program management. In 2014, GHC was the recipient of an Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for Best OPM/Agency. Greg is a vinyl record lover, a tropical fish keeper and a comic book collector. He writes with a fancy pencil and reads the Sunday newspapers to annoy his digital-minded colleagues.

Rae Hoffman Ten+ years ago Rae started a small website about her son and his medical condition that became one of the first international support groups and largest website in general on the topic. It earned national media coverage and helped further medical research in the field. Investigating ways to support that site, she found affiliate marketing and became one of the most well known voices in the affiliate landscape and organic search engine optimization. Today, her current area of research is site auditing and advanced organic link development techniques relating to all of the major engines. Ms. Hoffman is Co-Founder and CEO of PushFire. Known widely in the online marketing community as Sugarrae, she is also the author of the often controversial Sugarrae blog.

58

Kellie Hudson Kellie Hudson joins us representing the affiliate program for lynda.com, a leading online learning company that helps anyone learn business, software, technology and creative skills to achieve personal and professional goals. Prior to lynda.com, she managed the domestic and international affiliate programs for CafePress Inc, has spoken on an industry podcast and managed media sales on the publisher side of the industry. Kellie is passionate about analytics and the execution of creative online marketing campaigns that are deeply rooted in data-driven decisions, focused on optimal ROI and increasing brand awareness.

Jerry Hughes Jerry Hughes is a professional photographer, photography instructor, best selling author of photography books, patented inventor of photography equipment and fun speaker. He teaches workshops on Digital Camera Settings, Creative Photography Secrets, and Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom photo software. His best selling book on how to see creatively helps people who weren't born with a creative eye learn to see creatively. As a photographer his fashion work has been in Vogue magazine, corporate clients have included IBM, Proctor & Gamble, Ford. He is a fun and energetic speaker who creates a great learning experience. He has taught photography workshops for people from United Nations ambassadors and diplomats, to high school students at national journalism conventions. Jerry spent a year traveling around the world to 34 countries photographing their different cultures.

Bryant Hussey Bryant Hussey is an online marketing professional with 16+ years of experience in e-commerce, SEO, SEM, media buying, email marketing and performance based marketing. Bryant got his start working for companies such as VitaminShoppe.com and Quality Health. He is now the Marketing Director and manages Online Acquisition and Partnership for Atlantic Coast Media Group – An International beauty company that builds iconic beauty brands through it’s multi—channel platform.

Kenny Hyder Kenny Hyder has been helping businesses with their online and SEO strategies since 2004. Originally starting as an in-house SEO, Kenny eventually branched out to start his own internet marketing business. His first business was eventually bought out by a much larger internet marketing firm. Today he runs Hyder Media, servicing clients in the areas of: SEO, social media & ORM. His experience has led him to work with some of the largest brands online, including several Fortune 500 companies – helping them with their search marketing strategies. Kenny is also a speaker at some of the largest internet marketing conferences including: Pubcon, SMX, Blogworld, Affiliate Summit, & DMA.

Scott Jangro Scott Jangro is the president and co-founder of Shareist.com, a content marketing platform service that helps individuals and teams efficiently create content, publish, and share. He’s also the president of MechMedia, a firm specializing in performance and search engine marketing since 2004. Prior, Scott served as a Director

Issue 31 - August 2015 of Product Management at Be Free, Inc. and later Commission Junction, both divisions of ValueClick. Scott is best known as an active and vocal member of the affiliate marketing community through his blogging, writing, and advocacy efforts. He served three years on the Performance Marketing Association board of directors, and the founding advisory board. Scott has been honored with multiple industry awards including the Affiliate Summit Affiliate Marketing Legend Award, the Best Blogger Pinnacle Award, as well as awards from ShareASale and Linkshare. Scott’s a Boston sports fan, a bad golfer, and an obsessed cyclist.

Zac Johnson At the age of 15, Zac Johnson began making money online designing web site banners for $1 each. A self taught entrepreneur, Zac’s been making money online for nearly 20 years and has been involved in nearly every facet of affiliate and online marketing. One of Zac’s many successes includes his story of “How I Made $860,538.38 Profit in 4 Months!” from one web site, which can be read at his blog at ZacJohnson.com. Zac continues to focus on his blog, where he provides readers with firsthand accounts of his experiences, successes & failures. In addition to his own success stories, Zac reviews affiliate networks and informs readers how & where they should be making new money. Zac’s social reach and site traffic is now over 100,000 strong and has referred over $5,000,000 in new business to his advertisers and network partners. You can also listen to Zac’s new podcast “Rise of the Entrepreneur” on iTunes and connect with Zac through his new online training community at Blogging.org.

David Kelly Since 2012 David has been instrumental in the early growth and development of WhatRunsWhere, laying the foundation of the company’s ambitious and energetic culture. David has been the driving force behind the company’s business development initiatives and major strategic partnerships. His strong leadership of the sales team and business acumen has helped propel WhatRunsWhere’s growth into a leader of the mobile, display and ad intelligence space.

Nicholas Lamothe Nick joined the adidas Group in 2011, tasked with growing the CRM and affiliate marketing initiatives for the Reebok brand, and bridging the gap between brick & mortar owned retail and eCommerce activities. In the last 12 months Nick has focused his expertise on the adidas brand in addition to Reebok, as well as several partner and licensed eCommerce sites affiliates with the adidas Group, and is growing the stable of brand activation partners to support the Group’s vision to be number one in sports retail.

Florian Lehwald Being a veteran of digital marketing, Florian Lehwald is known for his clear opinion towards the advertising industry. He says: “Most of the time advertising is just a waste of time and money and often gets mistaken as an art form.” Based on this finding, Lehwald founded the performance-based mobile marketing network KissMyAds back in 2011. Since then, KissMyAds has grown steadily and employs more than 30 people in its headquarters in Cologne, Germany.

Chen Levanon Chen Levanon is a former Wall Street financier who worked at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc’s Investment Banking Division and then as the Chief Knowledge Officer at Israel Financial Levers (IFL), Ltd. prior to being appointed as the CEO of ClicksMob by 4 male founders who understood she could run the company better than they could. She is also a former European champion hurdler (a great metaphor for everything she’s had to overcome to succeed as a woman in the traditionally male-dominated field of mobile ad-tech. Chen has led ClicksMob’s growth since being founded in 2013 as the company has taken the model of affiliate marketing and made it uniquely relevant to the new and ever-evolving world of mobile – pro-

viding a marketplace for advertisers and publishers to buy and deliver mobile traffic for ROI positive monetization and user acquisition. ClicksMob was recently ranked #28 in Forbes Magazine’s list of America’s Most Promising Companies for 2015.

John LoBrutto John P. LoBrutto is the Director of Affiliate Partnerships in North America for 1&1 Internet, Inc., the world’s largest hosting & web services company. 1&1 offers domains, a full suite of hosting products and the MyWebsite web builder. John’s previous positions include; Head of Global Distribution for AllHotels, Sales Director for Holiday Autos USA (both divisions of Travelocity, LLP), President of Pencils Plus, and Technology Director for Sabre Travel Network. John has over 15 years experience in the travel, retail & technology sales channels and has managed affiliate programs for the last 5 years. He specializes in developing new programs with a focus on emerging markets, and recently launched the first rev-share affiliate program in Mexico for 1&1. He believes, “the best approach to affiliate marketing is to keep things smart, creative and out of box, whenever possible.” John is married with two children and is based in New York.

Marty Marion Marty brings a broad digital perspective to the eMarketing team at Deluxe Corp, where he manages multiple affiliate programs across a number of Deluxe-owned brands. Marty’s 20 years of industry leadership in e-Commerce, Web Development, and Online Marketing began while he was at Meyers Printing. He successfully brought the DLT (Desktop Labels) to market and established one of the first secure ‘Buy Direct from the Manufacturer’ websites. The DTL website was launched in 1996 and since that time Marty has immersed himself in online marketing. In 2005, Marty partnered with local and overseas digital marketers and web developers at Kingclicks LLC, creating partnerships with Macy’s, The Minneapolis Downtown Council, University of St. Thomas, and others. Marty joined Deluxe in 2010 and is actively engaged with their paid search team and the management of their affiliate programs, which include Shop Deluxe, Bags & Bows, PsPrint, VerticalResponse & Deluxe Services.

Tara McCommons Tara McCommons is VP of Sales and Marketing at LinkConnector, a performance marketing network providing superior service and technologies to affiliates and merchants for over a decade. Tara leads a high performance team that plays a pivotal role in identifying new merchant and affiliate opportunities to continually expand the LinkConnector Network, while also taking a hands-on approach to effectively optimize existing merchant and affiliate relationships. Tara possesses over 20 years of business development experience spanning both corporate and start-up environments within the technology and financial industries. Tara began her career in affiliate marketing with LinkConnector (in 2004) where she has a proven record in the development and leadership of strategic partnerships and sales growth. Tara moderated a Top-10 ASW15 panel, has been a contributor to FeedFront and is a Board of Directors Committee Chair with the Performance Marketing Association.

Karen McMahon Karen McMahon is “The Affiliate Whisperer,” providing strategic planning, in-house evaluation and coaching to guide advertisers to make the most of their affiliate programs. Karen has worked as an affiliate publisher for over ten years, heading up a successful loyalty model affiliate program. In addition, she has worked as a high growth affiliate manager for over eight years. Karen began her career in advocacy and politics before joining her husband’s family business, helping to build it into a nationwide multi-million dollar company. Karen’s wide range of business experience, think out-of-the-box ideas and natural intuition direct her to successfully meet the needs of her clients

59

Issue 31 - August 2015

Alec McNees Alec McNees is Yieldify’s North American Partnerships Manager who oversees the company’s U.S. affiliate network relationships. As one of Yieldify’s first U.S. employees, Alec has used his experience in consulting and data analytics to run successful predictive marketing campaigns for major international brands. His devotion to the affiliate channel has helped Yieldify earn statuses as a LinkShare Platinum Publisher and a CJ Performer and he has built growing partnerships with Affiliate Window and eBay Enterprise Affiliate Network. Alec graduated from Indiana University’s renowned Kelley School of Business with a double major in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. While at IU he helped found the first U.S. branch of the world’s largest student-led non-profit consultancy, 180 Degrees Consulting. 180 now has branches at top universities in the U.S. such as: Columbia, Cornell, NYU, UCLA, U Penn and Michigan. His passion for results oriented work led to his interest in affiliate marketing.

Tricia Meyer Tricia Meyer (@sunshinetricia) is the founder and owner of Sunshine Rewards, Helping Moms Connect, and other niche sites. She frequently speaks and writes about affiliate marketing topics such as monetizing blogs, affiliate and affiliate manager relationships, and the basics of affiliate marketing. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Performance Marketing Association. She is also a partner in WineClubGroup. com and consults in Business Development for the Traetelo Marketplace. Tricia has been a finalist for the Pinnacle Award for Industry Advocate and was awarded the Pinnacle Awards for Best Blogger in 2012 and Affiliate of the Year in 2015.

Roger Montti Roger Montti is an independent web publisher, a founder of a popular web community and a winner of a BusinessWeek Magazine Best of the Web Award. He is well known as the Link Development Moderator at WebmasterWorld.com since 2003 and over the past ten years has become widely acknowledged as a leading thinker in the search optimization industry. Mr. Montti consults for businesses worldwide, from Fortune 500 software and B2B companies to medium sized B2C businesses on issues related to link building, site reviews and Internet Marketing strategies.

Roger produces a popular Advanced Link Building Newsletter available at MartiniBuster.com.wwww

Christen Moynihan Christen Moynihan (@brokeasschris10) is the Editorial and Accounts Manager for The Broke-Ass Bride, a sassy, savvy award-winning wedding blog that helps brides use their creativity as currency to rock a badass wedding without breaking the bank.

And she's really good at high-fives.

Chuck Mullins Chuck, a serial entrepreneur and early pioneer of the internet, built his first profitable website in 1996 at 18 years of age. In college he studied computer software engineering which taught him the skills to analyze search results and implement strategies that take advantage of the observations he makes. Throughout his career of creating, managing, and consulting for dozens of internet-based companies, Chuck has been instrumental in developing strategies that lead to growth and profitability.

Among people he works with, Chuck is regarded as “the idea guy.” He is known for his ability to spot opportunities, create a plan, and execute. After seeing an opportunity to leverage his time by acquiring under-performing sites, he has participated in several million dollars worth of acquisitions, which have all shown significant growth and returns.

Dave Naffziger David Naffziger is CEO of BrandVerity, a firm that provides technology solutions to

60

affiliate managers to combat trademark abuse and advertising fraud. BrandVerity’s services monitor paid search and social media for abuse by affiliates. Affiliate managers, agencies and networks use BrandVerity’s service to monitor and protect thousands of brands. Prior to BrandVerity, David was VP of Engineering at Judy’s Book a Seattle-based local search company. Prior to Judy’s Book, David co-founded and was Director of Research at Quova prior to its acquisition by Neustar, Inc. (NYSE: NSR). David received his BS from MIT.

Michael Ni Michael Ni is responsible for Avangate’s marketing strategy, product definition, and affiliate network. With over 20 years of experience, Ni has brought multiple innovation-driven businesses to market – from start-ups to fortune 500 companies. Ni’s business experience spans software, telecommunications, consumer packaged goods, and digital media. Prior to joining Avangate, Ni served as VP Products at Amdocs, where he drove the next generation customer management, retail, and commerce applications. In addition, he has held executive positions at leading software vendors, at startups, and in strategy consulting. These roles include GM/Managing Director at MyWire, a new media consortium; VP of Product at Oracle; VP of Product and Operations at venture-funded OnePage, Inc. (acquired by Sybase, Inc.); as well as Marketing Strategy Consultant at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Ni received an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MS from Stanford University, and a BS from MIT.

Christopher Park Christopher Park has been Blair.com’s Affiliate/Partnerships Manager since it all began in January, 2001, and has been working with Blair’s paid search program since September, 2004. Additionally, he has been employed by Blair for over 26 years. He recently took over the management of the Old Pueblo Traders and Bedford Fair affiliate programs, as well. The Blair.com affiliate program was featured in the “premier” and Sept./Oct. 2006 issues of Revenue magazine, and Chris has been interviewed for articles in publications such as Multichannel Merchant and Marketing Today. Chris is a frequent speaker at affiliate marketing events, including Affiliate Summits East & West, Performics Client Summit, ACCM, AffiliateFORCE, local community colleges and the eMarketing Learning Center in Erie, PA. When he’s not living the dream that is affiliate marketing, Chris and his wife, Shelley, enjoy traveling to visit their 5 kids.

Anne Parris Anne Parris is a partner in Midlife Boulevard, an online lifestyle magazine for women over 40, as well as the BAM (Bloggers At Midlife) Conference. Anne also manages a community of over 1000 midlife bloggers and coordinates bloggers/brand campaigns.

Rey Pasinli Rey Pasinli is one of the credit card processing industry’s foremost experts on emerging internet trends and evolving technologies. With nearly fifteen years of industry experience, he has successfully collaborated with over 10,000 internet merchants.

As Executive Director of Total Apps Inc., Mr. Pasinli is responsible for identifying and developing emerging web-based technologies to improve the performance of each client’s processing. Mr. Pasinli currently collaborates with the top executives at multiple processors alongside with 700+ prominent internet business service vendors, to provide clients with a one-stop-shop for everything related to selling on the internet.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from California State University Fullerton and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

Heather Petersen Ms. Petersen has been in the bankcard industry since 2003, and has consistently been a leader in her field as a sales agent, sales manager, and as founder of National Merchants Association. She created the Association as an advocacy group for small and medium-sized business owners in 2004. Dedicated to improving

Issue 31 - August 2015 knowledge and integrity, Ms. Petersen serves on the Education Committee of the Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) located in Washington DC. The purpose of ETA is to influence, monitor, and help shape the merchant acquiring industry by providing leadership through education, advocacy, and the exchange of information. The Education Committee is tasked with directing program content for seminars, training sessions, workshops, distance learning offerings, and ETA University Curriculum. Ms. Petersen was one of the nation's first Certified Payments Professionals (CPP), a symbol of industry excellence. She strives to promote the program's mission to set industry standards.

Lauren Pfanmiller Lauren Pfanmiller is a digital marketing guru with years of industry experience. She has worked with large established brands such as Discover Financial, GoDaddy and Lyft to grow their existing user bases, as well as helping emerging start-ups such as Citrus Lane and ScoreBig develop marketing plans to support acquisition goals and increase brand recognition. Lauren has vast experience in marketing across online channels including affiliate, email, search, display, blogs and mobile.

Lisa Picarille Lisa Picarille is an online content strategist focusing on digital marketing, branding, and social media for companies in the performance marketing space. She is the former Content Director for the PMA and teaches Internet marketing classes for USF Online. An award-winning journalist, Lisa has headed the news departments of Wired.com, TechWeb.com, TechTV.com and CRN.com. Her work has appeared in Rolling Stone, CRM Magazine, PCWeek, MacWeek, Computerworld and InfoWorld.

She has won awards as an advocate for performance marketing from LinkShare (2008), and Affiliate Summit (2011). She also sits on the Board of Directors for The Performance Marketing Association.

Scott Polk Scott Polk has built his expertise as a knowledgeable and experienced Search Engine Optimization/Internet Marketing strategist for more than 16 years. He concentrates his resourcefulness and skills on the diversified aspects of Search Engine Optimization for clients, where he’s earned the distinction of consistent top rankings in all major search engines. Scott is consistently involved in technologies that maximize Conversion, Usability and Accessibility when optimizing & developing large web sites as well as identifying problems/solutions that result in major cost saving strategies. Highly successful and respected within the SEO industry, Scott Polk has consulted and been employed by successful internet companies such as: Bruce Clay, Edmunds.com, AT&T Wireless, ABC News, PGA.com & PGATour.com, Sports Illustrated, Toyota.com, Direct Brands, and numerous others.

John Rampton John Rampton is an entrepreneur, blogger and tech enthusiast. He is also the founder of PPC.org and Blogging.org.

Adam Riemer

Adam is the founder of Adam Riemer Marketing, LLC. (ARM). Adam has over 10 years of online marketing experience and is the trusted source for strategy, campaign creation & execution for companies from the Fortune 500 to mom & pop shops. Adam has spoken and been booked on panels internationally at various conferences & events. Some of the topics he has spoken on, and some of the services he can offer your company include; affiliate marketing, PPC, SEO, CSEs, email optimization, channel development, sales funneling, online strategy, user experience & conversion rate optimization & more. Prior to starting ARM, Adam worked in house at various Inc. 500 companies. He played a key role in the strategy & the implementation of their campaigns helping them grow into multi-million dollar corporations.

Adam would like to invite you to join his managed programs as well as contact him at adamr (at) adamriemer (dot) me if he can help with your marketing.

Cliff Ritter I have over 15 years experience in SEO as it applies to inbound marketing strategies for both big brands and affiliate marketing. I've successfully achieved top 10 rankings in some of the most competitive industries online including Pharma, Gambling, Health and most recently Mortgage and Insurance. My experience extends beyond North America including multi-lingual SEO. Having the extensive experience has allowed me to adapt to the ever changing SEO landscape and maintain a consistent focus on long term rankings and success while understanding the ever changing needs of SEO. I believe this knowledge applies to any industry as proof by my results and highly valuable to share with attendees of Affiliate Summit.

Roxanne Rives Roxanne Rives is Marketing Manager for the Americas at 3Dconnexion, manufacturers of devices referred to as 3D motion controllers, or the 3D mouse. Responsible for driving marketing strategy across website and corporate properties, Rives recently initiated the company’s first affiliate marketing program. She is a connector of customers and business, helping both navigate through the vast digital space of various marketing programs. Experienced both in the merchant and the affiliate sides of the marketing spectrum, Rives is also a specialist in digital strategic marketing, link building, SEA and SEO. Roxanne has managed network and in-house based programs using various platforms, including ShareASale, Avantlink and Commission Junction.

Geno Prussakov

Rohail Rizvi

Geno Prussakov is a graduate of the University of Cambridge. He is the CEO & Founder of AM Navigator – an award-winning OPM agency. As an affiliate program manager and consultant he has contributed to the online marketing success of Forbes, Nokia, Hallmark, Warner Music, Skype, Forex Club, and hundreds of small businesses. Prussakov has authored “A Practical Guide to Affiliate Marketing” (2007) and “Affiliate Program Management: An Hour a Day” (2011) which have trained thousands of marketing professionals. In 2011 for influencing “change within the industry” LinkShare named him one of Performance Marketing’s Most Vocal Advocates, while Small Business Trends recognized him with an “honorable mention” in their 2011 Small Business Influencer initiative. In 2012 Geno has launched Affiliate Management Days conference. He shares his knowledge through major digital marketing magazines, blogs, conference presentations, and also maintains his own blog (named Best Affiliate Blog in 2010 & 2011).

Rohail Rizvi, also known as "the Suitcase Marketer", is considered the jet-setter of the affiliate industry, switching timezones faster than you can hit "refresh" on stats.

He is a true globetrotter who’s had huge success with Facebook ads and mobile before many people capitalized on these traffic sources. He continues to innovate and is always on the cutting-edge of what's next, daring to dive in where other affiliates fear to go.

Michael Robichaud With 8 years of experience as a full time Affiliate Marketer and 12 years of experience in SEO, Michael has a wealth of knowledge in the affiliate marketing space. He has experience marketing products in a number of affiliate niches including: Software, Information Products, Dating and Self Help. Michael says a lot of his success as an affiliate has been because after he decides to get into a niche, he jumps in head first with a large number of sites. When he's not on his computer he's playing tennis and hanging out in his home town of Chicago.

61

Issue 31 - August 2015

Carrie Rocha Carrie Rocha is a full-time blogger who shares money-saving and personal finance tips at PocketYourDollars.com. Within 10 months of Pocket Your Dollars’ launch, blogging became her full-time vocation. Along with an online presence, Carrie is sought after media personality and public speaker that has been featured in outlets like Wall Street Journal Radio, Yahoo! Finance, and Fox Business and taught financial wellness courses for employees at companies like General Mills, Cargill and Target. She is a regular guest on NBC, ABC and FOX affiliates in Minneapolis, where she resides with her husband and two daughters.

Justin Rondeau Justin is the Conversion Rate Optimization Manager at Digital Marketer. He is a domestic and international optimization speaker, works closely with Boston-based ecommerce companies, hosts several Boston-based meetups spanning many digital marketing topics, and has provided hands on training for several fortune 500 companies. Justin’s mission to educate marketers about optimization and to get them to ‘Test Smarter, Not Harder’.

Bill Rothbard Bill Rothbard is a former FTC attorney and has over three decades of experience as an advertising law specialist. He counsels clients on FTC compliance in online and direct response marketing and negotiates and prepares licensing, marketing, production, distribution, talent and web site agreements. He represents clients in federal and state advertising enforcement actions and has litigated and settled dozens of FTC matters. He also advises on trademark matters and prosecutes trademark applications. Bill writes and speaks often on advertising and marketing law topics.

His articles can be found on his blog at www.ftcadlaw.com. Prior to entering private practice, Bill was an attorney with the FTC, holding positions as Deputy Assistant Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection and Attorney-Advisor to the FTC Chairman. He is a graduate of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and The University of Michigan.

Oliver Roup After 15 years of software experience, most recently as a Director at Microsoft in charge of various media properties including XBOX Live Video Marketplace, Oliver founded VigLink. A tech executive who understands the power of native monetization like few others, Oliver is a board member of the Performance Marketing Association and chair of the PMA’s Content Monetization Council. Oliver received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from MIT and his MBA from the Harvard Business School and holds issued and pending patents covering micro-transactions, media and metadata. For more, check out @ORoup and @VigLink.

Kyle Schumacher Kyle Schumacher leads partner development at Impossible Ventures, a company focused on building things that should already exist but don't. Prior to Impossible Ventures, Kyle worked at Google. At 16, Kyle started his first e-commerce business, a fishing lure company. He received his MBA from University of Texas-Austin and his BSBA in Finance from the University of Central Florida. Kyle’s commentary can be found at @schusworld.

David Sendroff David Sendroff is a technologist and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the computer hardware, software, and network administration systems field. He is the founder of Forensiq (formerly CPA Detective), an award winning solution used to fight online click, conversion, and ad fraud. Prior to founding Forensiq, he became CIO at Spire Vision where he earned a reputation for consistently innovating tech-

62

nical solutions to complex problems, driving the company's growth from start-up through acquisition by Zeta Interactive. David holds a B.S. in Computer and Information Science from the University of Maryland.

Tara Siegel I would describe myself as a dedicated hard worker with a passion for internet marketing. At ebay enterprise I pride myself on treating every client as if we are their own private marketing department. We constantly track and analyze account performance to make sure we are changing our strategy with our clients’ needs. I have been lucky enough to speak at several industry conferences on both search and social marketing. I find that in speaking at these events I learn more than I could ever share. I crave constant challenge and education, That is why the internet marketing, and specifically social marketing have been where I have thrived. I look forward to see what the industry teaches me next.

Joe Sousa Joe has been in the SEO/Affiliate industry since 1998. He started out doing SEO for clients but transitioned into a full time affiliate and affiliate manager. Over the years Joe has built hundreds of different sites in many different niches and has experience in PPC, SEO, video, and social media. Joe is currently the Affiliate Coordinator for Fanatics.com and their related properties and won the Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Award for Affiliate Manager of the Year at ASW15. He blogs about affiliate stuff at http://whatdoesjoethink.com.

Shannon K. Steffen Shannon K. Steffen was born and educated in in New York. She has lived, worked and traveled across a wide variety of countries but originally started her career in Human SEO Strategist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Shannon has worked with a number of large corporations ranging from Cafepress.com to Monster.com to Johnson Controls. Her 20 years of work experience also includes Global e-Commerce Marketing and Digital Marketing and her current role is President of ShannonKSteffen. com. Shannon likes to spend her free time running as well as spending as much time as possible with her husband and two chocolate Labrador Retrievers.

Sean Steinmarc Sean is CEO & founder of psGive, helping brands solve digital marketing challenges through a combination of games & cause marketing. An avid social-entrepreneur, Sean sits on the steering committee for the Wharton Social Impact Initiative, and is currently a member of Goodnik and AlleyNYC. A graduate of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Sean spent the first eight years of his career in financial services leadership roles across a Top 5 global bank and a Fortune 100 company. His primary roles were converging technology & business strategies, and improving operational processes. From there, Sean was asked to join the executive team for a leading student financing company, where he overhauled their marketing efforts and extended their reach into new markets. Recognizing gaps in traditional digital marketing, Sean started psGive to solve those issues. In his free time, Sean enjoys finding new recipes to further his cooking skills, playing kickball, and whiskey.

Cameron Stewart As General Manager, Cameron oversees operations of TUNE's HasOffers product.

Previously, Cameron was VP of Sales, actively contributing to business development and product strategies while working directly with HasOffers’ and MobileAppTracking’s global client base. Before joining the company in 2009, Cameron worked with Robert Half International for Fortune 500 clients, developing and maintaining relationships by consulting corporations on their organizational development and staffing needs. Since joining TUNE in 2009, Cameron has combined his

Issue 31 - August 2015

business development and leadership experience with customer-centric views to deliver an experience that revolutionizes customer care standards in the industry.

Cameron graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor’s in Finance and Economics.

David Stewart Dave oversees research and development for CAKE’s marketing technology products. In this role, he manages a talented team of engineers, in support of current customer needs as well as ongoing product innovation. Dave has spent much of the past decade architecting software and is an expert in systems architecture, front-and back-end web technologies, database design and development, cloud infrastructure and complex UX design. Dave joined CAKE while still an undergraduate student at the University of California, Irvine. He worked full-time while attending school to help build CAKE from the ground up. He received a bachelor’s degree in Informatics.

Costel Sticea Costel has extensive affiliate management experience but he’s not your typical Affiliate Manager. With pretty damn good persuasive and analytical skills, an odd sense of humor and a long beard (don’t ask), he drives the affiliates channel over at Bitdefender. Outside of the office, Costel enjoys hiking and good cup of coffee.

James Thompson James Thompson (@jtgraphic), from Brooklyn, NY, is the co-founder of Daft Labs and Passive Metrics, a tool for managing social media analytics for brands. He started building websites in 1996 as a hobby and became a part of the affiliate industry in 2005. Most of his affiliate websites were focused on building free tools to add value to available offers. Since 2005, he’s made a migration from singular affiliate to merchant as he started charging for his tools. Now he operates on the other side of the table, employing affiliates of his own. James has built over 300 enterprise scale websites, been a partner in a real estate company as well as a popular online magazine, and done successful exits from 3 of his companies. Because of those experiences, he has learned how to build and manage highly effective business and tech teams.

Jace Vernon I was raised in a small farm town in Utah. Where my parents, gave me an excellent start in my life. We learned to work and I acquired a lot of great skills. At age 19 I was shipped off to a little country in Central America called El Salvador. There I learned about sowing and reaping and picked up a few more skills that have helped me in business. Came home Graduated with a Masters Degree in Business, got married and started my 2nd business. (my first being a window washing company.)

I would generate leads and customers by cold calling every morning and I would often times go out and knock doors to let people know about my service. It was a great time because I didn’t know any better. Nothing is more powerful than a young, ambitious, naive entrepreneur. I quickly became loaded and shortly thereafter I was broke. Lost it all at age 28. It was then I realized I had messed up and needed some more education, some better ideas and ultimately a better philosophy.

David Vogelpohl David Vogelpohl is the founder and CEO of Marketing Clique an advanced web development and online marketing agency servicing large brands with services like affiliate marketing and WordPress development. David speaks about WordPress optimization and affiliate marketing at national events like Affiliate Summit, Pubcon, WordCamp, WP Summit, and a variety of other events and publications. David has been in the affiliate marketing industry since 1996 and is an advisory board member of Affiliate Summit.

Chad Waite Chad Waite is the Marketing Manager for AvantLink.com. He’s 28, loves all things internet marketing and can be found on Twitter at @ChadW8, likely asking for help on writing better bylines.

Evan Weber

Evan Weber is a seasoned digital marketing and social media professional of over 15 years. He is a frequent speaker the Affiliate Summit shows and has become one of the most popular speakers. Evan has expertise and experience is all facets of digital marketing including: website marketing, social media advertising, affiliate marketing, conversion rate optimization, search engine marketing, content marketing, email marketing, web design, and web development, Evan has personally worked with 1000's of affiliate marketers as their coach and mentor. Evan's agency has worked with over 200 ecommerce companies managing and optimizing their digital marketing and social media channels. Evan also works with companies as their digital marketing consultant. He is a extremely approachable and friendly person and would love to speak to anyone at the conference about their web projects and provide feedback.

Karen White Karen White is a proven expert in building high-volume performance marketing campaigns. As the CEO and Founder of Chateau 20, she has a proven track record of consistently helping her clients increase revenue by 300+%. At Chateau 20, Karen’s number one focus is on making connections that drive results. Utilizing insight-fueled strategies, and unique performance models, she has helped develop and manage cross-channel digital advertising campaigns for some of the top Fortune 1000 Brands. Also a Winner of the Commission Junction Horizon Award for program management, Karen has developed and managed programs for CenturyLink, Wynn Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment, Couples Resorts, Base Entertainment, and many others.

Tony Wright With more than ten years of hands-on and strategic experience in interactive marketing and a background in traditional and interactive public relations and journalism, Tony Wright, CEO and Founder of WrightIMC (www.wrightimc.com) has spent his career helping businesses of all sizes be profitable on the Web. Wright is a search marketing geek and also has extensive experience in online crisis communication and brand reputation strategy, including corporate blogging and corporate monitoring, most notably directing the online corporate reputation management strategy for American Airlines immediately following the events of September 11, 2001. Wright has twice served as President of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Search Marketing Association, and is a sought after speaker at industry events, including SMX, Search Engine Strategies, Pubcon and others. Find him on twitter @tonynwright

Nouriel Gino Yazdinian I acquired substantial experience in negotiating structurally complex ecommerce business ventures while providing decisive leadership, management, and guidance in my organizations. Creating successful business plans, establishing the right team, raising capital, securing strategic relationships, pro-actively identifying and resolving potential problems, planning for contingencies, and managing growth has given me a tremendous advantage in working on new business ventures. I have always been fascinated by new ideas {inventions} that answer unsolved questions.

My ultimate goal in life is educating people around the world to set better goals & have better lifestyles. In 2011, I founded Modulates, a video affiliate platform with in-house video tech designed for engagement, retention and increased CTR. With 2 patent pendings, creative video technology and a team of passion, we are excited about what we can contribute to the affiliate space.

63

Issue 31 - August 2015

People to Follow on Twitter

John Chow

Ian Fernando

http://twitter.com/johnchow

http://twitter.com/ianternet

Sylvia Cintron

Tony Fiorillo

http://twitter.com/sylviacintron

http://twitter.com/tonyfAMSRIA

JJ Alan

Thomas Cohn

Brian Fox

http://twitter.com/TheJJAlan

http://twitter.com/Tom_Cohn

http://twitter.com/tweetbfox

Mike Allen

Daryl Colwell

Rick Gardiner

http://twitter.com/mta1

http://twitter.com/dhcolwell

http://twitter.com/iaffiliatemgmt

Tim Ash

Sal Conca

Bryan George

http://twitter.com/tim_ash

http://twitter.com/salconca

http://twitter.com/RingRouter

Syed Balkhi

Ashley Coombe

Robert Glazer

http://twitter.com/syedbalkhi

http://twitter.com/ashleybcoombe

http://twitter.com/accelerationpar

Akiva Ben-Ezra

Todd Crawford

Blake Hall

http://twitter.com/akivadbenezra

http://twitter.com/toddcrawford

http://twitter.com/blake_hall

Jay Berkowitz

Jeannine Crooks

Michelle Held

http://twitter.com/JayBerkowitz

http://twitter.com/ Jeannine_Crooks

http://twitter.com/pintalknet

Jamie Birch

Mark Daoust

Greg Hoffman

http://twitter.com/JamieEBirch

http://twitter.com/markdaoust

http://twitter.com/akagorilla

Ciaran Blumenfeld

Sarah Davidson

Rae Hoffman

http://twitter.com/momfluential

http://twitter.com/davidsos0

http://twitter.com/sugarrae

Debbie Bookstaber

Konstantin Dieterle

Rachel Honoway

http://twitter.com/buzzmommy

http://twitter.com/kdieterle

http://twitter.com/rachelhonoway

James Boykin

Vladimir Dusil

Ken Hyder

http://twitter.com/jimboykin

http://twitter.com/vladidee

http://twitter.com/kennyhyder

Kelby Carr

Monica Eaton-Cardone

Zac Johnson

http://twitter.com/typeaparent

http://twitter.com/Monica_Eaton

http://twitter.com/moneyreign

Darin Carter

Jackie Eldridge

Chen Levanon

http://twitter.com/DarinCarter

http://twitter.com/DollarDays

http://twitter.com/clicksmob

Van Chappell

Trisha Lyn Fawver

Brian Littleton

http://twitter.com/vanat5iq

http://twitter.com/TrishaLyn

http://twitter.com/shareasale

64

Issue 31 - August 2015

John LoBrutto

Cliff Ritter

Lisa Tufts

http://twitter.com/1and1affiliate

http://twitter.com/lowestrates_ca

http://twitter.com/ltufts83

Martin Marion

Rohail Rizvi

Jace Vernon

http://twitter.com/MJMMarion

http://twitter.com/rohailr

http://twitter.com/jacevernon

Tara McCommons

Carrie Rocha

David Vogelpohl

http://twitter.com/TaraMcCommons

http://twitter.com/CarrieRocha

http://twitter.com/davidvmc

Karen McMahon

Justin Rondeau

Chad Waite

http://twitter.com/Aff_Whisperer

http://twitter.com/jtrondeau

http://twitter.com/ChadW8

Tricia Meyer

Bill Rothbard

Evan Weber

http://twitter.com/sunshinetricia

http://twitter.com/BillRothbard

http://twitter.com/experienceads

Roger Montti

Oliver Roup

Karen White

http://twitter.com/martinibuster

http://twitter.com/viglink

http://twitter.com/kwhitelv

Christen Moynihan

Kyle Schumacher

Tony Wright

http://twitter.com/brokeasschris10

http://twitter.com/schusworld

http://twitter.com/tonynwright

David Naffziger

David Sendroff

Gino Yazdinian

http://twitter.com/davenaff

http://twitter.com/forensiq

http://twitter.com/yazdinian

Christopher Park

Nathan Smith

http://twitter.com/BLAIRAffiliates

http://twitter.com/CoffeeNate

Anne Parris

Joe Sousa

http://twitter.com/notasupermom

http://twitter.com/drcool73

Rey Pasinli

Shannon Steffen

Affiliate Summit

http://twitter.com/reypasinli

http://twitter.com/ShannonKSteffen

http://twitter.com/affiliatesummit

Scott Polk

Sean Steinmarc

FeedFront Magazine

http://twitter.com/scottpolk

http://twitter.com/steinmarc

http://twitter.com/feedfront

Geno Prussakov

Cameron Stewart

GeekCast.fm

http://twitter.com/ePrussakov

http://twitter.com/tunedotcom

http://twitter.com/geekcast

John Rampton

Costel Sticea

Shawn Collins

http://twitter.com/johnrampton

http://twitter.com/csticea

http://twitter.com/affiliatetip

Adam Riemer

James Thompson

Missy Ward

http://twitter.com/Rollerblader

http://twitter.com/jtgraphic

http://twitter.com/missyward

Affiliate Summit Related Twitter Accounts

65