Saying "HI" to Gonzo...

[RawAlex]

kath, a lot of things have changed just in the last 12 months. The business became very fractured along the lines of "bros / not bros" and "cross billing / not cross billing" etc. Unlike in the past where people would stand up for the ideas, the majority of the playahs in that sort of stuff pretty much ignore comments, deal with their "bros", and don't really do anything in public. Many programs have also gone down the line in in house traffic generation, although many of them aren't doing very well with it.

Many people have burned out and died off. Webmaster resources have sort of become an oxymoron, because most of them ended up filled with misinformation, "bros lures", and all sorts of other tricks. As the money became a little thinner, the more desperate ones did some pretty desperate things, and disappeared. Many of the marginal players are gone. Even CE, which always played the webmaster card pretty much dumped their chat system and went quiet, no longer seeming to want to be part of the social fabric.

Margins shifted, consumers have become more and more wise to fraud, and are less likely to pull out their card to buy. Selecting sponsors and programs to work with is more key now than it ever was.

Welcome back, it ain't the same old place that we use to laugh about, but we try to have a good time at it anyway.

[Toby]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

kath, a lot of things have changed just in the last 12 months. The business became very fractured along the lines of "bros / not bros" and "cross billing / not cross billing" etc. Unlike in the past where people would stand up for the ideas, the majority of the playahs in that sort of stuff pretty much ignore comments, deal with their "bros", and don't really do anything in public. Many programs have also gone down the line in in house traffic generation, although many of them aren't doing very well with it.

Many people have burned out and died off. Webmaster resources have sort of become an oxymoron, because most of them ended up filled with misinformation, "bros lures", and all sorts of other tricks. As the money became a little thinner, the more desperate ones did some pretty desperate things, and disappeared. Many of the marginal players are gone. Even CE, which always played the webmaster card pretty much dumped their chat system and went quiet, no longer seeming to want to be part of the social fabric.

Margins shifted, consumers have become more and more wise to fraud, and are less likely to pull out their card to buy. Selecting sponsors and programs to work with is more key now than it ever was.

Welcome back, it ain't the same old place that we use to laugh about, but we try to have a good time at it anyway.

And that right there is the best reason for staying connected with people you know and can trust to share information on who is doing the shady stuff, who is selling out to the content thieves, or even ARE content thieves themselves.

Knowing who NOT to do business with has become even more critical than ever.

[gonzo]

Originally Posted by Toby

And that right there is the best reason for staying connected with people you know and can trust to share information on who is doing the shady stuff, who is selling out to the content thieves, or even ARE content thieves themselves.

Knowing who NOT to do business with has become even more critical than ever.

And the best place to find out that is here.
No one is paid to post and we dont have any point system to redeem for trinkets.

While other people are trying to pay for activity - Oprano remains about business discussion.

[Electra]

Hiya Kath. I was thinking about you the other day when we had snow flurries and remembering you were living in sunny California. Funny what your thoughts drift to sometimes.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Electra

Hiya Kath. I was thinking about you the other day when we had snow flurries and remembering you were living in sunny California. Funny what your thoughts drift to sometimes.

OMG - we must've been on the same wave length... was thinking about you & Drav awhile back and was wondering how things were going. How ARE you?

Snow flurries? *sigh* I really wish I could see snow! My wussy family (all California natives) was freaking out last week because it got down to 35 degrees and they demanded I put the heater on. That's what blankets, sweatshirts and a fireplace are for!!! They call me the "Heat Nazi" around the house, but geez - 35 isn't THAT cold! lol

[Electra]

Originally Posted by kath

Snow flurries? *sigh* I really wish I could see snow! My wussy family (all California natives) was freaking out last week because it got down to 35 degrees and they demanded I put the heater on. That's what blankets, sweatshirts and a fireplace are for!!! They call me the "Heat Nazi" around the house, but geez - 35 isn't THAT cold! lol

35 IS that cold LOL I've had my heat on all week and its been between 35 and 45 degrees. I was born in a nice moderate climate...cant stand extremes whether its heat or cold. The weather people are trying to trick us at the moment..the sun is shining but they are saying its like 25 degrees out. I think all weather forecasters should be chained together and dropped in the deepest part of the ocean.

[kath]

Originally Posted by Electra

35 IS that cold LOL I've had my heat on all week and its been between 35 and 45 degrees. I was born in a nice moderate climate...cant stand extremes whether its heat or cold. The weather people are trying to trick us at the moment..the sun is shining but they are saying its like 25 degrees out. I think all weather forecasters should be chained together and dropped in the deepest part of the ocean.

Okay... it's a little cold and yes, I'm a bit of a heater nazi. I just finally got electric bills in the $100-150 range after $450 bills all summer long (it gets to about 120-125 out here mid-summer and in the 100's the rest of the time). It's been about 65-70 during the day here so this is MY time of year. I can actually go outside and not melt - I certainly don't want to put "heat" on at night - lol

[kath]

Originally Posted by Toby

And that right there is the best reason for staying connected with people you know and can trust to share information on who is doing the shady stuff, who is selling out to the content thieves, or even ARE content thieves themselves.

Knowing who NOT to do business with has become even more critical than ever.

VERY GOOD POINT Toby... VERY GOOD POINT

[kath]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

kath, a lot of things have changed just in the last 12 months. The business became very fractured along the lines of "bros / not bros" and "cross billing / not cross billing" etc. Unlike in the past where people would stand up for the ideas, the majority of the playahs in that sort of stuff pretty much ignore comments, deal with their "bros", and don't really do anything in public. Many programs have also gone down the line in in house traffic generation, although many of them aren't doing very well with it.

Many people have burned out and died off. Webmaster resources have sort of become an oxymoron, because most of them ended up filled with misinformation, "bros lures", and all sorts of other tricks. As the money became a little thinner, the more desperate ones did some pretty desperate things, and disappeared. Many of the marginal players are gone. Even CE, which always played the webmaster card pretty much dumped their chat system and went quiet, no longer seeming to want to be part of the social fabric.

Margins shifted, consumers have become more and more wise to fraud, and are less likely to pull out their card to buy. Selecting sponsors and programs to work with is more key now than it ever was.

Welcome back, it ain't the same old place that we use to laugh about, but we try to have a good time at it anyway.

Wow. I can always count on you to "tell it like it is" Alex - I've always admired that about you.

Yeah, CE is the one that surprised me the most - being there @ the beginning of ANS, coming over from the Pond, I know that webmasters used to be an integral part of the organization - newbies, specifically. I remember writing an article titled, "The Webmaster is King" - it was the first one I wrote when JoeD came on board to Klixxx. It was filled with all the ways that affiliate programs work to attract webmasters - not just payouts, free content, prizes/incentives, but access to parties and events @ the expos. They really went ALL OUT back in the day to "court" webmasters into their programs. The in-house thing is interesting because I think one of my last articles @ Klixxx talked about that possibility, it seemed even back then that some companies were "pulling back" from webmasters.

Would love to write about the change in the landscape for our new publication - would you be interested in an interview? I could use some "raw" quotes (pardon the pun) and I think a lot of others here @ Oprano would be good sources as well. Glad to see SOME things haven't changed.