Affiliate Marketing

We are often asked what affiliate marketing is. Affiliate marketing is quite simply the process where by you - the merchant, allow others – affiliates, to advertise your products and services on their website in exchange for your affiliates receiving a financial incentive when a visitor they refer to your website proceeds to make a purchase (or action) on your website.

The next obvious question we get asked; is why would I want to participate in such a scheme? Affiliate marketing increases the scope and reach of your website by opening the gates for other websites to promote your products and services. Affiliate marketing allows your business to be further promoted in key areas that have historically worked for you, whilst also being promoted in areas that you would not have otherwise gained exposure in. One key feature to note is that the traffic received from affiliates is often more valuable then other sources such as search engines, because visitors from your affiliate websites are pre-qualified and further along the purchase process.

We believe the key to a successful affiliate marketing strategy lies in participating with the right websites or within the right networks. Whether that is seeking inclusion into the major commercial networks such as Commission Junction, Trade Doubler and Affiliate Window, or simply seeking out a partnership with a relevant niche website.

At ISM, we are interested in teaching you how to seek out and connect with the right networks and websites for your business, because what works for one business may not work for another.

Affiliate marketing can take many forms from simple text and banner advertisements to complete downloadable product catalogues in standardised formats such as CCS and XML. To learn more about how to use affiliate marketing to further your reach and deliver more sales to your website, call us now on +44 (0) 20 7060 7010.