I only really started playing about with affiliate programs this year so am definately not very experienced at it - and don't seem to be very good at it either. What is interesting to me though is that for all the networks I joined CJ, Affiliate Future, Zanox and Buy, Webgains - only the last two have made anything at all despite me having a very specific niche. Of the 4 independant programmes I joined only the most recent has not made any revenue yet and it is itself a new programme so I am quite content to let them work out their teething problems. Does anyone else find that independant merchants work better than the big networks? I am debating whether to simply cut all the networks off my site altogther and focus only on the small merchants.
Hi e10, There are lots of pros and cons to each and to some degree it could depend on your niche. The big affiliates networks get more of their ads blocked and cookies deleted by anti-spyware programs. Indies don't as much. But many affiliate prefer the networks because they can get consolidated reporting and payments. With Indies there is a bigger trust issue and less recourse if they don't pay. However with many indies you can get higher payouts and more personalized attention if they have pro-active management. Whenever possible with the programs we manage we like to give affiliates a choice and offer both a network and an Indie option so they can choose based on which type they prefer. Many of our programs have the dual option. Hope this helps and best of luck!
Well I am really doing okay out of the couple of indies I have on the site. Not as well as I could be doing I am sure but its added up to over €500 so far this year (on top of AS and local advertising). I think you just need to get the mix right - like 5 star said a lot probably depends on niche. After writing the original post in this thread, I contacted the single merchant in Web Gains that has resulted in any revenue and asked them for advice on maximising that. I got a prompt reply and am now looking at adding a content channel based on my correspondance with the affy manager there. I guess we, as affiliates, need to be proactive too and chase the merchants for collateral that will work on our sites.
Hi e10 I read this string with great interest even though the sort of products you sell are not related to our own industry. The whole networks v independent programme debate is of great interest to me as I’m an affiliate manager for an independent mobile content affiliate platform. I’m keen to learn from an affiliates perspective, what are the pros and cons of working with merchants both direct and via networks? From our own perspective it’s tempting to promote our products through a big network, it would certainly free up a lot of my time! But I think that you were right on the money with your comment about both merchants and affiliates being pro-active in their attempt to work together to achieve sales. I know from experience that the affiliates we have who make good money are those that are in communication with us every week. I would hate not to be able to contact them individually to let them know of new products and services, which are particularly relevant to their sites. Similarly I think that we benefit greatly from the direct contact we have from our affiliate base, effectively we have a pool of people who know our market, who keep an eye on our competition for us and would rather come to us and ask for a new product or service before jumping ship and setting up with a new provider. I guess what I’m getting at is that good communication and customer service breeds a loyal affiliate base, I think this is essential given that affiliates are the life blood of our business. Being independent and taking the networks out of the value chain means that there is more profit per sale to share between our affiliates and ourselves, this means that smaller operators are able to compete with the big guys in terms of out-payment rates, often we find that our out-payment is higher than many of the well known programs offering similar content through a big network. From our perspective the biggest hurdle to overcome, as an independent platform is the issue of trust. If I were an affiliate I would be correct to be weary of independent platform operators who were non-communicative or those who request some form of upfront payment for access or set-up. But once you find a good, trustworthy independent program that works, I think you have opportunity to build a very profitable, personal relationship. The only way to gain trust is through good service and prompt payment. I think also in exchange for an affiliates trust, Independent operators have to invest a lot more time and effort into building and maintaining relationships with their affiliates, this as far as I’m concerned benefits both the program operator and the affiliate.
Well, I certainly agree that good service and prompt payment are important whether it is with an independant or a network. I find it helpful with the indies that they tend to be more proactive in helping develop supporting content and targeted graphics while some of the big boys seem to care less about that.