So, the affiliate scene has really changed over time. It’s not just about closing deals anymore. Now, it’s all about building your brand while driving results. This shift is happening because big-name publishers are stepping into the affiliate game. They’re bringing their high-quality content and expanding their marketing strategies to include affiliate partnerships.
– Media companies exploring commerce revenue ( Conde Nast, CNN, and Forbes)
– Major financial brands getting involved in card-linked offers
– Technology brands embedding white-label rewards programs
– Prominent influencers promoting products to their followers
It’s really interesting how the arrival of these top-notch publishing brands is shaking things up in the affiliate world. During my time at Ella Paradis, I got to collaborate with these global publishers to develop truly industry-changing content using affiliate marketing and pushing the envelope of personal intimacy products into the mainstream market. Now, for the first time ever, the publisher’s brand can be just as famous, reliable, and influential as the brand of the product they’re promoting, or maybe even more so.
It’s like a two-way street where advertiser brands can actually benefit from the positive reputation of their publisher partners. Consumers are now discovering new brands through everyday websites and apps. The cool part is that now you can advertise on these premium publisher sites based on performance, which is a game-changer.
The halo effect is especially noticeable in the influencer realm. Some content creators have built such strong brand recognition that they resonate more with their followers than traditional media brands. Nowadays, consumers often discover brands and make purchases based on recommendations from their favourite YouTubers or TikTokers. It’s amazing how much influence these influencers have!
For digital marketers searching for affiliate partners to help them combine brand building with performance, here are four key things to look at:
1. Find partners who can give your brand a boost
Nowadays, you can team up with publishers who have a strong brand presence in the affiliate world. Don’t be afraid to partner with a publisher who has more brand awareness than you do. If they’re connecting with the consumers you want to reach, it can really give your brand a lift.
2. Make sure the partner fits your target audience
Sure, an affiliate partner might have a well-known and trusted brand, but do they resonate with the people who actually buy your products? Or with the groups you want to tap into? It’s important to check if their audience aligns with yours. Having millions of followers won’t help your brand if they’re not part of your target market.
3. Keep an open mind and forget your own biases
It’s easy for marketers to dismiss certain publishers or content creators just because they don’t personally consume their content. But remember, it’s not about you. Put aside your own perceptions and really understand your audience. As a Gen X marketer, you might not watch YouTube videos by MrBeast, but if you’re trying to reach Gen Z, you can bet a huge chunk of them are among his nearly 150 million subscribers.
4. Embrace the opportunity to experiment
The affiliate channel is a fantastic playground for trying out new things. Test different markets, models, creators, and messages. You don’t have to completely overhaul your entire marketing strategy. Just play around, measure the results, and see what works best for your brand. It’s all about learning and adapting.
As affiliate marketing keeps evolving, it’s actually benefiting all brands involved – advertisers and publishers alike. It’s great news because now you don’t have to choose between investing in long-term brand building or focusing on short-term revenue generation through performance. Affiliates can actually give you the best of both worlds. You can build your brand while also generating revenue at the same time. It’s a win-win situation!
Derrick Branco 