Certified Affiliate
Frequently Asked Questions
Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate
- What is the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate program?
- What is a Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate?
- What are the requirements for becoming a Certified Affiliate?
- What are the benefits of becoming a Certified Affiliate?
- What does it cost to become a Certified Affiliate?
- Is the Certified Affiliate program open to individuals and businesses operating outside of the U.S.?
- When will I find out my test score?
- If I fail the test, do I have to pay another $50 to take it again?
- What are the technical requirements for viewing training materials and taking the test?
- What is the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate logo?
- Can I use the Yahoo! Search Marketing name and logo to promote my site?
- What are promotional credits?
- Once I am Certified, how often do I get paid for referring or opening new client accounts?
- How will I know how much I've earned?
- How will Yahoo! Search Marketing track referrals that came from me?
- How do I recover my forgotten password for accessing the online training and my Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate account?
- What do I do if I experience a Certified Affiliate engaging in illegal or abusive activity?
- Who is KowaBunga?
- How can I tell if a person is an authentic Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate?
- What is the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate program?
The Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate program was specifically developed to help web professionals and other individuals better support their clients by helping them drive targeted sales leads to their businesses by educating them on the features and benefits of Sponsored Search and Local Sponsored Search.
Back to top - What is a Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate?
A Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate has undergone online training on the benefits and features of Sponsored Search and Local Sponsored Search and passed the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate test. Certified Affiliates are not approved by Yahoo! Search Marketing to manage Sponsored Search accounts on behalf of clients.
Back to top - What are the requirements for becoming a Certified Affiliate?
Certified Affiliates should be web professionals and other individuals who wish to knowledgeably discuss the features and benefits of Sponsored Search and Local Sponsored Search with their customers before referring them to Yahoo! Search Marketing. You must, however, be operating your business within the United States or Canada.
Back to top - What are the benefits of becoming a Certified Affiliate?
- Build on your search marketing expertise with comprehensive web-based training enabling you to better serve your clients.
- Receive credibility and competitive advantage that comes with professional recognition from Yahoo! Search Marketing.
- Promote your expertise with the official Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate logo.
- Receive financial rewards for each new account signed up ($20 for each Self-Serve and $80 for each Sponsored Search Fast Track® assisted sign-up).
- Attract new clients with promotional credits and marketing materials
- What does it cost to become a Certified Affiliate?
The cost for unlimited access to the online learning modules and to take the test is a one time, non-refundable fee of $50.
Back to top - Is the Certified Affiliate program open to individuals and businesses operating outside of the U.S.?
Unfortunately, the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate program is only open to individuals and businesses operating in the United States or Canada at this time. However, we do hope to expand the program to additional countries in the future.
Back to top - How do I participate in the program?
To register for the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate program sign up through the following link.
Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate program sign-up
You will need to pay a one-time, non-refundable fee of $50 for unlimited access to the online learning modules and to take the test.
Back to top - When will I find out my test score?
You will be informed of your test score and whether you passed or failed immediately upon completion of the test.
Back to top - If I fail the test, do I have to pay another $50 to take it again?
No, you can re-take the test if necessary without incurring additional charges.
Back to top - What are the technical requirements for viewing training materials and taking the test?
For optimal viewing we recommend the following:
- Browser: Internet Explorer 6.0 or XP but most versions are acceptable
- Internet connection: Cable or DSL desirable
- Software: Flash player 7 or above
- Monitor resolution: Minimum of 1024x768
- What is the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate logo?
It is the official logo that you receive upon passing the test to attain Certified Affiliate status. Once you pass the test, the Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate logo and instructions on its correct usage will be available in your Certified Affiliate program account under the Marketing Materials tab. You may use the Certified Affiliate logo to promote your status on your web site and in your marketing materials as outlined in our Terms and Conditions. It is required that you link the logo to your individual or company Certified Affiliate verification page hosted by searchmarketing.yahoo.com to validate your Certified Affiliate status to your customers.
Back to top - Can I use the Yahoo! Search Marketing name and logo to promote my site?
You may use the Yahoo! Search Marketing logo and your official Certified Affiliate logo on your site to promote your participation in the Certified Affiliate program. For more information about how you may use the Yahoo! Search Marketing name and logo, please read your Terms and Conditions. To learn more about any other form of promotion, please visit http://docs.yahoo.com/info/permissions/guidelines.html.
Back to top - What are promotional credits?
Promotional credits are just one of the ways Yahoo! Search Marketing assists you in attracting new customers to your business. Each new customer you refer or open up an account for will receive a credit toward click charges or a discount off the Fast Track® fee.
Back to top - Once I am Certified, how often do I get paid for referring or opening new client accounts?
You'll be paid each month for all referrals in the previous month. Checks are sent by the 15th of each month from our program management partner, KowaBunga! Technologies. For more information, please refer to the Terms and Conditions.
Back to top - How will I know how much I've earned?
You will have an online administration area where you can view all types of statistics including how much you've earned. You will also receive email notices letting you know when you've referred a new client account and when you should expect a check to arrive.
Back to top - How will Yahoo! Search Marketing track referrals that came from me?
In the Marketing Materials tab of the Certified Affiliate administration area, we supply you with a unique promo link containing your unique ID number so that you can sign-up clients directly. Your promo link is also encoded within the text links and creative pieces you will find in the Marketing Materials section. When visitors click on these links, they are sent to our web site, and a cookie containing your ID number will be placed on their browser. When the visitor proceeds through the Sponsored Search or Local Sponsored Search sign-up forms, that cookie will be read and the information will be sent to our tracking and reporting system. Using this link will also ensure that your client receives the promotional credit.
Back to top - How do I recover my forgotten password for accessing the online training and my Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate account?
If you forget your password, you will have two options for retrieving it. First, you can simply enter your ID number in the online password retrieval form. You will receive an email with instructions on logging in. If you are unable to remember your ID number, you will be able to contact our Program Manager by emailing yahoosearchmarketing@kowabunga.com or calling 734-728-4500.
Back to top - What do I do if I experience a Certified Affiliate engaging in illegal or abusive activity?
Please let us know by emailing Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate program at yahoosearchmarketing@kowabunga.com Back to top
- Who is KowaBunga?
Kowabunga! Technologies is Yahoo! Search Marketing's third party program administrator.
Back to top - How can I tell if a person is an authentic Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate?
While Yahoo! Search Marketing takes precautions to protect its customers, the best way to tell if a Certified Affiliate is authentic is by clicking on the official logo that is visible on the individual's or company's web site. The logo should link to a page hosted by searchmarketing.yahoo.com. These pages list the names of individuals and their company name, if applicable, and validates that the individual or company is an authentic Yahoo! Search Marketing Certified Affiliate.
Once you click on the logo and arrive at the page, please check for the following so you can be sure that the page and Certified Affiliate is authentic:
- The individual's name and business name if applicable
- That the URL is hosted by searchmarketing.yahoo.com
If you visit a page that does not meet the above criteria, please let us know by emailing yahoosearchmarketing@kowabunga.com Back to top