By Rhonda Hailey
Your Guide Thru the Jungle of Online Advertising
The governing body swoops in and in it’s zealous effort to protect, tends to over correct with new code enforcement and stringent limitations. In this case the FTC.
Have you ever played with one of those desk top toys with the weighted balls? I think they are called gravity balls… When you set the balls in motion, they swing to and fro from one side to the other… making a terrible racket clashing with each other. Then it takes a long while before the balls click clack and gradually ease back into a peaceful rested position, hanging quietly in the middle.
The pendulum of change I’m referring to, doesn’t respond to gravity, and rarely rests. There will always be someone pushing the limits of the system, and someone will always come charging in on the winds of change to save us all.
The FTC has been breathing heavily on Google; and Google seems to be responding by “slapping” folks, especially affiliate programs who have up to now enjoyed first and top page ranking. But it is really just that pendulum swinging, perhaps overshooting it’s objective. It is just an effort to correct weaknesses in the system that allow abuse..
I’m not sure I would call it abuse… but a few have discovered ways to manipulate or trick Google into giving them an unfair advantage.. the same advantage that we all seek. I don’t know about you; but I am guilty of buying
almost every course and video training series that hits the market; in an effort to duplicate the success of others. I know I have personally dropped several hundred on such.. Typical, before I’ve even had time to learn and implement all the techniques.. the pendulum swings; rendering most of these materials considerably less valuable.
You have to wonder if the “gurus” don’t sell their tell-all videos and pdfs, knowing full well they are destined to become obsolete in few short weeks. I would convinced of that; if so many weren’t recently caught off guard by the latest changes at Google.
The “changes” we see happening at Google will domino, and begin to affect all or most areas of internet marketing… creating some havoc, and much frustration.
As has happened in the mortgage industry; the players will thin out. Those who are left will be the ones who are willing to shift with the change, and play by the rules. It may actually create a more level playing field for the small business, or part timer who doesn’t have all the tricks, or time to figure them out.
Gradually, weaknesses in the new systems will be exploited and new tactics will be discovered, practiced and sold. The pendulum will begin to relax.. A few will get rich and then … it’ll all happen again. 
So as the pendulum swings; you and I will simply need to do as I heard someone say recently: “Put on our big boy pants and learn big boy marketing.” I really can’t see how that can be a bad thing for anyone. Not as easy perhaps.. but not a bad thing.
You know what they say, “If you are going to do it, you may as well do it right.” And be prepared for when the pendulum swings.
