Martin Lewis’ latest blog entry tells us that the site has now hit in excess of 10 Million unique visitors per month. This is an astonishing success for one of the UK’s most popular websites. However, they’ve also got a new trick up their sleeve…
According to their forum, MSE are about to integrate Skimlinks – an affiliate tool that transforms links in to affiliate links (which earn the publisher money). This is a fantastic way to increase revenues on massive user generated content sites like MoneySavingExpert.
The Insurance IndustryAn Entrepreneur's Perspective
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Perhaps, except a lot of forum posts on mse are for discount codes. People will click through not realising the link is affiliated, apply the discount and purchase.
When the retailer matches the use of a voucher code with an affiliate link it will decline both commissions. This happens already on forums like hotukdeals with retailers like Littlewoods. Discount codes are posted on forums, people use them then months later the retailer contacts them and says you were not the intended recipient of that code and you owe us money.
Don’t hold your breathe for retailers to remove discount codes, they want the sale.
Most retailers using discount codes now specify in their terms for affiliates that if voucher codes and affiliate link are used together both will be declined and the affiliate kicked off the programme.
Some retailers like John Lewis have banned affiliates publishing discount codes altogether but they are in the minority.
It’s a big change too to use posts that are meant to be like a pub chat, innocently shared, and turn that into making money. Does that mean door step sellers can stop declaring they are selling things, or Avon ladies, or chuggers?
On closer examination of your Google trends graph, it shows the site is below where it was last October when it peaked at the time of the Supreme Court decision against whether the OFT had the power to determine if bank charges for unauthorised overdarfts were unfair.
The latest statistical claim may be to soften the introduction of affiliate links in the forum.
Hi Harrisontot.
Google Trends works on daily UVs where Martin is working on Monthly UVs. The difference between the two can be and often is quite pronounced. Additionally, Google Trends is sampled data and is only indicative. I think it is safe to assume that MSE has some it’s own tracking solution implemented. A very cursory investigation would suggest they at least have Google Analytics plugged in.