Day 13: Something Abit Serious
It is the day he rested.
But seeing as we’re all Darwinian, he probably didn’t really. Sunday is when he created some monkeys, but still everyone else rests and I am the only person who works on a Sunday.
With it being Sunday, and with everyone else not at work, I think I should recap the major points of the investigation. I will leave out all the red herrings and concentrate on the actual factual facts. This, I believe, will prove I know more about Project Darwin than you do. I’ll still pad it out with a hint of moron, just for fun. After all, that’s why you’re here isn’t it?
Also, it’s likely to be quite long, so go make yourself a cup of Bovril or something first. There’s some serious stuff worth reading. Possibly.
Re Rewind:
On day one of the Darwin Investigation it was noticed that “Dr” Charles “Evil-ution” Darwin had been made a full director of Affiliate Window. This is absolute proof that Project Darwin is a very serious change to Affiliate Window’s way of doing business. No company gives a directorship to a corpse without having seriously serious reasons for doing so.
Bo Selecta:
The day after Day 3 was known as Day 4. On that day some clues were found. Most notably a screen shot of Project Darwin with a big magnifying glass on it. The image shows tabs, which always mean Ajax, sometimes.
Ajax (Asynchronous Javascript and XML) is good, and the way forward as it usually means users can do things quicker and at a faster pace. This clue is further proof that Project Darwin isn’t actually Shop Window Version 3, because Shop Window Version 3 won’t have a user interface, so won’t have tabs or be Ajax. It’ll still be good though, bound to be. And No, I didn’t have to Google Ajax to know what it stands for.
Please do not say Sh*t or B*gger:
The delay in going live due to not wanting to wreck my career was fully resolved, so My Journal was made public on Day 7. This was also the day that Affiliate Window executed a traffic cone before it could blab about what Project Darwin was. Clearly meant as a warning to “the”, this proves that Affiliate Window are deadly serious about Project Darwin, and it will have far reaching consequences. It also proves nothing, but it really made me laugh as I wrote it.
Eee Hee, Cham-one:
There was a security issue on Day 8, which meant security was tightened at Affiliate Window. This proves we know more about Project Darwin than you do, otherwise they wouldn’t have bothered. Would they?
No they wouldn’t.
Look at me Growler:
Day 9 and I knew Affiliate Window were about to start releasing some real teasers. I took the opportunity to show the technological advancements Affiliate Window had made and wait until the next day to cite the teased text. I also had a(nother) slight pop at Lee McCoy, because I know he has a good sense of humour. He took it well, according to “the” solicitors.
The teaser released on Day 9 was: “I want a resource that helps affiliates and merchants use Affiliate Window technology and for everyone to be able to add to that resource.”
It is quite an obvious clue really, so no wonder everyone is speculating that Project Darwin could be a forum or other Social medium where affiliates can ask for help and get it. But they’re wrong as well as right. It probably will be, but it’ll be much bigger than that. Much bigger. And it’ll be Ajax, as I’ve proved.
And not just a forum or Social networkey thing either. That might be a part of it, but it’ll only be a small part.
Another heading with little relation to the text below:
Affiliate Window released another teaser on Day 10, which I knew they were going to do because I know more about Project Darwin than you do.
“I want to break down barriers between affiliates, merchants and Affiliate Window.”
Actual serious thoughts and abit of a rant: There is a real barrier, even if you rich people with huge company resources don’t see it. It’s very difficult for affiliates who do not already have a name to get anywhere in the Affiliate Industry. I’m not blaming the market share of “Sub-tech”, “mysuspectbusinessmodel.co.uk” and “that credit card that skanks our commissions” either. I’ll leave that to the ill educated.
Here’s the barrier: we apply to a merchant and the first thing they do is check how much money we make for other merchants (not that it’s any of their beeswax), they NEVER ask us what we plan to do with their program and they NEVER say “We think you’ll do better doing it like this“.
What does it cost them to click “activate” and give us a chance? What does it cost to ask us how we’ll be promoting them? How much does it cost to give us a few pointers? How much does it cost to keep us on the program even if we’re not actively sending traffic?
Nothing.
Most networks DON’T EVEN ALLOW direct communications and some even encourage merchants to have a monthly “Cull” of affiliates so their income:affiliate ratio is nice and high (like THAT’s what really matters). Those who haven’t made enough money get kicked off the program. Great! Thanks for that, I built an entire site due for release tomorrow around your products, now the feed doesn’t work.
Mind you, that’s not a barrier, thats the great wall of frikkin China right there.
I’m NOT saying Affiliate Window have ever been like that. They really aren’t and I know they always do their best to resolve any problem. If they were like that, they wouldn’t clean up at the a4u’s every year and I wouldn’t be doing this blog. There is no way on Earth that I would put in this much effort for any other network without having large amounts of money at the end of it. This blog is earning me sod all (although I might slap some adsense on, just to pay for the hosting).
That alone should speak volumes about Affiliate Window.
Back to the Future:
I Journaled in my Journal on Day 11, about the previous days teaser, but without the above heartfelt rant. Meanwhile in a Twitter account near you, “Teaser 3, The Revenge” was being twitted.
It teased: “I want Affiliate Window users to have easier access to all of their merchant and affiliate accounts”
What does this mean? Well, I’m going to tell you because I think I know. I might even have another bit of a rant if I feel like it, I haven’t decided yet.
More serious thoughts and possibly a rant: One thing affiliates have really whinged about lately is that they are being “lumped” in as a certain type of affiliate. On other networks, we can add different websites and give each one a description. We sometimes have to piss about and prove we own those listed sites because the network thinks they’re Google.
It works. It’s good we can apply seperately for different websites, but it’s also bad we HAVE to.
On Affiliate Window, you get one url as your “showcase” and that is what you’re judged on. And BOY are we judged!
I am a voucher code affiliate, apparantly. But I’m not, I have a few morals (which is a different rant altogether). The site listed is my main place of business at the moment and it displays some voucher codes, which means the other XX number of sites I run are also voucher code sites, even this one. Truly not the best way to do things.
Some affiliates get round this problem by having multiple accounts. Yeah, it works, but try doing your VAT and tax returns. See the problem?
So Project Darwin is going to allow us to list all our sites in one place, be able to split the stats for each yet still keep everything together if we need it to be. Hopefully we won’t HAVE to confirm ownership of each and every site and hopefully we won’t have to apply to each merchant for each site listed seperately. That would be far too restrictive, especially for new builds and idea testing.
Back to the Future 2:
And so to yesterdays Journal entry, which was all about the above teaser, but without the rant or essence of seriousness. There was another reason for posting: to show that people seem to like this.
No-one is more suprised than I at how quickly this blog has taken off, and how well it’s been received. “the” puts a smile on their face, they spread the love and get rewarded. That’s a triple win in my book and I thank you for your understanding, and apologize for any inconvenience. Yes, I’m being called wierd, strange and “a nutter” but believe you me, I’ve been called alot worse! 
Here’s why:
I have been in affiliate marketing for just over 5 years. Some of you might think you know who “the” is, but you probably don’t. I’ve intentionally kept a low profile, especially within the community. I have lurked, but I tend to keep my mouth shut.
And in that time, I’ve noticed something about this industry we call affiliate: It’s all very serious isn’t it?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for my bank balance putting on the pounds like Fern Brittain in a Butter Factory, but I’d prefer to be happy than rich.
Lately my projects have stopped being all about the Benjamins and more about having some fun, learning something new and being happy with what I do. Whether that’s fun for the user, or fun for me to build, everything in the last 6 months has been fun in one way or another. Except the VAT returns.
In the 2 weeks since I began this blog, I’ve laughed really hard, every single day, sometimes for most of it. I’ve chuckled in the shower and even giggled in my sleep (apparantly). I’ve still done some proper work, done some proper learning and made some proper money, but I’ve done it ALL with a smile on my face, for the first time in years.
And I’m a much better man for it.
What’s more, I’ve had the quickest indexation and decent SERPs from any site I’ve ever done, which is nice.
So I want to say a quick thanks to everyone who already reads me, thanks to AffWin for the inspiration, thanks to a4u for allowing me the promotion and thanks to everyone who has and will link to me.
Spread the love man, spread the love, and it’ll spread right back to you.
Ok, no more seriousness from here-on-in.
Promise 
Posted: July 19th, 2009 under Journal.