'Net Features : affiliate program

The Direct Approach to Affiliate Marketing

Michael Garrity — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:15:00 GMT

Relationships are an important part of any working environment, right? Well, that goes double for affiliate marketers and their merchant partners, as the publisher is almost totally reliant on the advertiser to make money, all the way down to utilizing the affiliate content they create.

Fortunately for affiliates, there are plenty of networks that can connect them to merchants in their desired industries and help them establish and manage these critical partnerships. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for every affiliate, nor for every merchant.

Sometimes marketers prefer to take the direct route and forge partnerships with merchants on their own, which can also have positive results for both parties.

So, what exactly are the differences between using an affiliate network and going directly through a merchant? We will take an in-depth look at both processes below:

Relationship Advice
Finding the right business partner can be a taxing endeavor, which is why many affiliates prefer to use affiliate networks. These organizations not only help marketers and merchants begin their business relationship, but they also help manage the commission flow, and we all know how stressful money matters can be.

Using an affiliate network is certainly an acceptable choice, as it allows publishers to manage a lot of relationships using a single interface or dashboard, and keeps everything neat and organized. They also keep track of an affiliate’s performance so that merchants can make an educated judgment entering into a partnership. It’s like an affiliate résumé that updates automatically.

That being said, what publishers gain in manageability, they lose in personalization. And while this may be fine for an affiliate with hundreds of smaller relationships, it may be hurting the earning potential of larger-income opportunities.

Foregoing the route of the affiliate network allows a marketer to create a more personal, customized deal with a merchant that clearly outlines the objectives and expectations of both parties. And as a bonus, it also helps publishers lobby for higher commissions, and commission increases for a job well done. By cutting out the middle-man, both parties are able to quickly make changes to their arrangements with less hassle.

Pretty much any affiliate marketer worth his or her salt will tell you that the key to a successful (i.e. profitable) merchant relationship is communication. And most people will probably agree that the more personal and clear that correspondence is, the better.

Directly establishing a one-on-one business partnership with a merchant can vastly improve communication between both parties, and allows them to be more open and clear about the state and direction of their pairing.

But ultimately, the major difference is the commission flow. Affiliate networks are a business, after all, and all of the legwork they exercise for both affiliates and merchants, in terms of finding the best partners, getting them together, handing payouts and more, isn't free.

Somewhere in the transaction from merchant to marketer, some money has to go to the network. This could mean that the rates an advertiser pays out feel inflated, or that publishers have to accept they will be parting with a percentage of their earnings.

A direct partnership obviously means the commission will go directly from merchant to publisher, and neither side has to adjust their earnings/payouts to include the cost of using a network.

Going Direct
If you’re an affiliate marketer looking to ditch the affiliate network, or just add to your impressive list of revenue opportunities, going direct is a surprisingly simple process. In some ways, it could even be considered easier than using a network.

The first thing to do is identify those merchants that you think would be most appropriate for your website, as in the products or services that you would most like to promote that will have mutually beneficial results. If you don't already have specific merchants in mind, you can always look to one of the many affiliate program directories online.

These sites list a variety of companies that offer affiliate programs and are often divided into different categories, making it easy to browse your particular target industry to find the programs that best meet your criteria.

Once you’ve targeted potential advertisers, simply contact them directly. Most merchants with affiliate programs will have a link to the program’s Web page at the bottom of their site, and typically this page features a registration form. If a merchant doesn’t have this link and/or form, but you are aware of an existing affiliate program, then you can always find additional contact information and express your interest the old-fashioned way.

Then, it’s just a matter of waiting for the merchant to respond and hashing out the details. It’s best to be up front about how much you feel you should earn, and why, and be willing to compromise to find the commission structure that will work best for both parties.

NameCheap Announces Affiliate Program

MaureenA — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:00:00 GMT

If you work closely with clients and are responsible for buying and managing domain names, it's smart to participate in affiliate programs to supplement your income. There are hundreds of programs available and now NameCheap is added to that list. NameCheap recently announced the launch of its an affiliate program due to the high amount of recommendations it receives from customers. Affiliates receive 15 percent from each new sale, with no limit on product offerings or quantity sold. This includes hosting, transfers and basically any time someone creates a new account, according to Michelle Greer with NameCheap.

Other domain registrars with affiliate programs include GoDaddy and Network Solutions, plus many more. GoDaddy affiliates receive 20 percent commission on new purchases, and Network Solutions affiliates receive 30 percent commission on new purchases and transfers.

NameCheap's commission may be lower than other programs in the market, but Greer adds the ease of use associated with NameCheap makes up the difference. "NameCheap is known for its easy user interface and checkout process," Greer says. "Plus it's an easy sell because when you buy a domain, you get an SSL cert for free."

Which domain affiliate programs do you participate in?

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StreamSend Affiliate Program

Administrator — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:26:00 GMT

Email marketing provider StreamSend is introducing a new affiliate marketing program. Features for the program (which is free to join) include real-time statistics, reporting and balance tracking, as well as (and most importantly) a 20 percent commission recurring monthly per sale resulting from affiliate leads. "We're excited to introduce the new StreamSend Email Marketing Affiliate Program," explains Dan Forootan, CEO of EZ Publishing, creator of StreamSend. "The program is particularly advantageous to those that don't want to resell Private Label Email Marketing, but would rather refer business and earn supplemental revenue that can enhance and diversify their bottom line."

Ecommerce: Shopify Affiliate Program

Administrator — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:59:00 GMT

Ecommerce solution provider Jaded Pixel, creators of the Shopify ecommerce platform, announced the launch of an affiliate program. The program is open to everyone from Web designers with clients who are interested in creating an online store, to e-commerce or technology bloggers with an interested audience, to current shop owners who run Shopify and want to spread the word about the service.

The payout? Refer clients to Shopify and share 20% of the revenue for the lifetime of the referred online stores. Pricing for Shopify range from $24 per month for the basic plan to $299 per month for the enterprise level plan. If my math is correct, Shopify affiliates referring just one enterprise level client could earn just over $700 in one year.

“We provide all Shopify affiliates with an intuitive online interface used to sign up new stores, track current revenue and view total earnings. In addition to the great revenue incentive, Shopify affiliates receive creative collateral and ongoing information on how to get the most from the Shopify application,” said Shannon McKarney, Director of Affiliate Programs, Jaded Pixel. “We are pleased to be sharing the benefits of the Shopify application with individuals that want to help ensure the success of this great e-commerce tool.”

You may want to learn more about the Shopify e-commerce application which by the way is currently being used by more than 26,000 merchants.