Azoogle bans "free" ringtone promo

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We are not making any exceptions for big affiliates. We are actively looking for violations. When you come across affiliates using FREE, no-charge, etc in their ad copies on Google and Yahoo for DadaMobile, send it immediately to joe @ azoogleads . com.

Please keep in mind, we have never made such drastic sweeping rules in such a short period of time before, but being that the ringtone market is so fluid, and has a ton of variables controlled by many different forces, ie government, third party carriers, aggregators, etc, it's difficult to always predict what the future holds. Our job at Azoogle is to insure that we are compliant with all rules and regulations so as not to provide our affiliates with any legal issues down the road.

These new rules aren't just specific to Azoogle, they will start to trickle down to even the smallest networks over the next couple of weeks/months. The networks that do nothing and bury their heads will likely be banned from the Mobile space in 2007.

If any of you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact your affiliate managers, and/or myself or Joe. Again for violations you may see online, send them ASAP to joe @ azoogleads . com.

Thanks and good luck!

-Alex
 


Thanks for the reply Alex. I don't plan on spending time tattling on other affiliates I just found it strange that we've seen very little movement in ad copy since the announcement. If you're actively looking and enforcing then I expect the landscape to change dramatically this week. As it is now I've yet to find a keyword that DOESN'T have a Azoogle dadamobile affiliate that's breaking your rules.
 
It's true that most of these ringtone companies have set this mandate to forbid the use of keywords that may be deemed as misleading the user.

This has happened across the board with all networks and we have had to comply as well.

However, Jamster, one of the original ringtone offers on the market, has taken a new twist and is offering 3 100% Free ringtones. With the other ringtone offers not using Free on their ads, and with Jamster's payout of upto $10, this should soon outperform these other offers.

Click here for the landing page http://www.affiliateer.com/member.asp?afid=10038&offerid=496 and sign up at www.Affiliateer.com to test this offer out.
 
Azoogle just updated with some more info on the issue...

LAST UPDATED AUGUST 29, 2006

Late last week, AzoogleAds instituted a new policy governing all mobile-related offers on our network; we would like to reinforce why this policy was put into place. As you know, the AzoogleAds reputation is built on outstanding service to our affiliates. In this case, we were mandated to adopt a new set of guidelines with extremely short notice, and this affected us as well as you. Please be assured, we had no choice in this matter, and if we could have let you know with more notice, we would have.

Here is the background: while the promotion of off-deck mobile content services – like ringtones -- is still a nascent business, the broader cellular telephone industry is highly regulated. Because of this regulatory environment, the mobile phone carriers have been extremely vigilant with off-deck mobile content providers and require the highest standards for the marketing of services. One example – and a big point of contention for the carriers -- is the "free" promotion, as this is what a vast majority of complaints are centered around. From our understanding, bidding on words like "free ringtones" or "no cost ringtones" is OKAY, but using that language in your display ad, is NOT okay.

When the big carriers issue a mandate like this, they generally make it to the advertiser, who in turn makes it to us. Because the carriers operate as large businesses, and they expect their customers to be able to adapt quickly to their mandates, they generally do not provide much time to comply with new policies, hence, the short term notice in this instance to our affiliates. But beyond the timing of this issue is a larger concern: several key Tier 1 carriers have been seriously re-evaluating their willingness to continue to permit affiliate-marketing of off-deck mobile content. A drastic move like this would have profound effects on us all, and in our direct discussions with the MMA, carriers, aggregators, and advertisers, it has become absolutely clear that we must bolster the rigour of our standards compliance in this arena. At AzoogleAds, we are adopting new mechanisms and policies to ensure that we and our affiliates do so.

We believe that ringtone offers provide a highly sought-after service to consumers, and that affiliate marketing provides an excellent and cost-effective means of distributing those offers. We also believe in doing the right thing with regards to the spirit and the letter of the law, the standards of the industries within which we operate, the standards of the professional organizations which oversee these industries – in this case, the MMA – and the general public interest. It is only by providing our services in this spirit that we can build a sustainable business and be able to offer to you, our affiliate, the promise of strong revenue opportunities for a long time to come.

Make no mistake: the changes which we implemented last week shall come to all who play in this field, whether everyone realizes this yet or not. We would encourage you to recognize the fundamental fact that it is only through establishing and maintaining a service and an offering which meets the highest standards of consumer integrity that we will all be able to continue to do business in this arena.

Thank you for your understanding,


AzoogleAds
 
Who all promotes ringtones? I still want to know if others are seeing a drop in conversions. I've seen a drop already, but I don't think they space is dead yet. Hopefully they increase the amount per lead based on more quality signups.
 
I've seen a drop in traffic for sure. My business partner however has seen a slight increase in his ringtone revenue, mainly I think because he hasn't changed any ads. Seems pretty smart at this point because his "FREE" ads are now competing with "COMPLEMENTARY" ads. My opinion this is a joke. When the supposed pusher of this new compliance (dadamobile) continues to run "FREE" ads while telling everyone else not to it boils down to a money grab.

It's been a great ride and I'll continue with my sites as long as they're bringing in 3-4 times expenses but once that leaves, I'm out. Way too many other profitable markets to spend promotion money on to waste time on a company that abuses affiliates like that.

It will continue to be a joke until

1) Dada pulls all their "free" ads
2) Stop paying on affiliate links that run "free" ads

They won't do either however because the $$$ is simply too big.

Anywho, time to create that LLC and join in the "free" party. I'm starting to sound like a fucking baby.
 
One AzoogleAds affiliate in particular is in CLEAR violation of these new policies, but NOTHING is being done. His/Her links were broken for a small period, but they are currently active. I forwarded this information to JOE and ALEX days ago.

This affiliate advertises ringtones that Blinko DOES NOT have, uses a non-compliant customized host and post page from AzoogleAds (this page has other violations that I will discuss later), uses "FREE" in the ad copy, and "NO-CHARGE" & "FREE" on the landing page.

Google Ad:
Frank Sinatra Ringtones
Download Free Frank Sinatra Tones.
Every Song is Here. Get Them Now!
FreeRingtoneOffer.com/FrankSinatra

Landing Page:
http://www.freeringtoneoffer.com/index.php?sid=152341gm&hid=Best%20Free%20Frank%20Sinatra%20Ringtone%20Offers

Notice FREE in the ad copy and on the landing page along with "NO-CHARGE."

Furthermore, if a user selects "OTHER CARRIERS" and enters a centennial wireless number: 260-715-4292, they are told they "qualify for ringtones" (pre-checked terms and conditions). In fact, centennial wireless users DO NOT qualify for ringtones; they qualify for the prankster joke service and the terms and conditions box should be un-checked. 8 days ago Alex claimed this was an oversight. This same oversight exists today.

This crackdown has, in large part, come due to affiliate networks like AzoogleAds' own lack of enforcement (Affiliates framing FREE on the phone number submission page, Affiliates framing out the terms and conditions, etc.). The message I am receiving from executives at the carrier level is that mobile content providers will be held responsible for the actions of affiliate networks and it's affiliates.

While it is understandable that networks with large numbers of affiliates have a tougher time policing affiliates, this "special" affiliate's customized page and marketing practices should have come under scrutiny much sooner.

I hope that this affiliate ID 10973 is immediately shutdown.


Regards,
Holyearth
 
People should worry more about their own campaigns and less about making a new screen name on a forum just to tattle on another affiliate
 
holyearth said:
I hope that this affiliate ID 10973 is immediately shutdown.


Regards,
Holyearth
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:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :throwup:
 
holyearth said:
One AzoogleAds affiliate in particular is in CLEAR violation of these new policies, but NOTHING is being done. His/Her links were broken for a small period, but they are currently active. I forwarded this information to JOE and ALEX days ago.

This affiliate advertises ringtones that Blinko DOES NOT have, uses a non-compliant customized host and post page from AzoogleAds (this page has other violations that I will discuss later), uses "FREE" in the ad copy, and "NO-CHARGE" & "FREE" on the landing page.

Google Ad:
Frank Sinatra Ringtones
Download Free Frank Sinatra Tones.
Every Song is Here. Get Them Now!
FreeRingtoneOffer.com/FrankSinatra

Landing Page:
http://www.freeringtoneoffer.com/index.php?sid=152341gm&hid=Best%20Free%20Frank%20Sinatra%20Ringtone%20Offers

Notice FREE in the ad copy and on the landing page along with "NO-CHARGE."

Furthermore, if a user selects "OTHER CARRIERS" and enters a centennial wireless number: 260-715-4292, they are told they "qualify for ringtones" (pre-checked terms and conditions). In fact, centennial wireless users DO NOT qualify for ringtones; they qualify for the prankster joke service and the terms and conditions box should be un-checked. 8 days ago Alex claimed this was an oversight. This same oversight exists today.

This crackdown has, in large part, come due to affiliate networks like AzoogleAds' own lack of enforcement (Affiliates framing FREE on the phone number submission page, Affiliates framing out the terms and conditions, etc.). The message I am receiving from executives at the carrier level is that mobile content providers will be held responsible for the actions of affiliate networks and it's affiliates.

While it is understandable that networks with large numbers of affiliates have a tougher time policing affiliates, this "special" affiliate's customized page and marketing practices should have come under scrutiny much sooner.

I hope that this affiliate ID 10973 is immediately shutdown.


Regards,
Holyearth
Click to expand...
Maybe he/she missed the announcement. There is no need to tattle.
 
DanNicol said:
:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :throwup:
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haha..great reaction. +rep comin for that one.

Grant29 said:
Who all promotes ringtones? I still want to know if others are seeing a drop in conversions. I've seen a drop already, but I don't think they space is dead yet. Hopefully they increase the amount per lead based on more quality signups.
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I promoted "10 bonus ringtones" alongside "free ringtones" and they converted about the same. Free ringtones was a little higher, but no landslide. Teens don't read the small print on the landing page. So "free" or "bonus" doesn't make a difference, they go blind when they see either word --> "Ohh..free shit!!" *enters phone number*
 
What do you think about complementary vs bonus?

I'm seeing better conversions with complementary as it essentially means free, whereas bonus means free, but you have to do something else, - would others care to comment?
 
Entrep said:
What do you think about complementary vs bonus?

I'm seeing better conversions with complementary as it essentially means free, whereas bonus means free, but you have to do something else, - would others care to comment?
Click to expand...

How are you tracking your conversion on the individual ad level?
 
My post was intended to put pressure on AzoogleAds to do the right thing.

If you consider the effects this affiliate has on bid prices, then you would be thanking me.
 
There are all kinds of people still posting free ringtone bulletins on myspace, but I never looked to see who they were using.
 
holyearth said:
My post was intended to put pressure on AzoogleAds to do the right thing.

If you consider the effects this affiliate has on bid prices, then you would be thanking me.
Click to expand...

:338: :338: so you knocked off shoe? :338: :338:
 
holyearth said:
My post was intended to put pressure on AzoogleAds to do the right thing.

If you consider the effects this affiliate has on bid prices, then you would be thanking me.
Click to expand...

So basically your spiel on doing the right thing was just a way of eliminating the competition which is kicking your ass?
 
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