Comments on: How To Construct a Good Affiliate Program Description http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/ Geno talks about affiliate marketing, leadership, etc Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:14:20 +0000 hourly 1 By: Isis J http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-14869 Isis J Mon, 14 Nov 2011 02:43:08 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-14869 I understand. Some of the inventory is the same, but we do have more products available with the new supplier than the old one. We are selling the same types of products but we did a complete overhaul of the site, it's image and it's "personality". We will be relaunching it officially since we made quite a few changes to how we manage the site, etc. I wasn't sure about the stats because while we were selling products with the old supplier, we were giving many refunds due to out of stock items because we couldn't check their inventory real time. We can do this with the new supplier so our inventory reflects what's really in stock at their warehouse and the orders are also submitted to them real time. But I understand what you are saying. We need to rebuild everything, including traffic (which we are still learning how to do better) and then launch our program. Thanks for the info about the landing pages. We were planning to have them but after reading the bit about using them for services, I wasn't sure. I understand. Some of the inventory is the same, but we do have more products available with the new supplier than the old one. We are selling the same types of products but we did a complete overhaul of the site, it’s image and it’s “personality”. We will be relaunching it officially since we made quite a few changes to how we manage the site, etc. I wasn’t sure about the stats because while we were selling products with the old supplier, we were giving many refunds due to out of stock items because we couldn’t check their inventory real time. We can do this with the new supplier so our inventory reflects what’s really in stock at their warehouse and the orders are also submitted to them real time. But I understand what you are saying. We need to rebuild everything, including traffic (which we are still learning how to do better) and then launch our program.

Thanks for the info about the landing pages. We were planning to have them but after reading the bit about using them for services, I wasn’t sure.

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-14858 Geno Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:03:25 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-14858 <b>Isis</b>, when you say "lack of or no abundance of stats", do you refer to the fact that you are essentially starting with a different inventory and a new online store? If so, as <a href="http://affiliatemarketingplan.com/merchants-dont-use-affiliates-as-guinea-pigs" rel="nofollow">Todd Farmer wrote in his we're-no-guinea-pigs post</a> "an affiliate program is only appropriate to launch after, and only after, you've already confirmed your conversions are optimized". So, start your website, optimize it to convert (at least at 1-2% overall), and only then start your affiliate program. Speaking of landing pages: yes, and no. Yes, they're more popular with services, but when you're selling tangible merchandise, they are also absolutely necessary for specific promos, for co-branded (merchant+affiliate) landing pages, and so on. Isis, when you say “lack of or no abundance of stats”, do you refer to the fact that you are essentially starting with a different inventory and a new online store? If so, as Todd Farmer wrote in his we’re-no-guinea-pigs post “an affiliate program is only appropriate to launch after, and only after, you’ve already confirmed your conversions are optimized”. So, start your website, optimize it to convert (at least at 1-2% overall), and only then start your affiliate program.

Speaking of landing pages: yes, and no. Yes, they’re more popular with services, but when you’re selling tangible merchandise, they are also absolutely necessary for specific promos, for co-branded (merchant+affiliate) landing pages, and so on.

]]> By: Isis J http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-14845 Isis J Sun, 13 Nov 2011 14:50:17 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-14845 Great article! A couple of questions... We've had to sort of "start over" with our online store because we used to have a supplier that gave us no way interact with their inventory real time and items were constantly out of stock. So now we have a great supplier and are in the process of rebuilding our customer base. We have a few ways in motion for accomplishing that and an affiliate program is another method we'd like to use. So our question is, how to handle a lack of or no abundance of stats? Also are landing pages usually only used if you are selling a service? Or do those selling tangible goods use them just as much? Thanks! Great article! A couple of questions… We’ve had to sort of “start over” with our online store because we used to have a supplier that gave us no way interact with their inventory real time and items were constantly out of stock. So now we have a great supplier and are in the process of rebuilding our customer base. We have a few ways in motion for accomplishing that and an affiliate program is another method we’d like to use. So our question is, how to handle a lack of or no abundance of stats?

Also are landing pages usually only used if you are selling a service? Or do those selling tangible goods use them just as much?

Thanks!

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-4561 Geno Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:49:46 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-4561 Excellent points, <b>Darren</b>! Especially about the PPC bidding and any other restrictions affiliates must know about. I'll add it as point #6 above. Excellent points, Darren! Especially about the PPC bidding and any other restrictions affiliates must know about. I’ll add it as point #6 above.

]]> By: Darren Zapsky http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-4549 Darren Zapsky Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:47:57 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-4549 I know you mentioned it but one of the first things I look for, and sometimes don't easily find, is information on PPC and keyword bidding terms. I'm not sure why some affiliate managers overlook this in the terms but they sometimes do. It's just a pet peeve of mine. Also the accompanying blog is something all affiliate program managers should have. It would eliminate many unnecessary emails. I know you mentioned it but one of the first things I look for, and sometimes don’t easily find, is information on PPC and keyword bidding terms. I’m not sure why some affiliate managers overlook this in the terms but they sometimes do. It’s just a pet peeve of mine.

Also the accompanying blog is something all affiliate program managers should have. It would eliminate many unnecessary emails.

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-4545 Geno Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:01:41 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-4545 <b>Mark</b>, the reason I recommend going with a 250 words or thereabout is because an affiliate program description page is not a website, and affiliates that come to it want to glance over and find everything they want to know about an affiliate program. I haven't researched this and don't have any exact data, but I wouldn't think that a busy affiliate has more than 30-60 seconds to devote to an affiliate program description page. Hence, my wordcount recommendation. Mark, the reason I recommend going with a 250 words or thereabout is because an affiliate program description page is not a website, and affiliates that come to it want to glance over and find everything they want to know about an affiliate program. I haven’t researched this and don’t have any exact data, but I wouldn’t think that a busy affiliate has more than 30-60 seconds to devote to an affiliate program description page. Hence, my wordcount recommendation.

]]> By: Mark Robinson http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-4542 Mark Robinson Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:56:04 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-4542 The post was good. But I am not sure about the 250 words limit on the main program description page. Even though it is good to keep your description short and precise, I dont think they'll bother visiting other links. They just take what they get at the main page and leave. So it is always good to keep the description long enough for people to understand what it is all about rather than keeping a strict word limit. The post was good.

But I am not sure about the 250 words limit on the main program description page.

Even though it is good to keep your description short and precise, I dont think they’ll bother visiting other links.
They just take what they get at the main page and leave.

So it is always good to keep the description long enough for people to understand what it is all about rather than keeping a strict word limit.

]]> By: Matt Houldsworth http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-4535 Matt Houldsworth Mon, 19 Oct 2009 06:50:54 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-4535 Geno The plugin can be used for any well formed datafeed that is in CSV, Tab or pipe separated file. I am working on a major upgrade that will include XML and RSS support as well as the ability to manage multiple datafeeds independently of each other, currently you can have multiple feeds but they all use the same template. I will send you a copy at the end of the week when I get this update finished if you are willing to review it. I absolutely agree, all the networks provide an area for the merchant to write at the very least, here they should put the relevant details rather than blurb about how good they are. As a marketer what you need are Commission structure, conversion rates and stats, what they provide in marketing material etc. Very interesting subject Matt Houldsworth Geno

The plugin can be used for any well formed datafeed that is in CSV, Tab or pipe separated file. I am working on a major upgrade that will include XML and RSS support as well as the ability to manage multiple datafeeds independently of each other, currently you can have multiple feeds but they all use the same template.

I will send you a copy at the end of the week when I get this update finished if you are willing to review it.

I absolutely agree, all the networks provide an area for the merchant to write at the very least, here they should put the relevant details rather than blurb about how good they are. As a marketer what you need are Commission structure, conversion rates and stats, what they provide in marketing material etc.

Very interesting subject

Matt Houldsworth

]]> By: Geno http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-4529 Geno Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:07:24 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-4529 <b>Matt</b>, thank you for your comment. The plugin looks very interesting. Does it work only with TradeDoubler, AffiliateWindow and AffiliateFuture's feeds? To answer your question: regardless of what an affiliate network has in place for an affiliate program run on it, each merchant/advertiser can (and should) have at least one page dedicated to their affiliate program on their <i>own</i> website. So even if a network's way of doing things doesn't allow the merchant much freedom, nothing prohibits them from building a nice affiliate program description to use on their own website. Matt, thank you for your comment.

The plugin looks very interesting. Does it work only with TradeDoubler, AffiliateWindow and AffiliateFuture’s feeds?

To answer your question: regardless of what an affiliate network has in place for an affiliate program run on it, each merchant/advertiser can (and should) have at least one page dedicated to their affiliate program on their own website. So even if a network’s way of doing things doesn’t allow the merchant much freedom, nothing prohibits them from building a nice affiliate program description to use on their own website.

]]> By: Matt Houldsworth http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/2009/10/16/how-to-construct-a-good-affiliate-program-description/comment-page-1/#comment-4526 Matt Houldsworth Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:48:30 +0000 http://www.amnavigator.com/blog/?p=3948#comment-4526 Geno, I have to add my name to support what you are saying here, especially the point about the availability of datafeeds. It is my preferred method for marketing products (I created a plugin for wordpress especially to allow me to do this) but I find that this information is often hidden away somewhere in the corner of the networks site. How much of this do you think is down to the structure of the networks site and how much is down to the merchant or affiliate manager themselves? Geno, I have to add my name to support what you are saying here, especially the point about the availability of datafeeds. It is my preferred method for marketing products (I created a plugin for wordpress especially to allow me to do this) but I find that this information is often hidden away somewhere in the corner of the networks site.

How much of this do you think is down to the structure of the networks site and how much is down to the merchant or affiliate manager themselves?

]]>