An Explanation of Site Sponsorship
In order to keep this site free, there are site sponsors who pay to have their link placed on the site. Most of these site sponsors are oil distributors for one company or another. Generally speaking, since the whole premise of "The Motor Oil Evaluator" is to be able to find a quality oil, distributors of low-quality lubes are not going to want to sponsor the site - nobody will click on their link once they've seen the specs comparisons.
So, generally speaking, you can generally make the assumption that the sponsorship links you see on the site will take you to companies that produce premium lubes and recognize that "The Motor Oil Evaluator" site proves that very effectively FOR them with the actual data. Thus, they are happy to link to the site from their own site, so their visitors can check for themselves to see who's offering the best oils.
They are also happy, of course, to receive traffic FROM my site, because those frequenting "The Motor Oil Evaluator" site are individuals who understand the value of a quality oil and are willing to take the time to investigate their options and make an objective comparison of oils. For a distributor of a quality oil, this is the best type of prospect, so they are happy to sponsor us and have their link placed at the top of the site.
Here's an example of the link I'm referring to. In the upper right-hand corner of the website, you'll see a "sponsored by" section that looks like this:
Is Their Link Found Anywhere Else?
As a matter of fact, it is. If a distributor for BRAND X oil pays to be a site sponsor, they not only receive their website link in the upper right corner of the site, they also receive a link WITHIN the oil listings themselves.
You'll notice that, upon selecting any oil displayed in the "typical properties" grid at the top of the page, information shows up in the bottom grid related to that oil. Selecting one of the red buttons that sit between the top and bottom grids will reveal different information about the oil you've selected.
Click on the "For More Information" button and you'll see a website link for the oil you're investigating. In most cases, next to that link (before it, actually), you'll see that it says "Manufacturer Website". That means that link will take you directly to the oil manufacturer's website.
However, in some cases, you'll see that the link presented may say "Independent Distributor Website" before it. This is an indication (again, just trying to be as transparent as possible), that link, if clicked on, will not take you to the manufacturer's website, but rather to the website of an independent distributor for that brand oil (a site sponsor).
At first glance, you might think this is a bad idea, and you might decide to just find the manufacturer site yourself and bypass the distributor. However, I wouldn't suggest that. The truth is, in most cases, purchasing from a distributor will cost you no more and possibly less than purchasing from the company directly.
Also, by going through a distributor who is willing to spend money to advertise their business, you are getting a second line of more personalized support, beyond that which you can get directly from the company.
This can be invaluable to you in terms of having a knowledgeable, dedicated professional who can answer your questions, help you choose the right products for your application, run interference with the company if you have any troubles with shipping or billing, etc.
The information that will be provided by this distributor will, most likely, be similar to what you'd receive from the company directly, but you will likely receive more/better support, and possibly a better price on product, should you decide to purchase.
It Keeps This Site Online
I also encourage you to click on these distributor/sponsor links because it will let my sponsors know that their sponsorship of the site is worth it, which will keep this site online to provide you with this valuable information.
So, I thank you in advance for using the "Site Sponsor" and "More Information" links to visit the site sponsors and let them know that their sponsorship dollars aren't going to waste.
