Google, since the acquisition of  DoubleClick, has been adding new features to it’s Adwords platform, meant to bring more value and why not “options” to their Advertisers. With their release of “Google Affiliate Network” at the end of August, we will see some interesting developments when it comes to CPA offers. Even though we know that everything comes down to an impression, click and conversions, by actually giving the option to the Buyers (Advertisers) to pay per lead (or action), you give more quality control, which can be relative to the traffic as well. 

You will be still looking at competing with the CPC Advertisers and from what Google says, you will set your CPA goal and the conversion optimizer will automatically adjust the CPC to reach that goal. 

One thing is for sure, Google is helping us the industry and more and more Advertisers will learn about CVR and how to use their advertising dollars efficiently. Bidding in a Lead Exchange is not too different than bidding on Adwords, your CVR and the actual rank you have in the distribution will affect your results. There is also the network and the traffic you are getting, based on your price you attract better traffic, better publishers and your CVR will increase. 

If 85% to 95% of all emails being handled by the ISPs represent spam which mostly are unwanted messages abusively and indiscriminately sent by unscrupulous marketers or scam artists, and the costs associated with the necessary bandwidth and network maintenance are supported by the ISPs, which in turn get paid by everyone that’s using the internet one way or another, then spammers are really picking our pockets.

Someone has to pay for creating and supporting the infrastructure required by 100 BILLION SPAM emails PER DAY!!! And that’s not cheap: the estimated costs were about $100 BILLION in 2007. So with 1,412,489,652 internet users worldwide (http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm) and $100 billion in money spent/lost in connection with the spam, it comes to about $70.79 per person using the internet per year.

Incredibly, about 80% of all spam is sent by fewer than 200 spammers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mail_spam), which would mean that each spammer steals nearly $500 MILLION per year from everybody else. Now is that grand theft or what? If a bank had HALF A BILLION stolen by 200 different people in a year I would tend to believe these people would be caught pretty fast.

LeadGen companies and Publishers that specialize in internet marketing do need to have an ethical conduct and refrain from spamming. LeadPile has built its reputation as a lead marketplace / exchange that strictly prohibits the practice of spam or any other abusive or deceptive marketing methods. All marketplace participants have to abide by strict rules which ensure that consumers are protected, and the lead exchange continues to grow based on the benefits it brings to consumers, lead buyers (advertisers) and lead sellers (publishers). All accounts have a dedicated account manager who is in constant communication with lead sellers and our quality control division is closely monitoring the leads production. Confidence in using the LeadPile Lead Exchange is critical to its success and the marketplace proved to be incredibly successful at attracting both quality lead sellers and lead buyers (http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS215372+06-May-2008+MW20080506).

What would you do if you came across your primary care physician on Facebook? How about if you came across a surgeon that was going to be performing some surgery for you in the coming weeks? Would what you see and read about that person affect your decision to trust them and their abilities?

This is something many need to be concerned about when it comes to blog posts, social media sites and other networking groups the public has access to. Too much information could be a bad thing. Too many negative blog posts could put a negative light on some and affect how the outside world perceives them.
According to a recent article on MSNBC, some researchers looked up more than 800 medical students and residents by name on Facebook.com, one of the most popular social-networking sites with about 80 million users worldwide. Everyone can limit who has access to their pages to just friends, however this information could be sometimes accessed.
The study, published recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, “found that nearly half the medical students had Facebook pages, with only 37 percent limiting viewership to their friends.” More than half of those whose pages were open for review provided lifestyle information, including sexual orientation, personal relationships and political views and sometimes opinions, according to MSNBC.
Erick W. Black, one of the researchers, said he found pictures with some students grabbing each others private parts, posing with weird objects, and multiple photos of medical students drinking heavily. Does this represent the image that we all have on those that are potentially taking care of us, such as our doctors?
I have to admit Leadpile Lead Exchange has this blog to posts our thoughts and industry news, however I would still be a little hesitant on posting something that I would some day regret or not want another person to see.

The Text Messages (SMS) have been always an interesting and productive way to generate leads or more business, including Branding awareness. 

We knew about it, test it with our Offers, and our Publishers are doing it as well, but we never seen such results as we are seeing in the last month. The MicroClick Ads and the Microsites are some of the favorites when it comes to our Publishers using text messaging to promote the offers. 

Just to have an idea of the efficiency, please check out the following numbers: 

The number of Impressions represent the number of people reaching the website from a text message. Out of everyone that have seen the site, almost 73% clicked on the form and 55% of them completed it – reached the confirmation page. 

The EPM isn’t too bad either, with $1,437.57 for one thousand of impressions. The highest we’ve seen ranges between $2,500 and $3,200, but that’s more from targeted traffic, new customer base (PPC traffic). 

The rule of success is to be creative and test new ways to build your customer base, offering quality and good service to consumers. Nothing is “Impossible” and things can be done in a very effective way without loosing the quality. 

One of the main issues when it comes to affiliates, lead generation and traffic is the fraud. The better you become in tracking your leads, affiliates and methods they use to generate leads, the better your program will work. 

Leadpile’s Lead Exchange  has been working into improving the MicroClick Form (previously known as the I-SaveNow Form) application process, storing as much data as possible, so that we identify the source and also the validity of the lead. 

Some lead verticals are easier to fake than others, and the more fields, checks and restrictions for the data, the better is to control what goes through the Exchange. 

Paid Search (Adwords or Yahoo Search Marketing) are facing 20% or more fraud. The Lead Exchanges are not an exception, but the percentage is way lower. 

A click is very easy to fake and it can happen way faster and with a lot more volume than within the lead process. Also, each lead can be refunded in case of invalidity, where the traffic takes more time and sometimes is going untracked. Thinking that in certain industries we are seeing bids that are ranging between $6.00 to $50.00 per click, that can be a substantial loss for the advertisers. 

Let’s take a look at the following Click Fraud Index:

Leadpile has been producing it’s own leads in addition to the leads generated by its own publishers (partners) and that helped the Lead Exchange (Marketplace) becoming one of the top Lead-Gen companies out there. We actually are getting the hit from the PPC and take away the burden of this cost from our Lead Buyer (Advertisers). One of the most successful campaigns are still from PPC, where our Buyers are enjoying top lead quality. Of course, that comes for a price, but our service is going to make up for it, no matter how big or small your company is. 

Our team is geared up everyday to provide the top notch customer experience you (as a Lead Buyer/Advertiser) deserve! No matter what your challenge is, let us know so we can work better for you!

LeadPile Lead Exchange are true team players! You hear a lot about the workforce and unhappy employees among other companies but not in LeadPile.  LeadPile has a strong team assembled.  We are a unity! Happy employees that get along great! Our lead exchange has grown with high recognition, and part of its success has to do with the time, energy and effort that LeadPile’s team creates to be the top notch Lead Exchange.  From Customer Service, to IT, to Accounting, and Marketing I can honestly say that we all get along.  We enjoy working with one another and the work environment and synergy that gets created in the office is beyond exceptional!

We are true professionals that blend in together with unique ideas to continue to grow at a fast pace.  We thank our Advertisers and Publishers for allowing our lead exchange to be a part of there company, we will continue to strive to providing you with quality as well as nourishing you with the highest ROI in the industry!

LeadPile team would like to wish Marketing Director Eugen a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  We love what he brings to the table with his cheerful demeanor and friendly attitude.  His creativity is off the charts! Happy Birthday Eugen best wishes from the LeadPile team! You ROCK!

I was on the EcomXpo online trade show this week and WOW, pretty amazing people.  So I’m at the lounge to interact and market, yet you see a few attendees craving attention.  Being mean, to put their name out there.  Yes, being indecent, vulgar  and obnoxious.  But for the most, part it was a phenomenal show and the interactions with some more serious players were beyond concrete.  Of course I got a good laugh in the lounge. 

I must say trade shows are hard work, even online.  Great experience it is but next week follow ups will be constant dialing to reach out and indulge in making new partners.  

Trade shows respect has moved into different directions.  

Working with advertisers and publishers, many might think its a waste of time to attend the trade shows. What matters is what works, not what its “thought”.  The facts count.  The facts are that they work, get a feel for the networking inside trade shows and how it will bring in business and strategic partners.  

I remember going to ad-tech, sure the interaction is there.  Nothing like talking face to face and meeting the person on the other side of the phone.  But one thing that bothers me is some of these attendees are just their for the booze!  Each time I talk to them, they are with a new company, they talk a big game but talk is cheap and when it comes down to business they are shady.  Its ridiculous that one person has been with 5 different companies within the industry in a short period of time.  

I scratch my head and ask myself “who hires them?”.  Now, now, I’m being honest not offensive, but realistically why would you hire someone that has been with a multitude of lead exchanges in such a short time and doesn’t fit in.  

Ad-Tech, Affiliate Summit, EcomXpo and all other trade shows believe it or not is a perfect place to network and create new partners.  Over 10,000 exhibitors and attendees go to these social networks so that’s a lot of business.  

When you do get a chance visit some of the conferences and discussions that are offered. You will learn valuable information that all in all will be beneficial to your business.  

In the lead exchange open doors for new opportunities, there is a need for leads in almost every industry, you just have to know how to approach it! 

MicroClick Ads Turning Affiliate Marketing Upside Down, Reports LeadPile

Phoenix, Arizona -July 8th, 2008 — Within three weeks of announcing the introduction of their new “MicroClick Ads”, LeadPile has created quite a buzz in Affiliate Marketing Circles throughout the United States, Canada, and the UK. Leadpile, The World’s Largest Online Exclusive Lead Marketplace, or Lead Exchange, has reported that the MicroClick Ads have contributed to a 17% increase in production for selected Lead Publishers, and have helped LeadPile to continue its position as the leader in the Lead Exchange Revolution.

What are MicroClicks? Simply put, MicroClick Ads are very small single page mini sites that open a new window enabling Affiliate Publishers to have much more control over their own sites than with “Old Fashioned Affiliate Programs”. The MicroClick ads are a tremendous innovation for Publishers desiring to monetize their traffic. To see what everyone in Affiliate Marketing is talking about, please visit http://www.leadpile.com/microsites.html

The MicroClick Ads give Publishers total control over their own site giving them more compelling monetization opportunities for their content.  For the first time ever, Leadpile’s MicroClick Ads place Publishers in total control of their own sites, and their own income because MicroClick ads are located their own Websites, and secured on Leadpile’s Secured Servers. MicroClick Ads have been designed for those Publishers knowledgeable with HTML and JavaScript, and those who are not. Inserting the MicroClick ads into a website is fast, simple, and easy.

Andy Jacob, Founder of Leadpile, says “There is absolutely no limit to the number of MicroClick Ads a Publisher can place on a site. All they need to do with their site is to target each keyword that they want, add the simple code automatically provided by the LeadPile System, and the LeadPile Lead Exchange does the rest. Jacob says, “This could be a game changer for Affiliate Marketing as we know it.”

About LeadPile:

Leadpile, the World’s Largest Exclusive Online Lead Marketplace/Lead Exchange, offers the Lead-Gen “Space” the Largest, centralized location for Buyers and Sellers of Exclusive Leads to engage in an exclusive  Lead Exchange, or Lead Marketplace. The Leadpile Marketplace allows the Originators of Leads, and the Lead Buyers themselves, to decide what price they are each willing to sell, and buy, their leads at, and the way in which the lead delivery will take place. Visit LeadPile at http:///www.leadpile.com , or visit the Lead Exchange Blog at http://www.leadpile.com/lead-exchange-blog.

Yes, correct! In a lead exchange the pricing is market driven.  Payday and Auto Financing are truly the most critical to monitor.  Why?  Simple, the end user, payday companies and auto groups, are looking for exclusive, unique, and qualified leads.  Top tier bidders will get first look and the opportunity to buy leads that are authentic and precise to filters set up.

Many companies use softwares such as CL Verify or Teletrack, that checks for factuality against SS#’s and DOB, and a few other filters.  Software such as these are a benefit to the online verification method that large organizations entitle to run a smooth and prosperous business.  

In a lead exchange, publishers should be alert at the placement of their campaign and the ranking that they hold.  I would never suggest to pay a price that you are not seeing a good ROI on your campaign, but I am suggesting not to be cheap.  You need great qualified leads? That will consist of becoming aggressive.  See when you do the math its pretty simple.  Your cheap, you pay $10 for a payday lead, and you are not converting as many as you like.  Then your upset.  Well lets talk about reality.  You probably have 20 other companies competing for the same lead, bidding more than you, hence, they are buying your leads! Yes, I said your leads!  The more competent and genuine leads that could have been closed by you.

Be at a comfort level that you are seeing a significant amount of conversions.  Larger companies are successful for one reason! They became aggressive and were in a competitive market.  Come straight to the source and pay less for your applicants that need your assistance now!

One more thought to absorb is that in a lead exchange of advertisers and publishers, publishers have the opportunity to set up their minimum price point, just as advertisers can set up the price to pay.  Therefore, if your bid price is too low, you are missing out on some strong potential publishers that are using their marketing revenue in Google AdWords for example, to generate high quality traffic, and its skipping your campaign due to your bargain bid. 

Take this as good advice and monitor your campaigns, you need to be aware that higher tiers will have the chance to accept a lead before you do!

Welcome back to an innovated blog that I hope you will find useful and enjoy!

I wanted to show you how LeadPile’s delivery schedule works.  When creating a real time campaign in your account our lead exchange is design to fit your schedule.  If you are looking for specific times or dates, it can be done!  We are honored not only in providing you with quality real time leads but also to providing leads that will meet your best time to communicate with consumers.  We understand that because these leads are real time, you most likely want to be present when you get the lead.  Therefore, you can update your campaigns to fit your days or hours.  

Its easy, so simple you’ll love it! Here’s how to set it up.

• Click on the name of your campaign
• Click on the option called “Delivery Schedule”
• Select your hours prefer
• Select your days of preference
• Exclude or include any important dates.

That’s it.. Its that simplistic.   LeadPile, lead exchange the worlds largest lead marketplace is unique in making it easy to get started. You will benefit from using your delivery schedule to contact consumers in a timely manner, touch base when their interest is the hottest, have an opportunity to get them on the phone instantly and of course make it effective for you to work leads within your hours of work. 

Your clients are the key to your success. Managing your clients means following up with them quickly. and at LeadPile, we mean quickly!

In a Lead Exchange like LeadPile, we strive to follow up with all of our advertisers and publishers immediatley. No matter what business you ar ein, simply call your clients back quickly, give them the information that they have requested, call them to see if they need assistance, give them information that will benefit or help them, and most of all, do whatever it takes to  build a strong partnership.

I will like to complete one of the previous posts (Lead Generation and Keyword Tracking), when I discussed Leadpile’s Search Engine Tracking as a tool for our Publishers – for those using our MicroClick Form (previously known as the “I-SaveNow Form”).

• Detailed report which provides the Publisher with the Search Engine and the “Keyword” used by the visitor to find their website.
• Displays only the visits that resulted in a transaction.
• This report is based on the “referrer” and for that reason, you don’t need to add anything in the tracking URL.
• A sample snapshot report is provided below:

One of the other features that our Publishers are enjoying, and we are excited to let you know that it has come to a mature state, is the Adwords API integration. The Publishers can create the tracking right from the account and upload it into their Adwords campaign. It will track the “client” (Adwords Account), the Campaign, the AdGroup, the Keywords and whether or not the traffic is coming from Content Network or not.

Fast, simple and terrific tracking available for every Publisher has made our Marketplace an attraction to the PPC Advertisers. With just few clicks you can control your Profit and set the appropriate bids that will lead you to your financial goals.

Please check the following link for a snapshot of the report: