Comics

Comics Unread

Commission Maniac - Saint or Scam?

The Sales Pitch Video

I received an email promotion from another product vendor promoting this product. The brief email said that all required from me to generate almost instant profits was to install the software, input my affiliate links then click a button - that's it! - the title of the email was "$272,242.67 in 29 DAYS". So I was enticed into clicking the link and watching the video presentation. The video starts out with a rant about who to trust, then goes on asking "have you ever been suckered?" Then in a down tempo, boring english accent the guy goes on to tell us to forget twitter, adwords and so on - and that his software is better than all that.

The video drags on for a while before the link to make the purchase appears under the video. If you ask me, the voiceover was awful. The guy goes on about how he met these three rich kids who drive lamborginies at a football match. He asks these boys how they can afford lambos, so the guys bring him home and show him this little magical console software, which they name "the beach". What a hoot! Then he says how he set up this console and checked back the next morning and found thousands in his clickbank account. The video then shows samples of his clickbank account - any monkey could make up these fake screenshots. I found the storyline comical and boring as well. Read on for an in depth analysis of the commission maniac software package.

From a Standing Start...

So once you've made your payment, you are re-directed to another upsell page, trying to flog you more products. You have to scroll down to the bottom and click on the "no thanks...." link at the bottom. This link is smaller text than the sales letter. This is a marketing script that's been around for a few years now. I never buy anything other than the initial offer. I had to go through about four other offers before reaching the download area. Now these additional attempts to sell you more stuff will say that you'll never see that offer again - that's a load of bull. In the members download area, they have banner ads for the same products they say are a once off offer! I advise that after making your payment for the original product and enter your email address, close your browser and open your inbox - your login details will be there also.

Now in the members download area, the guy says to watch the videos first, then read the ebooks. Now the videos use the same boring English accent as the initial offer. The first batch of videos are for newbies, and show how to download, unzip and run the software. Then the next batch of videos show how to use the software. However, in some parts of the videos it asks to copy and paste clickbank and amazon code into the console. Now it only shows how to paste code into the console - no market research or niche selection. A newbie would be baffled here. It should have said to read the first few ebooks on niche selection first, then watch the videos.

First Encounters With the Commission Maniac Software

So once the software is installed, the first video tutorial shows how to begin using the console. Now the video says that the software will only work with cpanel software, provided by their recommended web hosting company. The hosting company server I currently have all my sites on uses a control panel software that is not compatible with commission maniac.

So, I go thinking that this software is going to install sort of magical website that will make profits overnight. So I had to buy a new domain name and take out a hosting plan with the provider they link to - their affiliate link of course. So much for not needing a website, as stated in the email promotion. I cancelled my hosting account after realizing the thing was not going to work. Hostgator refunded me for the first month hosting, however not for the domain name - so I've actually lost a few dollars there.

Ok, hosting and domain are set up - took 10 hours before the domain name started working with the hosting. So with the console opened up for the first time, you enter your cpanel username, password and your domain name URL. Then click the start button which triggers the script that sets up a website. Nothing new here, this part of the console is a push button website software. So after about 20 minutes the website was installed on my domain. Now all it installs is an empty WordPress site! I can already install WordPress from my existing websites - in one mouse click from my hosting control panel! Nearly all good hosting providers nowadays have this. Then I examined the website - of course their banner to commission maniac is already programmed into WordPress, at the top of the page - another ploy to squeeze more cash from the suckers. that completes the first tab on the console.

Time to Monetize with Affiliate Adverts

Now you've got your WordPress blog set up on your chosen domain name. The next step is to use the monetize tab on the console. This one is used to install affiliate adverts on your blog. You can install a banner at the top, as well as four more down the right hand side of your blog. Of course, the commission maniac banner is already installed, but you can change this.

All the instructional video shows you is to sign up for clickbank and paste your affiliate advert HTML code into the console text boxes. Then click start and viola! your site is now monetized! - Not so for me - after clicking start, the console prompted me saying my adverts have been posted to my blog site. But no ads when I checked in the web browser. I checked back next day but still no ads! It appears that their was a bug in the software, but is now fixed. I could just have easily logged into the WordPress dashboard, clicked the link for inserting adverts and pasted the same affiliate code, just as the software did in about the same time.

For a complete newcomer to internet marketing, I beleive they would be confused and not know where to start. Do they just paste any old affiliate code here? New people may also be frightened at the code, amy seem too complex. Which niche should they choose? Selecting the right product to promote requires manual market research work first. The user will need to check out other reviews of the products before making a decision to promote. Otherwise you could be pouring your cash down the drain promoting products that have bad press and won't sell well. So the product developer should make made their guide on niche selection the first port of call before the video tutorial on monetizing the site. Lets move on to the next tab on the console.

Generating Your ClickBank Cash Links

On this section of the console, you enter your main keyword or keyword phrase and your Clickbank nickname, then click start. The software will automatically select the top ten products in that niche, get your links, personalize them with your clickbank nickname and save to a text file for use in another part of the console. Now I disagree with using automation when selecting products to promote. Good old manual selection of affiliate programs is best, as you get to check out the sales page, price and check if there has been any bad reviews. No point in promoting dire products, as the refund rate will be sky high and you'll have wasted your time.

Generating Content for Your WordPress Blog Website

On this section of the console, you enter your WordPress blog URL, username and password, main niche keyword, blog title and number of posts you wish to create. Then you select which article directories you want your blog posts to come from. So if you entered 5 blog posts the software will grab five articles blindly from your chosen article directory, and post one a day on autopilot. Now a flaw in the instructional video is that is does not tell you that you'll need to leave your PC or laptop on 24/7 for your posts to be made.

Also, by using freeware articles from the like of ezinearticles.com, you'll be using duplicate content, probably already syndicated across the internet. This can levy negative points from Google, cancelling out points earned for backlinks. More on backlinks later. Also, you'll be leaking out traffic going to the authors of the articles you use. Now the console gives the choice whether or not to use the resource box with the authors details and links. As far as I know, it's a condition of using the article to provide credit for the author. So it's a bit black hat there.

You can set the software to post your blog posts every day, week or random, and it also has the function to 'spin' the body of the articles you use. I disagree with using spinner software, as it can make the article unreadable at times, and is not original. So the instructional video gets you to sign up for the article spinner through their affiliate link of course.

Then you enter your three categories you wish to base your blog site on. Again, the video gave no mention of market research prior to selecting the niche. Then you click start, and the software will set up you site title, first blog post and navigation links at the top.

So there you have it, another push button website created with duplicate content and unreadable junk that will never make it to the top ten of Google. SEO takes a lot of work to be successful, not the overnight riches promised in the sales pitch.

Installing Private Label Rights Articles on Your Blog

This section of the sofware is almost similar to the last tab for installing articles from online directories like ezinarticles.com, the difference being that the articles come from a different source. So they get you to sign up to a website that provides thousands of Private Label Rights or PLR articles to use. You get your articles then copy/paste them into the articles folder. The software then loads the articles into your blog on a drip feed, and inserts the Clickbank links generated in a previous part of the console. Now the problem with using these PLR articles is that thousands of other people are using the exact same articles, and wil never reach high in Google. You want your blog to do well in the search engines, so to make your PLR articles more original, the software gives the option to 'spin' them, in other words, mix up the body text. Now I disagree with this, as your articles become jumbled and sometimes don't make sense. It may be a good way to trick the search engine algorithm software, but not the human eye of the site visitor.

So leave your computer on 24/7 and let the commission maniac software add the content to your blog, in the hope that you'll check someday and have thousands in your Clickbank account. Sorry guys, it's not going to happen quickly. You could wait a long time for your site to show up in the top ten of Google.

Uploading Pictures for a Slideshow on Homepage

The Final Part of the Video Tutorials

The final of the series of instructional videos does not involve the software console. It shows how to log into your WordPress dashboard and upload some images from your hard drive, and this is displayed on your blog homepage at the top. It also shows how to add an affiliate link so when someone clicks on your slideshow pictures they'll be taken to a sales page. All I can say about this is that there are already free tutorials on the internet showing how to do this, so nothing new there, but only good for complete beginners. And guess what? Just after this final video in the members area - a short sales letter trying to flog you another website! Another plug to juice the punters.

Earning Search Engine Points with Backlinks

Gaining back links from high traffic, targeted websites is a great way to promote your blog website. It can increase your search engine ranking and get targeted traffic through the other sites. What you do is shortlist all the sites, contact the editors and request them to place links on their sites.

Another way to do this is to join the top forums in your niche, create a biography description with a link back to your blog. Also create a signature with your link - the signature shows at the bottom of each of your forum postings. But for this to work, you have to spend hours reading posts and responding to them for additional backlinks.

What commission maniac software does is ask for your bio with blog links, number of backlinks you want, then click start. The console them signs up for up to 50 forum sites and automatically posts you bio to them. So this is only going to get you 1 backlink per forum, and won't work in the long term. Also, forum editors are wise to such spamming and will cancel your accounts if they're inactive for too long. Many forums now use the captcha checks before you can set up an account, and require email confirmation. Even with the software, you still have to do these things, so you might as well be setting up the accounts manually - would take about the same time.

Keyword Research - Should this not be First?

Keyword Research = Market Research

On this tab, you enter your top keyword, and the software will go to the Google homepage and harvest 50 domain names that include your keyword and save to a CSV file. This is a Comma Separated Value text file that can be opened with Excel. Now on observing it, I see in one column the 50 domain names. The rest of the spreadsheet is gobeldeegook, and I have no idea what the purpose of this is. There are no tutorial videos about this section, and would leave a non techie completely confused. Even I as a programmer can't think of no other use for this. If anyone who has this software can expain this, please contact me. Yet another useless function.

Then there's another tab on the console called 'quick keyword tool'. Again, you enter your top keyword, and the software generates a list of ten phrases that contain that keyword, as well as the number of monthly searches. Hell, you can do this free using the Google keyword tool, and many other free keyword tools on the internet. Again, this should be done before selecting a domain name and building a blog site.

On the Upside....

My Final Thoughts

So in my opinion, the software was crap. However, you also get 10 ebooks which aren't too bad. They cover lots of Search Engine Optimisation tips and tricks. Now some of the ebooks are great for beginners, while others go into meta tags and the techie stuff only a programmer would understand. The newbie would struggle with the code bits, and this product could have been made more newbie friendly. Also, none of the ebooks have anything to do with the magical software product advertised on the sales video.

So there you have it. If you're a complete newbie to building websites and blogs, the software may be the quickest way to get your site up and running. However, I suggest you create your own articles and use them with the software, rather than duplicate content from article directories and PLR site. Also, study a few of the free wordpress tutorials on the internet, then you'll be able to update your blog with ease. If you fancy giving this software a go, click the link at the bottom for more info. Remember, this is a Clickbank product, meaning you can get your money back within 60 days of making your purchase. I got my money back ok - the software was no good to me, being a programmer and website developer, but some of you new people may find some good in it.

All the Best,

Neil Harland - Author
http://www.codewareonline.com/email-signup/commission-maniac.html

About the Author

I am a Higher National Diploma Business IT graduate. I currently work part time from home, building websites for small businesses worldwide and individuals in my local area. I also develop my own software products, both for my own use and third parties. Also I help build, configure and test other people's software, and write reviews about my experiences. The main scripting technologies I deal with are HTML, PHP and JavaScript. I am most knowledgeable in those areas, although can install and configure scripts in other programming languages. Click Here to Visit my Website

The database formats I can work with are mainly MySQL for internet applications, and Microsoft Access, better suited for offline office type applications.

As well as building websites and business applications, I dabble in internet marketing. It goes hand in hand with developing internet based applications. I use squeeze pages in conjunction with auto responder software, as well as payment processing systems built into my websites. Click Here for an example.

My preference of server technologies is Linux over Windows because it's the most commonly used with a good online support base.

I spend around four hours each week keeping up to date with new software technologies, and am a subscriber to .NET magazine. It gives me loads of ideas for new software projects as well as free scripts to model from.

Another skill I possess is copywriting. I have written a few good sales letters for my own products as well as some for my website design clients. It's a skill that took quite a while to master, but one of the most useful and essential in internet marketing.

When I'm not working on IT projects, my other passion in life is gaming. I spend around 10 - 15 hours a week playing games. My favourite type of game is the puzzle adventure type, and second preference is 3D shoot em ups such as Call of Duty, Battlefield and the like.

I also play a bit of online texas holdem Poker, about an hour or so each day. I consider myself to be an amateur player, and am sticking to the lower limit games, sit n go tournaments and freerolls until I build up my confidence to play for larger stakes.

Also I enjoy socialising online using facebook and twitter, and find it good for keeping in touch with friends working abroad, as well as family.

Thanks for reading my bio. All the best.

Dancing for hord like