I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the alleged affiliate marketing team at Primary Insurance for getting a hold put on my Commission Junction payments recently without even contacting me to explain why.

I’d been sending some brand-related traffic to their programme, which they decided they did not like and reported me to CJ. Until I complained the other day, I’d had no payments since March 15th. After they complained, CJ’s US office promptly put a hold on payments, didn’t tell me or contact me, and didn’t contact the CJ UK account management team to tell them either.

So, I’d like to let Primary Insurance know that it is customary to let affiliates know in the programme terms and conditions that brand bidding is not acceptable. Here is their current programme page: -

Oh, what a surprise! They haven’t actually specified their aversion to brand name bidding. I’ve also just been and re-joined the programme using another account, and there is nothing in the sign-up process to say “Please Don’t Bid On The Primary Insurance Brand Name”. Finally, there is absolutely no mention of brand bidding T’s & C’s in their welcome e-mail. Thats three missed chances guys.

Here’s a clue chaps, affiliates are not psychics. Unless you say there is no brand name bidding, someone else will rapidly fill the shoes of each and every affiliate you inconvenience in the way you’ve inconvenienced me. I’ve just been and checked, and just about every variation of their brand name is being covered by affiliates on Google Adwords.

Another suggestion; the next time you are allocating a bit of staff training to the Primary Insurance affiliate manager, why not go mad and let them know how to identify affiliate ID’s and where the affiliate e-mail section of the CJ interface is. By using these two exciting bits of information, you too can contact your affiliates direct!!

Affiliates are (largely) highly skilled marketing professionals, not dodgy teenagers working out of their bedrooms. Why not treat us as such? I’ve been working in online marketing commercially since many of the affiliate managers I encounter were still learning the “three R’s” at Primary School.

Episodes like this make me think some of them should still be there. >:(