On the Lowell.com Blog, I discuss how I am using affiliate websites to generate passive incremental revenue for Lowell.com. I am using affiliates for hotels, tickets, and jobs, although there were other verticals I chose not to use for various reasons. With the three affiliate companies, I am able to create customizable pages within my site, and then the traffic is forwarded to the affiliate sites to close the sale. I can basically set the sites up and almost forget about them (except for minor updates).

By using affiliates, I am able to create brand stickiness at Lowell.com, as visitors will presumably find what they are looking for, and they will return to find it again. The transition to the affiliate site for the purchase is fairly seamless, and since the site has the look and feel of Lowell.com, it will make visitors more confident tha they aren’t being taken to a shady website.

One of the most important things to remember is to choose trustworthy partners. By working with well known and respected brands, I am confident they will give visitors a good experience, helping to promote the Lowell.com brand. The affiliates need to have great customer services, be reliable and give exactly what they promise their customers.

On the Lowell.com blog, I discuss which affiliate companies I chose and why. Hope this helps you in your development projects.

Most of the stories I’ve heard about the standard mainstream outlets losing ad revenue to the Internet seem to be focused on newspapers. An article in the Boston Globe this morning would indicate that television stations, even beloved and trusted stations, are losing out to the Internet as well.

To most Boston sports fans, the name Bob Lobel strikes a cord. I haven’t watched Boston news frequently over the past couple of years, but I can still hear Lobel’s voice in the back of my head, either doing to pre/post game for the Pats or Sox. Today’s Globe article announces that Lobel, who has been with arguably the most popular and well-known television station in Boston (WBZ TV 4), will be leaving as a result of a “workforce reduction.”

According to the article in the Boston Globe:

“The station, like other media outlets across the country, is facing increasing pressure to cut costs as it grapples with declining ad revenues and viewership. On Monday, the station announced plans to reduce its overall workforce of 220 by 10 percent.“

While I am sure Lobel will be scooped up by another local network because of his well-liked persona, his leaving WBZ shows that newspapers aren’t the only media outlet affected by the dominance of the Internet.