What is LJ doing to my links? Part 6

[egypturnash]

One last thread to pull on.

Previously, I noted that outboundlink.net was putting a plaintext affiliate ID into links to Target, rather than a cryptic number like it was doing to Amazon.

AFID=Performics_Driving%20Revenue%20Inc

Now, Driving Revenue, I'm already 99% sure, is who owns and operates outboundlink.net. Having the main function in the Javascript be called "DrivingRevenue()" is kind of a strong link, as is having their site served from the same IP as outbound.

But who's "Performics"?

Wikipedia:

Performics is a search engine marketing, data feed marketing, and online lead generation company owned by the French advertising holding company Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577). [...] Performics is based in Chicago, Illinois [...] Founded (as Dynamic Trade) as an Affiliate marketing company in 1998

"Affiliate maketing" is... um... what they're still doing, it seems.

DrivingRevenue:

We are conveniently located in the West Loop of Chicago

Interestingly enough, Google owns Performics - they'd gotten bought by DoubleClick, who Google bought. Google owns part of Performics - their old affiliate network division - but Publicis, a French transnational advertising company, owns the rest. And is mentioned on Performics' site.

So is DR a subsidary of Performics? I dunno. Digging through all the marketroid speak on their site is making my brain hurt. But like any good SEO company, Performics is on Twitter. Let's ask 'em directly!

Comments

[sphecide.livejournal.com]

And all of them are fronts for Interzone Incorporated!

Many thanks for the sleuthing!

[shatterstripes.livejournal.com]

They pretty much are, aren't they? In a metaphorical fashion. I mean, seo/marketing folks are kinda people I think of as the enemy - they game loopholes in search engine algorithms to get their stuff in front of your eyes when you're looking for something else.

[krinndnz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this definitely isn't an example of white-hat SEO stuff, let's say.

[postrodent.livejournal.com]

Except for the ones that are fronts for Trak.

(smoke trak cigarettes. they like you. trak like any you. any trak like you)

[eyemage.livejournal.com]

so once again Google is angling to dominate the ad revenue via net?

great detective work!

[shatterstripes.livejournal.com]

To be precise, Google seems to own part of Performics. Dunno which half this is.

Wikipedia:

The controversial[6] search engine marketing and optimization part of Performics was acquired by Publicis in 2008, after the purchase of DoubleClick by Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) had been finalized.[7] The affiliate network part of DoubleClick Performics remained with Google and was re-branded Google Affiliate Network.

performics.com mentions Publicis (a huge French advertising holding company) as their owner. Mm. I mis-spoke and will correct this in my post.

[anaisdjuna.livejournal.com]

Lovin' your tenacity on this. You are fierce!

[shatterstripes.livejournal.com]

I am procrastinating!

[baxil.livejournal.com]

"@egypturnash No, the old Performics affiliate network is now Google Affiliate Network (GAN). Thanks!" [*] (http://twitter.com/performics/status/10033511060)

So -- assuming they're telling the truth, which I have no reason to doubt since this is probably easy for anyone with knowledge of the industry to verify -- does this mean Google really is being evil?

[shatterstripes.livejournal.com]

Possibly! I suggested that Performics have a coffee with DR and ask why their name still shows up in DR's linkjacks. It should be easy; they're both in Chicago after all.

Oh, holy shit.

[anti-aol.livejournal.com]

Q: "Hey @Performics, is drivingrevenue.com your subsidiary? Their linkjacking code is pretty sloppy."

A: "@egypturnash No, the old Performics affiliate network is now Google Affiliate Network (GAN). Thanks!"

Does that mean this is *entirely* Google's doing, after all?