Viral and Social Networks

Well, if you haven't heard, Apple has recently released the new iPhone , one of the coolest new gadgets on the face of the planet.   So much buzz and whoopla has been generated by Apple and by the millions of media outlets on the web.  A buzz like this almost always gathers a following of new banner ads and websites blazing with text telling you that you can get one of these hot items for free!  It has happened for the XBOX, PS2, and iPod among other things.  I can actually tell you that I've actually received a free iPod a few years ago from FreeIpods.com. 

Yes, these programs are legit and I can prove that…but how do they work?  How can these people actually give away free stuff?  What is the catch?

The success of these programs relies completely on affiliate marketing and is only created for lead generation and affiliate sales.  If you are not familiar with either then let me briefly explain:

 Lead generation is like pure gold to many marketers, online or offline.  A lead is an email address that can be used to try to sell stuff.

 Affiliate marketing is the practice of using a third party (Commission Junction, LinkShare, ClickBank) partner sites to make sale commissions by promoting other company products. 

I've made some cash with lead generation and affiliate marketing and let me say it is one of the best ways to make cash on the internet, considering that you  don't have to maintain an inventory!

How Do These Sites Work?

With many of these Get Your Free XXXX website the first step to the end user is to enter in a their Zipcode.  This step is pointless to the website, but gives the end user (you) and idea that hey, I entered my zip code so this has to be something legit.  You soon realize the legitimacy because after you enter your zip code, the website will display a message similar to this: "Congrats! This offer is available in your area!"

So now you are hooked, ready to start "participating" in this offer to grab Your Free XXXX. The next step is to provide the website with some personal information, just enough for them to turn your information into a lead for later use.  Notice, however after that step you still will not receive your free gift.

The following steps are big ones for you, your friends and anyone else you have to bother in order to receive your gift.  The key to getting your free gift is to "participate" in an offer provided by the website.  By participate I mean signup through  an offer that either gives you one month of AOL for free, a trial offer of a magazine subscription, a credit card application and many others.

Now this doesn't seem like a big deal, but this is what is truly happening.  By signing up with one of these offers, you are effectively generating cash for the website.  By means of affiliate marketing, this website is getting a commission on sending you as a lead by means of opening a new credit card, trying out AOL and whatever.  I know for a fact that some credit card companies offer 30 dollars per lead if someone signs under their designated affiliate link.

So let's just say, for poo poos and ha has that you sign up for a credit card.  You've just made the website thirty smack-a-roos.  But hey, wait.  You still don't get your free gift.  What are you supposed to do now? 

It is typical of these sites, depending on the value of the free item, to have you find five other people to signup and participate in the same offers as you.  If this happens then you will get your free gift.   Sound like an easy thing?  Not so.  Try getting five other people to signup for anything and you will be met with skepticism, swear words and spam blockers.  But, don't let that stop you!  If you want your free iPhone then you have to do what you have to do. 

So now you are probably thinking, something like the iPhone is about $500 bucks, but if I have five of my buddies participate in the credit card offer, the website is only making about $150 dollars on the deal! They are getting ripped-off!  We win! Yeah, stick it to the man.  But wait, let me say this again.  Try getting five other people to signup under you and you will soon find that you will more than likely only find two people to help out.  And by the time this happens you and your friends will have forgotten about this program.  The only winner is the website who just made ninety bucks off of you guys and didn't even have to fork out a penny to send you your iPod.

This happens by the thousands, simply because this is a viral marketing technique that involves two important features of viral marketing: Having something cool and telling your friends about it.

 But I Still Want My Darn iPhone!

 You can obsese about this and keep pestering your buddies until they decide they don't want to talk to you anymore, or you can join the many support groups for these types of websites (and trust me, there are many out there).  These groups are popularly known as conga lines and are setup by other people seeking free things on the internet.  Just do a Google search on Conga lines and you'll see what I'm talking about.  Be persistent and you will get your free iPhone, or handbag or 110" plasma screen.