29-dollar affiliation and not optimisable web sites?

[rkd]

Hi, Everyone!
I am personally very sceptical about affiliation programs. My preference is a classic web site marketing using search engine optimisation, PPC, opt-in email marketing etc. That is why I am affraid to be biased in this case. Could you please comment on it

The Case
I have had 3 requests for web site analysis recently from potential clients.
They were very similar. 3 different parent web sites sold them the affiliation opportunity part of which - in my understanding - was a dynamically generated web site from the box.

IDENTICAL to PARENT WEB SITE!
As far as I understand the game: affiliate has to drive visitors to the parent web site through his/her own dedicated web entrance.

The Search Engine Optimisation Problem
The web sites in question are not optimisable due to web design. It looks like affiliates do not have control on the content etc.

How are they going to attract visitors?
Besides the OFFLINE marketing - impossible in my view.

1.No chance to find these web sites in search engines results because of the lack of SEO.
In any way - parent web site will be displayed higher in search results.
2.PPC will create an unhealthy competition between fellow affiliates and drive the bid for keywaords up.

The only solution I can see is a new personalised web site, optimised for search engines, with new original content - able to beat the content of PARENT web site.
This solution is of course costly and not feasible in cases above.

Do you agree with me or I missed something?
TIA for your comments.

[cspelts]

I just heard from someone yesterday who bought something very similar. She spent $50, then found out there would be further charges, all in order to sell their products.

And how did this company suggest she get customers? They suggested she ask her friends to go to her site, and hand out her business card – everything they suggested was offline marketing. And yet they sold it to her as a business on the web. She hasn’t sold a single product yet, and probably never will – the prices are just too high.

This particular company is not making the majority of it’s profit from the products it says it sells – it’s main source of income is clearly from poor suckers like this woman I met yesterday.

[Linda Buquet]

There lots of web site in a box biz opps, many times they are not really affiliate programs but MLM. Always be wary if there is a charge involved.

True affiliate programs never charge a fee.