Hey there sea changers, as many of you may be aware, one of the main focuses of this site is to assist those within to fund that sea change via the development of an online affiliate marketing business. Today however I am going take a step to the other side of the fence and run 8 affiliate program management service options for program managers.
Affiliate marketing is a booming industry, especially in recent times when the world has been changed dramatically forever where more and more out there are attempting to ‘pandemic proof' their incomes in preparation for the next world changing event that comes along. Hence, more and more companies are establishing and/or reenergising their affiliate programs to keep up with this new demand.
As they do this, they are generally required to make a decision as to whether they plan to manage the program themselves, or implement the assistance of an Affiliate Program Management Service.
- ShareASale
- CJ Affiliate
- Rakuten
- Avantlink
- linkconnector
- AWIN
- Commission Factory
- PayDotCom
What is an affiliate program management service?
In simple terms, affiliate program management company (often referred to as affiliate network programs) work as intermediaries between merchants and affiliates. The main advantage of affiliate network programs is that they assist and take care of many of the strategic requirements that program managers are required to look after including:
- Support in setting up and maintaining the affiliate program
- Tracking and reporting tools
- Marketing tools – product feeds and hosting of creatives etc.
- Affiliate payment solutions
Advantages of using an affiliate network
- Program management and tracking services undertaken.
- High visibility to affiliates looking to promote programs.
- Affiliates are vetted and ‘policed' by the affiliate network.
- Integration services for other marketing processes are often included.
- No need for extra tracking software or even an affiliate web page (although this is probably recommended).
Disadvantages of using an affiliate network
- Initial costs can be quite high – As the programs manage affiliate commissions, vendors are usually required to inject an initial cash amount into a ‘pot' to cover future payments – usually before sales are even generated.
- Affiliate networks take a ‘cut' of commissions.
- Some affiliates do not like working via network arrangements.
At the end of the day, affiliate networks and their affiliate program managers can provide a great service for those who are looking to set up an affiliate program, or if they do not have the time to fully manage the process themselves. Let's now take a look at my 8 options for program managers and check out:
- Application requirements
- Fees
- Top up requirements
Most programs require merchants to maintain a positive account balance in order to cover commission payments to affiliate marketers. These must generally be topped up once minimum thresholds are met and merchant accounts that reach a balance of $0 are usually taken temporarily offline until funds are replenished. Affiliates are also often notified if one of the program has ‘low funds' in their commission accounts.
1. ShareASale
ShareASale offers a large network that connects “online retailers to over 211,000+ affiliate partners around the world” and offers access a multitude of companies large and small. Part of the AWIN group, ShareASale prides itself over the use of cutting edge technology that guides merchants and publishers alike to success. It is a little cheaper to join than many of the others listed here making it a good option for smaller businesses and startups.
Tools Provided:
- Performance reporting
- Recruitment tools
- Influencer activation
- Attribution solutions
- Custom links
- Storefronts
- Make-A-Page
- Compliance
- Product discovery
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information and must have a valid and operational website. Costs involved include:
Sign up fee: $550
Transaction fee: 20% of the commission amount
Minimum monthly fee: $35 (i.e. if the merchant does not generate enough sales to reach a $35 fee minimum, then a top up is charged to meet this amount).
Upfront account sum required?: Yes – Accounts must always be in credit. Initial $100 is taken from sign up fee then top ups required based on individual thresholds as commissions are paid.
Join the ShareASale affiliate management program here
2. CJ Affiliate
CJ Affiliate is another large and well-known affiliate network that allows merchants to “drive more sales and reward world-class publishers for successfully promoting their products/services”. CJ (also often referred to as Commission Junction) promotes that merchants who join their program in will realise on average a 2x growth in sales over 5 years.
Tools Provided:
- Performance reporting
- Affiliate personalisation
- Cookieless tracking
- Affiliate customer insights
- Vertical integrations
- Content certification and expertise
- Influencer campaigns
- Compliance
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information and must have a valid and operational website (that does not contain adult or gambling content). Costs involved include:
Sign up fee: $3000
Transaction fee: around 30% of the commission amount
Minimum fee: $500 (i.e. if the merchant does not generate enough sales to reach a $500 fee minimum, then a top up is charged to meet this amount).
Upfront account sum required?: Yes – Accounts must always be in credit with an initial deposit of $3000 required. Top ups are then required based on individual thresholds as commissions are paid.
Join the CJ Affiliates affiliate network program here
3. Rakuten
Promoting themselves as the world's #1 affiliate marketing network, Rakuten offers “unparalleled expertise and distinctive marketing solutions that influence and activate audiences across the many paths and platforms of their digital journeys”. Publishers on Rakuten have access to over 1.2 billion members worldwide.
Tools Provided:
- Performance reporting
- Mobile App tracking
- Customized product showcases
- Matchmaking AI for faster partnership opportunities
- Strategic Guidance
- Multiple commissioning options
- Compliance
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business model and demographic details. As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:
Sign up fee: $2500
Transaction fee: Not stated
Monthly fee: $500 + based on sales volume
Upfront account sum required?: Yes – Accounts must always be in credit with an initial deposit of $50 required. Top ups are then required based on individual thresholds as commissions are paid.
Join the Rakuten affiliate network program here
4. Avantlink
As with the first three sites above, Avantlink is a well-established and well-known affiliate network platform that is “focused on working with both established, and up-and-coming organizations who see eye-to-eye with our core values”. Merchants with Avantlink however are offered a tiered system allowing them to either:
- just launch for exposure with self management of their programs ongoing
- Opt in to a full program management agreement.
Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option):
- Guided Launch & Onboarding Experience
- Placement Negotiation & Implementation
- Expert Support & Education
- Program Strategy & Goal Execution
- Weekly or Bi-Weekly Reviews
- Ongoing Performance Reporting & Insights
- Active Affiliate Recruitment
- Quarterly Strategic Review
- Consistent Communication to Affiliates
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business model and demographic details. As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:
Sign up fee: N/A
Transaction fee: Not stated
Monthly fee:
- $1000: Merchant Activation program – self managed ongoing
- $2000: Launch and Ongoing managed services
- $4000: Merchant Manual Services Program – Personalised program management
Upfront account sum required?: No – Payment required each month via invoice
Note: As it is with Affiliate Marketers, Avantlink is well-known for its rigorous vetting processes and only accepts around 30% of advertising applicants.
Join the Avantlink affiliate network program here
5. linkconnector
linkconnector prides itself as being selected as “a top network year after year” and like the major players listed above, is an all-inclusive affiliate management platform linking vendors and affiliates for increased sales . It boasts industry-leading technologies that address issues such as coupon leakage and maintaining a fraud free program.
Tools Provided :
- Brand Control
- FraudFREE Promise
- Coupon Compliance
- Coupon Attribution
- Infinity Codes
- Adaptive Attribution
- SEO & SEM Integration
- Shareable Offers
- Cross Platform Tracking
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information and must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:
Sign up fee:
- $500 for Self-Managed Accounts
- $2,000 for Co-Managed Accounts
- $0 for Fully Managed Accounts.
Transaction fee:
- Self-Managed Accounts is 20% of Commissions owed to Affiliates
- Co-Managed Accounts is 25% of Commissions owed to Affiliates
- Fully Managed Accounts is 30% of Commissions owed to Affiliates
Monthly fee:
- Self-Managed Account – $100
- Co-Managed Account – $1,000
- Fully Managed Account – $1,000
Upfront account sum required?: No – Payment required each month via invoice
Note: There are also extra fees for product feed setup and various other administrative functions (such as payment collection etc.)
Join the linkconnector affiliate network program here
6. AWIN
Part of the same family as ShareASale and Commission Factory, AWIN is another large and well-known affiliate network that is “driven by a relentless desire to connect advertisers and publishers together for mutual success”. It boasts access to over 211,000 affiliate marketers across a number of solid, lucrative niches. It's low costs and minimal joining fee also make this a good one for new startups etc.
Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option:
- Bounceless and Cross Device tracking
- Coupon attribution
- Commission Flexibility
- Promotional tools
- Extensive reporting
- Compliance
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business traffic and website sales value details. As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:
Sign up fee: Sign Up Deposit required but amount not listed (returned after first sale)
Transaction fee: Not stated but negotiated with publishers.
Monthly fee: Not stated (I could find no referral to a monthly fee on any searches either)
Upfront account sum required?: Not Stated
Join the AWIN affiliate network program here
7. Commission Factory
Our next site, Commission Factory, is an Australian Based Affiliate Network platform that connects “affiliates to brands and brands to customers”. It deals with mainly with companies based in Australia but does ranch out into New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore as well. It is popular in that region and provides access to many, many local options for affiliates who know the area and can sell them well.
Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option:
- Reliable and accurate tracking
- Real-Time reporting
- Compliance
- Full integration with most major shopping marketplaces
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide company contact and publishing information as well as business traffic, website sales value details and shopping cart software used (if applicable). As with all programs, companies must also have a valid and operational website as well. Costs involved include:
Sign up fee: Not Stated
Transaction fee: 8 – 10% of commission amount
Monthly fee: Tailored to needs, budget and service level
Upfront account sum required?: Not Stated
Join the Commission Factory affiliate network program here
8. PayDotCom
And finally, if you are in the world of software program development, then PayDotCom may be a good one to check out. To use their own words, the platform is a “safe trusted space in which digital content and software creators can sell their products in a fully hosted environment, using their own payment portals, and tap into an army of affiliates who can promote your product” (very similar to ClickBank). The advantage here is that for advertisers, it is free to join meaning that you can start selling without any initial outgoings.
Tools Provided (dependent upon membership option:
- Smart 1-Click upsells
- Partial refunds
- Suspend / reactivate subscriptions
- Proprietary Enhanced JvPay System
- Multiple prices for same product for A/B sales conversion testing
- Proprietary Affiliate Motivation Algorithm
- 30+ Autoresponders, Webinars & Zapier Integrations
To join this program, affiliate merchants will need to provide contact information only. Costs involved include:
Sign up fee: N/A
Transaction fee:
- Sale price $.01 – $10 has a $1 fee
- Sale price of $10.01 – $20 has a $2 fee
- Sale price over $20 has a $3 fee
- $0.01 flat fee for transactions if there is no affiliate or vendor JV partner involved
Monthly fee: N/A
Upfront account sum required?: Not Stated
Join the PayDotCom affiliate network program here
Conclusion
So… There are 8 of the best affiliate program management companies for program managers. I hope it has been helpful for you as you work on your own affiliate marketing program and as usual, please do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions, need some advice or have any experiences to share. Oh, and especially comment if you have any experience with these, or any other programs as well.
Until next time
Have fun
Paul
Note: If you make a purchase from this page, there is a very good chance that I make a commission from it – these commissions do not increase your sale price.
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