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