Thomas Griffin
Thomas Griffin is the co-founder and president of OptinMonster. He is an expert software architect with a deep knowledge of building products for the mass market and consistently works to delight his customers.
Want to find the perfect affiliate partners who are willing to promote your products to their audience? Here’s why you should and how to get started.
Affiliate marketing is an extremely powerful, effective strategy for business leaders and marketers who want to improve sales and brand awareness.
For context, affiliate marketing is currently worth a jaw-dropping $17 billion. Combine that with the fact that 16% of all eCommerce sales in North America are a result of affiliate marketing, and it's clear that this marketing strategy is here to stay.
The way affiliate marketing works is actually quite simple. You find people who are willing to promote your product, and they get a commission every time they convince someone to take action.
But, of course, this isn't quite as easy as it sounds, and behind this evident simplicity lies the question every business has to answer: where do you find the right partners?
Today, we'll show you why finding the right affiliates matters. Then, we will share nine actionable tips to help you recruit and attract top performers. By the end, you'll have a clear action plan on how to make your affiliate program a strong driver of growth.
Let's dive in!
Benefits of Finding the Right Affiliate Partners
Before we share how to find the right partners, it’s important to know why this is a good idea, regardless of your industry. With that in mind, here are some benefits worth considering!
Improve brand awareness and reach
The best affiliate partners serve as brand ambassadors since they present your products or services to people who otherwise might not know they exist.
Beyond this benefit, your partners will also publish different types of content, from reviews to unboxings, and share them on social media. Under the right circumstances, one of these posts could go viral and dramatically improve your brand visibility.
Increase credibility and trust
When a trusted affiliate tells others how much they love your brand, they are essentially passing some of their credibility to you.
People feel connected to internet personalities they watch regularly. I bet there is a list of content creators you would trust if they recommended a specific product or brand. Maybe you even decided to take advantage of their offer by using their special code at checkout.
This is affiliate marketing in action. In this sense, it's easy to see how working with the right partners can help you build trust with your audience.
Boost targeted traffic
Affiliates who really know your niche can drive qualified leads to your website. In fact, they are greatly incentivized to send people who are ready to buy to your site.
Targeted leads have higher chances of converting, which means it's likely you'll see more sales than if they just ask anyone and everyone to click through.
This focused approach not only increases conversions but also helps you better understand your audience and what they expect from your business.
It's affordable
Another great benefit of affiliate marketing is that it is performance-based. This means affiliates are only paid when they convince someone to take action on your site, whether that's making a purchase, joining an email list, or something else entirely.
This strategy cuts upfront costs, unlike traditional advertising, and simultaneously helps improve your return on investment.
With affiliate marketing, businesses on a tight budget are in a position to scale since they get massive returns even on very minimal initial investment.
Expand your overall marketing strategy
Affiliate marketing augments your other marketing work by multiplying your exposure.
It doesn't matter if you're heavily reliant on paid advertising or SEO; adding affiliates simply provides new channels to turn more prospects into customers.
Better yet, the right affiliates can even unlock customer segments that you never knew existed. For example, a business that creates fitness products might discover there's a group of athletes using their product that they didn't plan for when they created their product.
These new segments give you options to connect, build rapport, and expand your customer base beyond what you thought was possible.
6 Actionable Ways to Find Affiliate Partners
Now that you know the benefits, let’s explore some of the best ways to find partners for your business.
Connect with bloggers and social media influencers
Social media influencers and full-time bloggers make for excellent affiliates because they have an already very well-engaged audience base. Established creators have already earned some trust in the niche, so their endorsement can make a big difference in how they see your brand.
My advice here is to do a general search using some of the keywords in your industry. Check Google, popular social media sites, and other places where your audience hangs out.
You can also search hashtags relevant to your niche or low-competition keywords from your industry. Additionally, tools like BuzzSumo will help you find creators that align with your ideal audience demographic and engagement level.
Once you have found some potential partners, write an outreach email highlighting what is unique about your program and products, as well as how it aligns with their niche.
Encourage them to get in contact with you if they're interested in learning more and promoting your brand. If you are a fitness brand, for instance, explain how your product enhances their journey into fitness and can help improve their followers' fitness experience.
There are a ton of creators out there. If you look hard enough and offer a top-notch product, you will find people who will happily promote your brand.
Create an eye-catching affiliate landing page
Your affiliate program page is basically a pitch to anyone who is interested in becoming a partner. A well-designed affiliate landing page lays out the general guidelines and benefits of the program and encourages readers to get started.
The thing that's important to remember here is your page should appeal to existing customers just as much as an influencer with over a million subscribers.
If someone is passionate about your product and feels that it truly added value to their lives, they may convince friends or colleagues to try it, too. By making your affiliate program page accessible and inclusive, you're giving more people a chance to say, "Yes, I'd like to become a partner!"
On your landing page, I suggest including a list of the different payouts. For example, a SaaS company might show people how much they stand to make if they sell an elite version of your software compared to the pro version.
It's also helpful to show plenty of visual content when applicable. Testimonials and case studies on long-time affiliates are great ways to build credibility and can make your program more attractive.
Finally, make it simple for potential affiliates to join. The best way to do this is by embedding a clear and visible CTA button, a short signup form, and clear information on what the next steps will be. Promote this page across your website, email newsletters, and social media to maximize visibility, and you're bound to see more potential partners sign up.
Run paid ad campaigns targeting affiliates
Another effective way to grow your affiliate network is with paid advertising. You can find people who may be interested in affiliate marketing opportunities through Google Ads, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
These could be bloggers, influencers, and owners of niche websites; basically, everyone discussed in the first tip. The difference is that with paid ad campaigns, you make it easier for people to find you than the other way around.
If you want to build successful advertising campaigns, the best thing you can do is create catchy ad copy that shows people what they stand to gain by checking out your company.
An attention-grabbing picture or video that shows who you are and what you're offering is the best way to get people to take action if they've never heard of you. On that same note, people who are familiar with your company are more likely to click a paid ad if they see your familiar brand logo.
Once your campaign goes live, closely monitor the performance. A/B test with different headlines, images, and calls to action to see what works. Always start with general goals so you can figure out if your campaign is meeting your expectations.
Optimizing your affiliate ads over time will lead to better click-through rates and lower costs. If done right, paid advertising will bring in top-tier affiliates and help you start your program strong.
Visit relevant social media groups and forums
Online communities and forums are excellent places to recruit affiliates for your brand. Platforms like Reddit, Facebook Groups, and other social media channels are jam-packed with people who are interested in your industry, as long as you know where to look.
By putting yourself out there and talking to some of these folks, you're bound to find influential people, whether that means a massive social following or simply influencing the people in their office.
Growing your network through these channels will help you build rapport with people who may have heard of your brand but don't know if it's for them. At the same time, you can connect with people who've had success with your product and find out if they're interested in becoming partners.
But here's something to think about: it's not a good idea to just charge into an established group and ask everyone to become affiliates. Instead, you want to build your reputation in the community by answering questions, sharing tips, or posting helpful resources.
Over time, you'll establish yourself as a trusted member of the community. Eventually, mention your affiliate program and invite anyone who is interested to check out your page.
Partner with like-minded businesses
Working with like-minded businesses unlocks new affiliate possibilities, extends your reach, and does it all in a very effective manner because it connects you with people who are already very familiar with your partner.
If you're thinking of trying this strategy, start by partnering with businesses in the same industry that do not compete with your own product or service.
For instance, a brand that helps businesses sell digital products might consider partnering with a hosting company. People usually don't buy a license to build digital storefronts without a host, and in many cases, the purchase happens at the same time, which is why this partnership makes sense.
This affiliate marketing strategy will help you reach people who are already invested in your industry, which means they're more likely to take action.
And who knows, there may even come a time when your partner wants to start an affiliate program. If this happens, you can become an affiliate for their brand and add another revenue stream to your business.
Try affiliate networks
It's a good idea to use affiliate networks, such as ShareASale, since they are an excellent way to find partners for your affiliate marketing program.
These affiliate networks basically act as a middleman between different businesses and thousands of affiliates. If you're looking for a partner in a very specific industry, this is a good place to start.
What we like about affiliate networks is they come with an integrated toolset that makes recruiting, tracking, and paying fast and easy, which is bound to save you time and unnecessary headaches.
If you want to fully take advantage of your affiliate network:
- Start by selecting one that aligns with your industry and goals.
- Pay attention to their reputation, fee structure, and the type of affiliates it attracts.
- Once you find one you like, sign up and use their search filters and keywords that align with the affiliates you want to reach.
- Talk to creators who are interested in working together, and start building your network.
Affiliate networks are an end-to-end solution that can prove helpful for scaling your program, especially if you're just starting out. Once you get a little more experience and start building a big network, it might be a good idea to use a self-contained affiliate management program so you can avoid paying extra fees.
Final Thoughts
While affiliate marketing can be an incredibly powerful force for your business, its effectiveness hinges on finding the right partners. By following the strategies outlined in this guide, you have a better chance of creating a successful affiliate program that will drive growth, enhance your brand's credibility, and ensure a strong return on investment.
Once you start growing your network, keep in touch with your partners so you can continue evolving your affiliate marketing strategy. Before long, you'll have a list of partners who gladly promote your brand and drive folks to your site so they can try your products for themselves.
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