Affiliate marketing is one of the most exciting spheres within the whole marketing industry – and it is definitely here to stay. There are those who think that this is a form of marketing that is going to fade away with time, but the evolving digital landscape proves that this simply isn’t the case.
No matter how the internet might chop and change, and how much our internet habits might change, you can guarantee that affiliate marketing will still be around to lend a helping hand to brands and partners who need it. Here are some of the reasons why we think it is definitely here to stay.
SEO-based
So much of affiliate marketing is rooted in SEO, or search engine optimization. This is one area that constantly changes. The SEO landscape is very different from what it was even five years ago, let alone ten or twenty. There is always some new practice, and some new technique – just as there is always something that will be falling out of favour.
To be a successful affiliate marketer, you have to have a good knowledge of SEO. You will be required to finetune your campaigns so that they are getting the engagement that they need to push ahead of your competition. SEO is the way to do this.
Since this is one factor that is consistently evolving, it means that affiliate marketing as a whole is going to keep evolving too. There is always something new to try and some new way that you can branch out and grow your affiliate marketing program using SEO practices. Since SEO is constantly evolving, it means that affiliate marketers will also be able to keep evolving their art alongside it.
The changes with cookies
Ever since it was announced that Google would be phasing out third-party cookies, many have worried about how this will affect affiliates, and how the industry can move forward. However, there are plenty of ways around this, and plenty of techniques that affiliate marketers can also use to further their efforts without relying on this type of cookie.
Affiliate marketing is here to stay, and so are first-party cookies. These generate a unique ID through an affiliate link and tracks their behaviours, including when the user makes an additional purchase further down the line.
This is perfect for affiliate marketers as it allows them to track content and products that their audience is choosing directly. This, in turn, allows them to provide content and options that is tailored directly to what their audience wants to see.
Third-party cookies have been abandoned to cut down on many of the invasive practices that can be used by people who actively and often use these cookies. The switch will require some rebuilding on the part of some affiliate programs, but many will still be able to operate and deliver the high set of results and standards expected in this sector.
Low costs to the brands
One of the best things about affiliate marketing – and why it is here to stay – is that the brands working with affiliate marketers only need to pay for results. Though there are costs for the affiliates to pay like website hosting or paid advertising, they are for the affiliate to shoulder and manage, not the brands.
Most affiliate networks work with a CPA (cost per acquisition) or CPC (cost per click) model. This means that affiliates are incentivised to work for their conversions, as this will be the only way that they get paid.
For brands, there is no cost involved in terms of set up and campaign maintenance. They will have to provide partners with some materials for the campaigns but many of these are similar to what we see the brands pushing out themselves, so there might not be too much of a cost difference. And, since they only pay for results, it makes affiliate marketing a very cost-effective way for brands to market themselves and reach out to others.
The rise of ecommerce
One of the major reasons why affiliate marketing is most definitely here to stay is simply the rise of ecommerce. There are many brands who have either launched online or who have seen fantastic growth by offering their products and services to an online audience.
Affiliate marketing always tries to ensure that it is at the forefront of marketing techniques. A lot of work is put in to make sure that we are always evolving and trying something new. As ecommerce continues to grow, the service of affiliate marketers will only become more in demand.
Want to know how you can grow and evolve your affiliate marketing in 2022? You need to pick up your ticket to the ELEVATE Summit in June! Get ready to learn how to GROW your program and your marketing strategies to get them to the next level.
