Affiliate Programs

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A good ole brew-ha-ha is building on the Internet about paid sponsored links in WordPress themes. When I first read about it, I dismissed it as someone over reacting. I didn’t pay that much attention to the story and have forgotten where I read it.

For those of you who do not know what a Sponsored link in a WordPress Theme is, I’ll tell you. A sponsored link is one where a Sponsor pays the WordPress theme designer to include a link to the Sponsors site in the Theme, generally in the footer. The designer charges a fee for this.

I came across this little mention of sponsored links on Shoemoney’s site. I wish Shoe would just come out and tell us how he feels about the subject

After that, I found this post on Matt Mullenwegs site followed by Matt Cutt’s giving him an “Ataboy” for doing it. Is it only me, or do you see a WordPress.Com and Googlelove-fest coming to a blog near you in the future?

I was then emailed this story about Weblog Tools Collection removing all sponsored themes from their site.

Well, well, well, what a wicked web we weave!

Before I go on, let me say I read Matt Cutt’s blog frequently and only occassionally read Matt Mullenweg’s. I have nothing against these two, have never met them and I don’t think we’ve conversed over email. As for Mark Ghosh, I’ve never read his site, didn’t know it existed before someone emailed me the story.

I’ve read the so called “evidence” that sponsored links were ruining the whole WordPress experience.

I didn’t see it that way. If the sponsored links were really that awful, people would stop supporting the designers who made them. Funny, that’s how capitalism works. No one wants to pay for links on bad designs that get few downloads.

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

I also think that Google and the folks at WordPress are the last two companies on the Internet that should be complaining about hidden links, sponsored links or anything else to do with embedding links and unwanted software on people’s computers and programs.

The most popular complaints for the people in favor of the ban on sponsored links were that “some people didn’t realize their WordPress theme contained sponsored links” or “some people are not technically skilled enough to remove the sponsored links.”

Pleeeze…give me a break!

Let’s see who’s paying attention. The first person who can tell me, by commenting on this story, the correct number to the following question will receive a ten dollar donation from me to their paypal account. Who can tell me how many links are embedded by the WordPress program in a default installation?

I can almost understand the WordPress link in the footer, but why the links in the Blogroll? If you people at WordPress are so concerned with someone not knowing about embedded links in a theme, why do you embed unwanted links in every default install?

The occurrences of Google installing unwanted programs (spyware, adware, etc) on unsuspecting consumer’s Computers are well documented so I won’t go there. If you want to know more, just Google it…

Either Sponsored Links Are Wrong, or They’re Not - Which Is It?

I found it amazing that Matt Mullenweg actually had the nerve to reply to a comment on the Weblog Tool Collection site telling a visitor that it was okay to sell WordPress themes, just don’t put Sponsored links on them? Huh?

Also, even if you decided to make them GPL, you’d still be able to charge for them. There’s nothing wrong with charging for something.

Anyone else confused? Either it’s okay to charge for something or it’s not?

This reminds me of the story about the Old Businessman who asked a Cocktail waitress if she’d sleep with home for a Million bucks. In an instant she said “Yes“. Then he asked her if she’d sleep with him for $10. She said “Hell no, what do you think I am, a Whore?” He replied, “We’ve done determined what you are, we’re negotiating the price now.” 

Either embedding links in a theme, ANY links, is wrong or they should be okay.

A Quick and Easy Solution To Embedded Links In Themes

Since this whole thing got started because some people were jealous others were making money on theme design concerned about the quality of the themes being designed, the solution is simple. Remove all links in the footer.

Yep, the WordPress link also. I’ll go for that. While we’re at it, the existing WordPress links should be removed as well. I guess I should write a tutorial on “How To Remove The WordPress Embedded Link in Your Footer.”

I don’t remove WordPress links in the footer, but I’m liable to start. I do insert the “nofollow” tag on all WordPress links. That’s another post to think about!

I’d also like to know if Google is going to penalize WordPressfor violating the TOS by embedding unwanted links in Themes. After all, according to Matt Cutts, there should be no embedded links unless they’re based on merit and put there by the blog owner.

What say you?