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How to Choose an Affiliate Network
You've built your website, and you're generating
sales. You recognize that starting an affiliate program will bring in
even more business, but you don't have the time or technical capability
of setting up and maintaining an affiliate program by yourself. You
decide you will go through a middleman to take care of all this for you
- an affiliate network.
What should you look for? What should you be aware of?
Here's some tips to help you out.
Compare Fees
Make sure you're aware of all fees you will incur by becoming a
merchant. There are plenty of fees you should be aware of including
start-up fees, monthly maintenance fees, annual renewal fees, network
percentage fees, etc. Make sure you're clear on exactly how much your
affiliate network will be charging you.
Tip: Many affiliate networks (especially the new and/or smaller
ones) have promotions for reduced fees in order to gain a larger amount
of merchants - watch for these.
Tracking Sophistication
Reliable and honest tracking through the network should be always
provided. The latest tracking technologies should be in place, and
detailed reporting should be available to both you (the merchant), and
the affiliates (the publishers) of the network.
Fraud Protection
What kind of safeguards does the affiliate network have in place to
protect both merchants and publishers from fraud? This is something that
should especially be a concern if you choose to go with a CPC
(cost-per-click) model.
Reputation
Unfortunately there are a number of affiliate networks that are just
plain dishonest. Most problems lie with tracking, and commissions not
being credited towards affiliates. Don't be fooled - the big players in
the industry don't necessarily have a clean record either. Do your
research; don't sign up with a network that has a bad reputation with
its affiliates. Remember that the network you choose is a reflection of
you and your business - for better or for worse.
Number of Affiliates in Network
How many affiliates are members of the affiliate network? If it's an
especially small or large number, make sure you understand why. Some
networks have a huge amount of publishers, but many of them are
inactive, of questionable nature, or produce very few sales. The
opposite can also be true; a small network of publishers can often
generate huge traffic and sales for its merchants. It's best to look for
a combination of quality as well as quantity. You should also learn what
kind of criteria the network has in place for accepting new publishers.
It may also be good idea to ask whether or not the network is still
actively recruiting new affiliates.
Customer Service
This goes hand-in-hand with reputation. A good affiliate network will
provide excellent customer service to both its merchants and publishers.
Ideally you will want your own account manager who will work with you to
help your affiliate program succeed and grow.
Direct Affiliate Contact
Similar to customer service, you should inquire whether or not it is
possible to contact your affiliates directly. This may or may not be an
option through the network, so it is important to ask. As an example,
you may discover that a certain affiliate could perform much better if
they used different creatives on their website. By being able to contact
affiliates directly, you will have the option of forming closer and
mutually beneficial relationships with your affiliates.
Affiliate Program Promotion
After you sign up as a merchant, what will your affiliate network do to
get the word out about you to its publishers? Will it include your
program in its newsletter and e-mailings, place a link on its website,
issue a press release, or promote you as a "client" on a merchant list
on their website? Try to get as much exposure as possible from your
affiliate program network.
Make sure your newly chosen affiliate network works
both with and for you. By going through a third party, you are
introducing service charges into the mix. Make sure you know how much
you will be paying, and exactly what you will be paying for.
Affiliate program networks are convenient and great to
use - do your research before diving in head first, and your affiliate
program will be a success!
Some well-respected affiliate networks include:
About the Author
Veronica Dubak is an SEO expert, internet entrepreneur, and the owner of
the successful SurveyBounty.com
free online paid surveys directory. With a comprehensive listing of
online market research companies classified by region, and background
information on the online survey industry, SurveyBounty.com is the
legitimate source for online surveys.
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