Have I found the Perfect Affiliate Network?
I have looked that’s for sure and after 9 years in this industry I have come to the realization that there isn’t one affiliate network that can fill every affiliate marketers needs. What might be near perfect for you will most likely fall short for one reason or another for the next guy. What I’ve found is that there are certain attributes that the ones that I get balls deep with all seem to have.
They all have been in business for years and have cultivated a good reputation. If you are going to go into business with a network (and you are partnering with them – this should be your mentality) that hasn’t been around a while or doesn’t have a stellar rep then you should limit traffic to that source until they have proven themselves. Remember you are extending the networks credit and risk management should be part of your daily decision if you are actually trying to build a business.
They all have consistent and open communication with affiliates. This is key. If I don’t have 3 points of contact (phone, aim, and email) from atleast two people in organization then I won’t do much business with you, if any at all. For larger affiliates, these top networks typically will have a VP or Director also contact you so that the lines of communication don’t stop at the affiliate manager. They also seem to all have good communication within their own organization which leads to less hoops that the affiliate marketers have to jump through. Basically, everyone’s on the same page.
They all are flexible. This starts with communication and is def something that has to start from the top of an affiliate network and permeate down through the ranks. Flexible as in willing to work with an affiliate in different situations. They are open to talking to advertisers that have requested no email traffic about testing your email traffic because you are a proven marketer. They are flexible with there payouts and payment terms. In short, they don’t play by a hardline stance of “that’s just the way we do things, take it or leave it”.
They all are knowledgeable. They have knowledgeable affiliate managers that are proactive. The networks seem to also be experts in a certain vertical whether it be health/beauty re-bills, zip/email submits or education. They may have a ton of offers but they seem to have a certain niche at which they no better than anyone which translates into better offers and more shared knowledge for those niche marketers.
Hopefully this gets you guys thinking before partnering up or scaling an offer with a network. Don’t let a $1 more on a re-bill be the reason you are running with a network. Understand the risks that are involved and manage those risks by doing your due diligence. If not you are no smarter than that last conversion you slung those berriez to.
Comments on Have I found the Perfect Affiliate Network?
I found the perfect affiliate network: http://network.ppc.bz