August 4, 2020
Four Affiliate Marketing Tips Brands Can Implement Now to Win the Day In Q4
I had the opportunity to be a panelist on Awin’s recent webinar about how agencies are impacted by COVID-19 and trends we are seeing with our clients. As Senior Affiliate Program Manager at PartnerCentric, this inspired me to really think about the second half of this year. Here I have put together four affiliate marketing tips so brands can start planning for the 2020 holiday season and win the day, despite the uncertainty of COVID-19:
1. Invest in Performance-Based Marketing
I know it’s scary when there are so many economic unknowns but due to affiliate marketing’s strong reputation as a high-ROI driving channel, we are seeing a trend where brands that are putting more budget into the channel are seeing more growth. Additionally, many brands are reevaluating their coupon promotional strategy, either by altering the cadence or employing an entirely new marketing strategy. Brands that didn’t offer promotions previously now see they have to provide real incentives to consumers to help them save money while also meeting their bottom lines.
2. Prepare Holiday Marketing Strategies Now
One of the biggest trends moving into Fall and the holiday season is convenience.
Give Customers More Payment Options for Online Shopping
Shoppers will want free shipping, strong promotions, more payment options (ex. buy now, pay later), easy checkout and store pickup options.
Optimize Your Ecommerce Website’s User Experience
We don’t know if brick and mortar stores will be open so focus on your e-commerce presence and make it as easy as possible for consumers to shop.
Based on the trends we’ve seen in the last few months, retail brands have been growing, and people are still spending. With the threat of a second wave of COVID looming, e-commerce will be there to win the day. For this reason, brands should be making sure their digital presence is fully optimized and provides a strong user experience.
3. Integrate Smart Targeting Technology
I predict that there will be more focus on targeting and customization in 2021. Affiliate publishers that can use the right data to target the right consumers will create new opportunities.
Ensure Compliance Solutions
Brands also need more control in the form of robust compliance solutions and tighter compliance to mitigate the risk of ad fraud as more people are shopping online vs. going in-store.
Accurately Payout Affiliates with Multi-Touch Attribution Model
We are able to employ granular commissioning and attribution strategies by using PartnerCentrics tools and technologies to match clients’ budgets and make sure they aren’t spending on anything that isn’t beneficial to their programs. Additionally, we have the capabilities to allow our clients to experiment on attribution models and go beyond last click. This gives our clients the control and clarity they need to know who they are paying out, what they are paying out on, and can segment by SKUs and customer types.
4. Strengthen Relationships with Existing Publishers and Consider New Opps
Many publishers have seen major brands cut commissions completely when COVID started. Due to this, they have offered more flexibility to those brands that need to pull back a bit or pay smaller commissions on specific segments. Even content and editorial publishers are more understanding based on what’s going on. While they historically work on flat fees, they are now more open to flat fee hybrid options that include commissions. There is more room for negotiation, especially when you have established strong relationships with these publishers and are open with them.
My goal is to help businesses excel and succeed despite any of the challenges that pop up and I hope that these tips help you thrive during Q4 and beyond.
Have any questions? Get in touch.