How to Work with Content Sites in Affiliate Marketing

Content partnerships have continued to extend in popularity year over year within affiliate marketing, yet the factors that enter a partner’s decision to figure with a brand remain vague to several marketers. Some factors like brand awareness and consumer reviews could be public knowledge , while aspects like commission thresholds and promotional calendars might not be as obvious. during this piece, we detail the factors that has got to be considered, and partners to figure with throughout the funnel, for marketers to seek out success through content partnerships.

How am i able to prepare my brand to figure with content sites?

Brand awareness and size

Generally speaking, content sites are looking to figure with brands that have established their marketing touchpoints and have built a recognisable brand through the utilization of these touchpoints. The marketing rule of seven touchpoints to conversion continues to reign as king, meaning if a brand has existing digital content that's driving consumers through the buyers’ funnel, content sites are more likely to comply with a partnership. this is often important because it increases the probability of a consumer landing on the content partner’s article. to make sure a content partnership fits seamlessly within the conversion funnel, marketers may provide the partner with a promotion to incorporate within the article, enticing the buyer to continue moving towards a sale .

Promotions

If a marketer is new the affiliate marketing space and doesn’t offer promotions to partners, the likelihood of content sites eager to write on that brand become slim to none. Content sites need a call to action, and promotions or discounts typically convince be the simplest at converting. Therefore, it's highly recommended that brands who have an interest in working with content sites provide promotions to supply their readers. In doing so, it draws in greater traffic for the partner, attracts the buyer , and helps to drive a better ROI for the marketer.

Commission thresholds

When looking to onboard content partners, marketers should anticipate the necessity for flexibility with their commission rates, both on a price per Action (CPA) and revshare model. As a general rule of thumb, content sites typically request higher commission rates than mid and lower-funnel partners; this is often largely thanks to the very fact that upper-funnel partners are less likely to receive last-click attribution, so a better commission compensates for potentially not being paid out on the sale, additionally to the extent of effort that goes into writing specific branded content. If a brand isn't willing to be flexible with commission thresholds, content sites will likely go elsewhere. 

Consumer reviews

Content sites will often consider a brand’s online presence and consumer reviews before considering a partnership. Sources like Trustpilot and Better Business Bureau are crucial to the health of a brand’s online reviews; if sites like these are touting negative reviews of a brand, content sites will usually avoid that partnership. However, albeit a brand’s reviews aren’t exactly stellar, that doesn’t mean that each one hope is lost. 

If a brand is new the space or must boost existing ratings, partnering with review sites like Trustpilot et al. can work with brands to make a technique to extend their ratings. Doing well by consumers generally drives ratings to be positive but it’s imperative for brands to be proactive when it involves reviews. By establishing regular outreach to consumers post-purchase, brands have the chance to catch and remedy poor user experiences before they become negative reviews. 

Content calendar

Promotional or content calendars are an excellent way for marketers to entice content partners to write down about their brand. By providing the partner with something fresh and newsworthy to write down about up-front, marketers remove an additional layer of labor for the partner, giving them a leg abreast of competitors who might not have prepared as thoroughly. Whether it’s a replacement collaboration, an exciting product launch, or seasonal promotions, content partners appreciate this level of visibility and having the ability to plan their editorial calendars accordingly. 

Why content partnerships are only a bit of a successful marketing strategy

Content partners largely serve the aim of accelerating brand awareness and driving consumers into the buyer’s funnel because traditional affiliate programs typically run on a last-click attribution model. However, counting on a marketer’s goals, there are additional attribution models which will be implemented to partner more heavily with content sites. If a marketer is solely working with content partners on a last-click model, the likelihood of their consumers converting is exponentially less than a marketer who utilises a holistic approach to performance marketing. It’s a misconception of the many marketers that working with content sites will lead on to customer conversions.

Integrating a full-funnel strategy is important to driving consumers to convert on a brand’s product or service. By employing mid and lower-funnel partners, like coupon and loyalty sites, additionally to upper-funnel partners, consumers remain engaged throughout the whole buyers’ journey.

Upper-funnel partnerships like content sites are only the primary step in creating a full-funnel performance strategy. By implementing a full-funnel strategy, marketers can put themselves and their affiliate programs during a much stronger position for fulfillment .

Looking to urge involved content partners? Reach bent Perform[cb] Agency now to urge started!