Standardization, Self-Governance and Self-Regulations as an Industry - can this become a reality?
1. Standardisation, Self
Governance And Self
Regulation As An Industry –
Can This Become A Reality?
Matt Bailey – Head of Affiliate – i-level
Alistair Nichols – Head of Agency Sales – Webgains
Helen Southgate – Head of Affiliate – dgm
Pete Wilson – European Product Manager – buy.at
5. What we will cover
• Affiliate Approval
• Affiliate Business Model Categorisation
• Protecting against fraud
– Lead Generation
• Spyware and adware
• Brand Bidding
• How to regulate
7. Standardization, Self Governance And Self Regulation
Affiliate Approval and Ongoing affiliate monitoring
• Free to join networks – the benefits / disadvantages
• Automated Programme Approval
• Manual Approval and what Account Managers are looking
for
• Red Flags
• How networks and affiliates categorise business models
• Network Quality technology
8. Manual Approval
• Gives the client ultimate control over the affiliates on a programme
• Easier Brand Control
• Limits the business models on a programme
• Easier to group affiliates
• Sets up a relationship from the onset of a programme
Red Flags
• Check against database of known fraudsters
• Controversial Content – pornography, violence, etc..
• Location – checked by IP Address
• Check WHOIS details
• Payment methods – Paypal / Cheque
9. Affiliate Business Model Categorisation
• Most networks categorise affiliates into one business model
• Affiliates themselves nominate their category (usually their
biggest revenue / traffic generator)
• Problems arise when affiliates utilise two or more business
models – Voucher and PPC
• Network Quality Technology can categorise affiliates on the
granular or source of traffic
11. Being REACTIVE
• What do you need to look out for?
– Unusually high / low Conversion Rates (click to sale)
– High Deletion / Rejection Rates
– Unknown Referrer IDs / direct links in referrer IDs
– Relevance of Web page
– IP addresses
– Human touch
– Short Sales Lags
13. Being PROACTIVE
• Vet all affiliates onto your campaign
– Do they have a relevant URL?
– Are their contact details correct?
– Have you had direct contact?
• Have a validation system in place
– Is there a cancellation period?
– Spot check sales
• Quality Assess Affiliates
– Known affiliates on different terms
– Trial new affiliates on longer validation / different remuneration
14. Working with a network?
• What systems do they have in place
– Applications
– Activity Monitors
– Removal of unethical affiliates
– Preventing re-sign ups
– Dual network campaigns
15. Lead Based Campaigns
• More susceptible to unethical activity
• What can you do to limit risk?
– Have a clear lead validation process
– Be able to check validity of leads
– Have a closed campaign
– Work with new affiliates on a trial basis
– Do not over incentivise
– Consider a commission based on conversion in addition to lead
16. Brand Bidding
• What is it?
• The use of branded terms associated with
an advertiser to display advertisements
usually on a PPC basis.
• Where can you see it?
• Google Adwords, Yahoo search
marketing, Microsoft Adcenter.
18. What to look out for
• High conversion rate
• High number of clicks compared to other
affiliates
• Sales and clicks at certain times of the day
usually outside office hours, when they think
nobody is looking.
• Referrers, they could be linking direct as in the
example.
– E.g
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=gobaz&btn
G=Google+Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=
19. What can you do about it
• Have firm terms and conditions about this
e.g. Three strikes and your out
• Your network should be monitoring this,
ask them what tools they have?
• Look for them, Use Firefox and a plugin
called HTTP headers. This will show you
all the tracking connections that your
browser follows before getting to a page.
20.
21. Spyware and Adware
• Adware or advertising-supported software is any
software package which automatically plays,
displays, or downloads advertisements to a
computer after the software is installed on it or
while the application is being used. Some types
of adware are also spyware and can be
classified as privacy-invasive software.
• Probably the biggest non publicised negative
effect on your Affiliate Account.
• They are usually adding no value at all and
effectively stealing sales.
22. What to look for
• Very high clicks with a very low conversion
rate. You should be seeing a conversion
rate of 2% plus for the majority of affiliates.
• Strange or no referrers.
• Poor website but seeing more sales than
you would expect.
23. What can you do?
• Unless your network has invested in
technology to combat this, very little.
• Ask your network what they can do to
combat Spyware and Adware.
25. Regulation – is it feasible?
• Demands understanding of the channel
• Requires buy in from all parties
• Zero tolerance
26. What we’ve done in the UK
• IAB Affiliate Marketing Council
• Not a regulatory body
• Best practice guidelines issued
– Managing an affiliate campaign
– Voucher codes
– Rebate catching toolbars
27. Questions for delegates
• What would you like to see covered?
• Is the UK experiencing the same issues as
the rest of Europe?
• How far can we go?