Imagine if you visited a blog around woodworking. Along the side of the blog is AdSense that is contextually relevant to the topic. But better yet, in the middle of the post there are several links to big box stores where you can click-thru and buy the drill bits just mentioned. What if these links were paid for by the big box store and the store, let’s say Lowe’s, only paid when the ad was clicked.

Well this type of affiliate marketing exists and is very effective if positioned in the right way. I think the serious challenge for marketers and specifically agencies is understanding the context and taking the time to understand the customer and where they frequent. Tac, you nailed it (pardon the pun) when you said it is merely because they are lazy. Until the in-house marketer stops resting on their *** comfortable budgets, then the behavior of CPM ad placement will continue.

** George Seybold is the President of Seybold Scientific, a performance-based online marketing company in Boise, Idaho.