INSIGHT
CREATE AN OUTSTANDING AFFILIATE PROGRAM
For an affiliate program to be a success it is important to put in the work before the launch date . Lee-Ann Johnstone looks at the various components operators can use to create and develop a starter strategy
DEVELOPING A STRATEGY for launching an affiliate program is a bit like telling a story – it has a beginning , middle and end . Start with the basics , build a story around your brand , then finish with a solid delivery and support structure to ensure affiliates maintain the relationships you are investing time and money building .
There are so many affiliate programs and brands to compete with that it is vital to research exactly where you will fit into the existing affiliate marketing ecosystem . This includes defining your brand and programme objectives ( targets ), your unique selling points and your affiliate service propositions . This helps you decide who you ’ ll target , how you ’ ll get them to promote your new brand and also helps create a budget plan . Creating an incentive scheme works as a compass to acquire the right affiliate relationships , to give exposure across the right site placements and to attract traffic sources that meet your acquisition objectives .
Match technology supplier to marketing and resourcing needs The technology you use for affiliate tracking is important as it will cost you money and time to implement and maintain . Partnering with the right brands also encourages trust in your affiliate service . New operators need to be aware of the set-up costs , service fees and brand costs that are required to launch an affiliate program . If you don ’ t know the right commercials you could end up launching and incurring costs with little or no return on your investment .
Affiliate programs take time to ramp up and build stature , so consider your existing resources , development and marketing requirements and understand if the technology can support start-up and scale to grow alongside you with additional customisations . Pick the right supplier , as this will be important in the early stage of start-up and later on as you require additional customisation .
Consider the pros and cons of working within a network when you launch versus investing in customised white label solutions . Understand your full marketing strategy to see how the technology can offset other marketing costs such as ad serving , media tracking , and mobile marketing , if required . Most affiliate technologies will offer a variation of services within their platforms – some even include sophisticated data analytics and customer relationship management solutions .
There are a lot of suppliers that will tout their own product as the best , but you are responsible for deciding what is suited to your business and resource skill sets . Often working with an affiliate specialist or consultant can cut down on the time and expense it takes to research
“ There are a lot of suppliers that will tout their own product as the best , but you are responsible for deciding what is suited to your business and resource skill sets ”
these technologies to find the right fit . It ’ s better to get the right information at the start to build solid foundations so that it can easily scale as your business grows . Avoid migrations or add-on tools that are cumbersome to manage and which could limit your growth potential long term .
PR and the power of words Creating hype around your brand and your affiliate program before you launch is essential . Educational PR around your product , story and service and what makes you unique is a great way to get your name out there ahead of the launch .
For PR to be effective , you need to have a story to tell . High Roller Casino has done just that ahead of the launch of its online casino with loads of content , competitions for early access to special offers and exclusive peeks into upcoming challenges . They made their players feel like VIPs before they were even able to sign up to join the casino . Using this as an example but
46 iGB Affiliate Issue 68 APR / MAY 2018
INSIGHT
CREATE AN
OUTSTANDING
AFFILIATE PROGRAM
For an affiliate program to be a success it is important to put in the work before the launch date.
Lee-Ann Johnstone looks at the various components operators can use to create and develop
a starter strategy
DEVELOPING A STRATEGY for launching
an affiliate program is a bit like telling a
story – it has a beginning, middle and end.
Start with the basics, build a story around
your brand, then finish with a solid delivery
and support structure to ensure affiliates
maintain the relationships you are investing
time and money building.
There are so many affiliate programs
and brands to compete with that it is vital
to research exactly where you will fit into
the existing affiliate marketing ecosystem.
This includes defining your brand and
programme objectives (targets), your
unique selling points and your affiliate
service propositions. This helps you decide
who you’ll target, how you’ll get them to
promote your new brand and also helps
create a budget plan. Creating an incentive
scheme works as a compass to acquire
the right affiliate relationships, to give
exposure across the right site placements
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