The End of Information Marketing As We Know It

• FTC Cracks Down on Use of Testimonials
  
  
• MasterCard Cancels Merchant Accounts Without Warning Due to Forced Continuity Programs
  
  
• Google Changes How it Likes Optin Pages

What’s an information marketer to do in these unsettling times?  First of all, don’t panic.  So many people seem to be knee jerk reacting to everything going on.  Honestly, it’s like Chicken Little in some corners.  “The sky is falling, the sky is falling.”  Jeesh people, get a grip.

All these changes essentially center around one thing – honesty.  Being truthful in your advertising, not making wild, unsubstantiated claims, not hiding in the fine print the fact that you’re going forcing people into a continuity program if they accept your up front offer.

If you’ve been running an honest business then you’ve got little to worry about.  Might you need to make a few changes on your websites?  Sure.  So do it.  No big deal and certainly not the end of the world.  Same thing with the Google changes.  Just find out what’s okay with them now and make the changes you need.  One thing at a time.

If you’ve been running a less then above board online business then it’s time to change.  Try honesty and truthfulness and full disclosure for a change.  You might be pleasantly surprised at the results.  And you’ll probably feel a whole lot better about yourself.

Information marketing is still a great business.  But it needs to be about how you can really help other people achieve what they want.  The FTC and the credit card companies are kind of just making sure everybody is doing business the way they should have in the first place.

There is no place for the underhanded tactics of the past.  So just be sure you embrace the values that will help you build a long term successful online business.