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Apple Launches iTunes Affiliate Program
An anonymous user writes, "Apple has launched an affiliate program for their iTunes music store that earns participants 5% commission. Affiliates can link directly to songs, albums, and artists, as well as apply to the Apple Store affiliate program to sell hardware. It costs nothing to join and people that sign up prior to September 15 can win one of five free iPod minis. Apple has also assembled a handy FAQ."
This is basically a 5% discount on all iTunes music?
I thought I had just finished with everyone under the sun trying to ram gmail tokens down my throat, and now I have to start over with the damn iTunes thing? Argh!
People are going to be suckers for recursive marketing until the market gets saturated.
May we never see th
Seems the folks at DownhillBattle.org could use this to raise revenue and pay the artist 5 cents on each song sold...
I love Apple, but there are two things that struck me: :)
1) "Frequently Asked Questions"? How long has this been around that there are questions asked frequently?
2) In the FAQ, there is the sentence "You can only use approved creative provided by iTunes." When did "creative" become a noun?
I think this must be some kind of record. Anybody else willing to read it and tell me what parts might be objectionable?
I survived the Dick Cheney Presidency 7 to 9 AM 7-21-07
Seems like this might be an additional incentive for smaller labels to join up with iTunes store, or perhaps even independant artists to start doing so.
I'm not exactly sure how Apple signs labels (or individuals) even after a bit of browsing on their site.
Am I too paranoid to feel completely iffy about submitting my social security number over a non-encrypted website? I don't think it's very naive to expect a little lock icon to pop up when I visit Apple's "tell us everything about you, but we'll keep it private, fer sure, promise!!!11" zone.
Geez with everyone doing it now, I had to check to see if there were referrer links to freeipods.com in the article summary.
Affiliate programs seem to bring out the slimiest in people, whether it's email spam or spammy slashdot comments. Won't it be wonderful to search for some obscure song on google and get a vast wasteland of affiliate link-spam pages all pointing to Apple?
I thought Apple had more class.
(Please, Apple fanboys, don't mod this down out of reflexive groupthink. Because that's lame.)
it's an iFfiliate program.
*runs for cover*
Apple also annouced that Canada is too cold for iTunes quality soundwaves to work and plans to never let the canucks into the iTunes store.
.\.\att Clare
Using FF .9.3 and will not register, did it with IE, sorry all.
Q: Is it really possiblr to win an iPod mini?
A: You're not very good at math, are you?
Punctanym: alternate spelling of words using punctuation or numerals in place of some or all of its letters; see 'leet'
Sell 16,000 songs per month and finance your new BMW!
You put a banner on your site, pointing to the iTMS. When someone clicks it and then buys something within the next 24 hours, you get a percentage of the transaction.
This has been working for a long time with the Apple Store, the fact that it now works with the iTMS too is the news bit.
Life isn't a bitch. Life is a virgin. A bitch is easy.
There seem to be a lot of complaints about this so far, but I for one am really looking forward to it. I've been linking to the itms extensively for about a year now (just cause it's very useful for my users). It's going to be great to start getting some revenue!
Personally, I think the iTunes Music Store is a great platform for finding new music. Anyone can make links to it and they've got tons of sample streams. Hopefully this move indicates that Apple wants third parties to provide the navigation innovation while they continue to act as a platform and catalog.
From the FAQ I couldn't figure out how this works. If a visitor clicks the banner on your site, does that open their copy of iTunes and take them to the store? After all there is no iTunes store site to be directed to...
If that's the case, this sounds more like a way to get PC users to install iTunes than to actually sell songs. A bit on the sleazy side, isn't it Apple?
I do see a benefit for independant artists, assuming they can get their music in the iTunes music store in the first place (how does that work, anyway? Is anyone rejected?) Previously the best they could hope for is to direct you to Amazon, or, worse, tell you how to mail-order their music.
I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for the traditional music companies. From what I understand, the key benefit they bring to the music business is marketing. They use their marketing and distribution channels to make a band popular or not.
If iTunes is starting to offer an affiliate program, then it will encourage websites to develop song lists and various tools that analyze your current listening tastes and then recommend songs that you can buy from iTunes. Obviously there'll be a flurry of crap and SPAM, but eventually some pretty cool services are going to emerge.
Services which can avoid the traditional music labels entirely. Artists can produce a song, a vast network of freelance marketers can promote it (instead of 5 big media conglomerates), and music buyers can pay for it.
Publisher, Universe Today - http://www.universetoday.com
So I guess I can't interest you in a free iPod...?
I guess it wouldn't be too hard for OS projects to use this as a source of revenue. By your music through Mozilla and support your favourite browser while you are at it!
10 ?"Hello World" life was simple then
Slashdot should apply, they could make a bundle off of the commissions with all the iTunes related articles they post. All they'd have to do is find a covert way to post links so that people wouldn't realize that it's a money making proposition for them ;)
Recursive marketing is a breath of fresh air compared to the old style. I flip through the channels on my TV and see ads that I classify into three categories: Useless, stupid, and funny. Useless is things like Tampons, or Dishwashing detergent, neither of which I would buy even with their assurances of "Grease fighting crystals". Stupid is any sort of medication, which should be pitched and perscribed only by a liscenced doctor with your best interests at heart. Funny ads are almost exculsivley a fairly standard joke with a single logo or name tacked on.
Even worse are things like "Targeted" advertisements on the internet. Google's getting better, but internet ads still fall into the basic categories.
None of these catergories comes close to informing me or making good use of my time. My friends, on the other hand, have a pretty good idea of what I like and have a pretty vested interest in giving me honest opinions. Music is meant to be a question of "Hey, Bob, come listen to this song, it's got a really catchy tune.", not of "LOOKIT THIS GIRLS BOOBS! AND SHE SINGS!". It will happen, and this is it.
When life gives you crap, Make Crapade.
Sluggy Freelance.
... they're just a tax on people who are bad at math.
The odds are still terrible you'll win an iPod Mini, but it looks like the only thing signing up for this will cost you is your time.
----- rL
Imagine that I run a site which talks about music in general or just hip-hop, jazz or whatever. Those kinds of people can slip little ads into their site which make sense. It's a lot easier than just telling people to venture to their local [INSERT ANTIQUE FORMAT] store and grabbing one off the shelf.
;-) he he he.... couldn't resist.
I, for example, have a political website. Right now there are lots of good political books that relate exactly to the content of my site. It makes sense to have a "click here to buy this" after book quotes. What doesn't make sense is putting them on every page even where they don't belong. (Not that I take advantage of this because I can't find a good affiliate program that does this, amazon IIRC doesn't offer this anymore).
Sure, you'll get google-bombed pages which have nothing but "buy this song" links but out there someone can turn his or her hobbie into a cash cow. It may not be much money - but to the site's readers it means the site may be up next year come domain/hosting renewal time.
Although, can you imagine the possibility with iTunes affiliate programs? Music has a much broader appeal. I can put my favorite song's name and artist name in my Slashdot sig, just to get people turned on to their music. It would be annoying for everyone to link to Britney Spears or some other pop-star, but obscure music could be marketed for almost nothing.
The cool thing is that you can help support your favorite artist and get a kickback while doing it. The reason that Britney and company are so popular is because people vote with their dollars. If there is suddenly a huge surge in Jaco Pastorius songs sold on iTunes maybe radio stations will get a clue and stop following the RIAA's lead.
btw... get a freeipod already!
Get your Unix fortune now!
Link directly from your website to any song, album or artist on iTunes. iTunes offers the largest and most diverse legal music download catalogue -- over 1 million tracks from all five major labels and over 600 leading independents. So... Lets say I copied all the available tunes titles from the itunes store, and launched a kickass amazing sites that was more friendly than iTunes , easier to navigate through. (If this is indeed possible, is not the issue here). So, My site becomes a instant Google like hit, Consumers are happy (iPod compatable song downloads), I'm getting 5% of each tune that is sold... (5% of millions, is, well Loadsass!), so I'm happy also. So, what would be the difference (not technically, but Visibly to the consumer) between this setup, and Apple [doing what everyone's screaming at them to do, but they won't] licensing the AAC technology to a third party to allow them to set up their own store?.....
in the latter case, To get the protected AAC files to your iPod, you still need iTunes (to handle the drm keys), So Apples presence will still be there.
How much differences will there realy be?
The form action itself is on an https connection. It's encrypted. Stop worrying.
-- Give him Head? Be a Beacon? :P)
(If you can't figure out how to E-Mail me, Don't.
they expect people to enter their social security number....
Don't enter it. If the script demands it, put in all zeroes. If it still rejects it, put in all nines. If it still then rejects it, browse to epitonic.com, emusic.com, or mp3.com, or many other thousands of free mp3 music collections. Browse by area even. I live in Nashville. Go to a fucking live show, for godssakes. There are literally thousands of them here. I would bet there are at least two or three in your locale.
The point is, your Social Security Number is YOUR PRIVATE information. You don't have to give it to ANYONE, *unless* you are dealing with social security benefits. Goodbye.
The odds are still terrible you'll win an iPod Mini, but it looks like the only thing signing up for this will cost you is your time.
Yup. So it consumes some chunk of your time for an incredibly small chance to win an iPod Mini.
You really want an iPod Mini, with a 100% chance to win (and help out the other folks in the Open Source world)?
Do a GNOME Bug Bounty, and just *buy* an iPod Mini.
Apple wins, you win, the Open Source world wins, and the musicians win.
May we never see th
This will be great for bloggers, I'm already scoring a few bucks a month from Amazon for this sort of thing, but a live list of what I'm listening to could be absolutely devine for affiliate commissions.
This is really great. I have been linking to songs as part of all my stories on my website - since I started it in January. My site stats show that 3 out of every 10 visitors are at least clicking on the iTunes Music Store Link. I'll now be able to see how many people are actually buying songs. I've had a few reader emails telling me that they have.
... not everyone that "signs up" is going to be able to participate - there is a case by case approval process]
:)
[Note that one thing the parent is not mentioning
I realize that 5% isn't much, but it's actually a huge percentage considering what Apple makes. [I take it that their estimated 3 profit per song has gone up]
This could be a great way for websites such as mine - who are also Apple oriented to get a tiny bit of operation revenue.
I hate banner ads - so it 's neat that I can now have a story element as part of my revenue.
Some examples:
Is It A Sin To Buy A Mac Devil Inside ~ INXS
How To Avoid An Auction Scam Without Really Trying eBay ~ Weird Al Yankovic
What Kon Man!Confunkshunizeya ~ Con Funk Shun
I really appreciate that Apple has now made me a part of the not only the downloading process but the true sharing process. Because sharing does involve some form of compensation or benefit.
Yell & scream & rant & rave... it's no use... you need a shaaaave ~ Bugs Bunny
That's not how it works my friend.
Your data was secure, let me explain.
Your browser downloaded the website with the form on it over a clear channel, and displayed it in your browser. So far no problem.
Then you entered your personal data into the form on the website, which so far only exists in your computer's memory, none of that data was ever sent over the network until you pressed submit.
Once you pressed submit, your browser opened a secure connection to the url you posted and sent the data from the form to it. Never in this transaction was your data sent over the network in the clear.
Granted this is still a confusing move on Apple's part. The convention is usually to encrypt both the url with the form AND the url it is being submitted to. The first step is totally unnecessary from a security perspective, but it reassures people who think it is only safe to enter data if they see "https" on the form url.
Here's what I'd really like to see out of iTunes. How about an internet radio client. It would be a small program you install... you could tune in to several different stations (maybe some indie stuff too, to give individuals who let itunes sell their music some play). On the face of this program would be a 'buy this song now' button. Ever hear something you like but don't know who's singing it or forget later? Not a problem now. You can purchase it instantly.
Think about it, you could finally have individuals getting play and selling their music without the big record lables. iTunes is the one system that is already big enough to pull this off I think.
If the SSN is anything like a SIN, then I think you do need to provide it.
I have to give my SIN out for anything that pays me money. My employer gives me paychecks, the bank pays me interest and the affiliate program gives me commission cheques. That institution is responsible for telling Revenue Canada I've made money -- and Revenue Canada doesn't want my name, it needs my SIN as well.
So the institution is required by law to have my SIN. There are supposed to be severe restrictions on how they use that number though.
You mean it's compatible with Rhapsody ?!?
Hey freaks: now you're ju
I guess part of the idea here is that the artist can now get 15-19% (I heard more like a quarter per song, btw...I don't trust downhillbattle's numbers) by pushing people to iTunes through their websites.
Hey freaks: now you're ju
What I like to do is secure the page with the form on it, and then send the important data over an insecure channel.
Ironically, the word ironically is often used incorrectly.
So no "5% off iTunes" purchases for me...
How about Apple setting up a referral program from their hardware and software? It could be like a customer loyalty referral program on complete systems like what your Dodge dealer might do for people that refer new customers to the dealership (mine kicks back $50/referral). Apple could send me $50 or 5% of the purchase price of whatever my referral bought. That would be nice. The same goes from lesser hardware. If I refer people to the iPod Mini via my website and they buy one, I'd like a kickback. I think a referral program like this would be a very good thing. I'm all for it.