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Welcome back!

Hope you're all geared up after the weekend because we've got some fresh strategy insights lined up for you this week! Today, we're digging into influencer affiliate marketing.

In today's social media landscape, it feels like there's an influencer catering to every interest imaginable. Whether you're into fitness, fashion, gaming, or political commentary, there are key figures out there shaping the digital space of those niches—and chances are, you're following a few yourself.

The personal connections (or, let's be real, the parasocial relationships) we develop with influencers make their recommendations almost feel like advice from a trusted friend, which is why they can be a valuable channel to promote your product or service.

Let’s dive in! 📲

News

Tools + Productivity

Strategy

DIY programs

Although Amazon and many other marketplaces have third-party programs, you can create your own with affiliate marketing software.

This automates all the tasks involved in keeping your program running, like keeping track of sales through affiliates & managing payouts.

While third-party affiliate networks hold onto your data and control affiliate communication, software options give you control of your data so you know which relationships are generating the most sales.

Affiliate networks also tend to attract top affiliates, which = high commissions on top of setup & maintenance fees.

Still, networks are less time-consuming and offer a complete marketing system to help get you set up quickly.

Amazon has one of the largest third-party affiliate programs, known as the Amazon Associate program.

Picking partners

Who’s in the cards to be an affiliate? Any influencer or well-known personality who has an established base of loyal, engaged followers who could probably benefit from your product (an IG-famous chef promoting their favorite pots and pans, for example).

Electronics manufacturer HP collaborated with an artist/influencer through an affiliate campaign for its new mobile printer to show off its functions, including an affiliate link in the caption.

Of course, most small companies can’t afford the top influencers that come to mind considering their niche, so you’ll have to do some digging.

By searching for niche-related keywords on social media channels, it's pretty easy to ID trending voices across various influence tiers, helping you pinpoint the right tier for your product (whether that’s a following of 10k or 1M).

Remember, these people are pretty much extensions of your marketing team, so don’t get too affiliate-happy.

Don’t accept just anyone— make sure they align with your core brand values to avoid getting into trouble down the road.

Spotting red flags on potential affiliates’ accounts (spammy links or unethical behavior) should be prioritized— but it also helps to screen for a personality, tone, and style that matches your brand’s vibe.

If you're running an affiliate marketing program, having a solid agreement is a must. This document gets signed when affiliates join up and gets updated as your program grows.

So, what goes into one of these contracts?

1. Legal Stuff: This covers all your brand rules, like how things should look and who owns what.

2. Money Matters: It lays out how affiliates earn their commission—rates, when they get paid, and what counts (and what doesn't).

It’s important to include these sections in an agreement:

• Definitions: Clarifies terms like company, affiliate, and affiliate program.

• Nature of the Partnership: Affirms affiliates as independent contractors.

• Application and Acceptance: Details the process for joining the program.

• How the Program Works: Explains how affiliates earn and receive commissions.

• Non-exclusivity Clause: Allows affiliates to promote other brands.

• Responsibilities: Outlines tasks for both the affiliate and the business.

• Commission and Payment Terms: Specify rates, schedules, and criteria.

• Link Promotion: Rules for using affiliate links.

• Brand Promotion: Guidelines for using brand assets.

• Affiliate Tracking: Methods used to track affiliate activity.

• Confidentiality Agreement: Protects sensitive information.

• Termination or Suspension: Conditions under which the agreement can end.

• Legal Stipulations: Governing laws, dispute resolutions, and liability.

• Signatures: Space for both parties to sign and date the agreement.

You’ve secured affiliates— so now you can sit back and watch the sales stream in, right? Not exactly— affiliates need to be managed & maintained, just like other long-term business relationships.

Keep your affiliates in the loop with the latest updates and promos. Schedule a chill monthly hangout or catch-up session to chat, share tips, and stay connected.

Don't forget to give props to your top performers now and then to keep motivation high, and make sure they know they can contact you easily.

Influence your influencers

Affiliates you choose not only share trackable links to your brand website to earn commissions but in many cases also create promotional content in video or post format. So how do you influence them to frame your product in the right way?

For one, you can help them out with graphics, resources, and promotion guidelines to make their job easier— you have control over how your business is presented.

At the same time, giving your affiliates space to add personal experiences can make the promotion come across as much more authentic.

Consider motivating affiliates with tiered commissions— start with X% for the first 100 orders they bring in, then sweeten the deal with X + 2% after that.

Compare average order values across different groups of affiliates to see who’s boosting sales the most. See what they’re doing differently to help other affiliates step up their game.

Remember, the 80/20 rule applies to affiliates—20% of your affiliates often bring in 80% of the sales. Recognize your 20% with performance-based bonuses.

If you don’t sell physical products, it can be a little harder (but still possible) to find affiliates. You might just have to look for influencers with more niche audiences, where it makes sense to present a digital product.

Looking Ahead

Affiliate marketing has its drawbacks. If your margins are already tight— you may not be able to offer an appealing enough commission, and it may make more sense to focus on a customer referral program instead.

Regardless, capitalizing on the rise of up-and-coming influencers and letting them do all the talking for you can boost your strategy.

These emerging voices bring new perspectives and highly engaged followers, making early partnerships a gateway to niche markets and receptive audiences.

Join us next week as we explore paid search, a valuable yet often overlooked addition to your marketing toolkit.

Social Media Strategy
Week 1: Paid Social Media Advertising
Week 2: Native Advertising
Week 3: Affiliate Marketing (this week!)
Week 4: Paid Search
Week 5: Display Advertising

Stay tuned!

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