Ok I admit it, I feel guilty every time I hit DECLINE for an affiliate. I am a sensitive soul. Every time I see an application, I see someone trying to make a difference in his/her life, reaching outside of the box or following a passion. I want to call this person and say “Hey I can’t approve your application but here is why and what you can do.” Instead I am writing this post.
And in case you are curious at this point: yes, I am a total tree hugging, sappy person who still manages to run a successful online marketing consultant business, that includes being an OPM, for over 12 years.
Needless to say, I can’t make that phone call so here is my post to represent my side of the story…in quick outline form in case you have already tired of my stream of consciousness writing style.
Top 5 Reasons I Decline Affiliate Applications
Broken Links. I click on at least one url for every application I receive, unless I already have an existing relationship. If one url is broken, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and move on to a second. If the second one is broken, you are out. Tip: updated your urls regularly.
Coupon sites. I am not one of those affiliate managers who bashes coupon sites. In fact, I LOVE my coupon sites. However, if you are a new affiliate, please don’t make another one. I have my top coupon affiliates so unless you have an unusual spin (i.e. fundraiser for a niche cause), I am going to say “no thank you.” My clients don’t want their brand on every coupon site out there. Tip: Find something you are passionate about. I will see your passion and so will your followers.
Free domain. I love that the internet is so accessible that anyone can create a website with such tools as weebly. However, if you are serious about being an affiliate, I highly recommend you splurge for the $15 and get your own domain. And yes, I do see the irony that I am still on wordpress but my website lives happily on robbinsinteractive.com. Tip: Get your own domain.
Looks count. I know content is crucial but looks count too. If your site has a bunch of flashy banners or strange white spaces that don’t make sense, I can’t have my brands on it. Make sure it is clean, focused and easy to read. It will pay off in the long run. Tip: Take pride in your site’s appearance.
I don’t get it. You have a list of urls and none of them have anything to do with my product. Maybe you have a url not listed but I can’t see that. Just write me a quick note, a functionality available in all network applications, and let me know your plans. Or reply to my dreaded Declined email with an explanation. But here is the thing, don’t be mad at me. I am not a fan of mean emails because mean emails are like mean people…they suck. Tip: Personal notes go a long way and don’t take long.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post. I hope it helps. See you in the Approved Status filter soon!