UPDATE: This review is now outdated. I am leaving it here for informational purposes only. For the most up-to-date information and recommendations, please join my free newsletter.
Edition #14 – 1/12/2006
Today is the official launch of Link Brander by Russell Brunson.
This new program puts a new spin on viral marketing. You can shorten your ugly affiliate links, while creating a viral marketing campaign for your website at the same time. The way it works is that when someone clicks on your “branded link”, the new page will open with a small top frame displaying additional ads (I believe it will display an ad for LinkBrander itself).
Before you start worrying about cookies and frames, Russell’s already thought of that. The program can drop the cookie before the page is even displayed, so it works with ClickBank too.
To put it into raw terms, it’s sort of a MLM link scheme. Every time someone signs up for LinkBrander after clicking one of your links, you earn credits for your ads to be displayed network-wide. This goes five levels deep, and you also earn advertising credits every time someone in your downline’s link is clicked. As Russell explains on the home page, merely referring 5 people to LinkBrander could snowball into 61,200 displays of your ad.
There is an option to upgrade to a platinum membership, which allows you to use HTML in your ads (instead of just a plain link).
To top it all off, you can sign up as an affiliate and earn commission on anyone you refer who upgrades.
Will I be using this program? I may try it. I already typically shorten my affiliate links by using my own redirects, so that’s not a big deal to me personally. If you’re someone who doesn’t do HTML, or if you don’t even have your own website, then you might wan to try using Russell’s program to display your links.
The downside is obviously the fact that your visitor will see OTHER people’s ads, when they click on your link. For certain programs and sites, you probably don’t want to do that. On the other hand, the opportunity to go MLM and multiply the power of your advertising each time someone clicks on your link is also compelling.
Hi Eric,
Just to drop a short note to you. I found your site to be very informative. I have been sufing the net when a 14.4 modem was greased lighting. I am new to trying to start an online business and I know a need to learn a lot before I really start to see any fruit from my labor. (lots of labor) My website is based partly on helping other affiliates by what I learn good or bad. I would like to recommend your site as good reading. Do you mind If I put a link on my site? Thanks again for all your info and wish you much success in the future.
Larry Miller
Heya Eric,
You blog is very informative, and your products rock 🙂