Leadpile's Blog» Lead Generation

More People Visited Facebook Than Google?

Mari Holt — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:44:31 +0000

No really? The social networking site Facebook has hit it BIG because it passed Google in the number of visitors coming to their site. Information Week stated, “For the week ending March 13, Facebook accounted for 7.07% of all U.S. Internet visits, while Google accounted for 7.03%, according to Hitwise. It was the first time Facebook had held the No. 1 spot for a week.” This is great news for Facebook, because this sort of ranking could potentially help them out financially. So, who will benefit besides Facebook themselves on this sort of increased ranking?
In the lead generation space I wish there was maybe some additional opportunity for this mega social networking site to be able to truly produce some great lead generation results. I have yet so see a publisher we work with at Leadpile that is effectively using Facebook to generate leads. What needs to happen in order for Affiliate Marketing to truly be able to capitalize on this site, or are there publishers that are showing success with monetizing Facebook traffic? I would like to speak with them if it is happening!
Great job Facebook… keep doing what you are doing, because it’s working!

Leadpile Partners Up With Lender To Help Military

Mari Holt — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:32:41 +0000

Leadpile works a lot in the payday loan industry, with regards to trying to connect those that are looking for a payday loan and those that can provide these short term loans to the consumers. However, if you are in the military you do not qualify for these types of loans, therefore there are alternatives that are offered to these consumers. Leadpile is excited to partner up with a lender that can help service these individuals. We are looking for publishers that can help us generate more of these leads.
This is what we are looking for in these leads:
Nationwide, “active duty” Military (no reserves or government employees) only, consumers must be looking for a $500+ loan, no daily caps and there is no restricted delivery schedules.

There are several ways to generate these leads:

* MicroClick Forms
* MicroClick iForms
* Banners
* Text Links
* “On Exit” Ads
* Open Market

If you are a publisher and looking to help provide these sorts of short term loans to members of our military, reach out to us!

Internet Hurting Our Nation’s Post Offices?

Natasha Aronov — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:03:49 +0000

According to the Associated Press, the number of items handled by the post office fell from 213 billion in 2006 to 177 billion last year – the volume is expected to continue to shrink to 150 billion by 2020. Post office hours and delivery times are possibly changing, as the loss of a predicted $7 billion dollars this year is becoming reality. The post office is asking for a decrease in delivery days from 6 down to 5 cutting delivery on Saturdays.
The demands for mail delivery are increasing as new homes and businesses continue to develop and the number of places needing mail delivery increases. The type of materials sent are also shifting from first-class mail to the less lucrative standard mail. The thought of closing post office locations worries many people due to the lines and wait times that are frequently at current locations. Suggestions of opening post office facilities in places like convenience stores and supermarkets has been discussed as the average post office has 600 customers per week, and the average supermarket brings in 20,000 people each week. In addition to being open longer hours and more days having post services in places that you frequent is a benefit to many people!
So what is causing the change in the use of our nation’s post offices? Is it because of the use of the internet? Do we see the use of the post office totally going extinct? That seems a little far fetched but who knows what the future of the USPS really is!

Are Consumers Buying More Online?

Mari Holt — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:01:55 +0000

Being in the lead generation business it is key to understand consumer trends and what they are doing. Knowing this helps to create new offers to help connect them with the service provider(s). However, are we seeing more consumers buying online now versus going directly to the store?
Permuto.com is stating that some areas of consumers purchases have gone up online, while many consumers still remain loyal to their local stores. The biggest gap I am seeing is with the drugs and health aid category. Is this a trust issue with trying to get the proper medication from places such as a drugstore versus an online site?

So how does a company like Leadpile and ecommerce sites get more people online purchasing services and items they need for their every day lives? Is there a “secret sauce” that will bring more people online, or is it simply with time more and more people will start trusting online purchasing as a safe way to get things they need?

Is Google Making Us Stupid?

Mari Holt — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:59:55 +0000

A couple years ago, there was an article that came out about the impact of the Google and does it really make us not use our brains? The verdict on this is up in the air, but one group did a study to detmine the impact the internet has on all of us. This study found that actually the internet helps to make us all smarter. “Most of the respondents also said the Internet would improve reading and writing by 2020, according to the study, conducted by the Imagining the Internet Center at Elon University in North Carolina and the Pew Internet and American Life project. Three out of four experts said our use of the Internet enhances and augments human intelligence, and two-thirds said use of the Internet has improved reading, writing and the rendering of knowledge, said study co-author Janna Anderson, director of the Imagining the Internet Center.”
I think studies like this have come up, determining if the internet really affects our intelligence, because the use of the internet and the power of it are indescribable. What else is there in this world that has so much inpact and access to so many people in this world? Of course there are going to be skeptics that think that it is making us “stupid”, but then again (like this study) many feel that the internet is truly something that is changing the way we think. So what do YOU think? OR don’t you?

Positive Changes For Consumers In Debt!

Natasha Aronov — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:00:17 +0000

Changes to fees and terms may be positive for many consumers struggling to pay their bills! New rules obtaining to overdraft protection requires consumers to specifically request it, rather than being automatically enrolled in it. According to the Credit CARD Act, should the consumer enroll for overdraft protection, fees can only be applied once during a billing cycle and the card company must notify the consumer of the amount. These new overdraft rules only apply to debit cards, not checks or electronic transfers.
Consumers now are given 21 days to send credit card payments in, rather than only 14, and if changes are made to terms, 45 days notice must be given instead of 15. This change does not apply to reducing your credit limit, the credit card company can do this at any time without any warning!
One new change might be scary for many consumers to see, but after the initial shock sets in, the overall perspective will hopefully ultimately help consumers in the long run. Effective starting February 22, credit card bills must make it clear how long it will take the consumers to pay off the balance, and how much interest will be paid if the minimum amount is all that is paid each month.
While there is no current cap placed on increasing interest rates, credit card companies are required to give customers 45 days notice on changes and may not raise the current interest rate on customers existing debt unless payment is more than 60 days late on payment. Additional help to consumers trying to pay off debt, additional fees for paying over the phone, electronic transfer, or mail are no longer allowed and universal default for existing credit card balances may no longer be practiced. The Credit CARD Act has now made is more difficult for college students to obtain credit cards, someone under 21 may not be offered a credit card without a co-signer or proof of proper income.
LeadPile matches consumers in debt with Debt Consolidation, Debt Settlement and Bankruptcy companies daily. Debt is a huge source of stress for many people, hopefully the new Credit CARD Act will help get people back on track and become more aware of their own debt, and make plans to get things paid off!

Broadview Security & Leadpile Team Up!

Mari Holt — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:26:47 +0000

Leadpile is excited to roll out a brand new exclusive offer with Broadview Security. We are looking for publishers that can drive traffic to our offer-nationwidehomesafe.com. This offer helps to bring together those consumers that are looking to help keep their homes safe and secure. The typical consumer that this is great for a security system is someone that maybe just purchased a home, a family that has welcomed a new addition, or simply anyone that is looking for a great way to keep their things safe. If you are a publisher that is interested in working with Leadpile to help bring together consumers looking for a security system, reach out to us and get started NOW!

Leadpile & The Affiliate Summit West

Mari Holt — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:55:25 +0000

Leadpile is excited to be a part of the upcoming Affiliate Summit West in Las Vegas, NV. If you are an affiliate that will be attending this weekend’s upcoming show, please make sure and stop by our Meet Market booth on Sunday January 17th. This show is a great opportunity for us to see some past, present and new partners all in one place. We would love to talk about lead generation, publisher opportunities, advertisers opportunities, affiliate marketing, traffic and anything else related to affiliate marketing. If you are not attending the show, make sure and reach out to us so we can discuss how we can potentially work together (mari@leadpile.com).

The Dreaded Holiday Credit Card Bill

Natasha Aronov — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:45:47 +0000

With the holidays finally over and a week into January, it is about time that we get that one last present from the credit card company. What might that present be you ask? A nice fat bill. Whether you did your holiday shopping in the stores or at the comfort of your home online, so many of us just go swipe, swipe, swipe all season long. It really is the the fastest and most convenient way to make a purchase. Sometimes you do not even realize how much you have racked up until it is all down on paper. More times then not, individuals will not be able to pay off the whole bill in one lump sum by the time that the bill is due.
Below are some helpful suggestion for when you realize you have bit off more than you can chew:

1. Use credit cards that offer cash back for purchases – You can put the money you get back towards your credit card bill.
2. Know your interest rate and try to use the card with the lowest interest rate.
3. Do not just pay the minimum balance due – Often that minimum payment will only cover the interest that was charged that month.
4. Get a balance transfer – transfer to a card that offers you a lower interest rate/reward programs.
5. Create a feasible payment plan and stick to it.

In some instances where you find that you are getting into too much debt, try to not feel overwhelmed and that there is no way of getting out of it. There are several options out there to get you back on your feet. For example, debt consolidation or debt settlement might be the perfect solution. Everyday at LeadPile we are matching consumers to debt professionals who are there to help you get the professional advice that you may need. Maybe consider getting help if none of the above options really worked out for you.

New Payday Lending Laws In Washington

Mari Holt — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:11:25 +0000

As of January 1st 2010, a new payday lending law was imposed in Washington. “The new law limits the size of a payday loan to 30 percent of a person’s monthly income, or $700, whichever is less. It also bars people from having multiple loans from different lenders, limits the number of loans a person can take out to eight per 12 months, and sets up a database to track the number of loans taken out by people.” This will be something that lenders will now have to pay attention to.
Leadpile will be watching the status of Washington and payday loans, because we work with publishers nationwide, and we will be interested in any legal changes that happen in this particular state.