Pinterest just hit the news and not in a good way.
What Affiliates and Merchants should know about Pinterest
Pinterest Modifying User Submitted Pins
Basically, Pinterest are modifying user's submitted pins to add affiliate links. Now monetising links site-wide is fine, if you tell people. Overwriting users' own affiliate links with your own on the other hand, is not. If the user doesn't want this, then they have to go into Pinterest's edit screen and change it - but users haven't been told about it, so they don't know they need to.
I have heard people take the line that if you pin your own unique content, Pinterest can't make funds off it. If you pin a review or upload it, any links will be overwritten, so you can spend time reviewing a product and now get no return for it.
"It's free" isn't a good excuse. So are the Smashwords tools, and the fact there is an embedded affiliate link to cover bandwidth is on the front page of the site!
Having had, on one of my sites, the reference link to the Wall Street Journal article I quoted replaced by a link for the Wall Street film DVD, I'm not a fan of systems like Skimlinks. To me, this would be like writing an article and then finding the links redirected to the owner's sites on the topic.
What really worries me is in the comments for the article here:
Pinterest Links.
Apparently merchants using Skimlinks lose a degree of control over where their affiliate links are placed. Publishers appear to have limited control over which products they are endorsing when Skimlinks highlights words or swaps links.
Not only does this have the copyright implications above - when the link altered is a legally required attribution link - but it means that you don't have full control over what is endorsed on your page. Unless they are offering full insurance in case of legal action over content I would be cautious.
I can put an affiliate link on Wizzley and Squidoo and have it served unaltered. I can put a link on Redgage and get paid for views. I can put a review on Dooyoo or Ciao and get bonuses for ratings. I won't be putting anything on Pinterest - they don't offer me anything.
Me? I'll stick to obvious banners with the ad network name below them so objectionable ones can be reported and removed, and endorsing (with referrals) sites I actually use.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Zurker
Yep, I just joined zurker. It's a new social network where users are also owners.
So far it hasn't done the Facebook or Google thing of asking for too many personal details. I've left most of my profile blank - I don't discuss my hobbies or interests with people I work with face to face, so why would I want to talk to them about it online? - and it hasn't complained.
I will be curious to see how they handle single valid addresses though. If they use the US thing of one-computer-one-IP, instead of one-network-one-IP, they could be in for a shock. I signed up from a multi-user, multi-PC site with one exposed IP - a proxy. How they handle it will be interesting.
It does seem to offer circles and some basic connections. I won't be putting my IP (intellectual property) directly on there, simply because it doesn't offer me anything for it, unlike squidoo etc and I have bills to pay.
Have a look here: zurker.
If you are more sociable than me it might work for you.
So far it hasn't done the Facebook or Google thing of asking for too many personal details. I've left most of my profile blank - I don't discuss my hobbies or interests with people I work with face to face, so why would I want to talk to them about it online? - and it hasn't complained.
I will be curious to see how they handle single valid addresses though. If they use the US thing of one-computer-one-IP, instead of one-network-one-IP, they could be in for a shock. I signed up from a multi-user, multi-PC site with one exposed IP - a proxy. How they handle it will be interesting.
It does seem to offer circles and some basic connections. I won't be putting my IP (intellectual property) directly on there, simply because it doesn't offer me anything for it, unlike squidoo etc and I have bills to pay.
Have a look here: zurker.
If you are more sociable than me it might work for you.
A cynical and cheesed-off morning.
I'm facing today with a feeling of extreme cynicism.
Squidoo want me to change my lens images to 250x250 squares. I've carefully sizes the rectangles to fit in most cases. Product Images can't change size, and the chances of me getting the rights to images in that format for some of my other topics are 0. I can find a couple of lenses I don't care about and resize it, I suppose, but I'm not sure it will be worth it.
Regarding the game, the wireframe is in place and mechanics all working and backed by ASCII files. I'd actually prefer to keep the ASCII over the database - not just for flexibility, but because of arguments with the database developer, who wants to abandon the spec he was given and build something more conventional. (Yes, I know you follow this blog - now follow the spec!). This would involve changing the entire course and focus of the game, so it isn't happening. The text files are structured for a reason - the structure can be replicated in a database table...
The debate: Items v. collections. Individual items have no data or meta data linked. They only exist while they are in a collection, and are attributes of the collection. The collections have metadata and additional data. I want things keyed to collections as items are created and destroyed frequently. He wants all data keyed to the items and the collection given as an additional metadata field. Sounds great until you realise that the item method requires a join of two tables or an awful lot of duplication, which runs a lot slower, because the system calls everything by collection. A single item is never called from the database.
The hatchery update seems to be working: there are a lot fewer adults showing up on the admin screen than there were.
And finally the ongoing contact with Braun. They haven't phoned me back in the suggested 5 days, which is wonderful customer service. My current opinion of their company? Make crap product and then fail to honour guarantee.
I could keep politely chasing them, but it is a sad comment on the state of the world that politely chasing them will get me nowhere but bad-mouthing them through a Twitter account with 10,000+ followers has a better chance of getting the problem fixed and take less of my time and effort.
Squidoo want me to change my lens images to 250x250 squares. I've carefully sizes the rectangles to fit in most cases. Product Images can't change size, and the chances of me getting the rights to images in that format for some of my other topics are 0. I can find a couple of lenses I don't care about and resize it, I suppose, but I'm not sure it will be worth it.
Regarding the game, the wireframe is in place and mechanics all working and backed by ASCII files. I'd actually prefer to keep the ASCII over the database - not just for flexibility, but because of arguments with the database developer, who wants to abandon the spec he was given and build something more conventional. (Yes, I know you follow this blog - now follow the spec!). This would involve changing the entire course and focus of the game, so it isn't happening. The text files are structured for a reason - the structure can be replicated in a database table...
The debate: Items v. collections. Individual items have no data or meta data linked. They only exist while they are in a collection, and are attributes of the collection. The collections have metadata and additional data. I want things keyed to collections as items are created and destroyed frequently. He wants all data keyed to the items and the collection given as an additional metadata field. Sounds great until you realise that the item method requires a join of two tables or an awful lot of duplication, which runs a lot slower, because the system calls everything by collection. A single item is never called from the database.
The hatchery update seems to be working: there are a lot fewer adults showing up on the admin screen than there were.
And finally the ongoing contact with Braun. They haven't phoned me back in the suggested 5 days, which is wonderful customer service. My current opinion of their company? Make crap product and then fail to honour guarantee.
I could keep politely chasing them, but it is a sad comment on the state of the world that politely chasing them will get me nowhere but bad-mouthing them through a Twitter account with 10,000+ followers has a better chance of getting the problem fixed and take less of my time and effort.
Monday, 6 February 2012
Websites, networks and more
A new social network, a new articles site, new this, new that and new the other.
I'm not going to be really picking up on these for a while, since today is likely to be bugfixing. This morning we fixed a small database issue with the Squidoo science pages. This afternoon I have a bug list to tackle on the Smashwords stuff and if I get some of those done I need to work on a game engine which is proving tricky (read bloody awkward).
The hatchery is doing well though, and we have no integrated the adult check into the page so it runs slightly slower, but prunes adults a lot more often so eggs get to the front faster. It's also started producing more adults and fewer dead eggs or hatchlings leaving without growing up.
And right now I have a website to build for the widgets...a coder's work never ends, at least not if they want to pay the bills!
I'm not going to be really picking up on these for a while, since today is likely to be bugfixing. This morning we fixed a small database issue with the Squidoo science pages. This afternoon I have a bug list to tackle on the Smashwords stuff and if I get some of those done I need to work on a game engine which is proving tricky (read bloody awkward).
The hatchery is doing well though, and we have no integrated the adult check into the page so it runs slightly slower, but prunes adults a lot more often so eggs get to the front faster. It's also started producing more adults and fewer dead eggs or hatchlings leaving without growing up.
And right now I have a website to build for the widgets...a coder's work never ends, at least not if they want to pay the bills!
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Updates, ereaders and lousy customer service
Down with tonsillitis, so my coding is slower, and blogging much vaguer. (After fifteen years of this, I have tendons like piano-wire anyway so a slowdown might be a good idea).
The hatchery will be getting an automatic adult remove after I finally figured it out last night. 3am fever dreams are good for something :)
The Smashwords Reader in php may end up being the real one, since the next bit of feedback was "What have you sent to T? He's sitting in front of the computer clicking and giggling and clicking." I swear, I only sent him a Reader link with his book in it. Which doesn't mean that was what he was looking at, but is still promising.
However being ill does allow me time to be a complete pain to certain deserving individuals:
I got a gift for Christmas - not something I'd have chosen to buy, but with a thirty day guarantee "if it doesn't work for you, money back". When I went to return the product - it was dreadful, ineffective and badly designed - it turns out that not only has the giver well overspent on the agreed amount, but the company in the small print stopped the guarantee right after christmas. A mis-selling case, perhaps?
I've spoken to them. The first CR said I could return it, the second said I couldn't and then said she'd escalate it to Head Office and I should expect a phone call. It's been five days, and my rating on the product has gone from 1-2 stars (it's really not good) to -1 from trying to deal with their customer service.
Braun - a faster way to get 2mm designer stubble is just not to shave: it's cheaper and you don't have to deal with their customer service reps.
The hatchery will be getting an automatic adult remove after I finally figured it out last night. 3am fever dreams are good for something :)
The Smashwords Reader in php may end up being the real one, since the next bit of feedback was "What have you sent to T? He's sitting in front of the computer clicking and giggling and clicking." I swear, I only sent him a Reader link with his book in it. Which doesn't mean that was what he was looking at, but is still promising.
However being ill does allow me time to be a complete pain to certain deserving individuals:
I got a gift for Christmas - not something I'd have chosen to buy, but with a thirty day guarantee "if it doesn't work for you, money back". When I went to return the product - it was dreadful, ineffective and badly designed - it turns out that not only has the giver well overspent on the agreed amount, but the company in the small print stopped the guarantee right after christmas. A mis-selling case, perhaps?
I've spoken to them. The first CR said I could return it, the second said I couldn't and then said she'd escalate it to Head Office and I should expect a phone call. It's been five days, and my rating on the product has gone from 1-2 stars (it's really not good) to -1 from trying to deal with their customer service.
Braun - a faster way to get 2mm designer stubble is just not to shave: it's cheaper and you don't have to deal with their customer service reps.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
