Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing. Its a very clever way to get your product out there by leveraging the audience that your affiliates have grown and turning them into your customers. This means that a business rewards affiliates for each visitor or customer that they bring in through their own marketing efforts.
The affiliate marketing industry has four key players: the merchant (retailer or brand), the network (which contains offers for the affiliate to choose from and also takes care of the payments), the publisher (also known as the affiliate), and the customer. There is a growing complexity in the market which has led to the development of a secondary tier of players. This includes affiliate management agencies, super-affiliates and specialized third-party vendors.
As the business driving an affiliate program, you’ll pay your affiliates a commission fee for every lead or sale they drive to your website. Your main goal should be to find affiliates who’ll reach untapped markets. A company with an e-zine, for example, may make a good affiliate because its subscribers are hungry for resources. So introducing your offer through a “trusted” company can grab the attention of prospects you might not have otherwise reached.
Affiliate marketing is similar to other Internet marketing methods, as affiliates often use common advertising methods. These methods include organic search engine optimization (SEO), paid search engine marketing (PPC – Pay Per Click), email marketing, content marketing, and (in some ways) display advertising. At the same time, affiliates may use less mainstream techniques, such as writing reviews for products or services offered by a partner.
Businesses that best benefit from affiliate marketing are businesses that sell products online such as eCommerce companies and the best way to create those affiliates relationships is by using a company such as Commission Junction, a long time broker of affiliate relationships.
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Val
