[freddy]

A lead is a user who Opts into a specific promotion because they have sincere interest. The problem with that is - a lot of online advertisers will offer incentives to users to "Opt in" to offers even if they are not interested.
If you ever see a "Free Ipad" or "Enter to win a years worth of Gas!" following those first pages (Which usually ask for an email address and at the bottom show disclaimers and T's and C's along with a box checked saying that the person entering their email address opts in to receive ...)
The next page then asks for address and additional information in order to qualify for prize you will never win - the advertiser will have people "opting in" to their offers who arent even interested in the least (and who probably didnt even read what they checked off!).

So, yeah - too many leads way too quickly are usually bs and not worth anything but a headache.

[DirectMedia_Scott]

A lead is a user who Opts into a specific promotion because they have sincere interest. The problem with that is - a lot of online advertisers will offer incentives to users to "Opt in" to offers even if they are not interested.
If you ever see a "Free Ipad" or "Enter to win a years worth of Gas!" following those first pages (Which usually ask for an email address and at the bottom show disclaimers and T's and C's along with a box checked saying that the person entering their email address opts in to receive ...)
The next page then asks for address and additional information in order to qualify for prize you will never win - the advertiser will have people "opting in" to their offers who arent even interested in the least (and who probably didnt even read what they checked off!).

So, yeah - too many leads way too quickly are usually bs and not worth anything but a headache.

Freddy, you addressed what is often pointed out as a major pitfall of affiliate marketing, incentivized traffic.

One of the oldest tricks in the affiliate marketing book is " Make 20 Dollars for this market research survey" They have you take a survey that they throw into the garbage and make you opt in to one of 3 or 4 offers. The offers are paying the affiliate marketer $30 - 60 per opt in. So even with a 20 dollar pay out consumer, they are still making a margin. It does no one any good, other than the affiliate marketer that is.