We will be continuing to conduct some advertiser training in 2009. We will look to do at least two slots each quarter. The feedback from the last training was that whilst it was useful it is quite difficult to pitch it at the right level for people. So we have decided to change the way we do it a little bit.

The two dates in Quarter 1 will be for different levels – either at Beginners or Intermediate level.

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After Carl White’s predictions for online marketing in 2009, Alison Guise, the General Manager for CJ Europe and Managing Director for Mediaplex, has come up with her predictions for 2009 on iMedia connection.

The year has started, and looks set to proceed, with a series of challenges and Alison talks about how true performance-based marketing alongside transparency through accurate measurement will be the keys to success in these toughening times.

Take a look here for the full article.

How will the newest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer 8, currently in beta release, with it’s InPrivate Browsing(TM)  functionality which prevents browsers from retaining cookies, affect the affiliate marketing industry? Will purchases still be tracked and accredited to the advertiser’s affiliate programme?

Commission Junction’s Craig Battles, from our US office, has written about this on the Affiliate Summit website. Click here to take a look.

Instead of hearing from the CJ team all the time we thought it would be useful to hear the voice of some others in the industry – namely affiliates, advertisers and agencies and learn a little about their businesses and what they do on a day to day basis.

So, with no futher ado, here is an interview with Amy Sullivan from Global Travel Market.

How did you become an affiliate?

By default to be honest and certainly not based on my then technical prowess, although it is astounding how much you can learn quickly in this dynamic sector. Dave and I had worked before together during my previous lif with Tourism Australia and so when the opportunity came up to join GTM I jumped at it, having recognised its potential very early in the game

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The deadline to take part in Econsultancy’s affiliate census is fast approaching. I blogged about the advertiser and agency one here. So much has changed in such a short time that it is clearly really important to give our opinion on the industry, particularly in a year when challenges will focus many a marketer’s eye on affiliate marketing.

So – for affiliates who want to take part click here. You have until the 27th January.

Mediaplex, our ad serving technology business, is exhibiting at TFM&A on the 24th and 25th February at Earls Court 2. They are also sponsoring the Online Advertising Theatre. Of course we will have people there from CJ so if you would like to meet up with us then let me know at admin@cjblog.co.uk

We are also speaking in two slots which may be of interest to some of you. The first one is:

24th February,12:00 – 12:30 at the Online Advertising Theatre – How new behavioural targeting solutions are changing the way that we market – with Richard Sharp from ValueClick Media

the second one is:

25th February, 1:15 – 1:45 at the Online Advertising Theatre – The importance of ad serving to ensure you are getting ROI from your media spend with Donal Kane from CJ & Mediaplex

We would love to see you there!

Did you know that you can get product level data in Commission Junction’s performance reporting? This is a really cool, useful feature but can be quite difficult to find unless you know about it. Below is a screenshot of the product performance report from the publisher side.
In the items you can see the number of items or products sold. To pull the product performance report you simply need to click on this figure and it will open:

As you can see this gives you a breakdown of how many products you have sold of each type, the total commission and the sale amount for each product. This is particularly useful for cross-selling products, it will give you a good idea of which products you can push more on your site. A pre-requesite for this functionality is that the advertiser has implemented an item-based pixel allowing us to track the products sold. Hope that you find this useful

I defy anyone to find a bigger avatar on the forum than this…;-)

Cheryl Ingram and I are going to be in Manchester on the 27th January and are planning some informal drinks in the evening. We are just waiting to confirm a venue.

We are planning a little tour of the country over 2009 and hope to be able to meet you near where you are. If you would like to come along then drop me a line on admin@cjblog.co.uk and I will make sure you know the when and where. Otherwise watch this space for more details.

Don’t forget our competition – the prize is really very good. You can win a trip to Commission Junction University in the US later this year. This means that you get tickets to the event, flights to and accomodation in the beautiful Santa Barbara.

And it is very easy to enter – all you need to do is take a photo of yourself with the team (a photo of the team that is!). Details here.  Read the rest of this entry »