I’ve had this site for a long time and now am going to use it as a main informative blog. It will list all the websites, status updates, tips and tricks on many subjects. Please read the About Section and Maybe take a look at the History which explains a little bit on how I got started.
Look to the right for categories.
I launched a new social exchange website just a few days ago and it is going very well so far. It is completely free and only requires a few minutes per day.
Members are seeing new Facebook likes, repins on pinterest, Twitter followers and so much more within a few hours. You can get youtube subscribers, likes and youtube video views as well.
The program is simple, you sign up and get 100 free coins to use to get new likes, shares and followers. You in return, earn more coins, but liking members sites back. You get to pick and choose the sites that interest you. It is a great social exchange program that benefits everyone. If you spend 5 minutes per day, you should never run out of coins, making this a completely free exchange program.
You can also get a 25 coin daily bonus. Just like or follow 3 members within 24 hours and you can claim your bonus.
Click the nerd below to sign up and give it a try!
You’ve got nothing to lose, and it is simple to get started.
Visit Nerdy Marketing Today for Free Social Likes and Traffic.
To your success,
Ryan Sawyer
Quick Update 10/4/2012
“ Just a quick update. Looks Like Chitika is going to help me after all. My account should be reactivated tonight. I can’t say this was a pleasant experience, but it looks like truth will indeed set you free.
I’ll be updating the ripoff report as well as various posts in forums to help remove a lot of the negativity I put on the company. Again, this is being done because I didn’t do anything wrong. If you do make false clicks, I am certain your outcome will be different, and I hope they catch you.”
Note, I am not removing this post at this time in case it happens to someone else who didn’t do anything wrong. The latest message indicated they would help on a case by case basis, but the truth is, I didn’t get the help I needed until I vented a bit. (I’m not one to vent very often and only in certain situations)
Pretty much every blogger, web publisher and the like, know that they can make a little extra money on their website by showing relevant ads. I, like many, think Google Adsense is far superior to any other service for smaller publishers, but are there others?
Well yes there are, and I’ll write about some others I use that have brought success on our networks soon, but this post is about Avoiding Chitika at all costs.
I have been running ads for Chitika since 2009 (When Yahoo Closed their Publisher Services) with marginal success at best. Yesterday, I received a letter that my account had been suspended. I thought for sure it was a spam email trying to phish for my username and password, but after evaluating the link structure in the email, I quickly realized that this was a real email from Chitika.
“Hello Ryan,
We are sending this message to inform you that your account: ********* has been deactivated.
The reason(s) for this deactivation is either because a traffic analysis for your account highlighted significant invalid click activity or your domain infringed upon one or more of our website restrictions such as:
Pornography, adult, or mature content
Hacking/cracking content
Illicit drugs and drug paraphernalia
Paid Traffic
To view our restrictions list in its entirely, please see Chitika’s Terms and Conditions at http://chitika.com/mm_terms.php for more detailed information regarding website restrictions.
We are also working with our ad partners to refund the amounts. Please remove all Chitika ad code from your web pages immediately.
Regards,
Chitika Customer Service”
First thing I noticed, is that it says do not reply in their return email address, which didn’t set well with me, so I immediately called customer service and was directed to a voice mail. Tried again a bit later, and it went to the same ladies voice mail, so I figured I would send them a quick email through their website.
My Email to Customer Support:
Original message
Dear customer support,
(This is no way directed at you so please don’t take anything personally. I used to do customer service for Amazon.com and know how cruel people can be)
I just received a message that my account was deactivated. It indicates that I have inappropriate material which is nonsense. I own Wrapcandy.com and Babyanimalz.com
I know I run ads on our support forum which receives over 10,000 daily page views.
I think is the only place I run ads other than our craft section. It also suggested that I may have been creating false clicks, which would be a complete fabrication.
I don’t run that many ads through chitka as they don’t really preform as well as Google. I’ve been running ads for Google for over 5 years and have never had any issues with them.
Again, please check your records, I have never asked customers to click on ads ever. I advertise through many networks, which is why I would never falsely click an ad or ask anyone to do so. In fact, I usually avoid any ads at all costs.
Further more, you “Blurb” letter doesn’t even have a place to post a rebuttal. Customer support goes to a voice mail. I’m not very pleased at the moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got a response this morning which, as I figured, would give me no further explanation.
Josh
OCT 03, 2012 | 09:28AM EDT
Hi Ryan,
I have contacted our fraud team to take another look into your site. Unfortunately, due to invalid click activity your account cannot reactivate your account.
We are no longer able to support your account as our merchant partners are not willing to pay for the traffic coming from your account.
Good luck with all your future endeavors.”
SO this message basically said too bad for you now go away, and and Good luck. (Thanks for the great wishes, Josh. Love getting Blurbs or canned responses)
Of course, I want to get the last word in, and that is partly the reason for this post. So here is my latest reply (at this writing I have not heard back; if I do, I will be sure to let you know with an update.
Warning:: This is not my usual messages to customer support, but when they will do nothing, it is a good way for me to vent.
As an advertiser, I wouldn’t want to pay for fraudulent clicks either, but you are accusing me of doing something unethical and it is insulting to my character.
So if some “yahoo” decides to click ads on my site, your system has no way of not recording them? It’s not like I’m losing much here, but it is the principle of the thing.
I’ve been reading some pretty terrible reviews about this same thing happening. I figured they were in the wrong, but I guess I know better now.
I’ll be placing some negative reviews on all my blogs to warn others of your shortcomings and lack of recourse. You’re basically stealing with no proof of fault on my part. Your system is clearly flawed, and it is a shame that publishers and advertisers have to suffer for your shortcomings.
Chitika make no apologies, no real explanation. Just that some lousy software you are using shows fraudulent clicks that did not come from me.
Thanks for the support.”
This is just to warn smaller publishers that Chitika really doesn’t seem to care. I know they wouldn’t cancel an account with a large company with over 2 million page views per day. The one place I advertised Chitika was on my support forum for Candy Wrappers and on a few of my craft pages.
These few places averages over 10,000 page views per day, so It’s not a huge lose for them.
Anyway, that is my experience with Chitika. Try google Adsense first, then give lijit.com a chance.
You may be wondering, why on Earth is there a picture of a
pizza in this post? What does this have to do with web building marketing or anything else you write about?
Well, the short answer is that it reminds me of a successful
business man and his story about a pizza party.
A few years back, Louie
from icandywrap.com, shared a story that I hope you find inspiring for 2012.
As most small business owners, we have a problem, and it is called
cash flow. We have too much money going
out and not enough coming in to make ends meet. Louie shared his success story with some of the members of Wrapcandy, and I really want to make sure everyone knows how he succeeded.
Louie had a decent website, some nice products but minimal
sales. He spent most of his time developing his site, bookkeeping, and creating new designs to sell. The problem he, and most everyone has, is not
enough customers.
He decided it was time to get sales and put all of his efforts
into getting new customers. Instead of
spending money he didn’t have on more development, he decided to “cold call”
local businesses and put all of his time into getting sales. This was the panicle point that turned his business from unprofitable to profitable.
Contacting small local businesses, School sports team coaches and other local industries that would be interested in personalized favors was a scary but necessary step to his success. He received plenty of no thanks but finally received the yes he was
hoping for, and it was a huge order. He had no idea how he would fill it but he wasn’t going to let the largest order he had slip through his hands.
How did he get the order filled? He through a Candy Wrapping Pizza Party! He invited his friends and family for pizza and had a wrapping party!
(Thanks Louie for sharing with me)
The take away from this short story, is that getting sales needs to be one of your largest priorities. You can spend months searching for the best graphics, create the most
fantastic product, buy the best printers or get the latest cutting machines. The bottom line is you need sales, and what you can make now is good enough to get you started.
Louie now has half million dollar machines to print and cut for him. He not only sells directly to customers, but his company does personalized printing directly for a large
water bottle company. He would have never realized his dream had he not taken the risk of being rejected. No one likes to hear the word No, or no thanks, but we must push past this until we get the word we are looking for; Yes!
