Interesting Affiliate Statistics – about Affiliates!

A lot of the time online marketers concentrate on the merchant-side affiliate marketing statistics – the number of affiliates driving sales, the ROI, the average sales per affiliate etc etc. This is all great for knowing if you programme is doing well or not. But it’s not the data that will help you work out how to get your merchant programme working harder.

That information comes from analysing the affiliates and what they’re doing.

The Affiliate Summit have published a set of industry benchmarks called “Affiliate Facts and Figures”, it’s the result of a survey of 1150 affiliates on what they do, what they like merchants to do etc. Fantastically useful information if you’re trying to encourage affiliates to promote your merchant.

I could easily highlight every stat in the report here – but it wouldn’t be as easy to understand as the report itself! So I’ve picked out a few tasters:

1. The potential affiliates are ever-changing.

17.5% of the responders have been affiliates for more than 10 years, 26.3% started being an affiliate in 2009 or 2010.

So you’ve got to keep your eye on the ball – so many newcomers means there’s going to be new strategies coming through – some will work, some won’t! But to truely make the most of the channel it’s going to be important to not ignore new affiliates.

2. Join an affiliate network!

Only 14% of the Affiliates surveyed prefer independent programmes  – so (unless there’s a reason the affiliates will want to trade direct with you – eg you are Amazon) get signed up to an affiliate network! It might cost more but you’re going to achieve success much faster.

3. You’ve got to compete for your affiliate’s attention

37.5% of affiliates actively promote 5 or less merchants
57.6% of affiliates actively promote 10 or less merchants
So you’ve got to make sure you’re at the top of the list, the front of mind of the affiliates you want to be promoting you. You’ve got to keep them in the loop and make it nice and easy for them to work on promoting you.

4. They’re busy on social networking – even if you’re not

67.5% of affiliates are incorporating social networking sites in their marketing plans.

5. Get the communications mix right

49% would like to hear from merchants monthly, 36.1% weekly. So make sure you’re communicating often enough – monthly at a minimum!

Overall feedback from the report is definately that if you look after the affiliates they’ll look after you!

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