Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLegacy
it truly depends on what you enjoy first - don't start a site based on stats, simply because your going to shoot or buy content that you dont care about without realizing your members do. going cheap may be good for you, but in the long run - your members will notice it and you wont make your money back.
hit me up and we can talk more
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Now THIS is a thread!
Warren, you're a pro. I admire that. You're telling the folks here just what the real deal is with no ruffles and flourishes.
I'm in a different class than the regular webmaster. I should be calling you up and getting some smarts.
I do toons. I create my own. Comics, comic books, animation. All original. I don't have to pay studios for content nor worry about 2257 and IDs for models and their ages, agents, payrolls. Just me, artpad, scanner, computer, software and internet access.
That's it! If I started from the ground floor up my total costs would be maybe $1k for a laptop, far less for home built computer, $70 for a flatbed scanner, $12 a month for high speed internet access, $12 for an artpad, $6 or $7 for a host. I would do a 30 pic AVS site and build it up to a top site and then move on from there.
That's how I started. Wasn't long before I was making a living at it to my surprise!
Add to that doing content for other webmasters it provided a healthy and safe income.
I didn't do this full time. Only part-part time and now I see my errors. I'm now at it full time and learning fast. Started some new blogs with my exclusive content and things are picking up fast. Outside projects added to make sure I don't have all my eggs in one basket.
Affiliates only work if the playing field is fair. You can't sign up for a program when it's been oversaturated by 'select' webmasters during the beta stage. I've seen new affiliate programs started after 6 months of 'select' webmasters blasting it on all their top sites. Who the hell wants to sell old shit? It's a waste of time and effort. When a new program launches, it's gotta be fair and square or not at all.
I remember webmasters who started when I started who went on to mega bucks. Blew it all on dope, alcohol, women, stupid shit. Now they're struggling back up the ladder. Some guys get big in this business then get an attitude like their shit doesn't stink. Inevitably you'll see them crash and burn. Worse is the 'gang' mentality or what I call 'dishonor amongst theives'. I've made some good money on out of court settlements when come to find out certain gangs of webmasters went out of their way to do me harm. There's no honor amongst theives and a guy who would undermine someone else is not a person you can trust even when he's supposed to be your friend or hang out buddy. Inevitably he'll slip up, get busted and turn evidence. It is inevitable. Why? Because after the gang screws you over they get overconfident and start screwing each other over. Then here comes the cops or one of them calls you up to tell you such n such did this or that and then you have to call your lawyers. It's like it never ends how stupid and greedy some people can be.
The bottom line is honesty and integrity. Hard/smart work and tenacity.
I judges an affiliate program on two criteria, support and content. That's right, support comes first. If their support to the webmaster is shitty you can imagine what it'd be like to the customer.
I had my own affiliate program through another company several years ago. It was a hit til that company folded up. I tinkered with it the past year, saw what I was doing wrong and will start a new toon affiliate soon.
Things on the web change quickly. You never know what'll hit next. New laws especially. Any moment a new series of laws or those as yet unenforced could cause a major upheaval in this business. Perhaps they should considering some of the scum I've run into over the years. Believe it or not though, this industry doesn't have anywhere near as many scumbags like I've run into in other fields of business and I'm talking journalism, law, mainstream media.
So regarding affiliates, you have to do your due diligence.