New Free Ad Policy
Are You an Ezine Publisher?
Trina L.C. Sonnenberg
I have been publishing The Trii-Zine Ezine since the fall of 2001. Originally, it was distributed via email, as was the standard before blogging came into being. In 2003, I stopped sending out my ezine using email and switched to RSS.
Over the years, I have joint ventured with several ad co ops for free ads in exchange for subscribers. The way these co ops work is rather simple... A person who wants to place a classified ad in ezines purchases a package based on subscriber numbers, from the co op. The ezine publisher then places the classified ad in their ezine in exchange for a subscription from the buyer. When it works properly, it is a great way to build a list. But, when it doesn't go according to the plan, it can be very frustrating.
I have always placed those ads, regardless of subscription confirmations, just to be a nice guy. That has come to an end. Now, let me tell you why.
A couple of the co ops I belonged to shut down without notice, and another one, dropped my ezine without warning, or notice of any kind. I only discovered this when I went to log in to EzineAd.net, only to discover that my account had been closed.
Why was my account closed? Because I had a falling out with the owner. He did not like the way I published my ezine, or the way the ads were placed. Now, I don't have a problem with that. I do have a problem with the fact that he never told me that my account was being closed.
I never gave him a hard time when the confirmation emails I sent to his clients bounced; I never complained when his clients failed to subscribe either. Yet, I posted every single ad he sent my way. Why? Because people had paid him for those ads. I was thinking of his business/customers over my own.
Since when does an ad co op owner have the right to dictate to a publisher (of long standing) how they should publish? (email vs. RSS) This co op owner has made plenty of money offering my ezine to his customers. Their ads were placed without subscription confirmation too. So, I was the one getting the short end of the stick the whole time. He got paid, his customers got their ads placed and I got nothing. Who is the one who should be upset, him or me?
From now on, I am not participating in any ad co ops, but I will still be offering a free classified for all new subscribers. Guidelines for submissions can be found here: Cheap Seats Submission
Copyright © 2009
The Trii-Zine Ezine
http://trii-zine.com
About the Author:
Trina L.C. Sonnenberg
Publisher - The Trii-Zine Ezine - Your Trusted Source for Internet Business and Marketing Information. EST 2001. ISSN# 1555-2276
Author of: My Journey A Lifetime of Verse, ISBN: 978-0-61516405-2
Co-Owner: Internet Marketing Mavens
http://internetmarketing-mavens.com
Dear Trina,
1 comment:
Trina, you're wrong when you assume that your EzineAd.net account was closed due to that change. I had an account too and at a certain moment in time (I don't remember when) I wasn't able to log in too. I tried to contact the owner but no one ever responded to my emails.
I still publish my ezines via email ...
On the other hand, I can tell you that there are listed a LOT of newsletters not published anymore. Some publishers died, others stopped publishing their ezines. They are still listed though.
Finally, I know advertisers who tried to contact the owner and never got an answer, the same like me.
That ad co-op seems to be ran on autopilot. Customers are paying, they get what they get (not what was promised), and the owner is cashing his money. That's a successful business model (Yeah, suuure!). Everyone loses except for the owner who doesn't do anything and cashes the money ...
I made such cases (it's not the only one) public on one of my blogs but most of the advertisers are busy placing orders, and waiting for making money while sleeping LOL They don't have time to read such useless info ...
Adrian
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