This section on 'External Programs' has been created to enumerate our opinions on the prolific web activities of:

1. Collaboration
2. Affiliate Programs
3. Partnering
4. Exchanging Links
5. Press Releases

Please note that we do not do any of the above for free. We are a small business and our revenue is made via the above channels.

Overview

The issues listed in the paragraph above relate to the exchange of links and branding that do one of the following:

1. Drive traffic from one site to another (Link Exchanges, Partnering)
2. Drive traffic and generate revenue from one site to another (Affiliate Programs, Collaboration)

1.0 Link Exchanges

1.1 Link exchanges are usually a mutual exchange of Uniform Resource Locations (URLs) meant to drive traffic from one site to another. Most link exchanges occur between sites that are of similar size and are complementary in service offerings. Thus, a site that sells automobile tires should hook up with a Shock & Strut shop.

1.2 Theme :: Mutual Benefit

1.3 Negatives: None for the equally sized or complementing partners.

2.0 Partnerships

2.1 Partnerships are a primary method of enhancing identity via association with a complementary or larger partner. For example, many small IT firms partner with Hewlett Packard to take advantage of HP's larger identity. Most of these smaller firm to larger firm partnerships usually involve certification via the larger party and payment of some partner fee for some limited time period.

2.2 Theme :: Enhance Smaller Identity w/ Larger Entity

2.3 Negatives: Entering a partnership may not result in greater returns if the partnership does not have specific goals and objectives. Be sure the benefits are know upfront.

3.0 Collaboration

3.1 Collaborations are usually engaged when the project goal or objective cannot be achieved by a single entity alone. Collaborations imply mutual-exclusive talents in engineer, software, or marketing.

3.2 Theme: Working together can profit both parties.

3.3 Negatives: Both partners must understand that a collaboration is not an Affiliate program and that complementing tasks must be performed to benefit the bottom line.

4.0 Affiliate Programs

4.1 Affiliate programs are promoted by entities that have inventory to sell and desire free points of distribution to sell their inventory. For example, Amazon's entire infrastructure has been built on the Affiliate relationship program.

4.2 Theme :: Company with Inventory must market their end product

4.3 Negatives

How the BlackWebPortal.com Deals With Each Style

As a startup the BlackWebPortal.com prefers to deal with direct sponsorship vs. all of the items listed above. The reasons are:

The BlackWebPortal.com does not participate in link exchanges since the primary goal of the BlackWebPortal.com is that of a web link provider.

Affiliate programs offer no guarantee as to the accuracy of their code, especially if Cookies are deployed on a user's machine. For example, it well known that if a cookie from Amazon is set on a user's machine and a user clicks a new Amazon link, the previous link gets the revenue and the clicked link loses. Thus, the BlackWebPortal.com no longer incoming firms high profile affilate partnering beyond what is already established at the BlackWebPortal.com.

The BlackWebPortal.com offers identity building partnerships at the rate of $1000.00 USD per 6 month web partnership. Web partnerships rotate equally on the home page on either side of the search bar on the homepage.

Collaborations are on hold until a first round of funding is achieved.

5.0 Press Releases

5.1 We can expose your press release to our audience, our newsletter audience, and our database of Black newspapers. These are value-added services that if you had to perform the same duties would take time, money, and effort on your part. Please explore the opportunity further.

5.2 Theme :: Your PR gets released to our audience.