Affiliate Marketing: Give Explicit Instructions to Affiliate Marketers

Cerasale said one car maker found its ads posted on a pornography Web site. “It’s your brand,” he told the roomful of direct marketers. “If you lose customers’ trust in this way, it’s awfully tough to get it back.”

He advised merchants to establish parameters with their online affiliate marketing providers. “Don’t just tell them where to place your ads, but write it down for them,” he advised. “Then monitor your ads closely.”