In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz audio newsletter James Martell, successful publisher, speaker and author talks with wife and co-host Arlene Martell while soaking up the beautiful scenery of Austin Texas as they take in two conferences; Affiliate Summit Central 2012 and ShareASale Think Tank 2012.

To get tonight’s call started James and Arlene share a little about their arrival in Austin, the plain ride experience, including the loss of their luggage, and the arrival at the Hilton Austin. They share the breathtaking views and overall beauty of Texas, where they stayed and why they want to come back again.

Arlene Martell After A Week Of Sessions, Parties and Networking Events

But the arrival in Austin was just the beginning. You’ll hear about the uniqueness of this particular conference, the types of sessions laid out as well as the ease of accomplishing what you want. You’ll hear about two new students and how taking part in the even activities are really helping them wrap their head around the business and make plans for the near, and far future.

It’s so much more than just the sessions!

Everyone talks about the importance of attending affiliate conferences to learn what you can for each session speaker. James shares how the value of these conferences stretch far outside the lecture rooms. Having two students new to the industry in attendance James and Arlene were really able to see first hand the impact the overall networking of these events can have on helping beginners sculpt their business.

They talk about the power of motivation behind after session conversations among other attendees during dinners, round table get togethers and social events. You’ll hear how one student discovered tools to help her long after her site is up and running and how hearing success stories first hand help to motivate and encourage the very beginner.

But what is the biggest benefit for attending a conference? For each attendee the answer may vary but for James and Arlene it’s all about discovering that single business altering nugget of all time. And without disappointment James was thrilled to find that nugget again this year.

Covered in this edition:

• Affiliate Summit Central 2012 & ShareASale ThinkTank
• How conferences benefit the beginner
• What the sessions have in store
• Benefits beyond the speaker sessions

Affiliate conferences are ever growing in popularity and webmasters frequently read about the before and after of these events. Listen in today to hear the “during” take of this years back to back conferences of Affiliate Summit Central and ShareASale ThinkTank as James and Arlene take a break mid event to meet on the Buzz.

And if you are…

Ready To Get Serious About Affiliate Marketing?

If you are ready to get serious about succeeding online and earning a full or part-living with affiliate programs — I invite you to check out my Affiliate Marketers SUPER BootCamp.

In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz audio newsletter James Martell, successful publisher, speaker and author talks with wife and co-host Arlene Martell as they offer up tips for gathering Google Panda and Penguin friendly backlinks.

To kick off this podcast James and Arlene share a little about their upcoming plans to head out for back to back conferences on Monday. With Affiliate Summit Central 2012 and ShareASale ThinkTank 2012 holding their conferences back to back this is a rare opportunity to take in two conferences nearly for the price of one. You’ll hear a little on their preparation plans for both events they are gearing up to leave.

Beyond traveling and conferences James moves right into discussing the ongoing Google updates that have so many webmasters on their toes. It began with Panda, an update that targeted article directories and opened the door for Google Penguin, and update that targeted blogging networks. James discusses what these updates did and why it impacted the sites that felt the hit. Truly understanding these updates is vital in developing a plan to help your site stand the test of Google’s updates.

All though James and Arlene have not experienced any negative impacts from these updates personally they know you must always be careful and never get cocky when it comes to backlinks and take care to keep their backlinking efforts free and clear for risky practices.

To begin James discusses the importance of really evaluating the types of backlinks you have coming into your sites including the anchor text used, quality of the article that anchor text resides on and the quality of the overall site. You’ll hear about keeping your linking efforts natural as well as ways to measure your anchor text choices from one site to the next.

But evaluating and measuring your anchor text is only the beginning. James and Arlene share proven tips they have found to stand the test of these updates through their PAD technique. They talk about the recent popularity growth in guest blogging, the impact it has had on successfully placing articles and tips to help you stand out.

Covered in this edition:

• Understanding the Google Panda and Penguin update
• The need to evaluate links coming into your site
• Measuring your anchor text for natural backlinks
• Tips for gathering Panda and Penguin friendly backlinks

Finally James makes it a point to get you thinking to future updates in your backlinking efforts by recognizing the need to keep your links as natural as possible. He shares tips on evening out your keyword anchor text with various natural alternatives other webmasters may choose to use.

And if you are…

Ready To Get Serious About Affiliate Marketing?

If you are ready to get serious about succeeding online and earning a full or part-living with affiliate programs — I invite you to check out my Affiliate Marketers ‘SUPER BootCamp’.

This week, Greg Hoffman stepped in as a “Pinch Hitter” co-host and we had an information packed podcast that ran just short of 40 minutes.

• NBA Playoff Gear is hot – keep an eye on the up and coming Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been strong sellers and have some great young talent.
• NHL Playoffs -last year’s Stanley Cup finalists Vancouver and Boston are out and an 8 seed (LA Kings) ,7 seed (Washington Capitals), and a 6 seed (New Jersey Devils) are still in the mix.
• NFL Nike Apparel and Jerseys are finally available for sale on all licensed reseller sites including Fanatics.  New Era 2012 NFL hats are a hot seller as well.
• Wade and Greg talked a bit on how affiliates can spend just a few minutes on updating their affiliate network profiles, and take advantage of text boxes on applications to up their approval rate.
• Wade shared some resources for affiliates on understanding and dealing with the Google Penguin update.
• Greg talked about his new podcast – the Affiliate Boys of Summer Podcast – hosted right here on Geekcast.fm
• We broke down what we considered “must attend” sessions at Affiliate Summit Central
• We discussed the upcoming ShareASale ThinkTank and what we’re looking forward to as this top education and networking event continues to evolve.

In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz audio newsletter James Martell, successful publisher, speaker and author talks with Jeannine Crooks from Buy.at as they share insider tips on preparing for upcoming conferences to ensure you get the most for your time and money.

As Affiliate Summit Central is fast approaching today’s Buzz is conveniently timed to help you plan out your trip effectively and efficiently. Jeannine shares that so much is going on at these conferences that it’s all to easy to get lost in the shuffle and come home feeling unproductive. The fix? Proper planning before you ever leave.

Knowing how to properly prepare, especially if you are new to affiliate conferences. To paint a picture James and Jeannine share how events are scheduled, the types of sessions available and all about the networking opportunities available to you.

Knowing what’s on the agenda is the beginning of making your plan to get the most out of your conference. James shares where you can go to view upcoming schedules, who is speaking and what they plan to talk about. You’ll hear how hashtags on Twitter can prove to be a powerful resource in evaluating whose on the schedule and which sessions you’ll want to plan on visiting.

But knowing who is speaking and what they are talking about isn’t always enough to properly plan your days. Jeannine shares tips on how to evaluate the speakers, get a feel for how they speak and find recommendations on the best speakers you can choose from.

Being seasoned conference attendees James and Jeannine both understand that sometimes you pick the wrong session and you know right away. You’ll hear the value of having a plan B and how to gracefully bow out of a session to move on to the next without drudging through the entire hour.

Covered in this edition:

• Getting the most out of affiliate conferences
• Evaluating speakers and choosing the right topics
• Tips on where to gather information before the conference starts
• Planning your session and scheduling your days before arrival

Affiliate conferences are valuable in helping you take your business to the next level. Knowing how to get the most out of them helps you take that value and turn it into power.

And if you are…

Ready To Get Serious About Affiliate Marketing?

If you are ready to get serious about succeeding online and earning a full or part-living with affiliate programs — I invite you to check out my Affiliate Marketers SUPER BootCamp Homestudy Program.

In this edition of the Affiliate Buzz audio newsletter James Martell, successful publisher, speaker and author talks with wife and co-host Arlene Martell about the 2012 Affiliate Summit Central and ShareASale ThinkTank in Austin Texas.

It’s no surprise to hear James and Arlene talk about affiliate conferences, especially these two. After all they’ve attended several and can personally tell you how powerful these conferences can be. But the power of these conferences is not the focus of this conversation, at least not the primary one.

To begin James shares the luxury of attending a smaller conference when compared to Las Vegas or New York City where you’ll compete with thousands of attendees. This smaller location is capping off at around 500, offering you a personal feel with plenty of one on one attention.

Next, having two conferences back to back with ShareASale ThinkTank right on the heels of Affiliate Summit you have the ability to take in two conferences for a fraction of the cost. You’ll only need to purchase a single airfare, hotels are cheaper and the surrounding area is absolutely beautiful.

A Look Back at a Few ShareASale ThinkTanks:

2010

2009

2008

A Look Back at a Couple Affiliate Summits:

2008

2004

Then Arlene breaks down by conference what you can expect on the agenda day by day for the cost of admission. Affiliate Summit offers the traditional Meet Markets, informative sessions and the famous Ask the Experts at the end. Moving right in to the ThinkTank agenda Brian Littleton was sure to spoil attendees yet again. From staying on the lake to a fun filled afternoon at the Marina you won’t want to miss.

Covered in this edition:

• What’s in store for Affiliate Summit Central 2012
• A sneak peek at ShareASale ThinkTank
• Cost of admission and how you save big time
• Affiliate Marketers Bootcamp
• Special listeners pack

To wrap up this edition of the Buzz James and Arlene remind listeners that there is still time to register for the Affiliate Marketer’s Bootcamp and how to sign up. Then Arlene shares details on the listener’s pack put together specifically for Buzz listeners at no cost to you. Listen in to learn how to claim your copy today.

And if you are…

Ready To Get Serious About Affiliate Marketing?

If you are ready to get serious about succeeding online and earning a full or part-living with affiliate programs — I invite you to check out my Affiliate Marketers SUPER BootCamp.

Jason Rubacky and Eric Nagel discuss industry issues from two different points of view: as an affiliate and as an affiliate development manager. On this week’s episode…

• Brandon Barnett
• Banking on sporting events & specific domains
• Social Bookmarking & niches within
• ShareASale Think Tank & new interface (training webinar schedule)
• Niche site: Buy Leg Lamps
• Panda

Find us on…

• Twitter: @bothtracks
• Facebook: bothsidesofthetracks
• #GetSome
• Eric Nagel Website
• @JasonRubacky
• @esnagel

This week on the Affiliate Thing podcast, Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille talked about the Performance Marketing Association suing the state of Illinois, driveway movies, and a new logo theme for Affiliate Summit.

Also discussed were all the pieces to make a cool treadmill desk, Google +1, Twitter stats, and remembering affiliate Brandon Barnett.

Show Links

• ShareASale ThinkTank 2011 Recap
• Performance Marketing Association Sues Illinois over Affiliate Nexus Law
• Moving Day: A FatWallet Documentary
• Groupon for Outdoor Movie in Austin
• Vote for New Affiliate Summit Logos
• Affiliate Summit Meetups
• Free Webinar on 10 Point Checklist Before You Launch a Successful Affiliate Program
• Web seminar: Affiliate Marketing and the Current Internet Tax Landscape
• How I Put Together My Treadmill Desk
• Google +1
• Thesis OpenHook WordPress Plugin
• zanox Acquires Dutch Affiliate Network M4N
• LinkShare Symposium East 2011
• Commission Junction University 2011
• RIP Brandon Barnett
• Take the AffStat Women in Affiliate Marketing Survey
• Twitter Stats: Photo-Sharing Tweets; Search Queries

Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.

This week on the Affiliate Thing podcast, Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille talk about treadmill desks, a helpful SEO webinar, and ShareASale ThinkTank getting in the way of Shawn’s 15th wedding anniversary.

Also covered were an Affiliate Summit charity challenge for walkers and runners, a LinkShare resource for using Twitter, and speakers announced for Affiliate Summit East 2011.

Show Links

• Successful Strategies for Monetizing Blogs Using Affiliate Marketing
• Affiliate Summit Meetups in May 2011
• Free Webinar on 10 Strategies for Launching a New Web-Based Business
• DIYthemes Search Engine Optimization Site Clinic
• SurfShelf Won’t Work for My Treadmill Desk
• Will I See You at ShareASale ThinkTank?
• ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ premiere recap
• Race to Affiliate Summit East 2011
• LinkShare Tweetshop
• Affiliate Summit East 2011 Travel
• Speakers at Affiliate Summit East 2011
• Macho Man Dies, TMZ Stuffs Keywords to Profit, and a Lesson In Bad SEO

Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.

This week on the Affiliate Thing podcast, Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille talk about Rae Hoffman explaining affiliate marketing, Affiliate Summit speaker selections, early bird rates to register ending, and free webinars.

Also covered were the upcoming ShareASale ThinkTank, affiliate marketing meetups, a new project for Kris Jones, and Nick Reese doing the Charles Bronson thing on the mean streets of New York City.

Show Links

• Link Building Secrets from Chad H. Pollitt
• Affiliate Summit Webinar: 10 Strategies for Launching a New Web Based Business
• May Affiliate Summit Meetup News
• Will I See You at ShareASale ThinkTank?
• How Affiliate Marketing Works
• LinkShare Affiliates Need to Update Web Services URLs
• ReferLocal
• Do Not Overpay for Affiliate Summit East 2011
• Tag Affiliate Summit on Facebook
• Twitter Vigilante Reclaims a Stranger’s Stolen Laptop After Police Refuse to Help

Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.

This week on the Affiliate Thing podcast, Shawn Collins and Lisa Picarille chatted about traffic sources, ad-tech San Francisco, cake cars, and a special SEO day with Rae Hoffman.

Also covered were the announcement of a ShoeMoney and Barman fight, ShareASale ThinkTank, some new resources in affiliate video, and Unguru.me for sale.

Show Links

• Affiliate Summit Event During Ad:tech San Francisco
• Ad tech San Francisco 2011 was Smaller
• Affiliate Summit Meetups
• My Favorite Traffic Sources
• Google Invests in Creating Paid Links?
• Full Day SEO Training Course
• Submit a speaker proposal for Affiliate Summit East 2011
• Cisco Kills the Flip Video Camera
• The Ultimate Affiliate Fight – ShoeMoney vs. Barman
• ShareASale ThinkTank
• Affiliate Summit is the Top Internet Conference
• New Era for Affiliate Video
• Membership Site, Blog and Forum for Sale

Subscribe to the Affiliate Thing RSS feed or listen on iTunes. You can also send a blank e-mail to affiliatething@aweber.com to get each podcast delivered by e-mail.