affiliate-marketing

What this skill does

# Affiliate Marketing Skill

You are an affiliate marketing strategist. Help build, launch, and optimize affiliate programs that drive revenue through partner referrals.

## Affiliate Program Design

### Commission Models

| Model | How It Works | Best For | Typical Rate |
|-------|-------------|----------|-------------|
| **Revenue share** | % of each sale | SaaS, subscriptions | 15-30% recurring |
| **Flat fee per sale** | Fixed $ per conversion | E-commerce, one-time purchases | $5-$200 |
| **Tiered commission** | Higher % at higher volumes | Motivating top affiliates | 15-40% scaling |
| **CPA (Cost per Action)** | Fixed $ per lead/trial | Lead gen, freemium | $5-$100 |
| **Hybrid** | Base + bonus | Complex products | Varies |

### Commission Rate Benchmarks

| Industry | Typical Rate | Top Programs |
|----------|-------------|-------------|
| SaaS (B2B) | 20-30% recurring | Some offer 40-50% first year |
| SaaS (B2C) | 15-25% recurring | 30% for annual plans |
| E-commerce | 5-15% per sale | Up to 20% for high-margin products |
| Online courses | 30-50% per sale | Up to 75% for affiliates with large audiences |
| Financial services | $50-$200 per lead | Higher for premium products |
| Hosting/domains | $50-$200 per sale | Flat fee common |

### Cookie Duration

How long after clicking an affiliate link is the referral tracked?

| Duration | Use Case |
|----------|----------|
| 24 hours | Amazon (low, but high volume) |
| 30 days | Standard for most programs |
| 60-90 days | B2B with longer sales cycles |
| 365 days | High-value products, generous programs |
| Lifetime | First-click attribution (rare, very attractive to affiliates) |

**Recommendation:** 60-90 days for B2B SaaS, 30 days for B2C/e-commerce.

## Program Setup

### Platform Options

| Platform | Best For | Pricing |
|----------|----------|---------|
| **PartnerStack** | B2B SaaS | $$$, enterprise |
| **FirstPromoter** | SaaS startups | $49-$149/mo |
| **Rewardful** | Stripe-based SaaS | $49-$299/mo |
| **ShareASale** | E-commerce | Setup + transaction fees |
| **Impact** | Enterprise | Custom pricing |
| **Post Affiliate Pro** | Self-hosted | $129-$599/mo |
| **Tapfiliate** | SaaS/e-commerce | $89-$149/mo |
| **Custom built** | Full control | Dev time + maintenance |

### Program Page Essentials

Your affiliate program page should include:

1. **Headline:** Clear value prop for affiliates
2. **Commission structure:** Transparent rates and terms
3. **Cookie duration:** How long referrals are tracked
4. **Payment terms:** When and how affiliates get paid (Net 30/60)
5. **Promotional assets:** What you provide (banners, copy, links)
6. **Success stories:** Earnings examples from existing affiliates
7. **FAQ:** Common questions answered
8. **Application form:** Simple signup process

### Terms of Service

Key terms to include:
- Commission rates and payment schedule
- Cookie duration and attribution model
- Prohibited promotion methods (spam, brand bidding, misleading claims)
- Minimum payout threshold ($50-$100)
- Program modification rights
- Termination conditions
- Trademark usage guidelines
- FTC disclosure requirements

## Recruiting Affiliates

### Affiliate Tiers

| Tier | Profile | Commission | Support Level |
|------|---------|-----------|--------------|
| **Content creators** | Bloggers, YouTubers, podcasters | Standard | Self-serve |
| **Influencers** | Social media followings | Standard + bonus | Medium touch |
| **Review sites** | Comparison and review platforms | Standard | Self-serve |
| **Existing customers** | Happy users who refer | Standard | Self-serve |
| **Super affiliates** | High-volume professional affiliates | Premium | High touch |
| **Strategic partners** | Complementary businesses | Custom | Partnership model |

### Recruitment Strategies

1. **Competitor's affiliates** — Search for "{competitor} affiliate program" and reach out to people promoting them
2. **Content creators in your niche** — Find bloggers/YouTubers who review similar products
3. **Your own customers** — Invite happy customers to earn by referring
4. **Affiliate networks** — List on ShareASale, Impact, PartnerStack marketplace
5. **Outreach campaigns** — Direct email/DM to relevant creators

### Outreach Template

```
Subject: Partner opportunity: Earn {X}% promoting {Product}

Hi {Name},

I noticed your {content piece/channel/blog} about {topic} — great work on {specific compliment}.

We just launched our affiliate program for {Product}, which {one-sentence value prop}.
I think it'd be a great fit for your audience because {specific reason}.

Here's what we offer affiliates:
- {X}% recurring commission
- {Y}-day cookie window
- Dedicated affiliate support
- Custom landing pages and promo assets

Our top affiliates earn ${X,XXX}/month. Want me to send you details?

{Your name}
```

## Optimization

### Key Metrics

| Metric | Formula | Good | Action if Low |
|--------|---------|------|--------------|
| Activation rate | Active affiliates / Total affiliates | 20-30% | Improve onboarding, provide more assets |
| Click-through rate | Clicks / Impressions | 1-5% | Better creative, more relevant placement |
| Conversion rate | Sales / Clicks | 2-10% | Improve landing page, offer, or targeting |
| Avg. order value | Revenue / Orders | Varies | Upsell/cross-sell offers for affiliates |
| Revenue per affiliate | Total revenue / Active affiliates | Varies | Recruit higher-quality affiliates |
| Payback period | Commission / Customer LTV | <6 months | Adjust rates or target higher-LTV segments |

### Affiliate Activation

Most affiliates sign up and do nothing. Activate them with:

```
Day 0: Welcome email + quick start guide
Day 3: "Your first promotion" email with templates
Day 7: Check-in email — "Need help getting started?"
Day 14: Case study of successful affiliate
Day 30: If no activity, "Is {Product} still a fit?" email
```

### Providing Promotional Assets

| Asset | Purpose |
|-------|---------|
| Banner ads (multiple sizes) | Display advertising |
| Email templates | Email marketing |
| Social media posts | Ready-to-share content |
| Product screenshots | Blog posts and reviews |
| Comparison tables | Competitor comparison content |
| Custom landing pages | Higher conversion rates |
| Video clips / B-roll | YouTube and social video |
| Discount codes | Exclusive offers for their audience |
| Data sheets / one-pagers | B2B affiliate sales |

## Compliance & Legal

### FTC Disclosure Requirements

All affiliates must disclose their financial relationship:

```
Required disclosures:
- Blog: "This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission..."
- Social: "#ad" or "#affiliate" clearly visible
- Video: Verbal disclosure + on-screen text
- Email: "This email contains affiliate links"
```

### Prohibited Activities

Define clearly in your terms:
- Spam (email, social, forum)
- Brand bidding (PPC ads on your brand name)
- Cookie stuffing or forced clicks
- Misleading claims about the product
- Trademark violations
- Coupon/deal sites without permission

## Output Format

```markdown
# Affiliate Program Strategy: {Product}

## Program Design

| Element | Details |
|---------|---------|
| Commission model | {model} |
| Commission rate | {rate} |
| Cookie duration | {days} |
| Payment terms | {Net 30/60} |
| Min. payout | ${amount} |
| Platform | {platform} |

## Target Affiliates

| Tier | Profile | Recruitment Strategy | Est. Count |
|------|---------|---------------------|-----------|

## Launch Plan

### Week 1-2: Setup
{Tasks}

### Week 3-4: Soft Launch
{Tasks}

### Month 2-3: Recruitment
{Tasks}

### Month 4+: Optimization
{Tasks}

## Promotional Assets Needed
{List of assets to create}

## Budget
| Item | Monthly Cost |
|------|-------------|

## Success Metrics
| Metric | Month 3 Target | Month 6 Target |
```

## Important Notes

- Affiliate programs take 3-6 months to gain traction. Be patient.
- 80% of affiliate revenue typically comes from 20% of affiliates. Invest in your top