10+ Ways to Make
Your Affiliate Program
Stand Out
Geno Prussakov
CEO, AM Navigator (affiliate management agency)
www.amnavigator.com
Founder, Affiliate Management Days (conference)
www.amdays.com
Founder, Influencer Marketing Days (conference)
www.influencermarketingdays.com
.

Too Busy


MARKETING TO
AFFILIATES

“In advertising, not to
be different is virtually
suicidal.”
— William Bernbach

Zoom In

ShareASale:
1. Keywords on Network
CJ Affiliate:

Optimize for competitors’ branded
keywords
(including the ones on other networks)
1. Keywords on Network

1. Keywords on Network

1. Keywords on Network

Beat

• Organic
• and Paid Search
2. Outranking on Search

Zero Paid Ads 

2. Outranking on Search

Excite

Define “activation”
Examples:
• Putting links up
• Starting to drive traffic
• Referring first sale
3. Activation Incentives

How to incentivize?
• Cash for links
• Commission increase
• First sale bonus
• Cookie life increase
3. Activation Incentives

3. Activation Incentives

Motivate

• Tiered commission increases
• Cash bonuses for reaching goals
• Higher payouts for new customers
• Contests
4. Performance Incentives

4. Performance Incentives

Innovate

Examples:
• Co-branding a Tool
5. Being Different

5. Being Different

Examples:
• Co-branding a Tool
• Commission Beating
5. Being Different

Examples:
• Co-branding a Tool
• Commission Beating
• Turning Referral into Contest
5. Being Different

We learn
o 10% of what we read
o 20% of what we hear
o 30% of what we see
o 50% of what we see and hear
o 70% of what we say
o 90% of what we say and do
— Dr. Vernon Magnesen
5. Being Different


MARKETING THROUGH
AFFILIATES

Equip

6. Supporting Mobile Affiliates
47.46% of traffic, 39.59% of sales
Affiliate Window, Q4 2015

6. Supporting Mobile Affiliates
By tracking and providing them with:
• Mobile-friendly/responsive LPs
• Creatives (for various devices)
• Mobile APIs (for apps, etc)

API access for mobile app & game developers
6. Supporting Mobile Affiliates

Empower

Pay affiliates for hot leads that call in.
Just as with other models, the advertiser
“qualifies” the call.
Bridges the gap between online & offline.
7. Adding Pay-Per-Call

Improve

8. Offering Co-Branding
Your
Brand
Affiliate’s
Brand
Higher
Conversion
Rate

Three- to four-fold increase in
conversions (from 8.56% to 23.21%
for a cashback affiliate, 2.5% to 10.9%
for a coupon affiliate).
Affiliate Window
66.45% conversion increase, ~44%
revenue boost, and 132% difference in
new customers acquired.
Rakuten Affiliate Network
8. Offering Co-Branding

3 Goals of Co-Branding
1. Connect
(affiliate logo, wording, color gamma)
2. Convince
(exclusive promotion, urgency, scarcity)
3. Convert (auto-apply promo, CTA)

Discern

88x31 = overlooked opportunity!
Challenging for most designers,
but important for many affiliates.
9. Micro-Bars

Back Them Up

• Being reachable
• Being responsive
• Segmented approach
• Tailored suggestions
• Surveys
10. Support

TO RECAP

1. Zoom In (and optimize on networks)
2. Beat (your competition on search)
3. Excite (by activation incentives)
4. Motivate (by performance bonuses)
5. Innovate (to stand out)
Marketing To Affiliates

6. Equip (by supporting mobile)
7. Empower (through pay-per-call)
8. Improve (via co-branding)
9. Discern (importance of 88x31s)
10. Back Up (by personalized support)
Marketing Through Affiliates

A STORY

Your Imprint