Importance of Affiliate Marketing Managers
Simply launching an affiliate program does not guarantee revenue. I’ve seen many affiliate programs fail because of the “if I build it, they will come” mentality. Affiliate programs need to ... The...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: Holiday Action Items
Just as you’re gearing up your ecommerce business for a busy fourth quarter, your affiliates are going through the same exercise for their own audiences. Many affiliates step up their ... The post...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: Working with Loyalty Sites
One of the biggest challenges in affiliate marketing is working with loyalty sites, which provide consumers with cash back, points back, or some variation of the two. Some loyalty sites ... The post...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: Offline Entities Can Generate Revenue
Affiliate marketing tracks a consumer from a referring source to a completed sale. When we think of affiliate marketing in this simple manner, it opens up an entire realm of ... The post Affiliate...
View Article3 Affiliate Marketing Action Items for 2015
Set aside some time in December to map out what 2015 will look like for your affiliate marketing channel. Many times, “thinking” becomes consumed by “doing,” which results in a ... The post 3 Affiliate...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing Events in 2015
The following is a non-exhaustive list of top events in 2015 for affiliate mangers to consider. Deciding which events to attend will depend on whether your primary goal is to ... The post Affiliate...
View Article3 Affiliate Tools for Content Marketing
Banner ads are best used for branding, not to drive clicks. Affiliate marketers realize this. Increasingly, affiliate marketers are relying less on banner ads, and more on their affiliates’ content....
View ArticlePinterest Bans Affiliate Marketing Links
On February 12, 2015, Pinterest announced that it would “automatically remove all affiliate links, redirects and trackers on Pins.” This is important news because merchants with affiliate marketing...
View ArticleBitly-Viglink Affiliate Deal Raises Concerns
In early February, Bitly, the popular URL-shortening service, partnered with affiliate tool Viglink to auto-monetize every shortlink generated by Bitly’s millions of users. To understand the impact of...
View Article‘Content Certified’ Connects Affiliates and Retailers
Affiliate managers often strive to add content-focused affiliates, such as blogs, forums, news sites — most any site that informs and shares knowledge. The reason content affiliates are so desirable...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: Manage In-house or Outsource?
A successful affiliate marketing program requires oversight — uploading and maintaining the creative inventory, approving and communicating with affiliates, and reporting and analysis. The person doing...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: How to Set a Commission Structure
The more complex a commission structure is, the less likely an affiliate is going to prioritize your products. For example, say that you pay different commission rates for different product ... The...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: Many Ways to Attribute Sales
A "conversion funnel" describes a consumer's path to purchase, when awareness develops into interest, interest develops into desire, and then the transaction occurs. When it comes to ecommerce, this...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: 5 Steps to Identify, Recruit Affiliates
A good affiliate marketing program never stops growing. By continually recruiting and engaging new affiliates, you can produce new traffic and new customers. However, you must first decide which type...
View Article5 Pointers to Help Affiliates with Holiday Selling
As a retailer, you are likely focused on the fourth quarter — lining up promotions, ordering inventory, and readying your fulfillment processes. Now is time to also start preparing your ... The post 5...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: How to Manage Coupons, Deals
Coupon and deal sites tend to drive a lot of traffic. For some retailers, coupon sites will bring mostly new customers. For others, the same coupon site could deliver mostly ... The post Affiliate...
View Article5 Ways to Engage Affiliates for Final Holiday Sales
Before you close the books Black Friday and Cyber Monday, there are a few more ways to maximize affiliate revenue through the rest of the year. Here are five ideas to keep your ... The post 5 Ways to...
View ArticleNotable Affiliate Marketing Events in 2016
The following are leading affiliate marketing events in 2016. All are worthwhile to attend, but their benefits and specialties vary. Some are focused on the affiliate marketing industry in general; ......
View Article‘Co-opetition’ Comes to Affiliate Marketing
The Performance Marketing Association promotes the growth and practices of the affiliate marketing industry. The PMA recently published a free whitepaper exploring the notion of “co-opetition” as it...
View ArticleStudy: 3 Factors in Affiliate Marketing Will Drive Growth
In August 2015, Rakuten Affiliate Network commissioned Forrester, the research company, to conduct a study on the factors driving growth in the affiliate industry. Forrester surveyed decisionmakers at...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: Learning from F.T.C.’s Paid Placement Disclosures
Earlier this March, department store retailer Lord & Taylor agreed to settle U.S. Federal Trade Commission civil charges that it deceived consumers by paying for blog and social media placements....
View Article3 Keys to a Mobile-ready Affiliate Program
Consumers can complete a transaction on a smartphone with just a few taps. Responsive site design and easy-to-use apps enable shoppers to quickly find what they’re looking for. Stored values make ......
View ArticlePinterest, in a Change, to Allow Affiliate Links
Earlier this month, Pinterest announced a policy change so that users can insert affiliate links with their pins. This is a reversal from its decision in February 2015 to “automatically remove all ......
View Article5 Strategies to Activate (High-producing) Affiliates
When evaluating the performance of an affiliate marketing program, avoid measuring success by how many affiliates are enrolled. Instead, measure how many of them are actually driving traffic. I have...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing: Advanced Commission Structures
One of the first questions retailers ask when launching an affiliate marketing channel is “what should my commission structure be?” My advice is to research what competitors and retailers in ... The...
View Article4 Misconceptions with Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based marketing channel. The direct selling cost occurs only when a transaction, lead, or other pre-defined activity happens. Affiliate marketing therefore has one...
View Article9 Affiliate Marketing Pros Offer Holiday Sales Pointers
The fourth quarter is busy for affiliate marketers. Consumers start perusing content and deal sites in October, gathering ideas for holiday shopping. Merchants with affiliate marketing programs will...
View ArticleA Strategy to Retain Affiliates, for Affiliate Marketing
There are thousands of retailers that offer affiliate marketing programs. Potential affiliates have many options to choose from. A goal of an affiliate manager should therefore be to build loyalty...
View ArticleAffiliate Marketing Results for Black Friday, Cyber Monday 2016
Affiliate marketing data for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2016 showed shifts in consumer behavior that could impact strategies for 2017. AvantLink is an affiliate marketing network for over 500...
View ArticleAfter 20 Years in Affiliate Marketing, 5 Rules for Success
After almost 20 years in affiliate marketing, I’m leaving the industry to teach full-time at a university. It’s a bittersweet transition. However, I’d like to leave you with five best ... The post...
View Article
