Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books Saylor.org
the program yourself. You need to do a full competitor analysis, focusing on your competitors’
affiliate programs. Look at the following:
- Commission tiers
- Cookie periods
- Creative offerings
- Affiliates they work with
- Networks
- Incentives offered to affiliates
Prepare the basics that you’ll need to start a program:
- Product feed
- Banners and other creative offerings
Using your competitor research, decide on commission, commission tiers, cookie period, and
incentives.
Test the tracking software on your site and make sure that it does not conflict with any other tracking
you are using.
Recruit affiliates. Use your competitor analysis to contact potential affiliates, promote your program
through affiliate forums, use your affiliate network contact channels to approach affiliates, and
approach sites that you think fit your user demographic.
And it doesn’t all stop once you’ve launched! The key to successful affiliate marketing is ongoing
communication and marketing to your affiliates. You need to make sure you are on top of validating
sales, so they get their commission. You need to ensure that you stay competitive with your
commission offering, and you need to keep your affiliates up to date with any information that could
make them send more customers your way—more revenue for you and thus more cash for them!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
