'Net Features : linkshare

Rakuten LinkShare Tops List of Affiliate Networks

Michael Garrity — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:30:00 GMT

Awards season is upon us, and for the second year in a row, Rakuten LinkShare cleaned up.

Each year, the media company mThink compiles its Blue Book survey of various online advertisers, publishers and agencies to rank the top 20 CPA and affiliate networks in each respective industry. Survey participation rose over 40 percent this year, meaning mThink was able to consider the opinions of over 10,000 industry professionals with experience in affiliate marketing and working with various industry networks.

The survey’s results are then validated by an external panel of third-party industry experts that “span every aspect of the online marketing community.”

Rakuten LinkShare captured the number one spot on mThink’s list for the second year in a row, beating out a list of major names in the affiliate marketing industry, including Commission Junction (#2), Amazon (#3), ShareASale (#5), Affiliate Window (#12) and many more.

“We’re grateful to the industry for honoring and recognizing our commitment to performance marketing and to the success of our partners,” says Rakuten LinkShare CEO Yaz Iida. “Earning this award for the second year in a row further motivates us to continue to lead the industry in ways that will empower advertisers, publishers and agencies to see even stronger results in the future as we strive to maintain our ranking.”

In the CPA networks category, Clickbooth/Integraclick earned the top spot, followed by Neverblue, MaxBounty, PeerFly and MediaWhiz MonetizeIt, to round out the top five.

Dynamic Display Ads and the Future of Performance Marketing

Michael Garrity — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 22:30:00 GMT

Engaging visitors has always been the primary goal of both publishers and advertisers in the affiliate marketing industry, but for most of the existence of the Internet, their collective ability to interact with consumers has been limited, to say the least.

But the times they are a-changin’. These days, there are companies making impressive strides in the development of new technologies that can increase the value of display ads by making them more alluring to the average Web user. One such company is mediaFORGE, the dynamic display media organization that was recently acquired by Rakuten LinkShare.

The deal adds to LinkShare’s arsenal of affiliate marketing services and solutions, as well as its search marketing and lead generation tools, to help online retailers drive multi-channel, integrated marketing campaigns using the mediaFORGE Consumer Engagement display platform. This platform gives online advertisers the opportunity to prospect, retarget, nurture and engage customers for higher conversions.

According to mediaFORGE CEO Tony Zito, the platform provides “real visibility for how banner and display ads work with other performance channels.”

mediaFORGE’s ad platform features dynamic, engaging and uniquely relevant content meant to entice consumers to interact with the display, which not only increases user interest in an ad, but also provides additional engagement metrics (outside of just views or clicks) that can be used to better understand the actual value of each advertisement thanks to a built-in rich analytics platform that measures how consumers interact with the content inside the ad, providing a clear picture of how the ad influences users.

Incorporating this technology into its existing marketing services made perfect sense to LinkShare. The company didn’t just want any old display solution and felt that mediaFORGE presented a platform that had a unique value to its clients, making it a great fit for the performance marketing channel. In the future, LinkShare would like to continue to build mediaFORGE technology further into its network to work with advertisers and publishers to identify “multi-channel synergies and technical integration opportunities” with dynamic online advertising.

In acquiring mediaFORGE, LinkShare is accelerating the company’s expansion and reach throughout the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Japan.

Is Your Affiliate Manager Certified?

Michael Garrity — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:47:00 GMT

Both weathered veterans and affiliate marketing newbies may occasionally require some assistance in their endeavors. This is why many affiliate networks or programs hire affiliate managers – individuals assigned to help affiliates generate sales, track purchases, send commissions and more.

But how does one know which of these managers he or she can really trust?

Renowned affiliate marketing network Rakuten LinkShare may have the answer, as the company recently launched the first testing and certification program for affiliate managers run by a major network in the industry. Affiliate managers in the Rakuten LinkShare network will be tested for their proficiency and knowledge, and the program will provide advertisers with the education necessary to become “experts” with the ability to drive results and show significant growth.

Among the topics covered in the program are: basic affiliate marketing knowledge, best practices and strategies that can be used to maximize sales. It will also include information that is unique to the LinkShare network. Plus, participants are granted access to special tutorials, webinars and even live events hosted by Rakuten LinkShare.

Certified affiliate managers will receive a badge that can be displayed on their websites and marketing materials. These certifications are valid for one calendar year, with an annual option for renewal that will address any changes in online marketing in that time.

Currently, the program is only out in the US and Canada, but it should be launched in the UK and Japan by the end of the year. The fee for the initial test is $250, with each subsequent renewal costing $50.

Is There Value in Affiliate Marketing?

Pete Prestipino — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:15:00 GMT

Affiliate marketing continues to be an effective practice for advertisers/merchants, but how much value is really brought by performance-based marketers (affiliates)?

A recent survey from the Rakuten-Linkshare affiliate network indicates that despite the well publicized challenges, affiliate marketing spend is on the rise and is forecasted to keep pace with other areas of digital spend through 2016.

According to the study the affiliate channel is best for producing "new-to-file" or previously unknown customers and generating incremental customer acquisition. The customers acquired through performance marketing also tend to spend more than the average online shopper and are ultimately profitable for advertisers. Perhaps the most important revelation was that promotions in the affiliate channel have a positive impact on an advertiser’s brand reputation and loyalty.

Forrester, which conducted the study, forecasts U.S. affiliate marketing spending will increase by a compounded annual growth rate of nearly 17 percent between 2011 and 2016, growing to $4.5 billion.

LinkShare Affiliate Network Sees Explosive Growth

Michael Garrity — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:00:00 GMT

Rakuten LinkShare has announced that its various global performance marketing networks saw impressive growth throughout Q1 of 2012, with some of its strongest network sales coming from the United States, Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom.

This progress presents new opportunities for publishers, both at home and abroad.

Specifically in the U.S., the LinkShare network outperformed overall e-commerce in terms of growth by a large margin. Moreover, Forrester Research is predicting that overall e-commerce will grow by 12 percent by the end of 2012, while LinkShare has seen some of its store’s sales already increase 31 percent year-over-year in the first quarter.

The U.K. network also saw immense gains in some areas, with some overall store sales growing 52 percent year-over-year.

LinkShare has also added over 100 new brands in the first quarter. The U.S. network saw the inclusion of Steve Madden, while Canada signed Saks Fifth Avenue (who also joined the U.K. network), Kiehl’s, Biotherm and eBeauty.ca. The Japanese LinkShare network added Dyson Japan and Kurimo.

All of these brands represent a wide array of product categories (and publisher opportunities), from apparel to luxury and many more.

Barnes & Noble Selects Linkshare Affiliate Network

Pete Prestipino — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT

Barnes & Noble announced that it has selected the LinkShare affiliate network for its performance marketing initiatives.

Affiliate publishers will receive a straight six percent commission on the products available at Barnes & Noble, and be able to promote seasonal sales, coupon offers and special deals, along with a variety of traditional creative. The biggest draw for affiliates however will be the ability to promote the Nook reading device and all that comes with it – including ebooks (which BN just .

“Scaling our affiliate channel to create new, far reaching partnerships with online publishers is an important part of our online strategy,” said Michael Kildale, director of acquisition marketing at Barnes & Noble.com. “We selected LinkShare for its combination of experience, technology and strategy to meet our online performance marketing objectives.”

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LinkShare's Search Division Doubles its Business

Linc Wonham — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:00:00 GMT

LinkShare has announced that for the first half of 2011 it has doubled the number of signed brands for its search marketing division compared to all of 2010. New brands signed in 2011 include HMX Group, Nautica & Kipling, Samsonite and Kellwood.

The company reported that current client performance has been a key factor in winning new business. First quarter year-over-year performance for current clients delivered an average reduction in cost-per-click fees (CPCs) of more than three percent with an average increase in sales of 26 percent.

LinkShare’s search marketing platform uses technology from Kenshoo, a leading software provider for search engine marketing. LinkShare has been providing paid search management and consulting services since 2004.

LinkShare Growth Signals Affiliate Opportunity

Linc Wonham — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:00:00 GMT

LinkShare has announced a 37-percent overall same-store, year-over-year sales growth in the first quarter of 2011 for its performance marketing network of online advertisers and Web publishers, significantly outpacing overall e-commerce growth.

According to Forrester Research, e-commerce is expected to grow at a compound growth rate of 10 percent over the next five years. LinkShare’s growth in the first quarter of 2011 continues a trend started in 2010, when the network saw record growth during Cyber Week. LinkShare helped advertisers and publishers take advantage of the biggest holiday shopping season in history, marking a 12-percent increase over the same period in 2009.

The LinkShare Network also saw continued growth in the number of participating advertisers and publishers with over 75 new advertisers and thousands of new publishers joining in the first quarter of 2011. New advertisers include Panasonic, Build-A-Bear Workshop, American Greetings and HMX Group.

“When you look at the size and scope of the online e-commerce marketplace, it’s easy to get distracted by the various online advertising opportunities,” says Panasonic director of e-commerce Judah Zeigler. “We chose LinkShare and the CPA model to help us break through the noise and grow online sales with a measurable return on investment. The growth of Panasonic's direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales channel is a key strategic priority for Panasonic, and we are confident that LinkShare's expertise will be invaluable in helping us meet and exceed our objectives.”

The longest-running performance marketing network, LinkShare has paid more than $1 billion to publishers throughout the company’s 15-year history.

“The growth we have seen in the first quarter of 2011 demonstrates that strong brands and the sheer reach of publishers in the LinkShare Network is a powerful combination,” says LinkShare CEO and president Yaz Iida. “Advertisers and publishers continue to realize the value of performance marketing while using LinkShare solutions and services to capitalize on shifting trends in online consumer behavior including mobile commerce, shopping and comparison, and promotional trends including flash sales.”

LinkShare Reports Record Growth During Cyber Week

Affiliate Insider : feature — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 09:53:00 GMT

Performance marketing leader LinkShare has reported record year-over-year growth during the Thanksgiving holiday shopping period with same store sales increasing more than 50 percent on Black Friday and more than 45 percent on Cyber Monday. Strong growth...(read more)

Linkshare Tweetshop; Appealing to Affiliates?

Pete Prestipino — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:20:00 GMT

Performance marketing network LinkShare announced a new feature to their affiliate product line dubbed #tweetshop which enables publishers/affiliates to find products to recommend from their advertisers and send them to their Twitter followers from a single interface.

In a perfect world a solution such as the #tweetshop tool would enable consumers to find the best deals on products and publishers from a trusted network. The reality is that thousands of affiliates repeatedly tweeting similar products and services could cause distaste among an affiliates Twitter followers not to mention the effect such saturation might have on an advertisers brand and bottom line.

Don’t let me dissuade you; this is an interesting way for affiliates to monetize their Twitter usage. But what say you? A good idea or a bad one?

Here’s a video demonstration of how #tweetshop works:

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LinkShare Opens Pay-Per-Call, Turns Heads

Mike Phillips — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:36:00 GMT

LinkShare has a long, productive history in the affiliate space, and the latest LinkShare innovation is already turning heads. Pay-per-call gives publishers and affiliates a new way to earn - both online and offline. LinkShare provides custom, individual phone numbers for affiliates to connect consumers with advertisers. The advertiser gets a qualified lead, and the publisher has the opportunity to earn on each call placed to the advertiser.

"This whole new platform with pay-per-call allows our publishers to get commissions in ways they never could before," says Russ Pechman, VP of Linkshare Lead Advantage. "Online or offline, this opens publishers and advertisers to a new world of opportunity."

Once a phone number is established, publishers can promote it on their website, flyers, billboards, banners behind airplanes - just about anywhere. Advertisers can speak directly with their prospects, whether for lead generation or closing a sale on a product.

The program is leading off with lead generation, an area where advertisers can learn a great deal about their prospective audience. More advertisers -- including retailers -- will be signing up over time. Pechman notes that pay-per-call could be an ideal solution for advertisers who rely on human interaction during the sales process. For example, high-cost items, financial services, real-estate, insurance and much more. What's more, certain demographics are more comfortable with a phone call than a click. This solution opens up an important channel perhaps previously unavailable.

There are, of course, controls. Advertisers can set the requirements for a commission, such as length of call, interaction within the call (press '1' for more information) and more. And LinkShare provides terms and conditions, just like online, as well as measures to prevent fraud. "We make sure we're working with the right publishers, just as we would online," says Pechman. Also, the human element of a phone call can give advertisers the ability to detect a genuine lead from an unqualified lead.

This is certainly an exciting development for LinkShare, publishers and advertisers. It's further proof of the online world blending in offline and making e-commerce accessible away from the desktop. Using the vast network available through LinkShare, new lines will be opened. "It's going to be great to see a whole new person emerge who has never had the technical savvy to try something through a website but is good at promoting things in their own way," says Pechman.

Major Deal for LinkShare & Go Daddy Merchants

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:40:00 GMT

Performance marketing company LinkShare announced they have successfully integrated with domain name registrar Go Daddy.

Retailers that subscribe to Go Daddy's Quick Shopping Cart service are now able to access LinkShare's affiliate marketing technology and network of publishers. This is pretty big news for small and mid-size Internet retailers as it eases the burden and cost associated with affiliate marketing and online promotions.

"GoDaddy.com is absolutely focused on helping our customers be successful...quickly and easily," said Go Daddy CEO and founder Bob Parsons. "Quick Shopping Cart allows you to set up a complete e-commerce site in no time. Now, LinkShare gets our customers products into a wide network of websites in a way that makes it easy for everyone."

LinkShare Adds 74 Advertisers in Q3

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:07:00 GMT

Online advertising and affiliate network LinkShare announced the addition of 74 new advertisers to its network for the third-quarter of 2008. This doesn't surprise me. In tough economic times, advertisers always look towards performance marketing to get the most out of their promotional budgets and as I have said before - nothing works better than recruiting qualified publishers to do the selling for you (even if you have to give them a cut).

"Now more than ever companies are looking for measurable return on investment from their marketing dollars," said Yasuhisa "Yaz" Iida, Co-President, LinkShare Corporation. "We are pleased to see these new customers joining LinkShare's network for performance-based marketing solutions. For all of our customers -- both existing and new -- LinkShare consistently strives to provide excellent services while developing new and relevant technologies that support the specific and evolving needs of today's online marketers."

Third-quarter additions to LinkShare's network include 42 small-and-medium-sized companies.

Monitor Affiliate Revenue With AffMeter

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:59:00 GMT

There are far too few tools developed exclusively for affiliate marketers. When you find one (and a good one at that) it's essential you at least try it out for yourself. One such offering I have recently come across is AffMeter, a software solution which offers statistics, analytics and reporting exclusively for affiliate marketers to see this important data from all of the major affiliate networks they participate in. With a 60-day money back guarantee - it's worth a closer look.

One of the challenges of being an affiliate is the actual management of your campaigns as most marketers use multiple affiliate networks. With AffMeter, you can view your earnings from these affiliate networks and their merchants in one place, set up accounts for multiple networks in different channels, find top revenue generating (and losing) merchants, view EPC's and make comparisons between different time periods regarding your revenue generation, and a lot more.

Many of the major affiliate networks are supported currently, including Amazon, AvantLink, Buy.at, CPA Empire, Canadian Sponsors, ClickBank, ClixGalore, CJ, Google Adsense, LinkShare, PepperJam, Performics, and a whole host of others. LinkConnector, Shareasale and Incetaclick will apparently be added in the future.

Another interesting feature is that AffMeter users can also check their Google Adwords PPC campaign costs automatically. As margins become increasingly slim for affiliates using PPC, good tools will be how you ensure profitability.