“Be there where your customers are”. That is the only “Mantra” to beat fierce competition and gain cost-effective yet competitive marketing advantage.
We all are aware of this “innate truth” but the majority of the advertisers end up spending high only to get into the right pair of shoes. Sometimes the effort goes directionless costing even more. That is an ongoing concern for agencies and marketing pros too eying for the desperate results.
Solutions
So, what are productive avenues online one should look at? How to ensure maximum reach keeping in mind the cost and other unavoidable constraints? How to make online campaigning and lead generation more of a relationship based process than “pay and go” model (one-time deals).
Fit into the right pair of shoes
Whether you want to capitalize on the number of traffic viewing your products or services online or you want to run a special giveaway campaign for inaugural promotions – you need the right platform to start with and the right people to partner with. Advertisement running cost is another area that can burn a hole in your pocket.
As most of the businesses are vying for the top ad slots, best branding opportunities and competitive advantage, you really need to do similar things in a different way that pays you in the long run. Spending like a tycoon sure is not a sole provision.
Have basics clear
Your business is as good as people perceive its value. Affiliate marketing with its basics in place can get you there at almost the cost you are happy to pay. The only area you need to master at or rather capitalize on is identifying the right affiliate partner. Making noises in the right place make enough business sense than you it otherwise. If you have the product with a mass appeal and real ease of use.
It is important you show your business face on the most vibrant platforms, because that is where your target customers are
One should know that success in affiliate marketing is deeply rooted in the basics as follows:
- Be visible and be heard, no matter which category of business you belong to
- Choose websites that have natural and repeat visitors (less bounce rate is good)
- Identify potential publishers and partners .It is better you rely on fewer but larger commission payments.
- Get to know your publishers well and provide them the tools they can use to feature your business.
- Work on publisher incentive schemes. Cash prizes, free iPads, holiday package are attractive prizes
- Choose destination specific sites, so that your marketing efforts are not just restricted to sites of national or international level. High traffic websites with regional content are the best websites to get your brand featured on.
Here in the following narrative, we will take you through the 5 HOTSPOTS of affiliate marketing that you will simply regret missing.
Travel websites
Travel is one sector with large mass appeal as it caters to people of wide variety, region and interest. It has one of the highest amounts of consumers researching about service plan and spending quality time out there. Good travel affiliates/ publishers are not merely brochure websites; they use technology to get connected with consumers through a number of channels such as product datafeeds, APIs, widgets and Search Creative. Affiliate marketing through high traffic travel portals gives you the best return when you advertise consumer and lifestyle products.
Online Casinos
Online casinos spend billions of dollars as a part of their annual advertisement budget. With such websites there is an immense opportunity to pull traffic worth of thousands of dollars. Some of the websites are of high popularity since they offer huge jackpots, loyalty bonuses, lucrative offers and ultimate gaming experience. This increases the profit potential of casino players which in turn ensures longer and repeat visits, real call-to-action and a huge traffic boom resulting in maximum response in affiliate campaign.
Could you ignore to be featured on such websites that actually earn and pass high active traffic to your business website?
Such game offers players the excitement and fun of traditional casino from the privacy and comfort of their own home. Joining casino affiliate program can really reflect on your conversion table at the end of the day. Who does not want to experience the steep curve in visitors’ metrics?
Online Shopping Portals
Shopping portals come with a plethora of benefits. These websites aggressively promote their offers through discount codes, coupon codes, deals so as to bring more and more genuine visitors who actually act on the website. In fact big players in online shopping business pay huge commissions to their affiliate partner to ensure regular flow of quality traffic. Therefore, for obvious reason any advertiser would be more than happy to get them illuminated on such shopping portals.
Moreover, shopping websites maintain long term relationships with merchants, retailers and deal seekers which ensures better conversion rate for your affiliate program and credibility of your business as an affiliate partner.
Insurance websites
Insurance (or similar types of financial product) is another sector that runs maximum transactions on a day to day basis. Featuring on such trusted websites where people have serious things to do is an added advantage – provided you have the right kind of product/solutions to offer and the right kind of message is being forwarded to the customers. Insurance portals as your affiliate partner can give you highly targeted business leads to convert.
Auction Sites
If you move by the number of reviews and visits a decent auction site earns in a year, your calculating machine could be inundated by the zillions of fans, followers and prospective visitors. Online auctions are a great place for entrepreneurs, bargain shoppers and anyone who looks out for supplementary income. This is the place where buyers and sellers with their innate search for profit aggregate and take business decisions. If you are selling a financial product that has got some attractive and quick offers with it would surely benefit from partnering with auction sites.
Conclusion
As we all know affiliate marketing is a low risk, cost effective way to get into the customer’s mind. There are many advertisers like you who are in search of best affiliate partners for advertising their brands. Therefore, it is ideal you come up with such attractive offerings that your publishers can not negate or would think twice before rejecting your proposal. Even if it costs you a bit more, go for long term deals. It is favourable.
Above all, good relationships with affiliate sites and their user base is the top most priority. Your affiliate marketing partner would also love to see how well you serve to his or her website viewers. If placing your ad on their website really boosts their traffic count and leaves positive feedback, at the end of the day the game is yours.
Monetary benefits, perks and discounts are not the sole parameters that drive success of your affiliate marketing initiative. It is building easy-going relationships and connecting the right set of audience to the right kind of solutions that pays off.
Ritik Singh
Admin
Sarah Williams
Rachita Kotian