| Being part of one or more Affiliate Networks will | | | | program is that you share affiliates who sign up to |
| provide a degree of organic growth in your affiliate | | | | other merchant affiliate programs within the network, |
| marketing results; however by using a CAE as a | | | | many of whom may compete with you thus diluting |
| complimentary tool, you can successfully take your | | | | their effectiveness. |
| online marketing performance to a new level with a | | | | You probably weren't aware that there is now a new |
| greater degree of confidence. Isn't it time you put your | | | | technology emerging that will reshape the relationships |
| Affiliate Network under the microscope?This guide will | | | | between affiliates and merchants. |
| greatly assist you when deciding which Affiliate | | | | Customer Acquisition Exchanges (CAEs) provide an |
| Network to join should you not yet belong to any. | | | | innovative service through a process known as |
| Features and benefits checklist from the merchant | | | | Customer Reciprocation. |
| perspective: | | | | Compared to Affiliate Networks, CAEs are a much |
| Primary: | | | | newer concept and as such require a brief explanation. |
| Per Click, Per Lead and Per Sale campaigns. | | | | According to Wiktionary, CAEs can be defined after |
| Fraud protection that prevents affiliate link hijacking and | | | | understanding what Customer Reciprocation means. |
| eliminates repetitive clicking on PPC campaigns through | | | | Customer Reciprocation (n): The process of two |
| unique IP address verification procedures. | | | | parties (affiliate marketers) partnering to become each |
| Provide targeted media by category, conversion, and | | | | other's customer. It is largely dependent on the use of |
| even local geographic focusing. | | | | affiliate programs as a primary tool of customer |
| Detailed post analysis on all campaign performance. | | | | acquisition by merchants. |
| Provide a suite of sophisticated real-time deep | | | | Customer Acquisition Exchange (n): The means by |
| statistical reporting. | | | | which the process of "Customer Reciprocation" can |
| Skyscrapers, text-links, banners, co-reg, pops, | | | | be facilitated. |
| contextual and search should be covered in the | | | | Comparing CAEs and Affiliate Networks: |
| network - shouldn't restrict the type of campaign to be | | | | CAEs represent one of the newest and |
| run. | | | | fastest-growing affiliate communities specializing in |
| Efficient, reliable third party tracking of all traffic with | | | | cost-per-acquisition (pay for performance) marketing. |
| ability to detect if tracking code has been sub-hosted | | | | They employ Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA) pricing |
| on another domain to rack up false lead/sales figures. | | | | models for merchants and affiliates alike. This means |
| Maximise your ROI with dedicated account | | | | that clients only pay when they acquire a new |
| management and support and by avoiding the type of | | | | customer through their proprietary technology. |
| kickbacks that can result in less optimal media | | | | This structure provides zero risk for clients while at the |
| alignment. | | | | same time guaranteeing a great ROI for their online |
| Secure live Order logging. | | | | marketing dollars. CAEs assume the risk so clients |
| Secure Client Fund management. | | | | don't have to. |
| Provide affiliate links that are not long, cumbersome, | | | | CAEs deliver consumers directly to the merchant's |
| unsightly and overwhelming; links that won't be split and | | | | website. Once the consumer reaches the merchant's |
| rendered useless by e-mail clients. | | | | website the consumer has the opportunity to become |
| Examine the performance of each piece of marketing | | | | a paying customer for the product or service offered. |
| material, including information on the affiliates who are | | | | The client only pays for customers acquired. |
| using the links. | | | | What CAEs offer to merchants that they don't get |
| Actively seek and recruit new affiliates through | | | | using Affiliate Networks: |
| allowing direct contact. | | | | A customer/sale each time the merchant intends |
| Create links to your latest promotions and specials, | | | | purchasing anything online. |
| new banners and HTML marketing material. | | | | A customer/sale each time an affiliate of the |
| Multi performance based media channel providing | | | | merchant intends purchasing anything online. |
| maximum flexibility. | | | | The chance to super-leverage their affiliate asset |
| Should not require exclusive affiliate marketing | | | | base. |
| contracts. | | | | The chance of gaining a customer/sale merely by |
| Secondary: | | | | entering referral URLs into the database without |
| Shouldn't require an upfront deposit for leads/sales | | | | intending to purchase anything. |
| generated, reducing as leads/sales are generated and | | | | From the affiliate marketer/publisher/webmaster point |
| topped up at any time in the secure merchant login | | | | of view, Affiliate Networks offer pertinent information |
| area. | | | | about the advertiser/merchants in their particular |
| Co-branded sign up page. Ability to recruit affiliates | | | | network. |
| from your site. | | | | CAEs on the other hand, offer a totally unrestricted |
| Manual or Auto approve affiliate that apply to join your | | | | choice of advertiser/merchants with which to partner |
| campaigns. | | | | with (promote) or purchase through. |
| Network marketing tools and options to maximize | | | | How Affiliate Networks view CAEs and how they |
| Publisher exposure. | | | | incorporate it into their merchant solution strategy: |
| A tiered payout system to help Advertisers drive | | | | They may realise the advantage they offer merchants |
| performance and reward performers. | | | | as a way of super-leveraging off the purchase |
| Shouldn't charge a monthly fee to activate merchant's | | | | intentions of their affiliates provided the network allows |
| account, or charge a fee if your merchant account is | | | | direct communication between merchants and |
| inactive (i.e. not generating any revenue) for a period | | | | affiliates. |
| of 30 days. | | | | They should see CAEs as a complimentary service |
| Affiliate ranking. | | | | for their merchants and affiliates alike rather than a |
| In house design media provided in HTML, RichMedia, | | | | competing one. This is because CAEs offer new and |
| and Email marketing. | | | | previously unavailable benefits for merchants and |
| Review of your current affiliate marketing model and | | | | affiliates independent of whether or not they belong to |
| affiliate incentives. | | | | any Affiliate Networks. |
| Affiliates should not have to link to your home page, | | | | Because CAEs are non-exclusive entities, there is no |
| any page within your site (such as specific product | | | | incentive or disincentive for Affiliate Networks other |
| pages) should be linked to directly by your affiliates. | | | | than to point out to their members the benefits of |
| Development of a one page sales guide allowing your | | | | CAEs as a tool to aid in their marketing efforts. |
| affiliates to learn more about your product and how to | | | | By including them in their marketing tools and |
| sell it effectively. | | | | resources section they would effectively enhance |
| Country-wide exposure on websites targeted to your | | | | both their affiliate and merchant solution strategies. |
| audience. | | | | In summary, being part of one or more Affiliate |
| Create well concealed affiliate links for web pages. | | | | Networks will provide a degree of organic growth in |
| Run multiple campaigns from one account - multiple | | | | your affiliate marketing results; however by using a |
| campaigns for different URLs under same account. | | | | CAE as a complimentary tool, you can successfully |
| One of the major drawbacks of Affiliate Networks as | | | | take your online marketing performance to a new level |
| opposed to having your own independent affiliate | | | | with a greater degree of confidence. |