I'll disagree. There are many of these 'How to Make Money in Microstock' pages out there that are nothing but some common information put together, filled with referral links, the point of which is to get referrals. To not put a small disclaimer at the top of an "educational article" just smacks of someone trying to take advantage of others under the guise of trying to help them.

If it is, as you say, "common information" then nobody needs it and nobody will read my website and the entire "referral" issue is pointless. Nobody that clicks on a referral link is taken advantage of, they lose nothing and it never costs them a penny. You talk as if there is some penalty or cost for a person that clicks on a referral link and this is completly untrue. Microstock agencies wouldn't endorse referrals if they somehow penalized new photographers for using them to sign up.

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"Just Sprinting Through Life Like a Turtle on Fire"

Happy Downloads! SprintingTurtles

I'd like to think that mine has plenty of valuable information for would be photographers and buyers.

I fail to see how not highlighting that your links are referrals differs from banner advertising, Google Adsense or product affiliations.

But just in case it does offend, be warned, my link below has them ALL.

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JK

www.microstockphotography.info

Really? You don't see the difference between a simple text link (that people may not check the actual destination for in the details bar) in a sentence, and formal advertising?

The actual destination does show up on the bottom of a users browser when moused over on all links on my site and from what I saw, on all links on jimiking's site. I don't use any code to hide where links go.

Referral links are advertising and the microstock companies pay for them. There is pay up front advertising and pay for results, not sure where "formal" advertising falls in.

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"Just Sprinting Through Life Like a Turtle on Fire"

Happy Downloads! SprintingTurtles

I don't see what difference it makes to you.

If anybody clicks on any of those links it will not cost them a cent. If someone signs up from an affiliate link they will earn exactly the same as if they went to the site direct.

So to put it in a nutshell, no I don't see what your problem is.

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JK

www.microstockphotography.info

It's ok. We can agree to disagree.

I will agree with that.

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"Just Sprinting Through Life Like a Turtle on Fire"

Happy Downloads! SprintingTurtles

Ok, now that we've come to that conclusion, how about a round of beers?

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s e l l p h o t o s . t k

Top Sellers ? Shutterstock ? Fotolia ? Dreamstime ? BigStock ? StockXpert ? FeaturePics ? MostPhotos ?

I can't try to take one - I'm afraid if I click on the image, there may be a referral link and I may have the exact same experience as I would otherwise. lol

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Nil to Mil - my microstock blog