When selecting someone to replace you at a client meeting, it would be unwise to choose someone who is new to the company or has conflicting values. Effective brand representation is essential for all types of businesses, particularly in the realm of affiliate marketing.
No matter if you run an eCommerce site for high-end men’s fashion or a SaaS software brand focused on accounting, there is one clear truth:
You are cautious in selecting the individuals who will represent your brand.
The same applies to individuals in positions such as sales managers, marketing specialists, and customer support. Of course, some of these standards will also be extended to your affiliates. They will have the freedom to showcase your brand to a wide audience of potential readers, followers, or subscribers. However, how can you entice reputable online publishers who:
- Communicate with your target audience
- Create valuable content
- Become a source of revenue
- Represent your brand values
- Accept affiliate commissions in line with your marketing budget
The truth is, not all publishing sources will be suitable for your business.
Investing time and resources to discover publishers (sites that are relevant to your needs and aims) is a worthwhile endeavor. You will realize that the investment truly pays off when your affiliate network begins to generate leads, traffic, and revenue.
Publisher
A person who generates content and disseminates it to their audience is known as a publisher. In the event that they incorporate affiliate links and discount codes related to certain brands, they can also be called an affiliate. Publishers have the freedom to create content on any platform, ranging from news and reviews to influencer social media accounts.
There are various online publishers, such as:
- Bloggers
- Podcast owners
- Digital video content creators (social media and YouTube), including those on streaming platforms (twitch)
- Influencers on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.
Naturally, not all publishers operate in the digital realm. There are certain publishers that belong to the offline category, such as:
- Print publishers like newspapers and magazines
- Speakers
The ideal publisher for an affiliate marketing program varies and is largely dependent on the target audience of the business. Are they often found on social media or YouTube? Or do they prefer attending in-person events and subscribing to industry magazines?
Collecting data from your current affiliates could be helpful. If there are some social media influencers among your affiliates who outperform other publishers, you could investigate their content and platform to discover additional potential publishers.
However, just locating publishers is not sufficient, as the second phase entails enrolling them into your affiliate program. What strategies can you employ to entice publishers to join your affiliate program?
1. Optimize Your Affiliate Program Landing Page and Show Off Your Benefits
You possess an impressive affiliate program that is highly competitive. Your clients may have significantly larger purchasing amounts or you have designed your commission structure to be adaptable, multilayered and appealing.
Knowing your worth to a publisher doesn’t guarantee that the publisher will be aware of it. In order to be considered by premium media sites, potential advertisers need to prove their value. Therefore, it is essential to clearly highlight your selling points on your website, specifically on your affiliate landing page.
Are there any exclusive perks for niche publishers such as American publishers or bloggers catering to an Arabic audience that you offer? Make sure to appeal to them and urge them to register on your landing page. If you have substantially higher commission rates than your competitors, promote this significant advantage!
2. Highlight Clear Benefits
Your affiliate marketing program may be great, but nobody will realize it unless you explain the benefits. To do this, make sure your landing page includes the following information:
The cookie length determines the duration during which a prospective customer can complete a purchase and be connected to the affiliate who referred them to your website. Are your rivals offering a mere 24-hour cookie length? This is the perfect opportunity to market your appealing 7-day cookie length.
Is it necessary for your affiliate to produce all the content in order to advertise your affiliate program?
Although they may not object, we must not overlook the effort required. Providing them with various content options that they can easily distribute will make it more convenient for them. For instance, with Tapfiliate, you can generate personalized social media resources that influencer affiliates can promptly post and share.
Are you dealing with expensive SaaS subscriptions or luxurious jewelry? If so, it is likely that these items will result in higher order values, resulting in increased commission payouts for affiliates.
Ensure that you promote these on your landing page. Additionally, if your inventory primarily consists of moderately-priced products, it may be beneficial to offer flexible commissions or bonuses as incentives for potential affiliates (more details will be provided at a later time).
Share with potential affiliates your unique commission structure, whether it includes a no-payment threshold, custom commission structures, or milestone-tiered payouts.
What does your business stand for in terms of values? To draw in affiliates who share your values, it’s important to showcase them on your landing page.
Consider this: A company that frequently contributes a portion of its profits towards initiatives aimed at reducing homelessness places importance on fair social policies. Meanwhile, a brand that opts for biodegradable packaging prioritizes environmental consciousness. These factors will be taken into account by potential publishers when comparing your affiliate program with those of your competitors. However, let’s pause for a moment.
What is the method by which publishers reach your affiliate registration page initially? The majority of companies incorporate a connection in the footer of their business website. Your landing page for affiliates should be simple to find. Additionally, by making your affiliate program available to the public, you can bolster your reputation and enhance the likelihood of publishers joining with you.
3. Encourage Action and Sign-Ups
Don’t forget about optimizing your affiliate sign-up page for search engines. Just like your organic content, including CTAs and relevant keywords can improve your page’s visibility and attract daily traffic and conversions.
- Clear CTAs (“Fill out this sign-up form;” “Join now;” “Become a partner.”)
- Streamlined submission form
- Keyword research to promote visibility
- Clean user experience
4. Attend Conferences and Events
Publishers also attend industry conferences and niche galas to network, just like you do.
This is the perfect moment to dress neatly and interact with others. However, simply socializing may not be sufficient. Additionally, if you tend to be introverted at gatherings, you may struggle. To encounter top-notch publishers at events, consider the following suggestions.
Conduct research to determine if your desired publishers will be attending an industry event and then request introductions from your professional network. Inquire of past clients or colleagues if they have any connections to these publishers. You will receive an introduction if you ask.
If you’re a keynote speaker at an event, don’t miss the opportunity to promote your affiliate program. Simply including a bullet point about it on a reference slide can catch the attention of potential publishers who may inquire about it. In addition, your presentation may be shared with attendees through email or posting, which can increase your program’s visibility.
Keep a flexible approach to location: Although your brand may not cater to different industries, it can certainly transcend geographical boundaries. Commence by participating in local events and subsequently explore opportunities to join national or even global events after conducting thorough research. This will expand your affiliate network to include international audiences and facilitate penetration into a new market.
According to John Weiss, a prominent figure in public relations, networking events should be an opportunity to gain knowledge and establish relationships, rather than solely to attract new clients or customers.
The goal is to establish a bond that enables you to pursue your affiliate program at a later time.
5. Compare Your Commission Rates to the Leading Competitors
While top publishers typically create content on topics that interest them, the primary objective of any affiliate is to earn income. In addition to seeking out brands that resonate with their audience, publishers also strive to partner with companies offering the most favorable commission rates.
Commission rates vary across different industries, which means that a favorable payout in one field may be considered inadequate in another. As such, it is crucial for you to conduct thorough research and examine the commission rates of top competitors in order to determine appropriate rates.
To attract the top publishers, it is important to ensure that your commission rates are competitive. However, if it is not feasible to match the rates offered by the leading publishers, aim to make it a short-term objective.
6. Analyze the Competition and Learn from Their Campaigns
In addition to examining their commission rates, it is advisable to study rival companies and gain insights from their initiatives. Take note that these initiatives may include particulars such as the locations that they are focusing on, the kinds of products or services that they are advertising, what actions are considered as conversions, the varieties of ads permitted, prospective sources of traffic, and various other relevant information.
The top programs have a distinct appeal to the best publishers. It’s important to look beyond the finances and determine what other factors are driving publishers to these dominant advertisers’ programs. Be sure to tailor these attributes according to your available resources, and establish goals to catch up to the leading advertisers as quickly as possible.
7. Collect and Display Performance Metrics
While this recommendation is mainly aimed at ecommerce platforms, it is applicable to any advertiser creating an affiliate program. Rather than just examining the program, successful publishers also assess an advertiser’s website performance metrics to determine if collaborating with them is worthwhile.
The concept behind this strategy is that digital users are more likely to show interest in advertisers who exhibit outstanding performance metrics, whether in ecommerce or otherwise. Thus, if an advertiser’s performance metrics are impressive, their branding will likely garner a more positive response from the target audience, making conversions easier for publishers to generate.
It’s important to note that not all publishers engage in this practice, but being prepared with your metrics can prove advantageous if your goal is to collaborate with the leading platform owners in your field.
8. Be Flexible and Proactive
While a number of companies create an affiliate program with the intention of strictly adhering to it, advertisers who wish to collaborate with leading publishers must prioritize flexibility.
To increase your chances of teaming up with marketers who produce excellent leads, be willing to be flexible when publishers make requests and take the initiative to acknowledge the top performers.
To demonstrate your flexibility and initiative, consider offering higher commissions to top affiliates, assisting marketers in maintaining strong metrics, and providing significant product information to publishers proactively.
9. Look the Part
Although it may resemble counsel one would offer an individual getting ready for a business meeting, ensuring your company has an appealing appearance is crucial. This involves ensuring your brand appears alluring to publishers while also captivating your intended audience.
Given the unique nature of each industry, it’s essential to assess your business and determine the most effective strategy for projecting a polished and competent image. You can accomplish this by employing a variety of methods, such as:
- Make sure your website is functional and attractive
- Review and update security certificates on your site
- Proofread all written content and make sure that all images on your site are relevant
10. Promote an Attractive Product or Service
Publishers won’t be able to produce conversions for you even if your marketing campaign is excellent, if the product is dull or unappealing.
To prevent this occurrence, opt for a product or service that captures the attention of your intended audience. Alternatively, you could endorse offerings that have a positive impact on the overall quality of life, though these options may be more challenging to find.
11. Inspire Credibility
It is essential to realize that establishing credibility is distinct from presenting a favorable image of your business. To establish credibility, you must demonstrate to your viewers that your brand is registered with appropriate bodies and is taking the necessary measures to ensure a secure online experience for them. Apart from obtaining security certificates, it is crucial to comply with GDPR regulations and any other pertinent laws.
12. Keep a Close Eye on the Technical Elements
The kind of publishers you attract can be influenced by the technical aspects of your program such as the commission type, cookie duration, conversion flow, and other related variables. Since there is no standard formula, you need to examine what the experts in your field are doing and create a customized approach for your program.
13. Provide Useful Resources to Your Publishers
Although quality publishers excel at developing content, the greater the resources you make available to them in your program, the more they will devote to enhancing their campaigns. Consequently, it is advisable to provide an abundance of resources, such as landing pages, fundamental ad copy, images, and other practical assets.
14. Explore Different Program Management Alternatives
Every affiliate program entails some level of administrative and managerial duties, ranging from disbursing payouts to scrutinizing publisher requests. It’s essential to devise a strategy for managing your program adequately, balancing your expenses.
Managing an affiliate program typically involves either setting up an in-house team for administrative tasks or collaborating with an affiliate network, which are the two most commonly preferred options.
Opting to keep your program within your organization provides a higher degree of authority, but it may also incur significant expenses. Conversely, utilizing ad networks can alleviate stress and guarantee seamless program execution. Moreover, if you select a suitable provider, you can maintain control without incurring overly exorbitant costs.
