Comments on: Affiliate Merchants - please ensure you have banners available in ALL sizes http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html Welcome to Kieron's blog - the life and times of an Internet Marketeer Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:38:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Kieron http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8373 Kieron Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:29:58 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8373 Hero - you said I was being "unreasonable" and I really don't think I am. That's what I found shocking. Likewise I don't think an affiliate should have to go back to a merchant and ask for basic banner sizes, just because they only have 3 in their inventory. Instead I'll just go and find a competitor (as I have done) who offers banners in a decent range of sizes. Once again I'm not asking for "all" the elements that an affiliate could ask for just the BASICS. I understand that datafeeds, eidgets etc. take time to build and shouldn't hold up the launch of an affiliate programme. But in my book there is no excuse to not only launch with only 3 banner sizes, but also not to expand on them after a period of months/years. And as for blogging about it, well this is an industry blog about matters that affect the industry. This falls under that category so don't expect me to stop anytime soon :) Hero - you said I was being “unreasonable” and I really don’t think I am. That’s what I found shocking. Likewise I don’t think an affiliate should have to go back to a merchant and ask for basic banner sizes, just because they only have 3 in their inventory. Instead I’ll just go and find a competitor (as I have done) who offers banners in a decent range of sizes. Once again I’m not asking for “all” the elements that an affiliate could ask for just the BASICS. I understand that datafeeds, eidgets etc. take time to build and shouldn’t hold up the launch of an affiliate programme. But in my book there is no excuse to not only launch with only 3 banner sizes, but also not to expand on them after a period of months/years. And as for blogging about it, well this is an industry blog about matters that affect the industry. This falls under that category so don’t expect me to stop anytime soon :)

]]> By: hero http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8372 hero Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:23:49 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8372 where did I say that 3 banners are enough? I advocate a minimum of 6 banners of the most popular sizes out there plus providing further sizes fast upon request. What's shocking about that? If a merchant waited to launch with all the elements an affiliate could potentially ask for, they would never launch. Launch with the minimum and work with your affiliates and network to improve and build on your program. Provided the affiliates come back to you and tell you what they want - rather than generally blog about it :-) where did I say that 3 banners are enough? I advocate a minimum of 6 banners of the most popular sizes out there plus providing further sizes fast upon request. What’s shocking about that?
If a merchant waited to launch with all the elements an affiliate could potentially ask for, they would never launch. Launch with the minimum and work with your affiliates and network to improve and build on your program. Provided the affiliates come back to you and tell you what they want - rather than generally blog about it :-)

]]> By: Kieron http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8371 Kieron Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:16:09 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8371 Richard - sure but do you think merchants are taking their programme seriously with only 3 banner sizes? I don't and that's my point. Richard - sure but do you think merchants are taking their programme seriously with only 3 banner sizes? I don’t and that’s my point.

]]> By: Kieron http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8370 Kieron Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:14:33 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8370 Hero - I'm a bit shocked by your statement. You think I'm unreasonable by saying that 3 banner sizes isn't enough? I realy don't think it's really very much to ask that a wider range of creative sizes should be made available is it? Hero - I’m a bit shocked by your statement. You think I’m unreasonable by saying that 3 banner sizes isn’t enough? I realy don’t think it’s really very much to ask that a wider range of creative sizes should be made available is it?

]]> By: Richard Longhurst http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8369 Richard Longhurst Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:11:46 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8369 I was talking about PPC affiliates who send traffic directly to merchants - they have no need for banners at all. No, you're not being unreasonable in saying what you want for your sites. You are being unreasonable in turning that into sweeping generalisations like: "they’ll have a starting chance of being featured on 99% of affiliate sites." "if it’s not economical for a merchant to provide a decent range of banners in a wide variety of sizes (11, 18 or whatever) then maybe they aren’t taking their affiliate programmme seriously" Yes, more banners is better. But merchants can still take their programme seriously without making 11 sizes. That's all! I was talking about PPC affiliates who send traffic directly to merchants - they have no need for banners at all.

No, you’re not being unreasonable in saying what you want for your sites.

You are being unreasonable in turning that into sweeping generalisations like:

“they’ll have a starting chance of being featured on 99% of affiliate sites.”

“if it’s not economical for a merchant to provide a decent range of banners in a wide variety of sizes (11, 18 or whatever) then maybe they aren’t taking their affiliate programmme seriously”

Yes, more banners is better.

But merchants can still take their programme seriously without making 11 sizes.

That’s all!

]]> By: gadget http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8368 gadget Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:07:07 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8368 I'm still with Kieron on this one. There are too many merchants that have too few banner sizes. I'm talking about those merchants that have just 3/4 sizes. I’m still with Kieron on this one. There are too many merchants that have too few banner sizes. I’m talking about those merchants that have just 3/4 sizes.

]]> By: hero http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8367 hero Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:03:38 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8367 you're being unreasonable in the sense that you shouldn't moan about the lack of sizes that aren't the most popular out there. You're in need of them, fair enough, contact the merchant or their account manager - if you don't get them, then moan you’re being unreasonable in the sense that you shouldn’t moan about the lack of sizes that aren’t the most popular out there. You’re in need of them, fair enough, contact the merchant or their account manager - if you don’t get them, then moan

]]> By: Kieron http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8363 Kieron Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:29:50 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8363 Richard - well I'm a PPC affiliate too and I want to drive traffic to my new car site via PPC. So guess what that means? Yes I need some banners to go on the site so I can generate sales! Nobody is making sweeping generalisations other than - 3 banner sizes just isn't a big enough range of creative for an affiliate programme. Too much to ask? Am I really being unreasonable here? Richard - well I’m a PPC affiliate too and I want to drive traffic to my new car site via PPC. So guess what that means? Yes I need some banners to go on the site so I can generate sales! Nobody is making sweeping generalisations other than - 3 banner sizes just isn’t a big enough range of creative for an affiliate programme. Too much to ask? Am I really being unreasonable here?

]]> By: Richard Longhurst http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8362 Richard Longhurst Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:11:45 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8362 Somewhere there's an affiliate blogging that having automatically updated product feeds is absolute must and that they don't care about having 11 types of banner... Heh. I think this issue boils down to: "having a decent range of banners is an absolute must for an programme that wants to be on Kieron's sites". What of those numerous - and big - affiliates that drive traffic directly to merchants via PPC? Neither banners nor product feeds are of use to them... Yes, more banners is better than fewer. But I don't think 's sweeping generalisations help beyond that. Somewhere there’s an affiliate blogging that having automatically updated product feeds is absolute must and that they don’t care about having 11 types of banner… Heh.

I think this issue boils down to: “having a decent range of banners is an absolute must for an programme that wants to be on Kieron’s sites”.

What of those numerous - and big - affiliates that drive traffic directly to merchants via PPC? Neither banners nor product feeds are of use to them…

Yes, more banners is better than fewer.

But I don’t think ’s sweeping generalisations help beyond that.

]]> By: Kieron http://www.here.org.uk/2008/07/affiliate-merchants-please-ensure-you-have-banners-available-in-all-sizes.html#comment-8358 Kieron Sun, 13 Jul 2008 09:43:54 +0000 http://www.here.org.uk/?p=883#comment-8358 Hero - you're getting too caught up in the numbers. In my original post I listed 11 of the most commonly used sizes by affiliates, not 18. But that doesn't really matter, my point is that by any standards, just having 3 sizes of banners isn't good enough. I have to disagree with you about feeds too, I don't use them and I know a lot of affiliates who don't so I don't care if they work or not. However, having a decent range of banners is an absolute must for any programme. Hero - you’re getting too caught up in the numbers. In my original post I listed 11 of the most commonly used sizes by affiliates, not 18. But that doesn’t really matter, my point is that by any standards, just having 3 sizes of banners isn’t good enough. I have to disagree with you about feeds too, I don’t use them and I know a lot of affiliates who don’t so I don’t care if they work or not. However, having a decent range of banners is an absolute must for any programme.

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