Comments on: Guba takes a gamble: affiliate payments for free accounts http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/ Startup and Tech News Sat, 17 May 2008 04:29:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Edwin http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-1018862 Edwin Thu, 22 Feb 2007 15:45:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-1018862 Hi! Nice site! Hi! Nice site!

]]> By: lodine http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-860769 lodine Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:48:51 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-860769 <strong>lodine...</strong> news... lodine…

news…

]]> By: phentermine http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-860751 phentermine Sat, 03 Feb 2007 12:45:46 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-860751 <strong>phentermine...</strong> news... phentermine…

news…

]]> By: jonny998 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-584224 jonny998 Sat, 23 Dec 2006 19:17:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-584224 jonny103 jonny103

]]> By: A Quarter Buys Media Headlines or 1/3 of a Click « Startup in San Diego http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-164083 A Quarter Buys Media Headlines or 1/3 of a Click « Startup in San Diego Thu, 31 Aug 2006 22:46:08 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-164083 [...] Liz Gannes at Giga Om has a great observation that pretty much mimicked my thinking after seeing numerous headlines in not one, but two Web 2.0 related blogs I follow for breaking start-up news. [...] […] Liz Gannes at Giga Om has a great observation that pretty much mimicked my thinking after seeing numerous headlines in not one, but two Web 2.0 related blogs I follow for breaking start-up news. […]

]]> By: Chris http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163958 Chris Thu, 31 Aug 2006 20:29:46 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163958 @Thomas McInerney: Personally, I don't think advertisers are particularly interested in user-generated content. Really bad signal-to-noise ratio in terms of content quality. Several companies have tried this in the Net1.0 past and never gotten video advertisers to sign up. Maybe it's different now, but probably not. @Thomas McInerney: Personally, I don’t think advertisers are particularly interested in user-generated content. Really bad signal-to-noise ratio in terms of content quality. Several companies have tried this in the Net1.0 past and never gotten video advertisers to sign up. Maybe it’s different now, but probably not.

]]> By: Chris McLean http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163718 Chris McLean Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:27:05 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163718 Working for an affiliate company I would like to back up what BO said above. Paying for a free sign-up is fairly common practice and the 25 cent offering is toward the low end. In the UK free sign-up programmes typically run 40-60p per new member (~US$1). Working for an affiliate company I would like to back up what BO said above. Paying for a free sign-up is fairly common practice and the 25 cent offering is toward the low end. In the UK free sign-up programmes typically run 40-60p per new member (~US$1).

]]> By: Jack Humphrey http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163610 Jack Humphrey Thu, 31 Aug 2006 15:15:15 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163610 I come from a part of the web where people call this lead generation. There's loss-leader generation, Guba falls into that, and paid lead generation where entry costs a bit to cover the cost of generating each lead. .25 cents is a great price in many niches for delivering a lead, except in Guba's example they don't have ANYTHING until that click turns into a free account holder, right? That's where I see the risk. Either way there are huge costs involved in driving traffic when you want to drive big traffic fast. I bet there's a plan, as Tom states above. I am just happy to see people trying new models and stretching past the norm! I come from a part of the web where people call this lead generation. There’s loss-leader generation, Guba falls into that, and paid lead generation where entry costs a bit to cover the cost of generating each lead.

.25 cents is a great price in many niches for delivering a lead, except in Guba’s example they don’t have ANYTHING until that click turns into a free account holder, right?

That’s where I see the risk.

Either way there are huge costs involved in driving traffic when you want to drive big traffic fast.

I bet there’s a plan, as Tom states above. I am just happy to see people trying new models and stretching past the norm!

]]> By: Skeptical Inquirer http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163170 Skeptical Inquirer Thu, 31 Aug 2006 08:50:12 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163170 Marshall: Ah, I see -- using your position of power to get more products to support the Mac. I suppose it's not *that* shameful. :D In any case, you understand what I was getting at. Keep up the great posts -- I'll be reading. Marshall: Ah, I see — using your position of power to get more products to support the Mac. I suppose it’s not *that* shameful. :D

In any case, you understand what I was getting at. Keep up the great posts — I’ll be reading.

]]> By: Thomas McInerney http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163135 Thomas McInerney Thu, 31 Aug 2006 08:18:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163135 I'd like to have Mac support, but Apple's DRM called "Fair Play" is actually closed to companies like Guba. Only Apple can use Fair Play. Studios require DRM and Windows Media's DRM is open. If you don't like that (we certainlly don't), please complain to Apple. With regards to business model, Guba is 8 years old, grew organically, never took any venture capital, and is profitable. If you don't think we know what we're doing, you're really underestimating us (which I generally prefer, it gives us an advantage). Just because we're not running ads today, doesn't mean we won't run ad supported content tomorrow. It's early in the game. --Tom CEO, Guba I’d like to have Mac support, but Apple’s DRM called “Fair Play” is actually closed to companies like Guba. Only Apple can use Fair Play. Studios require DRM and Windows Media’s DRM is open. If you don’t like that (we certainlly don’t), please complain to Apple.

With regards to business model, Guba is 8 years old, grew organically, never took any venture capital, and is profitable. If you don’t think we know what we’re doing, you’re really underestimating us (which I generally prefer, it gives us an advantage). Just because we’re not running ads today, doesn’t mean we won’t run ad supported content tomorrow. It’s early in the game.

–Tom
CEO, Guba

]]> By: CrazyPromoter.com » Blog Archive » Comment on Guba takes a gamble: affiliate payments for free … http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163131 CrazyPromoter.com » Blog Archive » Comment on Guba takes a gamble: affiliate payments for free … Thu, 31 Aug 2006 08:15:06 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163131 [...] Original post by unknown and software by Elliott Back [...] […] Original post by unknown and software by Elliott Back […]

]]> By: Marshall Kirkpatrick http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163019 Marshall Kirkpatrick Thu, 31 Aug 2006 06:53:10 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-163019 Truth is, I use a Mac and thus would like to see Mac support for services I'd like to use. Shameful, I know... ;) Truth is, I use a Mac and thus would like to see Mac support for services I’d like to use. Shameful, I know… ;)

]]> By: Skeptical Inquirer http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162997 Skeptical Inquirer Thu, 31 Aug 2006 06:31:31 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162997 My point in linking to the Google query was not to start a pointless comparison of how many times particular words appear on this blog, but rather to show how many times the lack of Mac support is listed as a complaint in a TechCrunch post. Searching for "windows" or "windows support" is meaningless because nearly everything supports Windows. To connect the dots more explicitly, here are some products that TechCrunch has complained don't support the Mac well or at all: - Soonr - Picasa - Webaroo - Live Shopping - SkypeCast - Windows Live Writer (hello?) - Zoho Show - eSnips (in a comment from Mike) - PalTalk I love how Chris Gear assumes that I hate Macs when the opposite is true. Nor do I hate TechCrunch; I find it extremely informative. I just don't think it's necessary to harp on the lack of Mac support over and over again, particularly for these tiny startups just trying to get off the ground. Imagine you are an investor in one of these companies: Would you want their three engineers to work on shipping v1.0 of their Windows product or on building a Mac alpha from scratch? This is not platform bias; this is reality. My point in linking to the Google query was not to start a pointless comparison of how many times particular words appear on this blog, but rather to show how many times the lack of Mac support is listed as a complaint in a TechCrunch post. Searching for “windows” or “windows support” is meaningless because nearly everything supports Windows.

To connect the dots more explicitly, here are some products that TechCrunch has complained don’t support the Mac well or at all:
- Soonr
- Picasa
- Webaroo
- Live Shopping
- SkypeCast
- Windows Live Writer (hello?)
- Zoho Show
- eSnips (in a comment from Mike)
- PalTalk

I love how Chris Gear assumes that I hate Macs when the opposite is true. Nor do I hate TechCrunch; I find it extremely informative.

I just don’t think it’s necessary to harp on the lack of Mac support over and over again, particularly for these tiny startups just trying to get off the ground. Imagine you are an investor in one of these companies: Would you want their three engineers to work on shipping v1.0 of their Windows product or on building a Mac alpha from scratch? This is not platform bias; this is reality.

]]> By: Affiliate Classroom Blog http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162952 Affiliate Classroom Blog Thu, 31 Aug 2006 06:01:47 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162952 [...] Anyways, I just read a post at TechCrunch.com about a company called Guba.com that is offering $.25 for every free account you send them. [...] […] Anyways, I just read a post at TechCrunch.com about a company called Guba.com that is offering $.25 for every free account you send them. […]

]]> By: GigaOM » For Guba, a Quarter Buys a Headline http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162876 GigaOM » For Guba, a Quarter Buys a Headline Thu, 31 Aug 2006 05:01:11 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162876 [...] How did Guba dupe everyone into writing up its “Tell a Friend” affiliate deal to pay out 25 cents to people who refer new users? People, it’s a quarter! When I visited the Guba offices recently, they grabbed me a couple quarters out of a company bucket to pay for the parking meter in front. It’s quite seriously chump change to a profitable company that’s making millions each year. [...] […] How did Guba dupe everyone into writing up its “Tell a Friend” affiliate deal to pay out 25 cents to people who refer new users? People, it’s a quarter! When I visited the Guba offices recently, they grabbed me a couple quarters out of a company bucket to pay for the parking meter in front. It’s quite seriously chump change to a profitable company that’s making millions each year. […]

]]> By: johns mancho http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162657 johns mancho Thu, 31 Aug 2006 02:03:42 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162657 The post could be alternately titled "User takes a Gamble: Gives Guba their SIN" No thanks. The post could be alternately titled “User takes a Gamble: Gives Guba their SIN”

No thanks.

]]> By: Chris Gear http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162528 Chris Gear Thu, 31 Aug 2006 00:19:38 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162528 I choose not to comment very often, as much of what I have to say is voiced eventually on TechCrunch. One of the many reasons why I like it so much compared to the competition, is that Michael and Marshall do such a great job of staying impartial and do not show platform/OS bias in their actual reviews. This is a perfect example of how things end up twisted into something else entirely. I ran the queries, and this is what I found... Mac: 1,387,804 pages w/ 20 results per page Windows: 2,964,831 pages w/ 20 results per page Mac Support: 444,311 pages w/ 20 results per page Windows Support: 974,084 pages w/ 20 results per page Is there really anything here to validate wasting our time spewing your senseless and petty angst against Mac users? Or TechCrunch reporting the news as it comes out? Apple does continue to expand it's target demographics (fact). Most of what is out there is still built for, and run on PC's/windows (fact). As Apple continues to grow, and Mac users grow with them, they will need support (fact). TechCrunch simply address the issues at hand (fact). I choose not to comment very often, as much of what I have to say is voiced eventually on TechCrunch. One of the many reasons why I like it so much compared to the competition, is that Michael and Marshall do such a great job of staying impartial and do not show platform/OS bias in their actual reviews. This is a perfect example of how things end up twisted into something else entirely.

I ran the queries, and this is what I found…
Mac: 1,387,804 pages w/ 20 results per page
Windows: 2,964,831 pages w/ 20 results per page
Mac Support: 444,311 pages w/ 20 results per page
Windows Support: 974,084 pages w/ 20 results per page

Is there really anything here to validate wasting our time spewing your senseless and petty angst against Mac users? Or TechCrunch reporting the news as it comes out? Apple does continue to expand it’s target demographics (fact). Most of what is out there is still built for, and run on PC’s/windows (fact). As Apple continues to grow, and Mac users grow with them, they will need support (fact). TechCrunch simply address the issues at hand (fact).

]]> By: lemon obrien http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162391 lemon obrien Wed, 30 Aug 2006 22:10:35 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162391 >> “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” I smell it too. death. >> “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

I smell it too. death.

]]> By: TechcrunchReader http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162384 TechcrunchReader Wed, 30 Aug 2006 22:00:33 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162384 Marshall, Searching for "windows" does return about five times as many results as opposed to "mac support". However, when you search for "mac", it does not. Similarly, if you search for "windows support", it does not return five times as many results as "mac support". Marshall,

Searching for “windows” does return about five times as many results as opposed to “mac support”. However, when you search for “mac”, it does not. Similarly, if you search for “windows support”, it does not return five times as many results as “mac support”.

]]> By: Marshall Kirkpatrick http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162373 Marshall Kirkpatrick Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:52:36 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162373 Search for the word Windows and you'll find we've used the word 5 times as much. Search for the word Windows and you’ll find we’ve used the word 5 times as much.

]]> By: Skeptical Inquirer http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162369 Skeptical Inquirer Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:50:48 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162369 If anyone wonders why I'm complaining, please see this: http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Atechcrunch.com+mac+support If anyone wonders why I’m complaining, please see this:
http://www.google.com/search?q.....ac+support

]]> By: Skeptical Inquirer http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162357 Skeptical Inquirer Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:40:22 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162357 TechCrunch people: Give it up about Mac support! It's not the end of the world if a startup doesn't support the Mac. They will when they are good and ready. TechCrunch people: Give it up about Mac support! It’s not the end of the world if a startup doesn’t support the Mac. They will when they are good and ready.

]]> By: Peter http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162353 Peter Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:34:51 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162353 "Rage, rage against the dying of the light." At least they're going down fighting. That's commendable. “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”

At least they’re going down fighting. That’s commendable.

]]> By: TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Guba、無料アカウントのアフィリエートで賭けに出る http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162346 TechCrunch Japanese アーカイブ » Guba、無料アカウントのアフィリエートで賭けに出る Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:27:47 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162346 [...] [原文へ] Guba [...] […] [原文へ] Guba […]

]]> By: Chris http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162320 Chris Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:04:32 +0000 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/08/30/guba-takes-a-gamble-affiliate-promotions-for-free-accounts/#comment-162320 Paying people to view free content with no substancial per-view revenue streams?!? Sounds like NET1.0 all over again. What a joke. More a joke is that Guba is loosing money (their admission) on a per-premium content purchase at those prices. So even worse: pay people to view free content that costs money to serve up in the hopes that they convert them into renting premium content at steep discounts so that loose money on a per-transaction basis. I'm sure Guba just wants to get bought like Grouper. This is probably just a marketing ploy, but I think serious Execs who may be looking to acquire an online video play will just be rolling their eyes when they see this. Paying people to view free content with no substancial per-view revenue streams?!? Sounds like NET1.0 all over again. What a joke.

More a joke is that Guba is loosing money (their admission) on a per-premium content purchase at those prices. So even worse: pay people to view free content that costs money to serve up in the hopes that they convert them into renting premium content at steep discounts so that loose money on a per-transaction basis.

I’m sure Guba just wants to get bought like Grouper. This is probably just a marketing ploy, but I think serious Execs who may be looking to acquire an online video play will just be rolling their eyes when they see this.

]]>