Is the pre-existing negative stigma of the channel to blame? Lack of education about affiliate marketing? What about the struggles of compliance laws and global expansion?
To answer this question, Awin partnered with PerformanceIn to provide insight into the US affiliate market.
Affiliate Marketing is Rocketing in the US
One thing is for sure – affiliate marketing is booming in the United States. In 2015 so far, affiliate marketing accounts for 14% of all e-commerce purchases across the United States. This number is 1% higher than last year, placing affiliate marketing on a near-level with other, more popular channels, including email which accounts for 17% and organic search, 19%.
Awin’s own global client strategy director, Kevin Edwards, explains that focusing on transparency, ethics, self-regulation and customer quality can build trust amongst clients and ensure the affiliate marketing channels future growth.
Education: What is Affiliate Marketing?
Although research suggests that affiliate marketing is one of the most sought after skills among marketers, the problem remains that not many outsiders know much about the industry or have a pre-existing negative stigma about the channel.
How can the channel overcome this education adversity?
Alex McNees, Parternships Manager at Yieldify, suggests not only greater involvement from upper management, but also better education of senior staff as well as everyday account managers.
Global Expansion
Another subject in question with the affiliate channel is the option of global expansion. With revenues from the affiliate channel increasing around the world, global expansion must be an option for all US based advertisers, publishers and agencies. With $1 trillion expected to be spent online in China in 2018, which significantly surpasses projected US numbers, what can we do to launch a successful affiliate marketing program overseas?
According to Robert Glazer, Founder and MD of Acceleration Partners, understating “local market differences, compliance, regional laws and network and technology capabilities” are all significantly factors to consider before launching a program in another market.
Attribution
With affiliate marketing on the rise each year, merchants are pressuring the industry and companies to challenge the status quo and change the way affiliate marketers do business.
After seeing the demand for attribution grow across Europe, Awin took action and tapped into the long tail.
“Any publisher who tends to initiate or otherwise influence a sale without winning the last click will benefit from payment on influence or split commission attribution models,” comments Alexandra Forsch, US country manager at Awiw – the birthplace of commission on assists, which uses the affiliate network’s own tracking technology to reward publishers for their individual contributions to sales.
To see more of Awin's innovative affiliate marketing tools, check out the infographic on page 2 of the supplement.
For more insights about the US affiliate marketing industry, please visit the full supplement, here.
