Tools & Resources

Here are some of the most notable tools & resources I’ve found necessary enough to bookmark and use on a regular basis.

Affiliate Bloggers

• AdHustler

  Taking a no bullshit approach to internet marketing, Adhustler brings it on strong with a series of case studies that help accelerate the affiliate learning curve.

• Nicky Cakes

  Reform blackhat affiliate Nicky Cakes tells like it is on his affiliate marketing blog.

Blogging & Content

• Copyblogger

  The defacto resource for planning, launching, and growing a blog. A ton of useful information on effectively communicating with your audience.

• Problogger

  Darren Rowse is considered one of the top minds in the blogosphere, he has continually shared valuable information with the community to grow their blogs and establish their brands

Email Marketing

• AWeber

  The #1 Auto-responder provider on the internet, Aweber communications provides bulletproof email solutions including timed response, mail blasts and complete link tracking.

• Constant Contact

• iContact

• Get Response

• Mail Chimp

Hiring Freelancers

• eLance

  One of the first to market and still the most widely used, eLance provides a wealth of resources available for your outsourced needs; from personal assistants to expert programmers, you can find it here. We use it primarily for content writing and link building services.

• Guru.com

  With experts available in almost any field, Guru.com helps you find the perfect fit for your projects that require expert attention.

• oDesk

  A great resource for outsourcing overseas, especially for programming and design related tasks. We’ve recently hired Ruby on Rails developers with great success.

• ScriptLance

  Very similar to elance, Scriptlance focuses on bringing specialists in code and engineering to the table for your programming jobs.

• 99 Designs

  Defying the traditional format for outsourcing sites, 99 Designs focuses on hosting contests that are crowdsourced to multiple designers. You set your prize for the winner and then pick from user submissions. A great way to get a new logo!

Keyword Research

• Google Adwords Keyword Tool

  Google’s Adwords platform is the internet’s largest keyword based advertising platform. They offer a free tool to search and compare keyword terms. Mostly obscure, it’s still a good starting place.

• SEO Book Keyword Tool

  SEO Book is the number one resource on the internet for search optimization. Aaron Wall’s free keyword tool can be a valuable asset in your research.

• SpyFu

  SpyFu is an aggressive keyword tool that looks at your competitors keywords and analyzes their value. If you try it on your own site, you can also see where you might be coming up short.

• WordTracker

  The original commercial keyword tool, Word Tracker was at the forefront of the industry and with recent updates continues to provide outstanding service.

• WordZe

  A strong competitor in the commercial space, WordZe offers a polished interface to keyword research for paid advertising.

Market Research

• Alexa

  Alexa is one of the original web ratings systems available. Although statistics are based off of toolbar installs, Alexa provides an obscure level of valuable information on website traffic.

• Market Samurai

  My absolute favorite tool and resource, Market Samurai allows for extensive keyword and competitive research. Additionally it will scour the internet for a bounty of wealthy information.

• Quantcast

  Demographics are the most important aspect of conducting media buys in the affiliate space. Be sure to refine your targets and get specific with your demographics to get the most out of your adspend.

Paid Advertising Services

• ADSDAQ

  With access to more than 112 unique visitors each month, ADSDAQ has 2/3rds of the top 150 sites on the internet in their inventory. Get placed, get paid.

• AdBrite

  A tough nut to crack, AdBrite has been said to be a waste to many affiliates. However, we’ve had great success with laser targeed placement on sites like CollegeHumor.com, Break.com and others. Again, it’s all about demographics.

• Google Adwords

  The most widely used search engine on the planet, Google provides an extensive keyword and content based ad platform. Reach the internet’s widest audience with your offers.

• Microsoft Advertising

  Microsoft has a long history of failing to adapt to market trends on the internet. From MSN, to Live to Bing they constantly fail to capture the market. However, through testing it proves their audience is made up more of a consumer audience ready to purchase.

• Yahoo! Search Marketing

  With deep roots as one of the original online portals, Yahoo! still captivates a wide audience and provides a solid user base for your advertisements.

Search Optimization

• HubSpot SEO Site Grader

  HubSpot offers a suite of services for site owners that empower marketing efforts across multiple platforms. You can use their free trial option to see where your site could use improvement.

• SEO Book

  Aaron Wall’s SEO Book is a critically acclaimed resource that is constantly updates with new content. He offers a suite of free SEO Tools including keyword research and browser plugins.

Templates & Themes

• Open Source Web Design

  The ultimate resource for free XHTML/CSS templates. Browse, download and immediately edit websites in your favorite HTML editor.

• Thesis WordPress Framework

  Thesis is the most extensive framework available for building SEO optimized themes available on the market. Visit the site to learn why Thesis is the most popular WordPress theme around!

WordPress Plugins

• PrettyLink

  One of my favorite plugins for WordPress. PrettyLink allows you to create simple affiliate URL redirects with user tracking. Great for making generic links out of affiliate URL’s. Added bonus allows for traditional URL shortening services with a toolbar widget.

• WFReview

  Spawned from the needs of the WickedFire forum members local review and product comparison sites, this plugin provides immediate access to solid features that allow you to create perpetual review sites.