Can Shopspotters run ads?

What is allowed?

You may run ads in search engines and social networks when three things come together:

• The ad targets general search terms or audiences, for example “sell an online course”, “create a members area” or people interested in building a coaching business.
• It leads to content of your own that answers the question behind the search term, such as an article on your website or a video.
• Only there do you recommend Merchavio with your Shopspotter link. The ad itself is labelled as advertising, and on your page you label the recommendation at the start of the article or video and right next to the link.

What is forbidden?

No ads on the name “Merchavio”

Search terms containing “Merchavio” are off limits, in search engines and social networks alike. That includes typos, other spellings, compound spellings and combinations with other words such as “Merchavio login”, “Merchavio discount” or “Merchavio reviews”, in any keyword match type. Add “Merchavio” as a negative keyword in every campaign. This keeps a broad general term from showing your ad to people who search for the name.

No “Merchavio” in the ad or the displayed URL

The name appears neither in the headline nor in the text of the ad, nor in the URL shown. Your domain and page names don’t contain it either.

No paid traffic straight to merchavio.com

The ad never leads directly to merchavio.com, not even via your Shopspotter link or the short link. A page that forwards visitors automatically right away is forbidden too.

Promoted posts are ads too

If you pay to promote a post or video of your own on a social network, the same rules apply. If it contains your Shopspotter link, the paid traffic would go straight to merchavio.com, which is not allowed. “Merchavio” doesn’t belong in the promoted text either. So promote content that leads to your own page.

No incentives, no promises

Your ad and your page promise no income or success, and they don’t create false urgency such as “today only”. Perks for people who sign up through your link, such as money, vouchers or discounts, require Merchavio’s prior consent in text form.

No forced clicks

Invisible frames, pop-unders, automatic redirects and hidden links are forbidden. Every visit to merchavio.com starts with a deliberate click by the visitor.

What does an allowed campaign look like?

1. Choose a search term

   A general term with a clear question behind it, such as “how to create an online course”. “Merchavio” is set as a negative keyword in the campaign.

2. Write the ad

   The ad promises what your content delivers: “Create an online course: a guide in seven steps”. No Merchavio name, no income promises.

3. Your own page

   The click leads to your article. It answers the question fully, even for readers who end up not needing a shop system.

4. A labelled recommendation

   In the article, you recommend Merchavio where it fits, with “Ad” at the start and right next to the link.

How to write articles like that is covered in Shopspotting with a blog and SEO.

How careful should you be with your budget?

Very. Clicks cost money straight away, whether or not anyone signs up. Commission only arises once a referred seller actually pays Merchavio. A campaign can cost more than the commission it brings in.

• Set a budget beforehand that you could lose completely without it hurting.
• Start small and compare your spend with what your Shopspotter area shows: clicks over the last 30 days with the conversion, and your referrals, paying and in total.
• Keep the timing in mind: commission can be paid out from a balance of €50 and at the earliest 30 days after the end of the month in which it arose. More in when commission is paid out.
• Use the calculator on merchavio.com to see what one seller would bring per month, instead of planning with wishful numbers.

Your next step

Before you start a campaign, read section 6 of the partner terms and the overview of the rules for Shopspotters. It often makes sense to build good content of your own first and only then think about ads.