I’ve been studying a bit about Web 3.0 and came up with a list of links that I posted recently on the spiffy and new-look Tony Blake forum

One of many definitions suggests that “Web 3.0 describes an evolutionary path for the Web that leads to artificial intelligence that can reason about the Web in a quasi-human fashion.”

So I thought about how, for instance, a Web 3.0 world would look at an offer for a Product Launch Formula 2.0 bonus.

In the Web 1.0 and even 2.0 scenario, affiliates and JV partners vie with each other to outdo the other by adding bonuses to their promotions, hoping that their ‘best Product Launch Formula 2.0 bonus‘ will convince a prospective buyer to order through their affiliate link.

But in a Web 3.0 world, the ‘intelligent Web’ would make information about the best add-ons instantly accessible to buyers, saving them time wasted wading through a bunch of irrelevant Product Launch Formula 2.0 bonus offers.

Lacking the technological infrastructure of a Web 3.0 today, I thought a nice work-around might be to have affiliates and JVs bid to tailor bonus offers to self-declared prospective buyers. I created a little mock-up of the process, and then wrote to Jeff Walker’s affiliate manager asking what he thought about the idea.

Jon replied to say:

“As a general rule, Jeff doesn’t offer bonuses for products he promotes as an affiliate and it isn’t something we want to encourage.”

As a product creator, I completely understand and agree with this viewpoint. A ‘bonus war’-driven promotion takes attention AWAY from the product and its merit itself.

Yet, in a high priced product launch offering juicy affiliate commissions, it is but natural that affiliates are going to fight tooth and nail to outperform others and ‘win’ the sale.

What are you thoughts about this situation about Product Launch Formula 2.0 bonus promotions?

Should they be permitted?

If yes, should they be driven by buyers, who make sellers/affiliates tailor them to their needs, instead of crafting generic bundles?

Or should affiliates/JVs be told in no uncertain terms by the product creator that the focus may NOT be entirely on a bonus bundle?

If so, how to enforce such a dictat?

And then, here’s a different twist:

If affiliates are told that they may NOT focus on a bonus (which is within their control) and must only promote the product (that is not), then this will create buzz that benefits the product owner… but may not help the affiliate who can’t add value in any meaningful way! After all, the buyer can order from anywhere else, not necessarily through the affiliate’s referral link.

Isn’t it inherently unfair for an affiliate manager or product creator to, in effect, ‘tie an affiliate’s hands’ by asking them not to focus on a bonus but to stay on track pitching the product?

Though, with the noise that’s only going to get louder clamoring about how one affiliate’s Product Launch Formula 2.0 bonus is better than the others, I’m sure many are going to wish such a rule was actually in effect!

What are your thoughts? Please leave a comment.