HOW TO AVOID
BEING A BULLY
Sarah Beeskow Blay

A HOW TO
GUIDE:
Avoid Being an Attribution Bully

Yea Affiliate
Marketing!
Why it matters.

AFFILIATE MARKETING
• Uniquely paid on conversion
• Other marketing channels have
upfront costs
• Brand messages can be
reinforced through Affiliate
relationships

Digital
Native
1. An individual who was
born after the widespread
adoption of digital
technology
2. Consumers between 16
and 35 years old
na·tive
ˈnādiv/
dig·it·al
/ˈdijidl
adjectivenoun
74%
DON’T want brands
targeting them in
Facebook feeds and
other social networks
65%
TRUST online
communities
including blogs
Sources: InternetRetailer.com | Harris Poll Study | NewsCred

WORD OF MOUTH
MARKETING
Affiliate Marketing is the online
version of…

TIME MACHINE
A quick trip down memory lane

FIRST CLICK WINS
90’s

FIRST CLICK ATTRIBUTION
• Encouraged spam & cookie
stuffing
• No real incentive to close sale
• Industry moved away from this
model
100% 0% 0% 0%

LAST CLICK WINS
00’s

LAST CLICK ATTRIBUTION
• Became industry standard
• Affiliate last in the funnel WINS!
• Does not account for mid-funnel
influencers
100%
0% 0%0%

“Year of Affiliate Attribution”
2013

HOW DID WE GET HERE?
Coupon
Blog
Review

HOW DID WE GET HERE?
9%
16%
31%
Purchase Desire
1 Hour
1 Day
3 Days
Source: Content Creators are Underpaid, Representing
Tremendous Opportunity for Advertisers

HOW DID WE GET HERE?
94%
Source: Content Creators are Underpaid, Representing
Tremendous Opportunity for Advertisers

ATTRIBUTION
• Gives Merchant ability to award
flexibly for valuable contributors
• Grew out of a desire to recognize
and reward all who influence a
sale

See Biff. Don’t be Biff.

HOW DO BULLIES
FORM?

ATTRIBUTION
A Strategy to pay Affiliates less
is
NOT

A way to reward Affiliates who are
providing incremental value
ATTRIBUTION
IS

If you’re horrible to me, I’m
going to write a song about
it, and you won’t like it.
That’s how I operate.
TAYLOR SWIFT

7 STEPS:
Avoid Being an Attribution Bully

Give Credit Where
Credit is Due
Reward for the efforts that are extended
for your program.
1

REWARD
Changes are made to not reward
Affiliates, but the relationship remains in
tact.
1
You might be a bully if...

REWARD
Continuing to partner with Affiliates that
you will reward. For any others, decline.
1
Combat being an attribution bully by...

In action example…
REWARD1
Coupon Tags = 0%
Coupon Affiliates
Approved
Affiliate Sees
Partnership
Affiliate Sends
Sales

In action example…
REWARD1

Rally the Troops
Make a consensus as an organization
2

RALLY THE TROOPS
The Affiliates are not valued as highly as
other marketing channels.
2
You might be a bully if...

Involving all parties to come to an agreed
upon common goal.
Combat being an attribution bully by...
Marketing
Tech / DevExecutives
RALLY THE TROOPS2

In action example…
2

Know Your Data
Be sure to have the analytics and insight
on your end to ensure fair payouts.
3

KNOW YOUR DATA
You ignore internal data that helps show
you where the customer comes from.
3
You might be a bully if...

KNOW YOUR DATA
Use data to give a full picture of how your
customers find you and reward
accordingly.
3
Combat being an attribution bully by...

In action example…
KNOW YOUR DATA3
loss rate
50%

Explore Options
One size does not fit all
4

EXPLORE OPTIONS
A strategy is implemented because it's
what everyone else is doing.
4
You might be a bully if...

EXPLORE OPTIONS
Asking questions, education yourself on
what’s available, & implement the best fit
for your program.
4
Combat being an attribution bully by...

In action example…
EXPLORE OPTIONS4

In action example…
EXPLORE OPTIONS4
0%

Simplify
Avoid over complicating your
attribution solution.
5

SIMPLIFY
You create an attribution solution that is
difficult to achieve and works against the
Affiliate.
5
You might be a bully if...

SIMPLIFY
Creating clear, concise, and workable
solutions.
5
Combat being an attribution bully by...

7 Day Cookie
$25 Services
$12.50 Products
1 Day Cookie
30% Services
10% Products
New Customers Returning
SIMPLIFY5
30 Day Cookie | 30% Services | 10% Products

SIMPLIFY5
2 MINUTES1
2 MINUTES
30 DAYS2
2 MINUTES
2 MINUTES3
10%
10%
50% Split
BLOGGERS
ALL AFFILIATES
COUPON
2 Minutes
50% Split
ALL AFFILIATES
10%
ALL

SIMPLIFY5
30 DAYS1
2 MINUTES
10% ALL AFFILIATES
2 Minutes
50% Split

Play Fair
Create commissions that
motivate your Affiliates.
6

PLAY FAIR
You're squeezing out credit and still
expect Affiliates to be motivated.
6
You might be a bully if...

PLAY FAIR
Giving credit where credit is due.
6
Combat being an attribution bully by...

Affiliate Segmentation
PLAY FAIR6
30 DAYS
30 DAYS
1
2
VIP
ALL OTHER AFFILIATES
SALES
SALES

PLAY FAIR
30 DAYS
1 ALL AFFILIATESSALES
BLOGGERSALES
30 DAYS
2
Commission Bump

Chit Chat
Provide Affiliates with the data they need
to make informed decisions.
7

CHIT CHAT
Communication with Affiliates is unclear
and / or non-existent.
7
You might be a bully if...

CHIT CHAT
Helping Affiliates understand your strategy and
clearly communicate potential hindrances.
7
Combat being an attribution bully by...

In action example…
CHIT CHAT7
0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
0% 0% 0% 0% X% 0% 0%

CHIT CHAT7
Be a voice & advocate your
success!

More than non-affiliate
consumer
$7

Predicted Affiliate Marketing Spend In 2016
$4.5 BILLION
E-commerce purchases affected by Affiliate
Marketing in 2016
Merchants running an Affiliate Program
14%
80%
Sources: Forrester & Custora

THANK YOU!
Sarah Beeskow Blay
Sarah@ShareASale.com
Booth#6001