Welcome to the AffiliateTip.com Newsletter. Be sure to check out the AffiliateTip.com blog for the latest news and information at http://www.affiliatetip.com/blog/

Topics in this issue:

1. Google AdSense Ads as Pop-ups
2. Affiliates Only - How to Get a Free Affiliate Summit Pass
3. Affiliates Going on the Google Diet
4. Affiliate Program News
5. Should the Affiliate Networks be Nervous about zanox?
6. Top 10 Affiliate Programs - May 2006

1. Google AdSense Ads as Pop-ups
Adimpact.com, the company that powers ads in DHTML Layers (pop-ups that don't get blocked), has launched functionality that allows AdSense publishers to run AdSense creatives through Adimpact.com.

The technology from Adimpact.com is known as their Floating Layer Technology, and their site claims that using Adimpact.com with AdSense will produce as many as 2-3 times the normal click-through rates for your AdSense ads.

According to Adimpact.com, the creatives are not actually pop-ups, as they are part of the page (DHTML Layers), so they abide by Google's terms and conditions.

There are a two different levels of accounts at Adimpact.com (bronze and silver) - this service is available only in their Silver plan.

2. Affiliates Only - How to Get a Free Affiliate Summit Pass
Calling all affiliates - if you want to go to Affiliate Summit for free, you'd better read on.

Affiliate Summit 2006 East is taking place July 9-11 at the Disney World Resort Hilton. And there is an opportunity for affiliates to get a free pass to the conference.

There is an essay contest running from May 22 through June 19. What you have to do is write an essay titled, Why I Want to Go to Affiliate Summit. Essays should be 150-200 words. Any submissions longer or shorter will not be considered.

Note - entrants must be affiliates only - employees of networks or merchants are not eligible. Winners will receive a full conference pass to Affiliate Summit 2006 East. Passes are not transferable. Travel and hotel are not included.

No limit to the number of winners - each submission will be evaluated by a team of judges based on content, tone, and style. More information at www.affiliatesummit.com/essay-rules.shtml

Proofread your submissions - typos and misspellings will have a negative impact on your submission.

Submit your essay at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=286142167676.

3. Affiliates Going on the Google Diet
It was nearly a year ago the AssociatePrograms.com newsletter shared a report indicating that Google employs people at a rate of $10 to $20 an hour to check search results at Google every day.

Back then, it was big news that Google apparently had a criteria guide which identified some sites in their results as "Thin Affiliate Doorway Pages."

Some affiliates were in an uproar that Google would dare enforce some quality control over their results pages.

Earlier this week, Peter Figueredo wrote on ReveNews how Google recently updated their Quality Guidelines to include language geared to affiliates.

The new guidelines for quality Google results instruct Webmasters to adhere to a number of best practices, including:

• Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.
• If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.

Sounds like the "thin affiliates" are going on a strict diet of organic traffic this summer.

Predictably, some affiliates are up in arms. But why?

As far as I am concerned, any affiliate site that doesn't add value should be removed from both Google and the respective affiliate programs it promotes. Nobody is entitled to placement in Google and the traffic that comes with being indexed.

The sticking point is exactly what does Google consider to be value?

4. Affiliate Program News
Beyond Lean - 50%CPS - Full Package implementation guide
Beyond Lean is a step by step implementation guide for ANY business in ANY industry. Diagnostic tools will show you WHAT to do; 'Lean Tools' will show you HOW. Increase productivity 12% - 52%. Reduce costs 10% - 40%. CPS 50% - Lifetime cookies, $ 0 minimum – Monthly Payout. Visit: http://www.beyondlean.info/

Bodog.com Marketing Conference at Wynn Las Vegas
Ignite your online gaming business at the third annual Bodog.com Marketing Conference at Wynn Las Vegas, July 23-35, 2006. Learn how to get new business, keep customers loyal and grow your enterprise. Be there for Earvin “Magic” Johnson's keynote speech. Email registration@bodogconference.com or register online.

Hydra Network
Hydra Network is the leading CPA source for affiliate publishers. Over 800 campaigns and more than 200 exclusive offers available. Find all the right campaigns, market them to your site, email, path, pop or other audience, and get paid fast! Sign up today to begin maximizing your inventory profitability, while getting the attention you deserve from one of our Affiliate Managers. Call 310-659-5755 or visit: http://network.hydramedia.com/.

Forex Affiliate - Far better earnings per referral
Currency trading (Forex) is the largest market on earth. Earning high % per referral's P&L, or CPM. One referral can bring $10,000 earnings. Online reliable stats, fast payments, lots of creative materials to download. We paid over one million US$ commissions last year, and our thousands affiliates can't be wrong. http://www.Forex-Affiliate.com

Payless.com Has a New BOGO
There is a new BOGO going on at Payless.com. The BOGO: Buy One, Get One 1/2 Off Everything, is running 5/23 - 6/14. Also, free shipping with the purchase of $40 or more through June 14th.

Snapfish Data Feed Now Available
Snapfish now has a data feed and direct product links. The data feed currently features our top 49 products and we'll be adding the rest of our catalog of customized products in the near future. If you're interested in taking advantage of the Snapfish data feed, please request access via the "Ask a Question" section at CJ.com. You can access the direct product links right now at CJ.com.

5. Should the Affiliate Networks be Nervous about zanox?
I've been looking into zanox recently, and their model of multichannel-commerce has me pretty intrigued.

If you're not familiar with zanox, they are a big player in the European affiliate marketing space, and they are expanding all over the globe.

They're currently working with over 800 multinational merchants such as P&G, Daimler Chrysler, BMW, Samsung, Lycos, Staples, and Alienware.

I've been looking over their zanox XS solution, which is a suite of commerce tools to run an affiliate program, search engine management, customer loyalty, and more. This approach makes a lot of sense to me, and I'd imagine it will pique the interest of many companies at existing affiliate networks.

zanox is running an event for affiliates on July 25 in Chicago called the zanox Academy. More details at http://www.zanox.com/us/academy_chicago/. The zanox Academy is being sponsored by Encyclopedia Britannica, Date.com, Matchmaker.com and DADAmobile and it starts at 1 PM.

On the morning of July 25, zanox is running a seminar on their solutions for merchants that want to learn more. Details at http://www.zanox.com/us/agency_seminar/.

6. Top 10 Affiliate Programs - May 2006
Below are the Top Ten Affiliate Programs for May 2006 as tracked by the AffiliateTip.com Affiliate Program Directory.

The Top Ten affiliate programs are calculated by the number of clickthroughs each program received on AffiliateTip.com.

Disclaimer: While we attempt to include only legitimate programs in this directory, no warranties are made. Please research each company carefully to arrive at your own conclusions. If you experience difficulties with any of the programs listed, contact us, so that we may investigate them.

1. Snapfish
2. Payless ShoeSource
3. eHealthInsurance
4. Brooklyn Surfer
5. zZounds.com
6. Science Education Affiliate Network
7. Advanta Bank Corp
8. GameTap.com
9. Lillian Vernon
10. EPage

As always, I'd love to hear from you! Drop me a line and let me know if you have any suggestions or questions.

Visit http://www.affiliatetip.com/advertise.php for information on advertising in the newsletter or on the site.

Take care,
Shawn Collins

shawn@affiliatetip.com
http://www.affiliatetip.com/
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