What is wrong with FFA-Links Submissions

By Ross Reyman
Posted Tuesday, October 12, 2004

FFA-Links are networks of web sites that accept one line ads to be published. They are usually free and many dealers believe that they are making money from them.

During the last few months, there has been over eight of these exchanges go out of business. One dealer stated that there were too many teenagers pulling pranks with ad that were fake. He pointed out a teacher who students ran ads for her that were borderline x rated. He also pointed out that some links last just 4 hours (the truth is some are 2 hours, but most are 2-7 days).

But those who advertise still brings in 80-160 replies for many dealers with 20 minutes work. Here are some comments that should help those using them.

1) KEEP A DIARY OF SUBMISSIONS. How can I know they are honest? Get a separate email address. and use it only the first time you use a submission source.

2) Get a separate email address for acknowledgements. This way you will not be overloaded with emails from your personal mail.

3) Be realistic about results. An Englishman wrote me telling me that he put an ad in one link site and he got nothing. You have to submit to multiple site. If you put an ad in a newsmagazine with 100,000 circulation, you might get 25-50 replies and pay for them. With FFA sites, you put your link in 40,000 daily to get 80-160 hits if your headlines is proper. It is free if you are willing to invest 20 minutes time.

4) HEADLINES are the most important part of your ad. Vary and test your ads constantly. You have only seconds to get the customers attention.

5) Check the index at (http://5millionfreebies.isFun.net/) The owner has kicked out any submitters who get three strikes. One dealers was receiving and not submitting. He was gone.

6) A German Filter System. This European site adds 7 question when you post such as the city of your birth. Then 4 of the questions are repeated later. Then if you answer all 4 correctly, you are posted. This system claims that pranksters are out.

6) My Solution. There is a need for a new network. An example is a banner that I saw called 101 best antiques sites. 101 dealers together in a directory of services. This could be done with almost all type of dealers from opportunities to sport information. Someone is going to write in and say we have these already. I have seen only 3 since I started nearly 20 months ago. An comments should be address to rwreyman@sonic.net / I will be publishing these in my magazine at (http://www.sonic.net/~rwreyman/EntMind17.html/)

About the Author
Ross Reyman is publisher of Entrepreneur 2001 Magazines. He is interested in improving internet marketing and going away with the inconsistencies that now exist on the internet. 5 Million Freebies For Moneymakers (http://www.sonic.net/~rwreyman)
Entrepreneurs 2001 Magazine (http://www.sonic.net/~rwreyman/EntMind17.html)