Certified Affiliate Program

The Certified Affiliate Program is designed to reward web professionals and other individuals who educate customers on the benefits of sponsored search before referring them to Yahoo! Search Marketing. Certified Affiliates are not expected to manage accounts on behalf of their customers and will receive program benefits which include web-based training and customizable marketing materials, sign-up commissions of up to $80 per referral, promotional credits to offer to the affiliate's clients, and use of the program's logo to display on the affiliate's site and marketing materials. Prospective Certified Affiliates must complete a web-based training course and pass a test of search marketing knowledge, in addition to paying a $50 sign-up fee.

Affiliate Program

Yahoo! Search Marketing's previously existing affiliate referral program managed by Commission Junction has now been re-positioned under the Marketing Alliance umbrella, and will be known simply as the Affiliate Program. This program is designed for smaller publishers and offers cash commissions for referring new Yahoo! Search Marketing sign-ups, without the requirement of passing an online training course or actually managing the referrals once their campaigns are online with Yahoo!. The program pays $80 for Sponsored Search "Fast Track" referrals, $20 for Sponsored Search "Self-Serve" referrals and $20 for Local Sponsored Search referrals. Publishers can download a variety of promotional materials, including banners and text links, to place on their sites and help drive referrals to Yahoo! Search Marketing.

The Enhanced Ambassador Program Many larger search engine marketing firms (SEMs) and online agencies that manage accounts for clients have long participated in Yahoo! Search Marketing's "Ambassador" program. With this announcement, the company has enhanced the program and opened it to smaller SEMs and agencies that manage multiple client campaigns.

According to Yahoo!, the newly enhanced Ambassador Program includes these benefits:

• Elimination of the minimum spend requirement to become an Ambassador
• New online training and testing to increase search marketing expertise
• The program logo to display on the Ambassador's site
• Commissions on all Sponsored Search and Local Sponsored Search referrals
• Promotional credits on Yahoo! Search Marketing that can be offered to clients
• Customizable marketing materials

Yahoo! also offers two graduated levels of service with additional benefits for SEMs and agencies that meet the company's requirements: Certified Ambassador and Strategic Ambassador. Entry into the Ambassador program requires web-based training and successful passage of a knowledge test, as well as a $50 sign-up fee. More on any of Yahoo!'s Marketing Alliances Programs.                  ← What is this?

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