1. Expertise
Expertise is the number one reason why brands decide to hire an affiliate marketing agency or an OPM (outsourced program manager). These agencies are made up of a team of experts who have undergone training and have had extensive experience in applying best practices, resolving issues, and finding new opportunities. They have all the information and tools to help you make important marketing decisions as well as to implement strategies to drive growth.
2. Experience
When choosing an agency to hire, find out for how long the agency has been navigating the industry and look at their track record in affiliate program management. The biggest agencies have had experience working in a wide range of niches. You can choose an agency that has worked successfully with other brands within the same industry as yours because they would know how to jumpstart your affiliate programs based on the experience of the entire team.
3. Toolset
Affiliate program management typically calls for knowledge in different tools for automation, publishing, monitoring, and so on. Running an affiliate program on your own can be costly when you have to pay for your own tools. There’s also the learning curve of having to learn how to use these tools, and choosing from the many tools available can also take up a lot of your time. Affiliate marketing agencies are already using premium tools to grow and manage multiple affiliate programs. They can offer deeper and more detailed insights to optimize your campaigns more efficiently.
4. Network
With the experience of agencies comes the advantage of having already formed important relationships with publishers, networks, brands, and important players in the industry which they can leverage for the benefit of their clients. Agencies are in a great position to offer service and product recommendations, facilitate introductions, and solve issues that may arise. PartnerForward, for instance, offers long-lasting cross-vertical publisher relationships that have greatly benefited many of its clients.
5. Discounts and Perks
Affiliate networks and other advertising platforms may charge fees for integration, among other services. If you choose the right agency, you have the potential to save on a lot of these costs and get the best ROI. Some agencies waive setup fees or help lower affiliate commissions on your behalf.
6. Publisher Database
Another great advantage of hiring an affiliate marketing agency to manage your programs is that they already have a comprehensive database of publishers. All that’s left for you to do is choose from a list that may also include “super affiliates,” sub-affiliate networks, and similar platforms. PartnerForward, for example, has a database of more than 46,000 publishers operating in various niches.
7. Representation
Partnering with an established affiliate marketing agency can give you representation at important trade shows, conferences, and events all around the globe. This gives you considerable exposure to wider audiences to strengthen your brand name and reputation.
8. Brand & Affiliate Program Protection
The world of affiliate marketing isn’t without risk. Doing it alone without the help of experts can result in deceitful advertising, trademark infringement, and other activities that can have a negative impact on your brand. Experienced affiliate experts have measures in place to protect their clients from fraudulent transactions and deceitful affiliates. You can also rest assured that affiliate fees are meticulously processed to reach affiliates who earned them rightfully.Affiliate agencies possess the necessary tools to screen affiliate applications, monitor affiliate traffic and sales, and retain quality affiliates.
9. Cross-Promotion Opportunities
It’s normal for affiliate marketing agencies to manage multiple campaigns and programs. Along with these activities arises great opportunities to cross-promote across similar verticals or niches. Agencies can facilitate cross-promotions between merchants to further enrich an offer, as long as you’re not competing directly, and without any quality-related obstacles. Some agencies offer affiliates the opportunity to earn rewards when they drive good results for several programs at once.
10. Credibility
When you partner with a trusted agency, affiliates are more likely to choose and promote your programs. Affiliate marketing is largely built on trust and you will already be leveraging the good reputation of your chosen agency. Affiliates prefer to work with agencies they already know and respect as opposed to merchants they have not heard of.
11. Save Cost and TimeBrand & Affiliate Program Protection
By relying on an agency for your affiliate marketing programs, you have more time in your hands to focus on other aspects of your marketing strategy. Agencies also won’t cost you as much as when you venture into a new affiliate marketing network on platform on your own. They offer tiers and options when it comes to service packages to suit your needs and budget. You can also save on placements and special discounts offered to clients.
12. Brand & Affiliate Program Protection
By trusting experts, there is no longer the hesitation of when to launch your affiliate programs or the obstacles of making some decisions before you can get started. Once you sign up with the agency, you can hit the ground running and get your programs up in no time.
