At the Affiverse Amplify Summit, we were able to pull in advice and insights across the world of affiliate marketers. Those who attended our expert panels will have heard from the best of the best in their fields!
Back on the 17th of January, we kicked everything off with Looking to the Future – Amplifying Partner Growth in 2022. With a sponsor from CJ.com, this was the perfect way to start sharing, and a chance to explore the performance marketing industry from every angle.
Our founder and CEO, Lee-Ann Johnstone, moderated this panel. Our experts sharing their thoughts were:
- Wade Tonkin, Director of Global Affiliate Marketing at Fanatics
- Sarah Bundy, Founder of All Inclusive Marketing
- Linda O’Connell, Senior Vice President for the UK and Ireland at CJ
- Zach Measures, Commercial Director for EMEA at Everflow
In just an hour, they were able to discuss a wide range of points within the wider discussion topics. What can be taken away from their wisdom and insight?
Key areas to focus on when trying to grow
Trying to grow any affiliate marketing program can be a long process. As can be demonstrated by our panel of experts, there are also many ways to go about it!
Linda recommended focusing on recruiting the correct publishers and partners. This allows an affiliate manager to choose the publishers that are truly going to be of the most value to the brand as a whole. Quality, not quantity, is always a must.
Sarah highlighted the importance of aligning branding and content teams. Though the campaigns may be pushed out by the affiliate marketers themselves, they must align with the branding of the product or service on offer. It is important that all aspects of the offer are cohesive, and so communication and alignment between branding and content needs to be as smooth as possible.
Zach brought attention to the importance of using the right tracking platform. It has to allow an affiliate manager to speak to your desired audience in the manner you best choose. The right tools and platforms will help with all aspects of affiliate marketing.
Wade also pointed out that traditional media is still crucial and will continue to grow throughout 2022 and beyond. Many are focused on what new media can offer, when traditional opportunities offer plenty of chances for growth.
As can be seen, there are many areas to focus on when trying to grow an affiliate marketing program. Part of the responsibility of the manager will always be to identify the pathways a program can use to grow. Will one of the four suggested by our experts be a viable route for your program in 2022?
Educate your affiliate management team
Our experts all agreed that educating your affiliate management team will always be very important. The world of affiliate marketing changes all the time. Constant education and revaluation give a company the skills they need to move ahead of the competition – taking advantage of new tools, niches, and more before the rest of the industry can catch up.
Zach shared how he and his team make sure that they spend time analysing platforms and tools. This then allows them to do a full analysis to see where they should be spending money and pursuing leads.
Sarah added that data is the future, and understanding it is key. Brands need to work with partners who are willing to do a full analysis to discover where extra attention needs to be paid and changes could potentially be brought about.
What your team should focus on in 2022
So, with all of this discussed, what should teams focus on in 2022?
Linda and Wade agreed on the same point – how to educate brands and truly make them understand affiliate marketing. It is a creative and variable way to market and, for the brand, it is low-risk since you only pay for results. It really is too important an opportunity to miss out on, and yet so many brands are yet to commit or do not understand the power that lies in affiliate marketing.
Zach also brought up the point of simplifying platforms and operations. This can be especially beneficial when undertaking complex operations such as internationalising but must be done carefully to ensure that nothing crucial is lost in the process or an issue of compliance is raised.
Moving forward
These were some of the key points raised in this first panel at the Affiverse Amplify Summit, and it has certainly provided some key learnings for brands to take forward.
Focus on the platforms and strategies being used and ensure that there is plenty of understanding within the affiliate program, from both brands and marketers. Make sure that everything is tailored to benefit the needs of your program.
Want to know how you can increase your performance and keep ahead of the latest digital marketing trends again? Make sure that you are signed up for the Affiverse Elevate Summit in June!
In the meantime, check out the full video from the Looking to the Future – Amplifying Partner Growth in 2022 panel to gain the full benefit of everything our experts discussed.
