Aweber made a very interesting move today when they contacted some Traffic Exchange owners about where they were advertising their affiliate links. Aweber decided that they didn’t like the originating domain that the referral traffic was coming from because it was a Traffic Exchange. They SHUT DOWN their affiliate links so they wouldn’t receive proper credit from these domains anymore.

Jon Olson, one of my good friends and the KING of TE’s was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of one of these notices. Jon cleverly has his affiliate link to Aweber posted on a…. LIST BUILDING TUTORIAL of all places. Can you believe that Jon would send such generic, untargeted traffic to Aweber? LOL!

Soren Jordansen, another great friend and TE master also received this virtual harassment from Aweber. Soren links to Aweber from his affiliate tools page as well as the thousands of emails he sends out monthly to his list members. I wouldn’t think that an affiliate tools page would be a source of generic, untargeted traffic especially when it pertains to a squeeze page and building a list

I was kind of frustrated by all of this and decided to contact Aweber’s live support. Following is the transcript of my chat with them.

Jon Atwood: I’m very surprised by some of the automated messages you’re sending to some of your affiliates essentially killing their affiliate link on a targeted page Welcome Jon Atwood! Please hold while we contact a representative. If a representative does not respond in a few seconds, then he/she is not available at this time.

You are now speaking with Andy Kostrzewski of AWeber Customer Solutions.

Andy Kostrzewski: Welcome to Live Support.

Jon Atwood: Hi Andy

Andy Kostrzewski: where are you seeing this can you be more specific?

Jon Atwood: viewtopic.php?f=46&t=18030

Jon Atwood: You guys have upset quite a few affiliates with it today

Andy Kostrzewski: are you referring to treffic exchenges

Andy Kostrzewski: traffic exchanges

Jon Atwood: Yes

Jon Atwood: but what you guys have obviously misunderstood is that these affiliates are sending targeted traffic to Aweber

Jon Atwood: NOT generic Traffic Exchange traffic

Jon Atwood: Jon Olson is sending traffic to his affiliate link on his LIST BUILDING TUTORIAL page

Jon Atwood: not by adding his URL into rotation on the exchange

Jon Atwood: I have a feeling this process was automated and a mistake has been made

Andy Kostrzewski: those methods most generate generic traffic and bogus addresses so we do not allow them

Jon Atwood: Andy, you’re obviously misunderstanding

Jon Atwood: if the link is on a TUTORIAL page explaining how to build a list

Jon Atwood: HOW is that “generic” traffic??

Jon Atwood: Please explain how linking from a page like this generates bogus addresses and constitutes generic traffic?? http://www.ilovehits.com/tutorials2.html

Andy Kostrzewski: what site do you have this on

Jon Atwood: that is Jon’s tutorial on Ilovehits. And yes, ILoveHits IS a traffic exchange

Jon Atwood: but Jon is teaching his members how to build a list the proper way

Jon Atwood: and recommending your service

Jon Atwood: and for whatever reason you guys decided that’s against your rules which makes no sense whatsoever

Andy Kostrzewski: basically those sites, and we have been in business for 10+ years, tend to generate traffic that is not targeted and simply does not generate sales or leads that are valid

Jon Atwood: You might want to check the sales of the affiliates whose links you’re killing before you assume they don’t generate sales. Soren has something like 200 paying customers he’s referred to you. Sounds like he’s doing something right

Jon Atwood: I’d recommend you have Tom take a look at the thread before there’s a mass exodus of Aweber affiliates

Andy Kostrzewski: was there anything else you needed support with at this point ?

Jon Atwood: Apparently not if you’re not willing to listen to what I’m asking about

Andy Kostrzewski: We understand what the site provides and how it works as it has not been somehting we have ever permitted for affilaites

Jon Atwood: That’s just rediculous. So recommending Aweber in a LIST BUILDING Tutorial is against your affiliate TOS?

Jon Atwood: Please have Tom stop by the forum because I honestly need to hear that from him before I can believe that Aweber doesn’t want targeted referrals

Andy Kostrzewski: That is the point Jon, those are generally not targeted. That is what we are trying to get across at this point

Jon Atwood: It’s laughable to think that you honestly can say that a referral sent from a TUTORIAL on HOW TO BUILD A LIST is not targeted

Andy Kostrzewski: I am sorry you feel that way. Feel free to contact us here if you have any further questions

Jon Atwood: No thanks. I’d rather not be talked to in circles by someone that obviously doesn’t understand internet marketing. I’ll just find a company that doesn’t take money out of their affiliates pockets. Thanks anyways

Jon Atwood: Please pass this on to Tom as I certainly will

I was going applaud Aweber for all of the new features they’re releasing for their awesome service but after these incidents today I’m not so sure. Tom Kulzer really needs to educate his staff a little more before Aweber starts losing a LOT of affiliates. I’m sure GR or other autoresponder providers would be happy to take this business

- Jon

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