Affiliate Program/TGPs?

[LindaMight]

I just launched an Affiliate Program for my website and have several affiliates that are very pleased to have "caught this bus" so to speak. However, I have other affiliates that want a whole bunch of pictures so they can post TGP galleries. I have about 50 pictures in content and 10 banners ... and I thought that would be all I needed.

I am very new at this...so...I really need to understand why some affiliates want hundreds of pictures. Heck...what's the point of someone joining if they can already see hundreds of images?

Verrrrry curious and any wisdom would be sooooo appreciated!

Linda
http://www.lindamight.com

[Deb]

Originally posted by LindaMight
I have about 50 pictures in content and 10 banners ... and I thought that would be all I needed.

I really need to understand why some affiliates want hundreds of pictures. Heck...what's the point of someone joining if they can already see hundreds of images?

Hi Linda - if affiliates are to successfully promote you, they are definately going to need more than 50 pics imho.

Think about this...
If they are making TGP galleries to promote you, then that's a bare minimum of 15 pics per gallery - thus, giving the affiliate only 2 galleries by which to promote your site. And, if they are making free sites to promote you, they usually need anywhere between 20 & 30 pics to promote you. So, if you look at it from this perspective, then only giving them 50 pics is really limiting how much promotion they can successfully do. Hope this helps.

[Magnus3x]

what's the point of someone joining if they can already see hundreds of images?

Well you should have a ton of pics and vids in your members area anyway and you should be giving your affiliates mostly teaser pics and not giving away all your candy for freebies, but you want a lot to get you promoted with. Enough to make lots of galleries that enticing and promote joins. At minimum a gallery should be 15 pics. So if you only have 50 to offer that is not a lot of different galleries.

If you want some huge traffic with guarenteed listings on some of the webs biggest TGP's check us out. www.gallerytrafficservice.com

regards

[Evil Chris]

I'd echo Deb's statements Linda. However having said that, you could decide to run your affiliate program any way you see fit and only give out a small amount of free content for your affiliate webmasters to use to promote you. Or you could not offer it at all, but you'd be losing a large chunk of the webmaster population out there.

Just for information's sake, click my button below and join Triplexcash and take a look at all the different tools and options we offer our webmasters. It will be well worth your time.

Chris

[Vid Vicious]

Good advise given ...

I'd like to follow up on that Question if I might ...


how important is design for hosted galleries?

[Magnus3x]

Just for information's sake, click my button below and join Triplexcash and take a look at all the different tools and options we offer our webmasters. It will be well worth your time.

Check out Triplexcash for sure.. they are stacked with goodies for free promo toolz!!!

Originally posted by Magnus3x

If you want some huge traffic with guarenteed listings on some of the webs biggest TGP's check us out. www.gallerytrafficservice.com

regards [/b]

G'day, I have got www.gallerytrafficservice.com on my list of prime locations to take care of my galleries after they are completed.. I am shopping at davidlace as we speak as I enjoy the $16 sets and will est. a month for myself to complete my 30 fresh galleries and I will be contact.

This time round, I will be not putting my eggs into the same basket as I did so in 2003..

[Evil Chris]

Originally posted by Vid Vicious
Good advise given ...

I'd like to follow up on that Question if I might ...


how important is design for hosted galleries?

Magnus or DrinkingHard might be able to answer that one better than me, Vid. Some will say a somewhat shabby looking gallery will do better than a glossed over one. In my experience, the results are mixed.

[Amber]

Originally posted by Evil Chris
Magnus or DrinkingHard might be able to answer that one better than me, Vid. Some will say a somewhat shabby looking gallery will do better than a glossed over one. In my experience, the results are mixed.

I've seen mixed results as well between sloppy galleries and glossy ones...in my experience, I've found that well laid out galleries always produce the best results - regardless of whether they are sloppy or glossy designs. IMO, as long as the layout is good - pictures to where advertising links reside and how they read - than how dressed up the design is really doesn't play into it that much.

LindaMight, the more free pictures you give to your affiliates, the more they will be able to promote your site. Although, I understand how you would not want to give everything away for free...so I recommend that you compile a good amount of softcore teaser type images to give webmasters and shy away from giving too many of your hardcore pictures away.

[Magnus3x]

G'day, I have got www.gallerytrafficservice.com on my list of prime locations to take care of my galleries after they are completed.. I am shopping at davidlace as we speak as I enjoy the $16 sets and will est. a month for myself to complete my 30 fresh galleries and I will be contact.

Sounds great ..we will have something to suit your needs, niche or budget, keep me posted.

in my experience, I've found that well laid out galleries always produce the best results

Excellent point!
Vid if you are asking about hosted galleries from a sponsors point of view I think they are very important. Lots of webmasters and T/MGP owners have great free site traffic to slam those hosted galleries with and may not have the time to make galleries with your content due to the amount of hours in a day.

[AudreyLive]

Just a little word...
You don't only need a lot more content, but most of the TGPS won't accept my gallery if you don't have picture series. Series of 15 pictures is better.

Many thanks for your help.

[LindaMight]

I checked out Triple X Cash and it looks really interested. I sent you a private message which basically is asking a few questions. I don't want to sound like I have no clue what I am doing.....but....I have no clue what I am doing at this early stage. I've never joined a program such as yours and I am a bit confused.

Please help!

Linda

[webgurl]

whatever the top image / banner is here
http://www.lindamight.com/tour/webmaster.html
its not loading

[LindaMight]

Not sure what you mean by top image not loading?

Do you mean the graphic at the beginning of my webmaster page? All it is .. is a text that says LindaMight. Is that what you mean?

How come I can see it though?

Linda

[Deb]

Originally posted by LindaMight
How come I can see it though?

Linda

Because it's loading for you - from your hard drive. If you go to that page and right click on the image and check the properties, this is what you'll see: file:///C|/ALINDA/01NEWSITE/images/header.jpg

[LindaMight]

Thanks for the tip, we fixed the link.

[webgurl]

Exactly it looks like its on your C / Drive (on your computer) which will show up on your end

[LindaMight]

The header is fixed. I see now why it looked okay to me. Thanks!

Linda

[Panky]

The other posters are right. You need to give your affiliates enough to work with to be able to have them effectively promote the program.

Series pics are a must for TGP promotion.

Good support is another key area.

[Deb]

Hi Linda - I just noticed this on your affiliate signup page:
"However, since I'm not a "mega-site", I cannot provide content of hundreds and hundreds of pictures for those that prefer to promote via TGPs"

That statement just made me wonder if you have enough content inside of your site to keep your members recurring each month? Please don't take my question the wrong way, I'm just honestly curious about that.

Originally posted by webgurl
whatever the top image / banner is here
http://www.lindamight.com/tour/webmaster.html
its not loading

It didnt load for me the first time, then the second time it did, after I hit refresh.

[LindaMight]

The inside of my site has plenty of content considering it is just me and my friends and nothing borrowed or taken from other sources. We have over 3000 images and video clips and once I get the chat room going again, we will have that back.

I have members who have been with me since the inception when no one knew who I was, long before I was interviewed by Hustler and other magazines. More than 300 members are in the "gold club" which means they have been with me since the beginning. I never advertised at all other than to post some pictures in newsgroups. The rest was word of mouth.

Of course I have had many members that come and go....stay a month, two, four, etc. And they come back usually in a few months to see "what's new".

The reason I say I am not a "mega-site" is because I do not promote other sites, nor do I have content from other sites, nor do I have banners, pop ups, etc. It is just a big clit/fetish/big nipple/bondage site about the adventures of LindaMight.

So...do I have enough content? Depends on what the person is looking for I suppose. But, 300 members of the original sign-up that I have never met .... must be hanging around for some reason....

And the webmasters.html graphic is fixed! I think I've said that now about three times but I don't think anyone has read that message..LOL.

Linda

[gel]

Linda,

Your site is the type I prefer to promote. Small owner operated with persoanlity rather than cookie cutter sites from the corprosponsors. For me the amount of conent I get to promote you is my primary consideration for signing up to promote a small site. One of my best sponsors gives me full access to all of the content in their memebers section to promote them. I certainly don't use more than fraction of it.

I have considered your site in the past but the lack of promo content kept me from signing up.

[LindaMight]

I agree....small owner operated sites do have appeal. I've looked at other sites and they all look alike...so I tend to pride myself in the fact that my site is different...and not just because of the topic.

But to let affiliates have the entire membership area to promote seems drastic to me. I was stunned when someone wanted 500 pictures to promote my site. I guess I just don't fully understand the whole promotion thing in the first place.

I figured with several dozen pictures, and some flashy banners,affiliates were good to go. One of the biggest traffic sites out there is sending me traffic by using just one little exit banner and I am getting all kinds of sign ups from them and not once did they ask for more content.

I guess I just don't understand but I will certainly look into further content and of course I am always open to advice.

Linda

[gel]

You don't really need to release your whole site for promotion.

But they will need more than 50. Also it's not just the amount of content it's how its organized. If you offer 100 pics divided into 10 series. It won't be usable for TGP galleries. Gallery makers will need 15 pics in a series for each gallery they make.

[Panky]

Yes... Marketing can be done simply by placing a banner or text ad on a high traffic site. The person who sent you a good many sign-ups has proven it works for them. That doesn't mean that this method will work as well for your other affiliates.

Variety is key. If the affiliates have enough to work with, then they can use the materials in a variety of ways to get people to your site. Some affiliates might have the high traffic sites that they can get away with just banners or text links, other affiliates might be excellent TGP marketers, and then others might be good at the freesites. People find a method of marketing that works for them and they stick with it.

Affiliates basically work for you. They can't do their job so well if their hands are being tied by not having enough material to work with. Think about how many more affiliates you may attract by increasing the marketing material for them. With the affiliate base increasing, your chance for new members just went up.

Guaranteed, you will get affiliates who join who won't produce. You will also get affiliates who join that get the sign-ups for awhile and then their sign-up ratio drops. Then again, you will get affiliates who consistently get sign-ups. But, your affiliate base can not grow unless they are given the right materials and enough materials to do their job. You really never know. You could have a 100 non-producers sign -up and then number 101 could be your marketing gem. Don't limit them because of not having enough material.

Buying content is also an option. This content can be used by affiliates and it can also be placed in your members area.

[Bruno Dickman]

Originally posted by Vid Vicious
I'd like to follow up on that Question if I might ...


how important is design for hosted galleries?

Hi bro how are you doing?

Good question, specially because people tend to mix the idea of a good gallery design with the idea of a pretty gallery design.

A good gallery is not necessarily "pretty and glossy" - but it MUST be designed with the focus of presenting the content nicely while giving the surfer good reasons to click on the link to the paysite instead of hitting the X and getting to the zillions of other free galleries on the TGP he´s visiting.

Design is not about photoshop skills. Photoshop is part of it, but what makes or breaks a design is the ability to give the REASON to click on the paysite link, pre-selling the product he will find ahead, creating a fantasy inside his head. This envolves layout knowledge and copywriting skills. Photoshop is an extra eye candy.

For Effective Gallery Design keep in mind two keywords: CTR and pre-sell.

Take care!

Bruno Dickman

[Littlemack]

At least you got some pictures that the affiliates can use. It is a start and you can always build from there. Keep plugging away and you will increase your affiliate side higher and will be able to offer your affiliate members more stuff to promote with. Good luck!!

[LindaMight]

We are going to actually make about ten galleries of 15 pictures each with themes and that is what we will offer our affiliates at this point. Being new to this affiliate scene and not seeing a whole lot of revenue so far except from one, we are skeptical that they even work but we are doing our best to do everything right and have the "stuff" affiliates need.

Some people have said to join things like mega cash, etc. etc. and I have no idea what they are or what I would gain from joining. I am really in the dark on this one. I have read gallerytrafficservice.com and actually I still don't know what I am supposed to do with it.

Are you all getting tired of me "not knowing" enough?

Linda

Originally posted by LindaMight
We are going to actually make about ten galleries of 15 pictures each with themes and that is what we will offer our affiliates at this point. Being new to this affiliate scene and not seeing a whole lot of revenue so far except from one, we are skeptical that they even work but we are doing our best to do everything right and have the "stuff" affiliates need.

Some people have said to join things like mega cash, etc. etc. and I have no idea what they are or what I would gain from joining. I am really in the dark on this one. I have read gallerytrafficservice.com and actually I still don't know what I am supposed to do with it.

Are you all getting tired of me "not knowing" enough?

Linda

I can't answer for gallerytrafficservice, but I can say that they can supply you with a banner placement on the various sites in the various packages found at gallerytrafficservice. This would mean that you would not need to increase your content for webmasters and also you will not need to share the 50% members subscription as a banner add will bring new potential surfers to your site.

Chris suggested that to join triplexcash to view the workings of the webmaster area so you can see the methods used in today's high demand for time saving webmaster tools.

And no, personaly I am not tired of you and can offer free advise on any information that might arrise and share with you some sites that have helped me along the way, like you might find some useful information when using the search tab located top right on xnations.

For starters, I have noticed that your site is well listed in google and this is a big bonus if you havnt already noticed. You have a close focus on your goals and I'm sure you know your specialty in this business and you do that very well.

Until we speak, have a great day!

Mark