It’s interesting that in an industry where we tout our ability to cross channels and overcome silo’s that we’ve managed to narrowly defined what we consider to be an affiliate network.

There has been a great deal of talk about the recent revelation that Google is going to be involved, somehow, in the world of cost per action.  Some pundits have weighed in to declare that there will be no effect whatsoever on the affiliate marketing or direct marketing world, while others maintain that we should be on cautious alert over this new development.

So, what’s the answer?

It depends on your situation and how you define describe an affiliate network.

Here are some things you should consider when you make your attempt to describe what is meant by the term affiliate network:

• What exactly does an affiliate network do?
• What type of actions does an affiliate network facilitate?
• What exactly is an affiliate?
• What is a network?
• Was Yoda right when he quipped that “Size Matters Not”?
• What type of actions are acceptable within the framework of an affiliate network?
• What type of action should an affiliate network track?
• What is the currency that affiliate networks encourage (attention, links or clicks)?
• What do you want an affiliate network to do for YOU?

I think if you consider these questions, you’ll arrive at an answer of whether or not Google’s latest announcement on its CPA program means anything for affiliate marketing, or whether affiliate networks should be concerned about the rise of CPA networks or whether affiliate networks have a future.

Think before you speak or write, and measure your descriptions carefully as your ideas will quite often conflict with your colleagues.

Perhaps we should start re-evaluating what we consider both affiliates and networks in this industry…