About « GeekArm Web Marketing Blog

About

Geek·Arm

–noun

The systematic progression of pain in one's forearm, elbow or shoulder from squeezing a computer mouse over the course of many days and late nights.
The name of my web marketing blog.

Origin: 2007-11; i.a. < Internet Marketing & Weblog

Welcome to GeekArm powered by WordPress. There are lots of folks blogging these days about the work they do and that's especially the case in the web marketing space, where I am. Most guru web marketing blogs are published by wannabes, nearly the rest are painfully boring and a few are worth reading. Not sure where I stand yet.

If you're interested in formal case studies or grammatically correct articles you should move on now. GeekArm is 21st century Kerouac style stream of consciousness on what I do best...building community on the web, monetizing organic traffic and helping to get the word out on the most progressive and technically advanced cost per sale Affiliate network on the planet.

The gloves are off. I have been in this business for a long time now, maintaining a conservative presence while observing goofballs distribute wrong info. This misleads and it does nothing to preserve the integrity of what I do. So now it's my turn to rant on link building, facts, observations and of course my opinions on Affiliate marketing.

Here are some list items and a time-line that outlines my web background:

In 1996 I started building web pages after taking an elective course on the Internet in graduate school at Alfred University. My background was NOT computers or tech. I did, however, pick up html quickly.
In 1997 I started a rudimentary web site building company in Ithaca, NY. Secured and maintained a decent list of client web sites, while learning more and more about the new and curious world wide web.
In 1998 I moved to Alta to ski powder and brought several accounts with me...although I quickly retired the small business and turned over the accounts to a friend. Was more into the powder.
In 1999 I thought I should start documenting my ski bum lifestyle so I registered the domain GravityFed.com, and befriended a fellow skier (Jesse) who also had an interest in the web.
In 2000 we created the first version of GravityDex.com, an outdoor sports directory. It's without a doubt the oldest outdoor sports links directory on the web.
In 2001 I learned some of the basics of Affiliate marketing and started to monetize the bit of traffic we had with programs like Amazon and Backcountry.com.
In 2003 I was hired by Backcountry.com to manage their Affiliate program on Commission Junction. This is where I met Scott Kalbach who had like minded ideas on where Affiliate marketing was headed.
In 2005 I broke away from Backcountry.com to help launch the AvantLink Affiliate Network, a proprietary platform for quality retailers...built from the ground up by Scott.

From 1996 to 2005 there were certain lulls and no doubt some hesitation in the pursuit of my web career. After 911 hit Jesse and I virtually ignored our web efforts for a year (or more) and hid out in the mountains...what with all the Anthrax and doom that was on the door step of our society. We didn't need plastic and duct tape at 10,000' in Little Cottonwood Canyon...just more snow.

My experiences online have been varied and far reaching, yet I feel like I'm just scratching the surface. I still consider myself a web publisher and Affiliate...but now I'm also a network co-founder and CMO. Thank you for reading my web marketing blog.

Gary M

My other interests and time burners include:

Powder Skiing