How to choose the right affiliate email marketing program: 7 parameters
Relevance to your audience
An affiliate program should resonate with the people you’re going to promote it to. It’s not just about the highest rate, it’s about promoting an email marketing solution potential referees will genuinely benefit from.
For example, imagine that your audience consists of experienced marketers who work mostly with e-commerce brands. They will probably need advanced online advertising services or specific email newsletter tools. In such a scenario, there’s no point in trying to promote a solution for newbies or a tool designed for event organizers.
Quality of the offer
Apart from relevancy, the offer also simply needs to be a high-quality one. For example, a platform you want to promote may have direct email marketing features that your audience needs. But if these features are poorly made, your followers may be disappointed, they will not sign up or sign up for a lower pricing tier, and you’ll get a lower commission as a result.
In general, it’s recommended that you personally try out the affiliate program you’re about to start promoting. This way, you’ll have an expert knowledge of the tool’s functionality, user-friendliness, and effectiveness firsthand making you more confident in promoting it.
Cookie duration
Affiliate programs are usually cookie-based: once you sign up for an affiliate program, you get a special affiliate link and if someone signs up using it, you receive the commission. Simple enough.
Now, imagine that someone clicks on the link but doesn’t sign up right away, but does it a week or two later after they consider other options. Unfortunately, they do so using the service’s home page, not the link.
In other words, while their initial exposure to the service was through you, they ultimately didn’t sign up using the link you’ve shared. So, you receive no commission, right? Not if the affiliate program you signed up for is cookie-based!
In such a scenario, a cookie will be stored in the browser of anyone who clicks on an affiliate link. If they don’t sign up during their first visit, but then come back later, you still get the commission! They have to do it while the cookie is still active, though.
Cookie duration varies depending on the affiliate program you’ve signed up for. If a person signs up after the cookie expires, you get no commission. So, if possible, go for an affiliate program with a longer cookie duration.
Payout method
Think about how you are going to be paid, it’s not always as simple as you might think. For example, chances are, you’d want to get paid by PayPal and Stripe and the majority of brands do have this option for their affiliates, but not every one of them. Some may pay only via bank transfer or use specialized third-party integration.
Available tools and support
If a brand takes its affiliate program seriously, its representatives should be interested in making your life as an affiliate as easy as possible. From banners and content ideas to tutorials on using AI in email marketing, there have to be necessary materials to properly promote this brand.
Consider the program’s support structure. Are there managers you can contact specifically about the affiliate program? If you’ve already tried it, how easy and productive was it? Are there training sessions or webinars?
Potential earnings and transparency
Everyone wants to earn well and it’s easy to get overwhelmed, but when money is involved, the best bet is to stay realistic. Unlimited commissions sound like a brilliant opportunity, but unless it’s really a godsend, it might be a cover for less attractive details.
The best affiliate programs provide clear terms, ensuring there are no hidden clauses that might affect affiliate partners’ earnings. In case you’re new to affiliate marketing software, it might be best to check how a program is perceived by seasoned affiliate marketers.
To give an example, imagine that you’re considering signing up for a specific affiliate program. Try to find some reviews first, preferably by real people, of course. By doing so, you can make sure that it’s actually worth getting into.
Diversifying and staying updated
It’s risky to rely on just one program or platform. It might be tempting to heavily invest in one promising program, but as we mentioned in the previous paragraph, opportunities of a lifetime don’t appear often, there might be something behind it.
There are all kinds of things waiting for you out there like sudden market shifts or unfavorable policy changes, but you can make it less risky if you take up several opportunities at once.