Join us as we highlight important topics regarding affiliate program launch and maintenance. We encourage you to bring questions.
Experience level: Beginner
Target audience: Merchant/Advertiser
Niche/vertical: Affiliate Management
Geno Prussakov, Founder & CEO, AM Navigator LLC (Twitter @ePrussakov) (Moderator)
Amy Ely, Ecommerce Acquisition Manager, Under Armour (Twitter @aely)
Karen Garcia, CEO, GTO Management (Twitter @karengarcia)
Kim Salvino, Director of Publisher Development, Chateau 20, LLC (Twitter @kim_salvino)
6. What Are Your Goals?
Source: http://www.moviefanatic.com/gallery/scrat-in-ice-age-continental-drift/
7. Program Goals:
Establish Baseline KPIs
• Data, data, data….
• It’s not just the total number of affiliates
• Where does affiliate sit in the ecommerce revenue
stream?
Step 1: Assess Program Goals & Reputation
8. Reputation:
Assess Where You Stand
• Google search, forum search, affiliate survey
• Google alerts – set for you and competitors
• Accept the positives. Address the negatives.
Step 1: Assess Program Goals & Reputation
10. Competitive Landscape:
How Do You Compare?
• Commission rate
• Cookie length
• Conversion rate
• Creative suite
• Feeds and tools
• Terms and conditions
Step 2: Evaluate the Competitive Landscape
14. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(don’t fall prey)
Merchant naïvete -- loss of defensive
behaviors and adaptations needed to
deal with “predators”
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation
15. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(7 areas to cover)
1. Coupon & discounts policy
2. Trademark policy
3. Search engine marketing rules
4. Policies on loyalty affiliates
5. Email marketing terms
6. Social media, reviews, endorsements
7. Toolbars, adware & parasitic behavior
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation
16. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(structure)
1. Foreword (including your contact info)
2. Summary (outlining the main points)
3. Full agreement
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation
17. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(sobering truth)
“How often do you read
the program agreement?”
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation
18. Strong Foundation:
Creative Selection
Banners(and text links!)
• Cover the common sizes
• Include sizes to replace AdSense units
• Analyze what works for competitors
• Create affiliate-friendly banners
• Deep text links to boost conversion
Additional Resources
• Well categorized, regularly updated data feed
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation
23. Strong Foundation:
Program Support Content
(FAQs, blog, social media support)
• Think like an affiliate and anticipate questions
• Share key information
• Search engine friendly copy and content
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation
25. Tracking & Reporting
Test, Test, Test….
• Test shopping cart in all major browsers
o IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
• Complete a test purchase
o Confirm tracking and reporting are working
o Test with third party payment systems –
PayPal, Google Checkout, etc.
• Check each network
o Ensure transactions across networks track properly
**AFFILIATES WILL TEST YOUR TRACKING**
Make sure it’s right BEFORE they find errors
Step 4: Confirm Tracking & Reporting
26. Tracking & Reporting
Mobile Ready
• Add Safari to the list of browsers to test
• Safari and Chrome = most widely used on mobile
• NO FLASH, as not all mobile devices support flash
• Ensure your cookie works in mobile
Step 4: Confirm Tracking & Reporting
28. Affiliate List
Review Current Partners
• Check your placement on their site
• Understand how they’re promoting you
• Ensure compliance with Ts & Cs
• Ask others about their reputation
• Consult your network or OPM
• Use search engines and forums to review positive
and negative feedback
Step 5: Review Your Affiliate List
30. Communication Plan
Intro & Ongoing
• Getting Started
o Introductory newsletter and feedback request
o Announce in forums and social media
• Make A Plan For Continued Communication
o Newsletter content and cadence
o Forum and social media involvement
…Most of All…
Provide full contact details and be
approachable, genuine and responsive to affiliates
Step 6: Develop A Communication Plan
33. Maintenance
Growth
• Consistent and timely review of applications
o Approval rubric
• Develop and implement a marketing calendar
o Go beyond the holidays
o Motivate your affiliates to participate
• Ongoing Recruitment
o What is your target market?
o Where do they live online?
o Who can get you in front of them?
• Activate your current affiliate base
Step 8: Maintenance
34. Maintenance
Ongoing Communication
• Reply to affiliate questions promptly
• Affiliate requests: can you go above and beyond?
• Newsletters
o Include important information succinctly
o Do not waste your affiliates’ time
o What’s working? What’s not?
• Review all affiliate-facing content regularly
o Merchant site landing page
o Network landing page
o All application related emails
• Your FAQ is a living document
Step 8: Maintenance
35. Maintenance
Creatives & Feeds
• Avoid the Valentine’s Day Turducken
o It’s January…what holiday banners do you have up?
• Keep tabs on your demographics
o Has your target demographic changed?
o Has a new product or service expanded your customer scope?
• Data feeds
o Automation ensures regular updates
o Review all feeds regularly from an affiliate perspective
• Ask Your Affiliates What They Want
Step 8: Maintenance
36. Maintenance
Ongoing Affiliate Review
Continue to review your current partners (look familiar?)
• Check your placement on their site
• Understand how they’re promoting you
• Ensure compliance with Ts & Cs
• Ask others about their reputation
• Consult your network or OPM
• Use search engines and forums to review positive and negative
feedback
Plus…
• Utilize network segmentation tools
• Look for simple suggestions to help
Step 5: Review Your Affiliate List
37. Maintenance
Compliance
• Ensure your policies are clear
o Repeated infractions could be a sign of unclear verbiage
• Have a plan
o What is the procedure for dealing with offenders?
• Send regular reminders
• Available Tools
o Available network data can be useful, but often isn’t enough
o Screenshots are your friend
o Plus plenty of compliance resources…
Step 8: Maintenance
38. Maintenance
Compliance
…speaking of compliance with program terms….
Agreement gives you a foundation, but is no
substitute for policing & compliance enforcement
Step 8: Maintenance
40. Final Thoughts
+ Key Takeaways
Set clear goals and measures of success
Ensure the program is (and remains) competitive
Build a strong foundation (terms, creative, support)
Confirm (and continually test) tracking/reporting
Design and carry out a solid communication plan
Review (and continue to review) your affiliate list
Monitor compliance and create an action plan
Be responsive, proactive, build strong relationships
and use feedback to grow and support your program
Final Thoughts
41. Additional Resources
Resources:
Web Sites & Podcasts: Merchant ABCs & Geekcast.fm
AMNavigator.com/TOS.html
Book: Affiliate Program Management: An Hour a Day
eBook: How to Start and Run a Profitable Affiliate Program
http://merchantabcs.com/free(free today!)
Find Us On Twitter
Kim Salvino @kim_salvino
Amy Ely @aely
Karen Garcia @karengarcia
Geno Prussakov @eprussakov