We attended PILIVE last week and it was a fantastic event all around! Not only did we get to have some brilliant conversations about affiliate marketing, but Lee-Ann gave a great talk and we made some great connections.
The return of live events could not come soon enough, and it was amazing to take part in this one. All affiliate managers and marketers should go to events if they are able to. There is nowhere better to network and make the necessary connections needed to forge amazing partnerships and campaigns.
Attending these also means that you will get the inside scoop for some of the biggest shifts in the industry! Here are some of the things that we learned at PI LIVE!
The industry is changing
The affiliate industry always moves fast, but it is definitely picking up the pace at the moment. Affiliates and managers need to make sure that they are staying ahead of the game at all times. PI LIVE was just one of many events that you could attend.
Get registered for the Affiverse Summit now – we will be going through everything you need to know to stay ahead of the curve – and you can catch up on the sessions for up to 12 months after the event!
What is changing about the Affiliate Marketing industry?
So, precisely what is changing about the affiliate industry? The most obvious place to look is how things are being shaped by marketing technology and AI. There is no doubt that this is driving massive change to the way we promote and track data and also consumer engagement which impacts margins being optimised to leverage these dynamic shifts.
Artificial intelligence is proving to be bigger and better than ever before. In some areas, AI is proving to be doing a better job than its human counterparts by factors of up to 25% according to one of the talks we attended. Therefore, it is crucial that affiliate managers look for ways in which they can implement AI in their programs to augment results – whether this is through data analysis or any other path!
Many companies are also concerned as to how they can best diversify their brand marketing in the customer buyer journey funnel. The simplest answer here is with affiliate marketing. Affiliates provide the ideal way for you to invest early and start building key momentum for your brand throughout the entire buyer awareness journey.
Ambassador and influencer marketing is still on the rise with content curators building massive audiences which brands need to understand how to engage and work with. Affiliate marketers need to learn how to use these content creators to their advantage. Some types of affiliate marketing can attract a one size fits all approach, but this won’t work here.
What tech can be used to keep ahead of the curve?
We spoke with a range of innovative e-commerce and SaaS companies doing great things to help brands increase sales and bring curated content to consumers helping to improve conversion.
Take a look at these which you might want to consider in your performance marketing strategies:
- RevLifter – a platform for creating hyper-personalised eCommerce deals and content, with AI-powered recommendations tailored to your goals.
- Tipser – a platform for embedded commerce with 7k global brands and over 200 million consumers across their publisher network.
- Giftcloud – allows for the purchase of giftcards for a wide variety of high street brands, all of which can be sent directly to a phone or scheduled for a later date.
Focus on the right things
It is vital that all affiliates are able to focus not on volume delivery, but also on bringing in customers who offer the right value. Affiliate Marketers need to make sure that you are bringing in the right affiliates, at the right time, at every section of the buyer journey, and across all areas of the buyer awareness journey.
On stage at PILIVE, Lee-Ann was asked whether voucher codes and cash-back sites should be used.
She answered emphatically – Yes!
Just as PPC and SEO publishers have a place in the program to drive customers forward to your brand and service, these publishers cannot be discounted in terms of the value they add to the user search journey. Attribution modelling could be another area to look deeper into to optimise program margins, but it should be done so carefully using data to drive best practices for your own business.
The value of multi-touch attribution is still a HOT conversation however, forward-thinking marketers will instead look to AI to help boost their advertising and conversion.
Food for thought
Overall, PILIVE was a great first event to get back to and gave us lots of ideas as to where the markets are shifting at the moment. The value that can be taken from live events such as this cannot be overlooked but in the meantime, if you are still in lockdown or aren’t able to travel… Get registered for the Affiverse summit now, and join a host of experts as we discover how to Amplify Performance in 2022 together!
