Join us as we highlight important topics regarding affiliate program launch and maintenance. We encourage you to bring questions. Experience level: Beginner Target audience: Merchant/Advertiser Niche/vertical: Affiliate Management Geno Prussakov, Founder & CEO, AM Navigator LLC (Twitter @ePrussakov) (Moderator) Amy Ely, Ecommerce Acquisition Manager, Under Armour (Twitter @aely) Karen Garcia, CEO, GTO Management (Twitter @karengarcia) Kim Salvino, Director of Publisher Development, Chateau 20, LLC (Twitter @kim_salvino)

1. Affiliate Program
Management:
Launch & Maintenance
Kim Salvino, Chateau 20
Amy Ely, Under Armour
Karen Garcia, GTO Management
Geno Prussakov, AM Navigator & AMDays.com

2. Agenda
• Introduction
• Step 1: Assess Program Goals & Reputation
• Step 2: Evaluate the Competitive Landscape
• Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation
• Step 4: Confirm Tracking & Reporting
• Step 5: Review Your Affiliate List
• Step 6: Develop A Communication Plan
• Step 7: Launch!
• Step 8: Maintenance
• Final Thoughts

3. Introduction

4. Avoid Being…
a) Shallow
b) Bland
Introduction

5. Step 1
Assess Program Goals &
Reputation

6. What Are Your Goals?
Source: http://www.moviefanatic.com/gallery/scrat-in-ice-age-continental-drift/

7. Program Goals:
Establish Baseline KPIs
• Data, data, data….
• It’s not just the total number of affiliates
• Where does affiliate sit in the ecommerce revenue
stream?
Step 1: Assess Program Goals & Reputation

8. Reputation:
Assess Where You Stand
• Google search, forum search, affiliate survey
• Google alerts – set for you and competitors
• Accept the positives. Address the negatives.
Step 1: Assess Program Goals & Reputation

9. Step 2
Evaluate the Competitive
Landscape

10. Competitive Landscape:
How Do You Compare?
• Commission rate
• Cookie length
• Conversion rate
• Creative suite
• Feeds and tools
• Terms and conditions
Step 2: Evaluate the Competitive Landscape

11. Step 3
Build A Strong Foundation

12. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(avoid confusion)
It is not the same as the affiliate
network’s agreement!
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

13. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(don’t fall prey)
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

14. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(don’t fall prey)
Merchant naïvete -- loss of defensive
behaviors and adaptations needed to
deal with “predators”
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

15. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(7 areas to cover)
1. Coupon & discounts policy
2. Trademark policy
3. Search engine marketing rules
4. Policies on loyalty affiliates
5. Email marketing terms
6. Social media, reviews, endorsements
7. Toolbars, adware & parasitic behavior
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

16. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(structure)
1. Foreword (including your contact info)
2. Summary (outlining the main points)
3. Full agreement
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

17. Strong Foundation:
Program Agreement
(sobering truth)
“How often do you read
the program agreement?”
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

18. Strong Foundation:
Creative Selection
Banners(and text links!)
• Cover the common sizes
• Include sizes to replace AdSense units
• Analyze what works for competitors
• Create affiliate-friendly banners
• Deep text links to boost conversion
Additional Resources
• Well categorized, regularly updated data feed
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

19. Strong Foundation:
Creative Selection
Banner Sizes
• 468×60 px – 2-5 banners (AdSense too)
• 125×125 px – 2-5
• 120×600 px – 2-5  AdSense size
• 88×31 px button – 2-5  overlooked opportunity!
• 160×600 px – 2-3  AdSense size
• 120×240 px – 2-3
• 234×60 px – 2-3
• 254×331 px – 2-3
• 728×90 px – 2-3  AdSense size
• 720×300 px – 1-2
• 300×250 px – 1-2
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

20. Strong Foundation:
Creative Selection
Competitor’s Banners
Do analyze,
but beware of
skewed metrics!
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

21. Strong Foundation:
Creative Selection
Common Banner Mistakes
1. Poor graphics
2. Unreadable font
3. Phone number/URL
4. Excessive animation
5. Missing CTA
6. Poor contrast
7. No line around edge
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

22. Strong Foundation:
Creative Selection
Good Examples
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

23. Strong Foundation:
Program Support Content
(FAQs, blog, social media support)
• Think like an affiliate and anticipate questions
• Share key information
• Search engine friendly copy and content
Step 3: Build A Strong Foundation

24. Step 4
Confirm Tracking &
Reporting

25. Tracking & Reporting
Test, Test, Test….
• Test shopping cart in all major browsers
o IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
• Complete a test purchase
o Confirm tracking and reporting are working
o Test with third party payment systems –
PayPal, Google Checkout, etc.
• Check each network
o Ensure transactions across networks track properly
**AFFILIATES WILL TEST YOUR TRACKING**
Make sure it’s right BEFORE they find errors
Step 4: Confirm Tracking & Reporting

26. Tracking & Reporting
Mobile Ready
• Add Safari to the list of browsers to test
• Safari and Chrome = most widely used on mobile
• NO FLASH, as not all mobile devices support flash
• Ensure your cookie works in mobile
Step 4: Confirm Tracking & Reporting

27. Step 5
Review Your Affiliate List

28. Affiliate List
Review Current Partners
• Check your placement on their site
• Understand how they’re promoting you
• Ensure compliance with Ts & Cs
• Ask others about their reputation
• Consult your network or OPM
• Use search engines and forums to review positive
and negative feedback
Step 5: Review Your Affiliate List

29. Step 6
Develop A
Communication Plan

30. Communication Plan
Intro & Ongoing
• Getting Started
o Introductory newsletter and feedback request
o Announce in forums and social media
• Make A Plan For Continued Communication
o Newsletter content and cadence
o Forum and social media involvement
…Most of All…
Provide full contact details and be
approachable, genuine and responsive to affiliates
Step 6: Develop A Communication Plan

31. Step 7
Launch!

32. Step 8
Maintenance

33. Maintenance
Growth
• Consistent and timely review of applications
o Approval rubric
• Develop and implement a marketing calendar
o Go beyond the holidays
o Motivate your affiliates to participate
• Ongoing Recruitment
o What is your target market?
o Where do they live online?
o Who can get you in front of them?
• Activate your current affiliate base
Step 8: Maintenance

34. Maintenance
Ongoing Communication
• Reply to affiliate questions promptly
• Affiliate requests: can you go above and beyond?
• Newsletters
o Include important information succinctly
o Do not waste your affiliates’ time
o What’s working? What’s not?
• Review all affiliate-facing content regularly
o Merchant site landing page
o Network landing page
o All application related emails
• Your FAQ is a living document
Step 8: Maintenance

35. Maintenance
Creatives & Feeds
• Avoid the Valentine’s Day Turducken
o It’s January…what holiday banners do you have up?
• Keep tabs on your demographics
o Has your target demographic changed?
o Has a new product or service expanded your customer scope?
• Data feeds
o Automation ensures regular updates
o Review all feeds regularly from an affiliate perspective
• Ask Your Affiliates What They Want
Step 8: Maintenance

36. Maintenance
Ongoing Affiliate Review
Continue to review your current partners (look familiar?)
• Check your placement on their site
• Understand how they’re promoting you
• Ensure compliance with Ts & Cs
• Ask others about their reputation
• Consult your network or OPM
• Use search engines and forums to review positive and negative
feedback
Plus…
• Utilize network segmentation tools
• Look for simple suggestions to help
Step 5: Review Your Affiliate List

37. Maintenance
Compliance
• Ensure your policies are clear
o Repeated infractions could be a sign of unclear verbiage
• Have a plan
o What is the procedure for dealing with offenders?
• Send regular reminders
• Available Tools
o Available network data can be useful, but often isn’t enough
o Screenshots are your friend
o Plus plenty of compliance resources…
Step 8: Maintenance

38. Maintenance
Compliance
…speaking of compliance with program terms….
Agreement gives you a foundation, but is no
substitute for policing & compliance enforcement
Step 8: Maintenance

39. Maintenance
Tools for Policing Compliance
In Paid Search Campaigns:
• iTrademarkBidding – itrademarkbidding.com
• Brandverity PoachMark – brandverity.com/poachmark
• SearchMonitor – thesearchmonitor.com/affiliate_monitor
• AdGooroo Trademark Insight – adgooroo.com
In Domain Names:
• CitizenHawk – citizenhawk.com
Step 8: Maintenance

40. Final Thoughts
+ Key Takeaways
 Set clear goals and measures of success
 Ensure the program is (and remains) competitive
 Build a strong foundation (terms, creative, support)
 Confirm (and continually test) tracking/reporting
 Design and carry out a solid communication plan
 Review (and continue to review) your affiliate list
 Monitor compliance and create an action plan
Be responsive, proactive, build strong relationships
and use feedback to grow and support your program
Final Thoughts

41. Additional Resources
Resources:
Web Sites & Podcasts: Merchant ABCs & Geekcast.fm
AMNavigator.com/TOS.html
Book: Affiliate Program Management: An Hour a Day
eBook: How to Start and Run a Profitable Affiliate Program
http://merchantabcs.com/free(free today!)
Find Us On Twitter
Kim Salvino @kim_salvino
Amy Ely @aely
Karen Garcia @karengarcia
Geno Prussakov @eprussakov