How to choose an affiliate network? Why is the participation of an intermediary system so important in affiliate marketing?
Own referral programs are available for Internet projects of well-known brands (for example, Ozon, Children’s World, MTS, Sopato, etc.), and niche products (travel agencies, business trainers, etc.). It is important to note that all such proposals are very different in quality, scale and reliability.
Affiliated networks are sites created for the convenience of finding and minimizing the risks of advertisers and partners. Only in the USA there are more than 400 similar aggregators, in Russia – more than 100. They unite hundreds of thousands of referral links of products promoted by millions of webmasters.
Having joined such a system, first of all, you reduce the risks associated with the unfairness of the parties. Each site for finding suitable offers has a thematic catalog of participants with a detailed description of all advertising and financial indicators, characteristics of promoted links, etc.
The main feature for which advertisers are willing to pay fees, and webmasters to share commissions is the ability to monitor in real time all the necessary statistics on visits to the site, committed actions and final sales.
Types of partner networks:
There are four main types of partner networks, differing according to the principle of payment to participants.
Payment for the sale (CPS = Cost per Sale). As soon as a visitor buys a referral goods (books, clothes, electronics, flowers) or a service, the site owner will receive his commissions from the sale. According to this method of payment, online stores prefer to work.
Payment for action (CPA = Cost per Action). To receive a reward, a site visitor must perform a specific action on the promoted link – register on the advertiser’s website, subscribe to the newsletter, etc. This method is popular among dating sites, online games, etc.
CPV = Cost per View. Money is paid for clicks or impressions of banners, with the purpose of moving on them to the advertiser’s site. Actively used to display contextual advertising.
Payment for download (CPI = Cost per Install). If the visitor on your link has downloaded an information product, a mobile application, then the interest due to you will fall on your account.
Depending on the type of programs, partner networks can be:
highly specialized (work only with info products, online games or banking products, for example)
general (work with any type of program).
How to choose an affiliate network?
When deciding whether to join an intermediary site, you should find out as much as possible:
– cost of services. Specify what fees are provided in the system: monthly payments, registration fees, interest to webmasters, annual fee for renewal of the account and others.
– the reputation of the aggregator. Choose platforms with a reliable reputation. Read the reviews of those who already use the services.
– Tracking tools. Providing detailed statistics on visitor transitions is one of the key indicators of aggregator quality.
– number of products. Look for a network in which you see for yourself the optimal ratio of referral programs in terms of quantity and quality.
– withdrawal of funds. Immediately specify through which payment system you can withdraw funds, which minimum amount, payment terms, frequency, etc.
– technical support. The ability to quickly consult a problem that has arisen can not be underestimated.