Pinterest is the new hot property. Overnight this visual curation powerhouse has generated more traffic to websites than Twitter, Google+,...
With mobile devices ranging from smartphones to iPads to e-readers to netbooks, the question isn't if you need a mobile strategy for...
Mobile is a revolution. The power of the personal mobile device has created the potential for businesses to build stronger...
While none would argue that 2011 was the year of the mobile app, marketers have been hearing more noise about...
With the holidays fast approaching, it's a great time for email marketing professionals to give their programs a much needed...
Are you wondering whether it’s worth providing your online retail offering on tablets, particularly the iPad? Are you also facing...
The lifetime value of a Facebook fan is about $136 to top brands, according to this study on Facebook fan...
|
As the original performance marketing channel, affiliate marketing has been effectively driving performance-based sales since the mid-90s. But the characteristics of an effective affiliate program have changed dramatically over the years. Whether marketers choose a closed or open affiliate program, or optimize their program monthly or annually, they should view affiliates differently today than they have in the past.
When evaluating the worth of any affiliate in any given program, ask yourself questions that consider the increasingly mobile, social and local reality of today’s online world. A few starting point questions include the following:
In some cases, the onus falls on marketers to do more to empower affiliates — i.e., arming them with vital brand information to help them drive high-quality sales and more volume. That includes the following:
Marketers should proactively provide affiliates with this critical merchandising information to help them work effectively for their brands.
Give affiliates relevant and timely content, such as how-to articles, important/relevant trends and customer reviews. Provide affiliates with compelling creative assets, including valuable promotions and special offers. Offering great resources for content can help affiliates perform better on natural search and/or increase the clickthrough rate of an advertiser’s promotions by establishing credibility with prospects.
Likely the most substantial change affiliates have had to deal with in recent years is the emergence of social media. Social media has opened up many new opportunities for affiliates. Marketers should seek out affiliate partners that add value by actively embracing this new medium.
Social media offers affiliates an additional distribution channel to interact with consumers. Similar to brands, affiliates use social media to gain followers, generate traffic, distribute offers and promotions, and drive conversions for retailers. Social media enables affiliates to engage more with consumers than ever before, creating deeper relationships with consumers who opt in as brand advocates by becoming fans on Facebook or followers on Twitter. Seek out affiliate partners with loyal user bases; social media prowess often provides a good indication of this loyalty.
Careful consideration to these crucial questions will help marketers better understand which affiliates are their best channel partners and which might have the most untapped potential. After all, the original performance marketing channel is here to stay. Updating one’s view of the channel will help you remain strong and keep a competitive edge.
* Special thanks to contributing authors Leo Dalakos and Megan Halscheid of Performics.
 |
|
