[WEB4LIB] Affiliate Programs

[Andrew Mutch]

This isn't necessarily an argument against this concept but something to
consider - one of the usability gurus [maybe Jakob Nielsen?] advised against
providing your web site visitors with the ability to search the web for 2
reasons:

1)  It takes visitors away from your site which you don't generally want to
encourage - unless you are directing them to information they are seeking that
you can not provide.

2)  Search engines [generally] do a better job of providing search tools than
you can provide through your site so why give your visitors an inferior tool?
[although I can see that a very "basic" search like Google can essentially be
replicated anywhere]

Also, does the placement of the "affiliate" logo or interface  become part of
the design consideration for a page or site?  Will you be tempted to provide it
a more prominent location because it might be an income-generator [think banner
ads?]

Just curious as to how people would approach it in real-life...

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library
Waterford, MI

Steve Garwood wrote:

> Just to sound off on this one.
>
> I always wanted to use these to make some money for the library (I hate
> being totally reliant on the "kindness" of others).
>
> The coolest one I found from my research was Lycos' affiliate program
> http://www.lycos.com/affiliateprogram/ which seems to work with
> http://affiliate-program.com/ .
>
> My thought was always to design a page, have the $$ go to our Library
> Friends group, and then spend the rest of my time getting people to use the
> site and watch the money trickle in.
>
> Is anyone doing this? - I seem to be getting some "well no one else is doing
> this..." feedback
>
> Steve
>
> -------------------------------------
> Steve Garwood
> Customer Education Librarian
> Camden County Library System
> 203 Laurel Rd., Voorhees, NJ 08043
> (856)772-1636 x3320 Fax:(856)772-6128
> sgarwood at camden.lib.nj.us
> http://www.camden.lib.nj.us
> http://www.stevegarwood.com
>
> "...Just a lazy cat in a dog-eat-dog world"  - Supreme Beings of Leisure