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Linkshare  2002

Normally, you save the best to last. Not this time - We do not recommend linkshare.

Linkshare offers mainly pay per sale programs. Closely linked to Microsoft, they have a number of high profile advertisers on their books. (American Express etc.) But, although it's emotionally rewarding to see well known brands advertising on ones website, that's about the only reward you're likely to get.

We've experimented with them off and on over the years and have had consistently poor results. In the early days, when the Snowbird Network was in its infancy, we chalked it up to the fact that we didn't have enough site traffic.

Later, when we hit 1/4 million visitors a year, we chalked it up to the fact that we were inexperienced.

Today, with a steady stream of traffic and almost 5 years experience under our belt, we still haven't figured out how to make a dime by using Linkshare.

It's all speculation, but perhaps part of the problem is that Linkshare makes money even if the publisher (or the advertiser) doesn't. It's possible, we suppose, to make money on the very high volume sites or if you are smarter than we obviously are. But why beat your head against a wall?

There are groups like CJ, Direct Leads and Fast Click who seem to be a bit more interested in medium sized websites. And, perhaps because they are a little closer to the consumer than the monolithic Microsoft empire, they seem to be aware of the fact that publishers need to make money too.

From our standpoint, we don't regret our exposure to Linkshare  - They are undoubtedly honest, fair and trustworthy.

It's just that, when it came to making money, they weren't very good.