Virtually every company out there has an affiliate manager or agency or both. Affiliate marketing, around for at least the past 12 years, has become an accepted marketing channel, as myriads of niche sites appeal to a variety of customers, hence more people an advertiser can reach in more unique ways. Typically, it’s a commission-based model, though some flat fee and click-based models are around as well. My perspective is based on a decade of experience on both the advertiser and affiliate sides, so these tips should be helpful. If you are promoting your product or service through the affiliate channel, this advice list is for you!
1. When offering links to publishers, think about your offer to the end-consumer. Put yourself in their shoes and then you will see that Up to 30% off cameras, camcorders and tvs is a much better offer than Big sale on select electronics. Which offer are you, as a consumer, more likely to click on? If you know the answer, you know how to reword your links. Many companies don’t know the exact details of the sale which explains frequent “select” promotions, but specifics is how you get a click and a sale, so get as specific as you can.
2. Keep your affiliates informed. Tell them – whether in an email or via the affiliate network, or even a direct phone call – about the best trending promotions and hot products. You know your brand better than anyone. Some companies don’t have enough material to offer weekly updates and stay in touch less frequently – monthly or when there is something to talk about. However, sending a weekly update, even if nothing is changed, will add to your visibility among the affiliate sites and can serve as a nice reminder of the ongoing promotions.
3. If you choose to send an informative and nice-looking email (which is what it should be), make sure you include the text and banner links rather than just talking about the promotions. This will just triple your chances of getting those links up on the publisher sites. It’s not about the effort to go into the database and pick up the links, but more about the time spent. If the links are readily available in the email, I guarantee virtually every publisher will use them.
4. Check the code on your links. Many affiliates mention advertiser links that include caps, quotation marks and other non-html symbols without realizing this will generate errors when checking syntax and will require additional formatting/time spent. So check your syntax.
5. Date your offers. Many advertisers will send you detailed emails with offers and their descriptions; they will even include a link for you to post on your site. Except the dates of that offer are listed only in the description/body of the email, as opposed to the link itself. Include the dates in the link! First, this will help you avoid outdated links floating around the web. Second, it will put a little pressure on the consumer to buy. Let’s talk about the duration of the offer. Plenty of good affiliates will be able to post a day-long or 48-hour sale and take it down when it’s over. However, the wide majority of affiliate sites out there don’t have the time or manpower for such frequent updates. So, week-long offers are preferable and more likely to be posted on those sites. Month-long offers are hard to find but they will get a great play.
6. List your brand in the link – even if you don’t get a click, you will increase awareness of your brand. Target and Wal-Mart are very good at always including the brand name in the links; after all, these are brands people are very familiar with and may be more likely to buy. Whether you are proud of your brand or not, mentioning it in the link will help the consumer know the location of the sale. As with the date, you are adding more information with the brand mention, and, as a consumer, the more you know, the less intimidated you will be in following that link to a potential purchase.
7. Offer social media opportunities for added exposure of your message. If your affiliates help you mention that Memorial Day offer on their Facebook or Twitter page, you’ve got another group of customers informed about the offer which increases the chances of getting a sale. Amazon.com which pioneered the affiliate industry in the first place, now offers a toolbar letting you easily drop any of their products as a link in your Twitter post. How easy is that? Granted, you have to make sure this kind of presence does not jeopardize your own marketing efforts, but this kind of exposure can be absolutely phenomenal.
8. Do not cut your affiliates. Unless you see inappropriate content or lack of relevancy (which you should have seen before you approved the affiliate into your program), you gain nothing by eliminating. Many advertisers are quick to cut the sites that “do not perform”, in other words those that don’t generate sales. I would politely disagree. Affiliate channel is often viewed as the quick sale generator and many marketing executives overlook the importance of the extra traffic/impressions/message exposure at no cost. Yes, you have to monitor the sites and make sure you don’t have outdated links but the value of getting your messages on a myriad of niche (hopefully targeted) sites is just too high to pass on. And if you pay a commission on the sale, well, that means you got the sale!
9. Stay positive. Instead of punishing the affiliates for lack of purchases, incentivize them for generating purchases. Offer increased commission, a dollar incentive or a prize. And help them do it – extra links, banners, products they could talk about, or even an exclusive offer/coupon or sweepstakes prize. Many blog-type affiliates will appreciate content from advertisers. Best, if you see potential in an affiliate site (typically if you are seeing traffic/clicks but no sales yet), have a one-on-one to see how you can convert those obviously interested consumers.
10. Last, but definitely not least, get to know your affiliate crew. This is one industry where personal relationships are absolutely priceless. You can meet affiliates at a variety of affiliate conventions and search conferences happening around the country. Each affiliate network hosts their own in addition to a few general conferences, such as the Las Vegas Affiliate Summit usually taking place in January. Affiliate conferences present plenty of opportunities to mingle with affiliates, advertisers and network managers. These personal connections not only help you learn about their work, strategies, likes and dislikes, but also increase the visibility for your product or service.
