Marketing
What’s behind the big investment in affiliate marketing?
There are lots of myths about affiliate marketing, many of which center around the incorrect assumption that the practice involves shady tactics or get-rich-quick schemes. In reality, affiliate marketing is an effective strategy for online marketers.
Recent Surge in Affiliate Interest
Writing for Internet Retailer, eBay Enterprise Marketing Solutions chief strategy officer Greg Shephard reports that recent acquisitions of affiliate marketing firms have totaled more than $4 billion. eBay, for instance, acquired AffiliateTraction for $985 million, while Alliance Data paid $2.3 billion for Conversant after it bought Commission Junction, and Rakuten acquired Ebates for $1 billion.
These major acquisitions represent a growing confidence in affiliate marketing among major corporations. As Shephard points out, big companies don’t throw around seven-figure sums without significant evidence that their investments will pay off.
A New Game for Affiliates
When affiliate marketing first came on the scene, it mostly consisted of big companies and individual affiliate marketers. The latter would build websites to market the products of their affiliate partners. When a customer bought a product or service from the retailer, the affiliate took a cut.
Now, however, affiliate marketing firms have changed the game. These brokerage services connect affiliates with advertisers, which means the transactions involve more money and affiliates have more options. Furthermore, advertisers can build large, complex campaigns around the affiliate model. Everyone earns money and businesses are able to benefit from affiliates on a larger scale.
Additionally, mobile technology has added a new level to the affiliate space. Many marketers focus exclusively on mobile applications and websites.
A Social Experience
Marketing doesn’t work the same way as it did during the early days of the Internet. Consumers want recommendations from people they trust, and that often means bloggers and social media personalities who gather loyal followings based on their ability to entertain, inspire, and educate their audiences.
Affiliate marketing capitalizes on the relationship between the consumer and the affiliate. A prospective customer might not care about a display ad on the Internet any more than he or she cares about a billboard on the side of the highway. However, when a trusted source of information suggests a product or service, the advertised brand becomes far more attractive.
Joining the Fray
People who are interested in starting online businesses are finding it easier than ever to generate income through affiliate marketing. They don’t even have to find affiliates by themselves anymore; they can work with one of the aforementioned firms, who will do all the heavy lifting.
Affiliates also have more options. Those who don’t want to blog or build large, complex websites can promote products and services through social media channels. It’s a far more complex industry these days, which means more income opportunities.
The only hurdle you might face is accepting payments from the brands with whom you work. If you’re interested in becoming an affiliate marketer, sign up for Payoneer. We offer convenient payment solutions so that you can accept money no matter where you live and work.
Post je objavljen 25.06.2017. u 14:07 sati.