So, I finally got around to updating these affiliation requirements. Keep in mind, these rules are always up to edit. Also, there are only thirty slots for affiliation and it's on a first come first basis.
Some things to keep in mind when requesting affiliation: If I turn you down I will submit a long e-mail explaining ALL of the reasons why. But don't feel bad if you get turned down. Edit the things that I list and e-mail me back as soon as you want, as many times as you want.
Basic Affiliation Requirements
- No visit/hit count Needed!! But I will not be accepting "large sites" that have already acheived a decent fan base.
- Your site must be ONLY a gaming site of some sort. However, I lean more towards Zelda sites to keep the community
- Must be a site and NOT a Forums. I do NOT affiliate with Forums!
- Things prohibited: Porno, prejuidices, Y/Y/H (Yaoi/Yuri/Hentai), and any other information that is not appropriate.
- All Sections must be made by you 100%. If not, a link to the site these were taken from must be on top of the site. - This INCLUDES youtube videos!!
- I have to have heard no bad reports concerning the site.
- The WebMaster must be friendly and curteous.
- No huge gigantic list of affiliates! I do not want my site to be buried and lost amongst 40+ affiliates. You should also keep this in mind: affiliates are NOT ONLY for more visits. You should be selective. Affiliates should be your friends who help each other out and share similar views. Their site should represent yours as well as yours for them.
More Important Affiliation Requirements
- No dead links! Three dead links = no affiliation, but I continue surfing your site to fully critique your site for other problems. Five dead links = NO CRITIQUE! After the fifth, I exit and send you a very SHORT e-mail that is very pointed stating: FIX YOUR DEAD LINKS! - Furthermore, "they will be up later" is no excuse. You do not need to turn them into links if that is the case. Just turn them into text. - Oh and this rule applies to links that lead nowhere but just refresh the main page. You have no IDEA how much that infuriates me and they are treated as "dead links". I don't like being fooled like that!
- No broken images! Four broken images = no affiliation. It's seriously UNPROFESSIONAL. Think I'm horribly strict with dead links and broken images? Get over it. I do NOT tolerate 404s and FEAR the red-x-of-death!
- A proper, pleasing to the eye design. No bleeding eye colors. No repeating image in the background that makes it impossible to read text. And things MUST be organized!
- A site that is conformed and fits a general style. Do not change design elements for every game page that makes it confusing for the viewer. Images and such are ok, but don't organize things by general info and strategies and then suddenly switch things around in another section. Linking every page to a text document is also a hideous adventure. I can understand walkthroughs and a few other things, but your content should be ON your site.
- This goes back to the fourth bullet for basics, but all content must be made by you. Only 5% of your site can have pulled-content from other sites. I'm also not that fond of youtube. These are NOT yours, and just because you have it on your account doesn't me squat. If you have a youtube video that isn't yours on your account, you must have the place it was taken from in the video description. And let me explain to you how serious I feel this is: I won't affiliate with you based on this one thing.
- Up-to-date! I want to see UPDATES! Three months worth of updates! And news-only does not count as updates. I want to see you adding content. Unfortunately, I can't place a number that you should keep up to on this one. It's really at my own discretion. Sorry. The content added, the rate at which it was added, etc. all of this plays in.
- Based on your site's age, this the amount of content I want to see. Within your first year: Five pages game content (or whatever your site focus is). After one year: At least ten pages. After this, I will base the content amount at my own discretion. The amount at which things were updated also plays into this decision. Remember: I don't accept EXCUSES. I don't care about your sob story. I'm very picky with affiliates and if I'm unsure about your site and its dependancy, I'm not interested in affiliation.
- I love a site with a nice community, however, I do NOT look at forums when reviewing a WEBSITE for affiliation. I don't care if you have the biggest Zelda community. If your site is worthless, then I'm not affiliating.
- Uniqueness counts: try having something no other site has. I really do not want to affiliate with another plain site. I like images on game content and such. And I like a site that has tried something new - not just with design but with content. Your site should NOT be based on design, but what you give your readers to READ.
I know it may seem that I sound a little harsh, but look on the bright side: I do not care about age or visit number. Heck, as long as your site looks good, I don't much care if you have an official host. And even if I do not accept your site, that does not mean I'm not willing to befriend you and offer my help every once in a while. I'm just a very picky person and I do apologize for those things that seem "up to my own discretion" but some things are just really based only for that site and I stick to my word when I critique your site. If you send in a second e-mail, unless your updates have fallen, you will not see another mysterious item added to the critique.
And for those that question just how much of your site that I view, the answer is: ALL of it! *Sigh* That's right. I click every single link. If you have a media gallery, I sample pictures from every section. If it's on your site, chances are I'm going to find it. And if I don't and you feel that I missed something then maybe you should re-thinnk your navigation system because I obviously got lost and missed it.
Once your site is up on my list, I just ask that you continuing to maintain the quality. I do not "clean" my affiliates often, but when I do and I see several violations of my standards, your link will be taken down immediately (without warning) and then I will e-mail you explaining what is wrong with your site and what you must do to fix it.
I can be a little harsh with my critique letters but please keep this in mind: it's constructive criticism! I have nothing against your site and I'm offering my suggestions to help your site! *Sigh* Please do not e-mail me back with a nasty e-mail. I do not mind if you challenge some of my opinions. I also do not mind if it makes you feel better by critiquing my site and pointing out obvious problems that I have.
Once you have been accepted onto my list, I will add your button up on my site. Wait, don't have a button? Just tell me and I'll make one for you ~_^. I can't promise that it will be super-spiffy, but it will be yours and you can use it without even giving me credit. Once I have accepted you as an affiliate, you will have one week to get my link and/or button up on your site - on every page! NO LINK PAGES ONLY! I want my link on EVERY page, not just one.
|
