If you don’t know who Ryan Eagle is, you haven’t been paying attention. He advertises in almost every affiliate publication, website, portal, blog you name it with flashy ads that match his well known flashy personality. His CPA Network, EWA was named one of the top 10 CPA networks by affiliates. His content Unlocking Network, BLAM ads has come out of nowhere and has become a major player in the space. As part of our ongoing look at the Content Unlocking space, we’ve decided to sit down with him and ask him the hard questions about his business, his personality and what drives him to make buttloads of money. He’s found a place in the industry, and whether you like him or not, he’s here to stay.
How long have you been involved with the industry? Can you give us a brief background on yourself?
For as long as I can remember I’ve been a computer geek, making my first gaming community in 2002. I began generating enough revenue to cover the server costs so at the time it was simply a hobby which expanded into learning SEO to gain more visitors to my community. In little time I realized the full potential of this and developed several other properties until I hit massive success in 2004 during the “easy days” of making money. I became an affiliate in 2005 and hit massive success throughout the years via media buying, social and contextual marketing. After saving capital throughout the years of success, I launched EWA Network in February 2009 and that entity of Eagle Web Assets has grown drastically since it’s inception. After researching market trends, I decided to submerge myself into content locking in Mid-2010 by launching BLAM Ads.
Love me or hate me, I’m here to make publishers rich. You can check the credentials, I’m a man of my word and I work harder than anyone I know – that’s how I’ve reached the success that I have now.
I’m the absolute best at what I do, and that’s why I’m a cocky asshole – but do not mistake that for ingratitude. I’ve been blessed with everything that I have in my life and I never take it for granted.
What can you tell us about your content unlocking business, BLAM ADS?
BLAM Ads was launched in Mid-2010 and his grown immensely since it’s inception, working actively with thousands of affiliates and webmasters. We came into an industry and applied the same values that all my other companies pride themselves on. BLAM Ads is here to outdo what has not been done, and makes webmasters more money than any other content locking network. We’ve learned a lot, made our mistakes, and I’m confident when I’m saying this: we’re unleashing some of the most advanced and innovative technology to our publishers in the next quarter that will revolutionize the industry, as we’ve done before. We make it look easy, but it’s the sleepless nights that have gotten us to where we are at now.
There have been accusations against content unlocking companies that the model is that they bounce from network to network running unauthorized offers. What are you guys doing to prevent this or to ensure the end advertiser is interested in being on your site?
In all honestly, one company gives the rest of the industry a bad name, and I need not name them because they’ve already gotten their fate set. I can confidently say that both BLAM Ads and one competitor you interviewed earlier are the two companies that actually care about merchant quality. Circumventing merchants not only is deceptive and unethical, it’s short-term and is simply a means to an end. We go to lengths to insure the success of our merchants, abide by their rules and regulations, and operate an ethical business model. If our merchants are not successful, we are not successful as a company.
We have never knowingly done this to merchant, and have always handled every compliance issue with seriousness – we are in it for the long-term and we cannot reach our larger goals by damaging relationships with merchants.
Why do you think that your company is better than your competitors?
More offers, higher payouts, faster pay-terms, stronger support, a sense of community, and superior technology – and that’s being modest. BLAM Ads has the strongest solution for content lockers, and in the coming weeks we will be unveiling a new version of our tracking technology entirely with literally hundreds of new functions that make it easier for all levels of webmasters to make more money. If we do not build, we are getting destroyed.
What do you think is the biggest challenge in the incentive based marketing industry in general? What changes would you like to see?
The biggest challenge is overcoming the old “standard” of incentive quality from years before that merchants are still scared of. When we first started EWA, the incentive industry was booming from primarily GPT websites (hard-incent). The entire industry imploded because “hard-incent” simply does not make merchants money (for the most part). Over the past couple years soft-incent and content locking emerged and because it does not offer any tangible product, the consumer is more inclined to actually follow through and generate profit for the merchant. At Eagle Web Assets, we fully understand the metrics required for our advertisers to profit – and our most successful campaigns are deals that we’ve worked hand-in-hand with the advertiser to make it profit. In fact, in several cases we’ve gotten merchants to experiment with our content locking traffic and generated them far more money than display traffic!
If I was going to ask your publishers & affiliates why they work with you over another company, what would they say?
BLAM Ads makes them more money than the competitors. Period. I’m confident that we have the most dedicated staff, most comprehensive training, and several other benefits as discussed above that are all reasons why publishers switch their traffic to BLAM Ads. I’ve made it a point to research the market and outdo every aspect that every network could offer, and I’m not happy until I outdo myself. I don’t even think that’s possible, so I have a long road ahead.
What do you think about content unlocking for mobile content?
We were the first network to release this and it’s seen a fair amount of interest and traction using it. We’ve developed an entire propriety company to focus on growing our internal distribution which will coincide directly with the release of our new technology.
Do you think brands could benefit from content unlocking? If you could pitch Bose Radio to work with your company, what would you tell them?
Brands are profiting from incentive advertising, just look at the Zynga and their offer walls. The model is simple, BLAM Ads can deliver sales to both small and large brands products. We’ve developed technology that will allow us to work with larger brands which have already been signed on board with our company. BLAM Ads is successfully delivering millions of clicks a day and brands will profit through our service with hands-on support from our company.
You’ve made a great personal brand for yourself that has matured with time. What have you learned in the last few years, and what mistakes have you learned from?
More publicity, more infamy, more money, more problems. I’ve obtained the respect from the right people and generated a lot of haters on the way up to the top; I love them both equally. What’s important is the way I conduct business, and publishers of mine know that I’m entirely serious through direct interaction with me and my companies.
What would be the perfect offer for BlamAds?
Well, I guess one that would have a 100% conversion rate would be a perfect deal – wouldn’t it?
What does the Blam Ads team do on a daily basis that makes the job enjoyable?
Honestly, interacting with our publishers is what keeps us going. BLAM Ads has the most dedicated staff in the industry, the sales team is often up during the zombie hours of the night right along my side. I love waking up every single day and learning through my mistakes, innovating, and outdoing what has not been done. We love our publishers and seeing their success is what keeps us going.
What is your dream car?
I have all my dream cars already, I’m working towards the European Gas Mileage Jet now.
