Frequently Asked Questions

About

What is the Enthusiast Publisher Network?

The Enthusiast Publisher Network (EPN) is a growing network of affinity-based Web publishers who are passionate about the subjects they cover.

What's an "Enthusiast Publisher"?

An "Enthusiast Publisher" is person or group who is passionate about the subjects they cover. EPN sites are marked by a sense of community and passion among their loyal readership and offer a high level of visibility within the niches that their editorial content targets.

How is this different that other banner programs?

While other banner programs simply rent space on your site, the EPN is designed to help both the publisher and the advertiser. Through content distribution and careful selection of both the advertisers and publishers, the EPN creates symbiotic relationships that gain exposure for its brands while enhancing the content of its publishers. Campaigns are also managed on every level so the strongest partners are always rewarded for their efforts, beyond the scope of most traditional CPM models.

Who runs this program?

The EPN is owned and operated by Affinitive, a word of mouth marketing, technology and solutions company that develops ways to allow people to express their passion for the things they love.

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Publisher Registration

Who can become an EPN publisher?

Any person or organization located in the U.S. or Canada that manages a niche-focused website is welcome to apply, but only publishers who have sites that show a strong sense of passion for the subjects they cover and a bond with their loyal readers will be approved.

My site isn't "live" yet but will be soon. Can I apply now anyway?

Please wait until your site has gone "live" before applying. You may also want to wait until you have developed your content and a loyal reader base.

Why do I need to provide my SS# or Tax ID?

We are required by law to issue tax documents to any publishers earning over $600 USD per calendar year. Please view our Terms of Service for more details.

I submitted a publisher application form but haven't heard back yet. What's going on?

We try to review and process all publisher applications as soon as possible. If you haven't heard back, hang tight - someone will be getting back to you.

I am located outside of the US and Canada. Can I still become an EPN publisher?

The EPN is currently only open to publishers residing in the United States and Canada. If you are interested in being notified when EPN programs are available in your country of residence, please let us know.

I am under the age of 18. Can I still become an EPN publisher?

At this time we require that all publishers be 18 or older.

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Accepting and Running Campaigns

What types of banners does the EPN serve?

We currently offer publishers three types of banners — 468 x 60 ("full banner") [view example ], 120 x 600 ("skyscraper") [view example], and "bannertorials" [view example] consisting of a short headline, a 150px x 200px graphic, and a short text description of 25-50 words.

How are publishers chosen for certain campaigns?

We select publishers based on a number of criteria, but mainly on how relevant a publisher's site is to the subject matter of the campaign.

How do I accept or decline campaigns that are offered to me?

In your publisher's area, you will see a list of campaigns you are currently running as well as upcoming campaigns which are being offered to you. If there is a campaign you wish to not participate in, you will be given a grace period of 5 business days to opt out of participating.

What happens if I am running more than one campaign at a time?

You will have access to assets and information for all of your current campaigns in the publisher's area. Your banner code will rotate banners between any campaigns you are running and your publisher's area will show your banner stats on a per-campaign basis.

How many campaigns can a publisher participate in at a time?

All publishers will participate in a minimum of one campaign at any time, but some may be offered to participate in 5 or more depending on the level of content and traffic on their site.

Can I run ads from other advertising networks (i.e., Google Adsense) on my site?

Yes, EPN publishers are allowed to run up to 3 other ads from other ad networks on the same page their EPN ad appears.

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Reporting

How often are my banner statistics updated?

Banner stats are not displayed in real-time, but are updated several times per day.

Why does my site statistics software show more traffic than my EPN report?

EPN tracks banner impressions and clickthroughs per unique user, so our reports may show a lower figure than your site statistics software. We also ignore impressions and clicks from known 'spiders' and 'bots'.

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Payment and Administration

How are publishers paid?

Publishers will earn a fee for each unique EPN banner click from their website. Payout will be in the form of either a PayPal payment, or a gift certificate to Amazon.com or Best Buy. Payments are processed within 30 days of the completion of each campaign.

Each campaign may have a different payout structure (i.e., cost per click and maximum payout per campaign). Publishers will be given the opportunity to decline to participate in any campaign they are offered, but once they begin a campaign, they must participate for its duration.

Can I receive payment by check?

At this time we are not offering a payment by check option, but may offer it in the future.

Am I responsible for reporting earnings for tax purposes?

Yes, all publishers are responsible for reporting their EPN earnings to the government. Any publishers who earn more than $600 in EPN payouts in a calendar year must provide us with a completed W-9 form (W-8BEN for non-US residents) and you will be sent a 1099 form.

How do I update my contact information?

Simply log into your publisher's area to view/update your information. Please be sure to keep your contact information as up-to-date as possible.

How do I terminate my membership?

You may terminate your EPN membership at any time. Note however that for any campaigns you are participating in that have not reach their end date, you will forfeit any payout.

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For Advertisers

How can I advertise on the EPN?

Contact us at info@the-epn.com for more information on advertising with the EPN and someone will get back to you within 24 hours.

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