December 1, 2022
When (and Why) It’s Smart to Outsource Affiliate Marketing Management
In fact, it likely means you’re growing at such a rapid rate there’s no time to onboard more internal help and/or expertise—at least in a timely manner. One sentiment we hear all the time at PartnerCentric is: “Managing our affiliate marketing program in-house is time-consuming and expensive… But, we know it works!”
So, business leaders think about getting some outside help. Of course, there’s always an element of resistance. Aside from all the “proprietary” pieces that have to be protected, what about giving up control? Will this be just one more thing you have to manage from your CEO or CMO seat?
Instead of viewing this as handing over the keys to your brand’s kingdom, consider outsourcing affiliate marketing management as a growth-first collaboration. Affiliate agencies want you to succeed, and that can’t happen without intention. The top agencies are not there to take away; only to give and grow your business.
Top Benefits of Affiliate Marketing Management Expertise
How does outsourcing actually help? Here are some key benefits:
1) Cost savings.
Running an effective affiliate program involves a lot of moving parts. If you tried to bring in all the knowledge, tech, and manpower to do it internally, you could be spending a hefty chunk of change. Rather than piecemealing the work out to various internal folks, a full-service affiliate marketing management provider offers all-encompassing expertise.
2) Time savings.
Trying to keep up with all the changes in the affiliate channel can be daunting—and a time suck, especially if you’re relatively new to the affiliate channel. Just think of all the hours your team will spend monitoring those essential moving parts (content, fraud, compliance, performance). But, someone with inside knowledge, and with tech on their side, can do the work of two people in half the time.
Another element of time is actually getting your program up and running. Many times, this can take weeks (or even months). With the help of agency experts—professionals who have been in the affiliate industry since its inception—you have the opportunity to get your program live in mere days.
3) Relationship building.
In the affiliate channel, who you know matters. Of course you want the roster of publishers that are the best fit for your brand, and that requires recruiting, vetting, and monitoring them. Ultimately, it always pays to get an inside edge on the best contacts through tenured experts who know the industry inside and out. An agency’s breadth of relationships will far surpass that of an in-house team.
4) Tech access.
While tech can’t do everything, there are solutions that make running a successful affiliate program a whole lot easier. For example, how close are you monitoring your content? Are you adhering to trademark regulations? Is your program susceptible to fraud, and to what extent? Are your internal analytics aligning with reporting of affiliate platforms and networks?
These are all elements that must garner your continuous attention if you expect your affiliate program to succeed. Again, keeping up with them manually only puts your program—and your brand integrity—at risk.
Outsourcing Can Be the Best Investment You Make
It may feel uncomfortable to bring in an outside resource, but the truth is, bringing in the external expertise of an agency doesn’t mean you’re relinquishing control of your program—or anything else. Rather, it amplifies your efforts to make your in-house team even more successful.
Connect with us if you’d like to learn more about what PartnerCentric does to help clients succeed in the affiliate channel.