GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 43 - February 2019

GPWA AFFILIATE INTERVIEW SERIES play poker professionally for a while back from 2004 to 2007, both online and in live tournaments. I was a well-known poker player, most profitable in limit Hold’em at $20/40 and $30/$60. That’s kind of my claim to fame. I like to slip it into conversations now and then, just like I did there. How often do you get to see and interact with other people in the industry? Have you attended any conferences? I speak every day on Skype to a lot of fellow affiliates and af- filiate managers. I have never been to a conference and I’m not sure it appeals to me that much. I know I should, and it’s likely I will at some point – but drinking and deal-making aren’t compatible, in my opinion, and that’s the feedback I get from others who attend. A headache doesn’t help anyone! What traits do you look for in an af- filiate manager? How about in an affiliate program? Quick and clear com- munication, and payments on time. Any problems, just let me know. What prompted you to join the GPWA? How has it helped you? I joined the GPWA because there was some- thing for sale I wanted. I’ve bought a few things from the forum, from sites to content, so it’s been a great resource. I also sell some of the starter sites I’ve mentioned and some domains there. There are some useful SEO posts, and the members are educated and can offer some excellent help and advice. What do you like about the industry? Because I get bored so easily, the ability to build new sites whenever I feel like it keeps me entertained. Because I enjoy new challenges, it suits me completely, and de- pending on what mood I’m in often dictates what I do each day. If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why? Just make everything clearer from the start. The deals we make with affiliate programs have a history of not lasting. This doesn’t exactly fill anyone with confidence when making a commitment to promote a certain brand. What do you think the industry will look like in five years? Affiliate pro- grams, in my opinion, will continue to close and we will lose out. I’m not sure if it will happen within five years, but I think it’s on the horizon. The only way to combat this is to build the very best sites with amazing content. This way the site can earn from other avenues, such as Google AdSense, which I expect to be the way the industry goes. This isn’t meant to sound gloomy or the end of the world for us as affiliates, but it’s just something I think will happen. Not every affiliate program will close, of course, but choices will be more limit- ed, just as they are now compared to five years ago. What do your family and friends think of your work as an affiliate? Most have literally no idea what I do. You can explain it over and over, and people just don’t get it. Those who do think it’s pretty cool, though, and show a real interest. Just get up, get started , and dowhat you need to do and more. Over time you’ll meet good people and make some great friends . Helping one another makes the business both more enjoyable and easier to improve at . G P W A t i m e s . o r g 62