Recently, Lee-Ann Johnstone, founder of Affiverse, hosted a webinar with Michael Cole, Head of Marketing at Everflow, to discuss the most pressing issues that affiliate managers encounter and how technology can help overcome these hurdles.
Here’s a summary of the key takeaways from the webinar, including practical solutions for affiliate managers to improve their programs.
Managing Technical and Managerial Challenges
One of the primary focuses of the webinar was the common technical and managerial challenges that arise when managing and scaling affiliate programs. Affiliate managers face various obstacles such as:
- Tracking issues: Inconsistent or inaccurate tracking of affiliate performance is a widespread problem. Without accurate data, it’s difficult to optimize performance or reward affiliates properly.
- Time management: Managing multiple affiliates can be time-consuming, particularly when it comes to tedious tasks such as setting up tracking links, ensuring proper reporting, and handling payouts.
- Affiliate fraud: Many affiliate managers encounter fraudulent activities, which can significantly impact a program’s success.
Automating Affiliate Management
Automation was highlighted as a game-changer for affiliate managers. Everflow offers automation features that can simplify many of the time-consuming tasks managers often face, such as:
- Tracking and Reporting: Automating the tracking of clicks, conversions, and performance can provide real-time insights, allowing managers to optimize campaigns on the go. Everflow’s tracking system offers deep insights into affiliate activity and performance.
- Payment Processes: One of the biggest pain points for affiliate managers is ensuring timely payments. Late payments can discourage affiliates and hinder their ability to reinvest in campaigns. By automating the payment process, Everflow ensures that payments are made on time and with minimal manual intervention.
- Fraud Detection: Everflow also includes tools to detect affiliate fraud early. With automated monitoring of traffic and performance, managers can identify suspicious activity and take action before it negatively impacts the program.
Aligning Affiliate and Program Goals
Misaligned goals between affiliates and managers were identified as a critical issue. Many affiliate managers struggle to define the right KPIs (key performance indicators) for their programs, which leads to inconsistent performance.
The solution? Clear communication and the ability to track meaningful data points. By setting clear KPIs that align with business goals, managers can better monitor affiliate performance and make informed decisions about how to reward top-performing partners.
In addition, Everflow’s dashboard allows managers to easily track and analyze data, ensuring that they are always aware of how affiliates are performing against their goals.
Optimizing Recruitment and Onboarding
Affiliate recruitment and onboarding can be a complex process. Many managers find it difficult to identify suitable affiliates, and the onboarding process can be tedious.
The webinar emphasized the need for a smooth onboarding process that treats affiliates like valued partners. Everflow’s intuitive interface allows for easy onboarding, providing affiliates with everything they need, from tracking links to promotional materials. This not only saves time but also ensures that affiliates are equipped to start driving traffic and conversions as quickly as possible.
Providing Competitive Commissions
Keeping affiliates motivated is essential for program success. The webinar highlighted that the most effective way to do this is by offering competitive commissions.
Many affiliate programs rely on traditional models like CPA (cost per acquisition) or revenue share. Managers should consider more flexible commission models that align with the type of affiliate they are working with. For instance, offering a higher payout for higher-value leads or sales can motivate affiliates to perform better.
Everflow’s commission engine allows managers to customize payout models based on performance, ensuring that the most valuable affiliates are properly rewarded.
Leveraging Data for Better Decision Making
A key takeaway from the webinar was the importance of leveraging data to make informed decisions. Lack of data insights is a common problem in affiliate management, and without the right data, managers can’t optimize their campaigns effectively.
By integrating advanced tracking and reporting tools, managers can gain valuable insights into affiliate performance. This allows them to:
- Spot trends and identify what’s working
- Detect and mitigate fraud
- Make data-driven decisions on which affiliates to invest in
Everflow’s platform provides detailed reporting and analytics that make it easier to track performance and gather insights.
Staying Ahead of Affiliate Fraud
Affiliate fraud is a persistent issue that impacts nearly 67% of affiliate managers. From fake clicks to fraudulent conversions, these activities can damage the integrity of your program.
The webinar highlighted the need for robust fraud detection tools. Everflow’s platform includes fraud monitoring features that help identify and prevent fraud before it affects the bottom line. By keeping a close eye on suspicious activities, affiliate managers can protect their programs from fraud and maintain the trust of their affiliates.
Conclusion
Affiliate managers face many challenges, from managing time effectively to dealing with fraud and misaligned goals. However, by leveraging automation and advanced tracking tools, many of these issues can be resolved. Platforms like Everflow empower managers to focus on scaling their programs and building strong relationships with affiliates, rather than being bogged down by manual tasks and technical challenges.
If you’re managing an affiliate program and looking to overcome these common challenges, consider exploring how Everflow can streamline your operations, enhance your tracking, and drive better performance.
Watch the whole conversation here
Don’t miss our October Webinar… Why Investing in Affiliate Fraud Detection is Crucial
Brought to you by Anura
Wed, Oct 2, 2024, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (BST)
Ignoring affiliate fraud in your program can lead to substantial financial losses, damage to your brand reputation, and inefficient allocation of marketing budgets.
In this webinar, we’ll detail how you can safeguard your resources and ensure that your marketing strategies yield genuine results.
We’ll discuss some recent cases of hidden fraud and how that works, lift the veil on warning signs and help you understand how to make the best out of every £/$ you’re spending on sub-affiliate networks and advertising partners all while focusing on how to scale your program and grow solid relationships that drive incremental sales!
