Sage Blogger: Disappointing Third Time: WidgetSucks
Josh Spaulding
· 2 years ago
Damnit, I wrote this reply once, but I didn't pass math :)
I haven't tried WidgetBucks yet so I can't really say either way. I've enjoyed your last few reviews though lol
It's one thing to prevent people from sharing CTR, but preventing them from sharing their earnings is just BS. It sounds like you're right in that something fishy is going on.
They're USP is obviously that they "outperform Adsense" and it seems like they're cashing in on it from preventing people from saying otherwise.
Doesn't sound like a very moral operation going on. I think I'll pass.
Jim Kukral
· 2 years ago
Your post is vague to say the least. If you have something to say, say it. What is this hidden link thing? Never heard about it before you.
Remember, I don't own widgetbucks, nor do I have any financial stake in the company. I just helped them launch it with some buzz. The product stands on its own merits, not mine. Although I do think it is working for a LOT of people. I wouldn't recommend something I thought wouldn't work.
I can only go by what I read. Problogger.net says it outperforms Adsense and Chitika for him. I didn't make that up, he wrote it.
What's the big deal? It's a nofollow. I don't get it.
Vlad
· 2 years ago
It's not a nofollow in the widget, I placed nofollow here but I completely have forgotten that dofollow plugin is affecting everything in the comments.
If you go to your account or on your blog, you will see that link has no no follow, however there is no clear sign of that link in the widget, very much like those 1pxl links that Matt Cutts is talking about:
Sure they do not link to a porn website but it gives WidgetBucks an unfair advantage against the little guy ;)
Jim Kukral
· 2 years ago
Doesn't make sense to me. If I recall, getting a ton of links very quickly is actually a really bad thing, right? So if they got thousands of signups in a short time, that could hurt them if I'm correct? Also, can you explain how it hurts the little guy? Like whom? Again, I'm not defending them. I'm just curious to your points.
Maurice (TheCaymanHost)
· 2 years ago
I've been using WB for a short while and although I read Andy Beard's post about the hidden link I didn't see how it would be harming me - as Jim says, surely it's more likely to hurt them in the SERPS than anything else if they upset the great God Google. This is likely as they are in direct competition for Adsense dollars ;-)
I'm happy enough with the way the widget looks and performs so far and have some signups too. I can't see what's so suspect in some people's eyes, although I respect anyone's decision to participate in any program, PPC or otherwise. I don't understand the reasoning behind the T.O.S. either, but why does that make the program unethical?
Like Jim I'm curious to know if I'm missing something that could be important. T.O.S. is odd, but hey, Adsense contains some real gems too :-)
Vlad
· 2 years ago
They are getting alot of links quickly at $25 a pop, that should upset big G since it is going round penalizing sites for the very same thing.
No matter what extent of G's penalty would be thousands of bloggers will still be linking back to them. What if they are considered a "bad neighborhood"?
I am sure that will not be the case. I understand people working on it are smart and will take into consideration criticism even fro some one like me.
Also, as an affiliate marketer I work with most of the merchants and their commissions vary fro 3% to 20%. How much WidgetBucks is paying you? .22 cents a click?
AuctionAds actually was a solution for many affiliates that could not participate in the program before.
WidgetBucks is a way to call me stupid. Sure it for a blogger who has no idea what affiliate marketing is it looks good. I see it as an insult to affiliates.
I do hope they can stand on their own merit.
J
· 1 year ago
A lot of Widgetsucks members are bein banned for no apparent reasons, members who have made hundreds of $$ are being kicked out due to so called fraudalent clicks. These are members with thousands of unique visitors daily.
All Comments
I haven't tried WidgetBucks yet so I can't really say either way. I've enjoyed your last few reviews though lol
It's one thing to prevent people from sharing CTR, but preventing them from sharing their earnings is just BS. It sounds like you're right in that something fishy is going on.
They're USP is obviously that they "outperform Adsense" and it seems like they're cashing in on it from preventing people from saying otherwise.
Doesn't sound like a very moral operation going on. I think I'll pass.
Remember, I don't own widgetbucks, nor do I have any financial stake in the company. I just helped them launch it with some buzz. The product stands on its own merits, not mine. Although I do think it is working for a LOT of people. I wouldn't recommend something I thought wouldn't work.
I can only go by what I read. Problogger.net says it outperforms Adsense and Chitika for him. I didn't make that up, he wrote it.
http://www.jimkukral.com/widgetbucks-outperform...
Each widget has this code link in the code
WidgetBucks - Trend Watch - WidgetBucks.com
But nowhere does it appear in the widget
If you go to your account or on your blog, you will see that link has no no follow, however there is no clear sign of that link in the widget, very much like those 1pxl links that Matt Cutts is talking about:
http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/hidden-links/
Sure they do not link to a porn website but it gives WidgetBucks an unfair advantage against the little guy ;)
I'm happy enough with the way the widget looks and performs so far and have some signups too. I can't see what's so suspect in some people's eyes, although I respect anyone's decision to participate in any program, PPC or otherwise. I don't understand the reasoning behind the T.O.S. either, but why does that make the program unethical?
Like Jim I'm curious to know if I'm missing something that could be important. T.O.S. is odd, but hey, Adsense contains some real gems too :-)
No matter what extent of G's penalty would be thousands of bloggers will still be linking back to them. What if they are considered a "bad neighborhood"?
I am sure that will not be the case. I understand people working on it are smart and will take into consideration criticism even fro some one like me.
Also, as an affiliate marketer I work with most of the merchants and their commissions vary fro 3% to 20%. How much WidgetBucks is paying you? .22 cents a click?
AuctionAds actually was a solution for many affiliates that could not participate in the program before.
WidgetBucks is a way to call me stupid. Sure it for a blogger who has no idea what affiliate marketing is it looks good. I see it as an insult to affiliates.
I do hope they can stand on their own merit.
Read their experiences on: http://widget-sucks.blogspot.com