How’s your health these days? I hope you’re OK. I feel like I’m coming down with something — and I think it’s Olympic Fever.

Unfortunately, I seem to be the only person I know who’s interested in the global sports competition currently underway in Torino. No one seems to know or care about the athletes or the medal count. If that’s not bad enough, the television broadcasts are getting pounded by the likes of American Idol and Survivor. When did talent-challenged and hygiene-challenged fame seekers become more entertaining than sports?

Some say their disinterest is due to the lack of hype leading up to the Games, other say they only like the Summer Olympics. I say they’re all a bunch of babies.

Why should you care? Well, I must admit that trying to connect the dots between the Olympics and a blog about affiliate marketing is a bit of a stretch, but weren’t there affiliates who bid on keywords such as “Olympics” and “Torino” in anticipation of fans searching for news? Didn’t gambling affiliate sites ramp up for increased betting during these 2 weeks of sports events?

I think they did and if I could figure out how to search for “Olympic affiliates” without getting results for all the affiliate TV stations broadcasting the Games, I could prove it. For now, you’ll just have to believe me. Besides, Google — the home of infinite affiliate ads — has had a different doodle for every day of the competition. At least someone in Mountain View is with me.

Still not buying the connection? How about this? The Olympics are much like the affiliate marketing field because the participants are entrepreneurs, in business for themselves, focused on marketing their skills for success, be it financial gains or fame. And it’s a global arena — anyone from any country (except China, of course) — can compete if they commit to working hard enough.

That’s all I got. Whether you agree or disagree with my arguments, my advice to you is to tune in before it’s too late. You just try to watch events like the women’s half-pipe competition without feeling some national pride. I think you’ll find yourself fighting the urge to chant, “USA! USA! USA!” In fact, I bet it will inspire you to go out and make some more affiliate money, thereby contributing to the bottom line of our fair nation. America could sure use some good publicity right about now.

maria@revenutoday.com

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