I do not currently sell ads on this blog, and I do not post about businesses or products in exchange for money or other good stuff. If I ever do get anything (besides goodwill) in exchange for posting about a person, place or thing, I’ll be sure to let you know right in the post.* I only post about people, places and things that I like or that I want other people to know about, or both.
I do use Amazon Associates referral links, though. If I link to a product on Amazon, and you click that link and then buy anything at Amazon in that visit, I receive about 4% to 6% of the sale. So far this quarter (Q1 2007) I have made $0.46. I think the maximum I have made in a quarter in my entire Amazon Associates career on different blogs has been $10.00. I only link to things on Amazon that I actually like and use.
I have mixed feelings about using Amazon Associates referral links on this blog. I want people reading this blog to be comfortable knowing they can trust that I mean what I write, and I want it to be clear that the priorities of this blog are sharing good information and connecting people with other people and with good resources.
On the other hand, I am an Amazon lover. I linked to Amazon before the Associates kickbacks, and if I stop using the Associates links, I’m still planning on linking to Amazon. Why not collect the 4-6% of sales that Amazon makes from my links?
What do you think? How do you feel about Amazon Associates links?
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*Just like Hollywood Flakes does. I love their reviews. The upfront disclosure is great, and the reviews are funny, realistic and absurd in a way that makes me wish people would send them more things to write about. I guess what I’m trying to get at is not that I’m against ads or product reviews, but that I want what’s going on here to be clear.
I’d suspected that such links make pittance for all the distress it seems to cause among a tiny minority of readers. Disclosure is good. I’m getting a book for free to review at some point and I’ll disclose it was a donation, for promo because I already like the press.
i don’t see that as a bad thing at all.
Don’t spend that 46 cents all in one place…
That’s my real issue–about being upfront. I was just really creeped out in that article that a company would encourage bloggers to write posts about fabricated experiences and not let readers know.
I agree — Disclosure’s good, but considering how lil you’re making from the dealio, one couldn’t exactly call this a real financial/ethical conflict of interest –
Oops! I hit submit too early. Wanted to add that I’m not a fan of Amazon, but I do something similar with Abebooks. I should check if I’ve actually made any money offa that –
I agree with you.
I was thinking that you could actually MAKE MONEY FAST by expanding the links to TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITIES IN LEVERAGED DEBT MARKETING to these “hipsters” who CASH OUT WITH GOOGLE ADSENSE.
(I love you, sweetheart, no CIALIS or VIAGRA required…)