Tips for Overcoming Writer's Block

One of the key elements to a successful website or blog is being able to consistently write and publish interesting content for your readers. This can prove challenging for even the best writers, and on many occasions Writer’s Block will step in. Whether it is writing a review, putting together a blog post or sharing an editorial piece, writer’s block can cause extreme frustration. I will be the first to admit that there have been several occasions where I have found myself stuck on a line of a review, with no idea where to go next! Sometimes, the experience of writer’s block can be temporary, but on other occasions it can be extreme and completely hinder writers from creating new articles. For everyone, the experience is different, but I thought I would share some of my personal strategies that will hopefully be of benefit to how you overcome the challenge.

• Write For ‘You’
  Have you ever reread one of your articles, only to find yourself perplexed at what you have wrote? This is a challenge I face daily when I am writing an article. I focus on reviews, and it becomes very easy to focus your attention on what you want the reader to hear, rather than what your own opinions are. Over time, I have discovered that my most popular posts are the ones that I write to satisfy what I am thinking and how I view something. The idea here is to write exactly how you feel on a given subject rather than giving in to write what you think readers will like. If you really like something, write it. If you don’t like something, write that, too. If you have no ideas about a certain issue, add that in! You will be surprised at how engaging this can be to your readers. Writer's Block is often a result of focusing your energy on something you don't actually want to really talk about!

• Read Other Articles
  Sometimes, overcoming writer’s block can be as easy as reading another writer’s work. All you need to do is Google search some keywords in your article, and find out what the popular opinion pieces have to say. Now, I don’t mean copy and paste their work, rather take the time to digest their opinions and allow your thoughts to formulate. Taking the time to entertain what other writers think can open up many new ideas to you, and break down barriers that you were unaware existed. On occasion, you might even disagree with what another writer has to say. But, maybe this will be the inspiration for a whole new direction to your article?

• Take a Break
  Plain and simple, take a break. This is one that many people will brush aside for fear that they won’t be able clear their minds. Give your mind the opportunity to rest already! All it can take is a few minutes, make some coffee, or go for a quick walk outside! My secret is to take a break and re-read one of my most popular posts. When I do this it simply reminds me of the fact that I have been able to bring out some great information in the past! I then spend 15 minutes thinking about what I want from my current article, and what I feel I am doing wrong. Many times, writer’s block will hit when your article is headed in the wrong direction and you are too afraid to go back to modify it.

• Recycle a Post
  So, you find yourself stuck on a post, or you just can’t think of anything else to write. Don’t dwell on it, instead go find a previous post and recycle it! Bloggers have a huge fear about this one, “Well, I can’t recycle it in case others have already read it”. Well, guess what, if everybody has already read it, you have an extremely successful website, and if your website is successful then you should not have a problem re-sharing your ideas! Instead of sitting like a dummy, not knowing what to write next, put together a post that highlights some great ideas you had in the past and reference some of your other posts. This gives your readers the opportunity to delve deeper into your site, while also relieving the pressure you feel to write a new post. As a result, you might find it easier to go back and complete the unfinished post! If you take a look at any of the top blog resource websites, you will notice that they are not afraid to recycled posts for their readers.

There is no ‘cure’ for writers block, the only solution is to try find something that works for you! If you don't suffer from writer's block, and have some posts that could use some great assets or text links, feel free to apply to become a Shopzilla Publisher! We also encourage anyone with tips that might be useful to other writers, please comment below.

*While also being the Senior Affiliate Program Coordinator at Shopzilla, Bryan runs a leading soccer review site.

Top 10 Publisher Tips for 2010

Happy New Year, Publishers!

There's no better time for New Year's Resolutions than now.  Myself, and the rest of the Shopzilla Publisher team would love to see continued growth in our publishers' performances and figured you would too.  So, we put our heads together and came up with the top ten tips for better earnings in 2010. 

10.  The Shopzilla Publisher Team is Your Resource, Use Us!

Whether it's a complicated question or a request for a password reset, don't be shy.  We want you to succeed just as much as you do, so give us a chance to help you and contact us.  If you're looking to be a bit more proactive this year, then keep up to date with us by following our blog, becoming a fan of us on Facebook, and following us on Twitter at @szpublisher!

9.  Update Your Payment Information.

You'd be surprised how many publishers walk away from their hard earned payments by not having the most up to date payment information.  If you move, change you're email, PayPal account, or the name of your payee you have to let us know!  Also, be prepared for tax season - please send us your W9s if you haven't done so already. 

8.  Reapply!

If you were denied access to our Catalog API or FTP Data Feeds and your website has changed, please don't hesitate to reapply.  There are many times we grant access to previously rejected publishers when their websites are more established.

7.  Provide Disclosure.

The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on fraudulent reviews on blogs. Back in October of 2009, the FTC revised its Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials.  Since December 1st, fines were being issued to bloggers and companies that did not properly disclose information about endorsements.  If you are receiving any kind of payment in exchange for your opinion, you must disclose it.  For more information you can read through the FTC's 81 page guide or check out our October blog post about the new guides.

6.  Stay Up-to-Date with Current Events in Affiliate Marketing.

Learn from Super Affiliates and your peers by bookmarking your favorite websites about affiliate marketing and checking in at least once a week.  Looking for a new blog to follow?  Check out Bryan's 15 Recommended Websites For Any Successful Affiliate!

5.  Know Which Assets Attract Your Audience - Use Placement IDs!

Have more than one asset on your website or websites?  Keep track of which assets are most attractive to your audience by using Placement IDs. You can view the traffic for each Placement ID under View Reports.  If you're not sure how to create a Placement ID, check out our blog post on Placement ID usage.  Please note that you can only use positive integers and cannot use Placement IDs greater than 999999.

4.  Wordpress User?  You Can Still Use Dynamic Assets!

In June 2008, Tim Flight gave a great tip on how to use Dynamic Assets on Wordpress during his Publisher Spotlight.  Please remember that we cannot be held liable for any code you may break (read our FAQ), we believe the following tip brought GPSReview.net much success.

Create the Dynamic Asset using just the letter "a" in the "Search For" field as the keyword. Pick the banner size, set your colors, etc, and then get the HTML code. Look in the HTML code for the following:

/keyword-a/

Replace that with this:

/keyword-<?php echo(urlencode(strtolower(single_post_title(",FALSE)))); ?>/

That code should take the title of the WordPress post and use it as the keyword for the ad unit.

3.  Keep Your Personal Data and Websites' Data Safe.

Take web safety seriously.  Little steps can make a big difference. Get into good habits regarding passwords, sensitive information, third party plugins, and software updates.

Kickoff 2010 by changing all of your passwords.  According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, passwords should be at least 8 characters long and include numbers, symbols, and uppercase and lower case letters.  Passwords should be changed at least once every 90 days and never reused or shared.  When sharing sensitive data, verify that your browser connection is secure and never transmit it over email.  Only use third party plugins if you trust the source.  Lastly, always check for software upgrades whether it's your browser (ie Firefox or Internet Explorer) or the blogging tool you use (ie Wordpress or MovableType). 

To learn more about how you can be safe online, check out Chris's pointers during National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

2.  More is Not Always Merrier.

Some say, the more fishing rods you cast, the more fish you'll catch.  When it comes to affiliate marketing, it can be quite the opposite.  Your website shouldn't resemble the Las Vegas strip.  Instead, your website should encourage your audience to stay and enjoy the content and a blitz of ads is not the way to do it.  It's easier to choose from a small menu, don't let your audience (and earnings) fall victim to choice overload.

1.  Be Relevant.

If you're running a website about sports, more often than not, your audience is not interested in our Home and Garden shopping products. To make the most out of the Shopzilla Inc. content you display, alter the keywords you use and/or use the drop down categories until you get the shopping content that compliments your website's content.  For more information on building Dynamic Content check out this blog post on Creating the Perfect Dynamic Asset.

And those are our top ten publisher tips for 2010.  How much progress will you and your website make come 2011?

Creating the Perfect Dynamic Asset for Your Website

Hey Publishers,

Have you experienced trouble building dynamic assets?  Have you searched for a specific item, but the results weren't what you had in mind?  If this has happened to you, or, if you want to prevent it from happening in the future, listen up!  There is a simple way for you to search and display the results you want.

When you are experiencing difficulties building dynamic assets, the keywords you enter into the search box for either Top Search Results or Product Pods might not be specific enough and therefore display top searched products that are not necessarily what you had in mind.  The solution is relatively simple- tweak the keyword or keywords you are using.  You can change the amount of detail, ie brand name, color, product type or use our category refinement feature.  Once you find the content you want, choose your dynamic asset and make it perfect by using our Color Picker Tool.  You can customize the asset's appearance in just about every way you could imagine.

So, you've created the asset you wanted and it complements your website's design perfectly.  You're seeing great results, but later while your viewing your site you notice your assets that were once displaying books are now displaying miscellaneous products - what should you do?!

1. Wait a half hour to see if the problem resolves itself.  We could be performing routine maintenance or experiencing brief program errors.
2. Check our Announcements for alerts.  You'll find updated information on taxonomy and any program errors.
3. Try creating a new asset.  Perhaps your dynamic asset code was altered the last time you updated your site.  The product categorization could have changed and therefore your asset would be out of date.  Also, the product your asset was built around could no longer be offered by our merchants.

***Please keep in mind that our Product Pods are only available for "compacted" products which have multiple offers aligned to that specific product.  For example, products like iPods and digital cameras are compacted where as our "soft" goods such as apparel and home & garden supplies are non-compacted.  If you do not happen to find a Product Pod of your liking, check back periodically, as we are always adding to our compacted product offerings.

If you have any questions about building dynamic assets or general questions about your account, please feel free to contact us.

Integrated Dynamic Assets With Your Website's Content

Hey Publishers,

For those of you who are regular readers, you might remember our Publisher Spotlight on Tim Flight and GPSReview.net back in June of 2008.  He gave great advice on content integration and a great pointer for our WordPress users. It is that good that we wanted to take the opportunity to share it with you again!

How well does the Shopzilla Publisher Program content you select fit with the context of the page?  Is your audience reading about Nike running shoes, but your assets display Adidas and New Balance sneakers? We get a lot of questions about how to generate more quality clicks and one of the answers is integration. Our Publisher Program offers a wide set of product offerings from thousands of different merchants, so take advantage of it by displaying assets that suit the content of the page!

Tim also gave a very detailed tip for our WordPress users interested in using Dynamic Assets. While we cannot be held liable for any code you may accidentally break (read our FAQ), Tim's advice has brought GPSReview much success:

Create the Dynamic Asset using just the letter "a" in the "Search For" field as the keyword. Pick the banner size, set your colors, etc, and then get the HTML code. Look in the HTML code for the following:

/keyword-a/

Replace that with this:

/keyword-<?php echo(urlencode(strtolower(single_post_title(",FALSE)))); ?>/

That code should take the title of the WordPress post and use it as the keyword for the ad unit.

Keep in mind, this will be optimal only for those publishers using the product name as the blog post title. Hopefully, this will help you save time by making our dynamic assets... well... more dynamic! As always, please contact us with any questions or comments.

DataFeedScripts.com Pre Built 'Site-in-a-Box' Solution

We get a lot of requests for a pre-made website solution for our Catalog API.  Well, we recently heard of a company that sells a complete and fully functional price comparison website based on our recently released Catalog API. Our Catalog API is generally used by more advanced publishers, but DataFeedScripts.net have created a product using our Catalog API to provide an easier integration for website publishers.  DataFeedScripts.net is offering the script for $250 per website (requires a Windows environment). They also offer to fully install the script for an additional fee. Click here for more information.

While we have never used the product and cannot endorse its functionality, this might be a good opportunity for Publishers who want a fully customized website without a lot of hassle.  As a word of caution, we advise that you apply to become a Shopzilla Publisher BEFORE buying the script. If you apply, please be sure to give us a detailed description of what you plan to do, so that we are aware and can evaluate your application appropriately.
 
Note: We cannot guarantee the availability of DataFeedScript.net’s script product, or be held liable for any area of support for their script product.

If you do purchase a DataFeedScript website, please let us know.  We would be interested to hear user experiences related to it (good or bad).

Stay Connected With The Shopzilla Publisher Program

Hey Publishers,

Are you tired of you hearing Shopzilla Publisher Program news through the grapevine?  Do you want to be the first to know about new categories and content that becomes available without constantly hitting the F5 key to refresh our blog?  If so, take this as a friendly reminder that you can stay up to date on all of our updates by following us on Twitter and Facebook!

Twitter:  You can follow us at @szpublisher.  We'll keep you up to date on everything from industry news to the most recent posts on our blog.  We also occasionally give 'Follow Friday' shout outs to our Publishers.  For those of you on Twitter, send us a message, introduce yourself and we'll keep you informed!  If you're not a part of Twitter, sign up here!

Facebook:  Become a fan of Shopzilla Publisher Program on Facebook.  Keep up with Shopzilla Publisher Program and industry news and meet other Shopzilla Publishers and fans of our program.  Next time you log on to Facebook, become a fan and give us a shout on our wall, we'd love to hear from you!  And for those of you not on Facebook, join here!

We're really looking forward to keeping in touch with our Publishers through social network channels!  If you have any questions or want to see us on an additional social network site, contact us!

Tips on Keeping your Shopzilla Publisher Account and Personal Data Secure

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, so we'd like to take the opportunity to give you a few pointers that will help you keep your data and websites' safe.  We'd also like to remind you that Shopzilla takes utmost care with safeguarding Publisher data through the use of encryption.  You can help ensure that your data remains safe by adhering to these simple tips:

[1] Use strong passwords and don't give them out to anyone.  The National Cyber Security Alliance recommends using a password at least eight characters long, including letters, numbers, and symbols. Shopzilla personnel will never ask for your password.

[2] Make every effort to change your password at least every 90 days.

[3] Do not re-use the same password on several sites.  Though the Shopzilla Publisher Program encrypts your passwords and no employee here can see what you have chosen, this is not the case at every company.

[4] Verify that your browser connection is secure whenever you are submitting sensitive data, like Social Security Numbers, to Shopzilla or other companies.  To verify a secure connection with Internet Explorer, look for a lock icon to the right of the address bar.  To verify on FireFox, look for a lock icon on the lower right corner of the status bar at the bottom of the browser.

[5] Never transmit sensitive data (like financial information or Social Security Numbers) over email.

[6] Keep your software up-to-date and watch for new security patches.  This includes your browser (check the Firefox or Internet Explorer websites), but it's also important for bloggers who administer content management software like Wordpress.  Check your vendor's website often to ensure you are using the most secure release of the software.  Here are the links to a few popular blogging tools:

• Wordpress
• MovableType
• b2evolution
• Textpattern
• Drupal
• Joomla

Also be careful with third party plugins - don't use them if you don't trust the source.

An old teacher of mine used to joke that the only way to stay 100% secure online is to unplug your computer and never use it.  But you'll be well on your way to minimizing risk by following these tips and other 'best practices' that can be found at the National Cyber Security Alliance's website.

Double your Websites, Double your Funds: Adding Additional Sites to your Shopzilla Publisher Account

Hey Publishers,

Does the Shopzilla Publisher Team know about every site you're using our content on?  Are your Placement IDs organized and reflect each site and its corresponding Shopzilla Publisher Program content?  Not only is notifying us of your additional sites part of our terms and conditions, but perhaps your additional sites could get you on our next Publisher Spotlight, so keep us in the loop!

The Shopzilla Publisher Program allows you to publish Shopzilla Publisher Program content on any site you operate, as long as we get a chance to review and approve the site.  You do not have to go through registering a new site, you only need to send us the URL and a brief description.  Once we have reviewed and approved your additional sites, you are ready to add new Shopzilla Publisher Program content.  When you do this, we strongly suggest you make the most out of Placement IDs so that you are able to track the traffic from each website separately on your earnings report.

As always, please contact us if you have any questions about the Shopzilla Publisher Program!

15 Recommended Websites For Any Successful Affiliate

One thing that we feel is key to finding success in the affiliate realm is staying up to date with all the latest industry news. In recent times, we have featured some great interviews and updates on breaking topics. Take for example our recent interview of Tim Flight in regards to the new FTC regulations, or our opinion piece on the Affiliate Tax and its impact on CPC programs.

One great way to stay updated is to find a good set of blogs to follow. We do just that, and as a result, we thought it would be a good idea to share some sites with you to check out and maybe save to your favorites. Please note, the sites we have listed below are just a select few of hundreds of great blogs that exist. These are just sites that we are familiar with. If there are other blogs out there that you feel have similar appeal, please let us know below in the comment section, so that we can check them out and share them with other Publishers in the future!

The following sites are listed alphabetically:

Affiliate (Tip)
http://blog.affiliatetip.com/
A daily blog on affiliate marketing news and opinion, written by Affiliate Summit co-founder Shawn Collins.

Bigoak blog
http://www.bigoakinc.com/blog/
Focuses on information about Search Engine Optimization and Internet Marketing.

BloggingTips
http://www.bloggingtips.com/
Brings a blend of article, news and tips on topics that range from promoting your blog to design and coding.

BloggingPro
http://www.bloggingpro.com/
Features news, themes and plugins for blogging applications.

Blogstorm
http://www.blogstorm.co.uk/
The UK’s largest blog discussing internet marketing and search engine optimization news & strategies.

Blogussion
http://www.blogussion.com/
Provides outstanding tips for excelling your blog in a variety of topics.

Copyblogger
http://www.copyblogger.com/
Copy-writing tips for online marketing success.

DailyBlogTips
http://www.dailyblogtips.com/
Daily tips and shared knowledge to help bloggers learn more about blogging.

David Naylor
http://www.davidnaylor.co.uk/
Information to help you to increase your online presence in the search engines, and the traffic generated to your website.

John Chow dot Com
http://www.johnchow.com/
The Miscellaneous Ramblings of the self-proclaimed Dot Com Mogul, John Chow.

Performancing
http://performancing.com/
A place where those that want to make money from their blogs can learn, and perfect the art of making a living from weblogging.

ProBlogger
http://www.problogger.net/
Dedicated to helping other bloggers learn the skills of blogging, share their own experiences and promote the blogging medium.

Reve News
http://www.revenews.com/
Discussion of Online Advertising, CPA, SEO, Affiliate and Next Generation Marketing. 

Search Engine Roundtable
http://www.seroundtable.com/
Provides a single source for the reader to visit to locate the most interesting threads covered at the SEM forums.

The Blog Herald
http://www.blogherald.com/
Premier source of news, information, tips, and commentary on blogs, the blogging industry and bloggers worldwide.

Interview with Tim Flight of GPSReview.net about the FTC Guidelines

Hey Publishers,

The Federal Trade Commission's new set of guidelines to protect online consumers is a very hot and controversial topic affecting bloggers of all stripes. The Shopzilla Publisher team was curious about the thoughts of one of our coworkers and top publishers, Tim Flight, and had the pleasure to ask him several questions on the topic. Tim runs GPSReview.net, and has been a Shopzilla Publisher for roughly two and a half years. Tim gave us great insight on his experiences with GPSReview.net and what the new FTC regulations mean for him and other bloggers.

Jade: Would you mind giving a brief description of GPSReview.net for our publishers and blog readers who are unfamiliar with your site?

Tim: I started with GPSReview.net in 2005 and I've been involved with affiliate marketing since that time. I review GPS devices, provide ways for consumers to ask questions and leave their own reviews, as well as operate a large GPS forum. Often manufacturers will send me devices to review (which I send back when I'm done with the product), and I also often purchase GPS devices directly from store shelves for reviews.

Jade: The FTC's goal is to maximize consumer protection. Do you feel there are really that many biased product review blogs that negatively affect consumer decisions?

Tim: I don't believe there are a lot of blogs with a significant bias towards a particular company, although they do exist. However a bigger issue I see is the manufacturers/companies themselves are often out there trying to influence product ratings. For example, I've caught employees of just about every GPS company trying to influence the conversation of various pages of GPSReview.net. They will pose as a consumer and "review" their own product or say something negative about their competitor.

Another tactic I've seen recently is a company offering a discount on their product or future purchases if the consumer writes a positive review of their product on a blog or forum. (Often before a consumer has even used their product).

Jade: What is your biggest concern with the FTC's new set of guidelines?

Tim: I don't have any big concerns with the new guidelines. I hope more bloggers will be open about the relationships they have with companies they talk about. But I think bloggers writing positive reviews of a product as a result of getting free product is just the tip of the iceberg.

As I mentioned above, employees writing about their own products in blog comments, forums, or social media sites is a problem for consumers. The guidelines also hardly scratch the surface surrounding things like "wining and dining" or being offered free show tickets while at a Vegas trade show. There are many other ways a blogger could be influenced by a company beyond just free product.

Jade: Richard Cleland of the FTC stated in an interview with Fast Company that the FTC is more concerned with the advertisers and wants to educate the bloggers. How far do you think the advertisers will pull back?

Tim: Product manufacturers and advertisers understand that bloggers can reach their target audiences, so I don't think they will pull back. Perhaps companies will start being a bit more strict when it comes to setting expectations on having product samples shipped back, etc. As far as "educating bloggers" goes, those that are receiving kick-backs for positive reviews probably won't change much.

Jade: How do you plan on adhering to the new FTC guidelines?

Tim: For a long time I've maintained an Ethics Page where I spell out my relationship with companies I review products from. I also frequently cite within a product review if I purchased the product myself or if the product was on a short-term loan. I plan to continue those practices.

Jade: How do you think your site, GPSReview.net will be affected?

Tim: I don't think I will be affected much at all. From what I've interpreted in the guidelines I've been already meeting or exceeding the FTC guidelines.

Thank you to Tim for taking the time to talk to us about the new FTC regulations and his site GPSReview.net. We'd love to hear our publishers' reactions to the proposed FTC guidelines. How do you expect to be affected in December when these new rules take effect?

Shopzilla Publisher Program on Twitter

Just as a healthy reminder to all of our Publishers that we are available to be your friend on Twitter. We started using Twitter over a year ago, and it has become a valuable tool for us to share performance announcements, industry news, hints and tips with our Publishers and anyone else interested in seeing what we have to say! We also make note to give 'Follow Friday' shout outs to our Publishers from time to time. If you already use Twitter, send us a message to let us know who you are. That way, we can add you and send any valuable information we think you would appreciate!

Our alias is @szpublisher. See you there!

How the Shopzilla Publisher Program Works

How do Publishers make money?
In order to help Publishers understand how our program works, we have illustrated the steps involved in generating earnings.

1.    You place Shopzilla Publisher Program banners or links on your website. A visitor comes to your website, sees a product they would like to compare prices on.

2.    They click on one of the Shopzilla Publisher Program banners or links (*on your Portal report, this represents a ‘click’). This takes them to BizRate, our sister website, where they see a list of relevant products and prices.

3.    Once they decide which product suits them best, they click on a link that takes them through to the website of the Merchant selling that product.

4.    The Merchant pays Shopzilla for valid, CPC-monetized leads and celebrates the sale of a product from the quality traffic you, the Publisher, sent to their website.

5.    Shopzilla shares the revenue generated from this quality traffic with you, the Publisher.* Now YOU celebrate!

 

Should you have any questions, visit our Frequently Asked Questions section, or, post a comment since another Publisher may be wondering something similar. The Shopzilla Publisher Team will be sure to reply.

* All publisher earnings are subject to validation and adjustments.  Portal reported earnings should only be considered as an estimate.  Publishers should consult the Shopzilla, Inc. Publisher Program Terms & Conditions for more information.

Shopzilla Publisher Program Blog RSS

Hey Publishers!

We regularly post new information and updates here on the Shopzilla Publisher Program blog so that you can be informed of all the latest news and updates as soon as things happen. One of our goals is to keep you up-to-date in a fast and easy manner. There are several ways to follow us: directly on the Shopzilla Publisher Program Blog, our Facebook page, Twitter and also by RSS feed.

It is really easy to follow us by RSS feed! All you have to do is click on the RSS feed button at the top right of the blog, and choose where you would like to follow us from. Both Google and Yahoo allow you to follow us right from your home page! It is really easy to setup, and its a great way to know when we post new information to the blog. Try it out and see how easy it is to follow all of our updates!

Publisher Program on Facebook!

The Shopzilla Publisher Program is now on Facebook and we are encouraging all of our Publishers to check out our new page! On our Facebook page, affiliates can meet and correspond with our team members, read some general information about our program, and access our blog posts. It's one more way to stay informed of Publisher Program news and updates!

Become a Shopzilla Publisher Facebook Fan!

Also, as a reminder, Shopzilla Publisher Program is on Twitter! Subscribe to our Twitter feed to remain updated on our quick alerts regarding program maintenance and new releases.

Join us on Twitter!

Our Publisher blog is a great place to find out all the latest news and updates in the program. We regularly have featured articles and information that is designed to be beneficial to our Publishers. Also, from time to time, we require program maintenance. When this occurs, we try to post an update on the Publisher Program blog so that you, the publisher, are informed about what is going on.

So, take advantage of having all the latest Publisher Affiliate Program news at your fingertips! It's a bummer to be caught by surprise or to miss out on cool new features, so stay informed with help from our Publisher Blog, Facebook page and Twitter!

What makes a good Shopzilla Publisher Program candidate?

We are fortunate to receive hundreds of new applications each day from many types of websites looking to use the Shopzilla US Publisher Program. Each applicant is individually reviewed by the Shopzilla Publisher Team to ensure that there is an appropriate fit between the applicant and the Shopzilla US Publisher Program. Our primary goal is to enable website content publishers to generate the highest monetization and advertising yields through our program, while ensuring that the traffic directed to Shopzilla, Inc.'s merchant advertisers is well-qualified. To that, we only accept publishers whose website content is complemented by shopping-related advertisements.

 

We have put together the below list to explain some of the general criteria that we look for in applicants, and that you should take into consideration when applying for the Shopzilla US Publisher Program:

 

1) Your site must have a qualified and pre-existing US user base for participation in our Shopzilla US Publisher Program.
In order to use the program in the most efficient way, you must have a base of visitors to your page that are interested in what you have on your page! The reason we place an emphasis on a US user base is because the Shopzilla US Publisher Program serves US merchants and many of these do not ship internationally. It would not be fair for our merchants to have to pay for this type of traffic. Targeting international visitors only decreases your traffic quality.

 

If your website caters to the UK user base, we invite you to join our Shopzilla UK Publisher Program.  To register, please visit our Shopzilla UK Publisher Program Portal.

 

We have also recently introduced the Shopzilla Publisher Program to Germany & France for those of you with a German or French user base.

 

2) Your site must be relevant to the Shopzilla US Publisher Program.
This one is simple. Go to www.shopzilla.com and try to find products that relate to the content on your site. If you can not find anything, then our program is probably not right for you.  Using Shopzilla links that target your visiting audience is how to succeed with our program.

 

3) Your site should have a good Google page rank or Alexa trend/rank.
This is something we focus on when determining whether or not a website suits our program. Both these numbers tell us about your website, how it is performing and what your traffic numbers are like.  It is not a strict requirement and we have many publishers with low or no page rank, but it is something we consider when reviewing an application. 
Check your Google Page Rank
Check your Alexa Trend Score

 

4) Registration with an email address that corresponds with your domain name.
This allows us to verify that you actually own the website and have permission to look for acceptance into the Shopzilla US Publisher Program. If there is a valid reason that this can not be provided, let us know and we will take it into consideration.

 

Some website types that do not work for the Shopzilla US Publisher Program:
Ad Networks
Adult Content
Automotive Sales
Healthcare
Insurance, Credit, Finances
Online Gaming
Travel Services

Why do these types of websites not work?
Typically, these types of websites are not relevant to our program.  Shopzilla, Inc. does not advertise services, we compare prices for products. We can not help you offer insurance deals, health care or trips to Paris (unless you’re promoting iPods and laptop travel cases)!  A partnership between our companies would most likely not be fruitful if you fall under some of the above categories. Please take these into consideration when applying for our Shopzilla US Publisher Program.

If it sounds like you qualify for our Shopzilla US Publisher Program, register now!

JohnTP's Shopzilla Publisher Walkthrough

I meant to write about this sooner, but I guess this post falls in the 'better late than never' category.

Back in August, JohnTP (the popular affiliate blogger and owner of DigitGeek) created and posted a video walkthrough of the various ad assets that are available through the Shopzilla Publisher Program.

If you're new to Publisher, you definitely won't want to miss this informative video.  JohnTP clearly describes each asset type and makes recommendations on which ones to use.

As always, please contact your account manager if you have any questions about the different ad units or how to install them.

Use Placement IDs for better ad performance insight

The Shopzilla Publisher Program makes Placement IDs available for your use to help track the effectiveness of your chosen assets, or their placement on your website.  You can define and use unique Placement IDs on different sections of your website to track your earnings on a more granular level. 

For example, let's say you have a Shopzilla Publisher Program ad on the top of your homepage and one placed at the footer of your homepage.  You can define Placement ID 1 to identify the ad on the top, and Placement ID 2 for the ad in the footer.  The Shopzilla Publisher Portal Reporting will allow you to break down your earnings by Placement ID.  By using Placement IDs, you can fine tune and optimize ad placement to ensure that you are maximizing your website's earning potential.

A few important things that you need to remember about the use of Placement IDs:

1) A Placement ID must always be used.  If you do not use a Placement ID, your traffic will not be tracked properly and you will not be paid. 

2) The default Placement ID is 1.  You may leave your Placement ID as 1 for all of your assets if you do not wish to take advantage of Placement IDs.  Just remember Rule #1: A Placement ID must always be used!

3) Placement IDs must by a positive integer.  Zero, decimals, negative numbers, and non-numeric characters are not allowed.  Should you pass a Placement ID with a character that is not allowed, your Placement ID will convert to 'Placement ID 0', which means that your traffic will not be tracked properly and you will not be paid. 

4) Only Placement IDs 1-99 are broken out in the Shopzilla Publisher Portal Reporting.  If you use Placement IDs above 99, the traffic sent through those Placement IDs above 99 will be aggregated under 'Other' within your Shopzilla Publisher Portal Reporting.  Should you require broken out reporting for Placement IDs above 99, please contact the Shopzilla Publisher Team for a custom report.

5) Never use Placement IDs beyond 999999.  Should you use a Placement ID above six digits, your Placement ID will convert to 'Placement ID 0', which means that your traffic will not be tracked properly and you will not be paid. 

Start using Placement IDs today to get better insight into ad performance.  If you have any questions about using Placement IDs, please contact us.

Shopzilla Publisher Secrets

I just wanted to point out to all of our current publishers (and those interested in giving our program a try), that a few months ago Joel Comm released a pretty comprehensive free report introducing the Shopzilla Publisher Program.

So if you'd like to pick up a few tips on optimizing your experience with us, point your browsers over to Joel Comm's site to download his free "Shopzilla Secrets" report.

Shopzilla Publisher Program, now with Twitter goodness

I'm pleased to report that we now have an active Twitter account that you can follow for the latest updates on the Shopzilla Publisher Program.

The primary purpose of our Twitter account will be to communicate anything that lends itself to a short notification, but isn't necessarily important enough to post to the blog or to email out.

As for our blog, please keep reading it - we'll continue to post important announcements, tips, etc.

If you're a Twitter user, follow szpublisher today!  If you don't wish to use Twitter, you can use your favorite RSS reader to access our Twitter feed .

Compatibility with Google AdSense

We've had some questions lately about whether the Shopzilla Publisher Program can be used alongside of Google AdSense, and the answer is YES!  Since Shopzilla's ads are not contextual, you won't violate your agreement with Google.

Yesterday ProBlogger discussed the potential pitfalls of Google AdSense.  One of the strengths of Shopzilla Publisher over a contextual advertising solution is that you get to choose what is displayed on your site.  Take advantage of this by properly targeting advertisements to your users interests, and you should see increased earnings.

Often, the difference between mediocre earnings and strong earnings is simply knowing your users.

53 Hot Blog Design Ideas

While perusing Zac Johnson's blog (ZacJohnson.com), we came across a great article where with mention of a well-known blogger and web designer from South Africa, Adii , who recently posted his Top 53 Blog Design's of 2007. It never hurts to give your blog a little shot in the arm. Check out his list and see if any of the designs suit your fancy. There are tons of unique designs that any blogger riff off of to make your blog really stand out in 2008. Let us know which one's you like most.

Good Tips for Publishers from MarketingApple

Steve Chazin is a former marketing exec for Apple and recently released a killer eBook called MarketingApple. In it, he gives a few quick tips on how to market "the Apple way". We read through it and found it highly informative. Steve brings up a lot of great, and surprisingly simple, ideas that any online marketer can utilize to increase visibility for their site or product. Check out Steve's free eBook at MarketingApple.com and let the earnings follow.

Btw, you can thank Shawn from AffiliateTip for bringing this to our attention.