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eMarketer Presents: The Evolution of Partnerships: Working with Content Publishers in the Affiliate Channel

Transcript:

eMarketer Presents: The Evolution of Partnerships: Working with Content Publishers in the Affiliate Channel

Audrey Schomer:

Hello, thank you for joining and welcome to the next session of Global Partnership Day. My name is Audrey Schomer. I'm an e- marketer senior analyst at the market research firm, Insider Intelligence, and in this session I'll be talking about content publishers in the affiliate channel.

This is a category of publishers in the channel that's gotten a fair bit of attention in recent years. They're also sometimes referred to as mass media publishers, and these publishers are some of the most attractive partners for marketers to find and work with.

So today I'll be talking about why that is, what is it about these publishers that makes them so valuable, how are these publishers building their own affiliate commerce businesses, and how are they helping to drive change in how marketers are building their affiliate programs?

Why Content Publishers Are Pursuing Affiliate Partnerships

First, I'll walk us through why these publishers are increasingly pursuing affiliate partnerships for their own monetization.

Then I'll be walking through how the pandemic affected the affiliate channel last year, and in particular, how content publishers benefited and what marketers expect for 2021.

Market Perception of Content Publishers

And then I'll talk a bit about how marketers are perceiving content publishers compared with the other partner types that they're working with.

Building Affiliate Commerce Strategies

And then I'll go a bit deeper on how content publishers are building and running their own affiliate commerce strategies and why that makes these publishers such high-quality partners for marketers.

Attribution and Compensation Models

Finally, I'll be wrapping up with a section on how marketers are working with content publishers in different ways, particularly related to attribution and compensation models that they're using in those partnerships.

Evolution of the Affiliate Space

The affiliate space has evolved significantly, primarily because the publisher mix in the channel has diversified, predominantly driven by content publishers gaining a larger presence. Traditionally, the affiliate channel has been a place for advertisers to work with rewards-type partners, such as cashback or coupon sites. However, the landscape is changing.

The Role of Content Publishers

Content publishers are creating high-quality content driven by affiliate links. They are writing or creating content around brands and products that resonate with their audiences. For many, affiliate marketing isn't a new strategy; they've been involved in this space for years, with robust e-commerce content offerings leading to engagement and transactions.

E-commerce as a Revenue Stream

As data shows, a large number of publishers expect e-commerce to be one of their primary revenue sources. E-commerce revenues driven by affiliate links have become increasingly critical, particularly as traditional sources like digital advertising are getting more complicated and harder to rely on.

Pandemic Impact on Affiliate Channel

The pandemic year led to a shift in budgets toward performance channels, making affiliate partnerships a focal point. During this time, many UK affiliate marketers reported increased spending, and overall affiliate revenues saw dramatic growth.

Insights on Content Publisher Performance

Content publishers, as defined by metrics shared from Partnerize, outperformed significantly, with revenues growing 75% year-over-year. Many individual publishers cited record-breaking performance in their affiliate businesses due to increased traffic and conversions.

The Value of Content Publishers

Marketers view content publishers as among the most valuable partners. Data indicates that affiliate marketers rank content publishers highly for driving value in the channel. This is because content created with partners is seen as effective for moving prospects down the funnel.

Content Types and Strategies

Content publishers create various formats of marketing content, such as articles, blog posts, social media posts, and newsletters, all integrated with affiliate links.

Importance of Data in Strategy

Publishers rely on quantitative and qualitative data to inform their content strategies. This includes tracking page views, click-through rates, conversion rates, and other metrics to optimize their content's performance and relevance.

Multi-Channel Distribution

Publishers distribute their content across multiple channels to maximize performance, meeting consumers in diverse environments, including social media and email.

The Role of Social Media

Social platforms are becoming significant venues for product discovery, and publishers are progressing in using these platforms for affiliate links and content distribution.

Attribution and Compensation Models

Most affiliate marketers continue to use last-click attribution models, though some are exploring multi-touch attribution tools to better recognize the contributions of content publishers throughout the buying journey. Additionally, various compensation models, including CPA and flat fees, are being employed to recognize the holistic value content publishers provide.

Conclusion

Content publishers are becoming pivotal touchpoints in customer journeys, helping brands engage with consumers at various funnel stages. They employ data-driven strategies to optimize their affiliate content and are increasingly recognized for their contributions in innovative attribution and compensation frameworks.