In this episode of the eCommerce Marketing Podcast, host Arlen Robinson speaks with Dustin Howes, an affiliate program growth consultant. Dustin has helped numerous businesses significantly increase their affiliate program revenue and provides a wealth of knowledge through his website, DustinHowes.com, and his online course at PerformanceMarketingManager.com. The discussion centers on effective strategies for setting up, managing, and optimizing affiliate programs to drive growth and success.

Key Takeaways:

• Introduction to Dustin Howes and His Background (00:00:57)
  • Overview of Dustin’s experience in affiliate marketing and his mission to help businesses grow their affiliate programs.
• Essential Prerequisites for Implementing an Affiliate Program (00:03:13)
  • Importance of having a high-converting website before starting an affiliate program.
  • The distinction between physical product sales and SaaS sales in terms of readiness for an affiliate program.
• Recruiting and Retaining Affiliates (00:08:37)
  • Using keyword research tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush to find potential affiliates.
  • Strategies for contacting and negotiating with affiliates to build strong partnerships.
• Determining Affiliate Commissions (00:11:30)
  • The importance of competitive analysis to set appropriate commission rates.
  • Tips for negotiating commission rates with potential affiliates.
• Different Types of Affiliates and Influencers (00:13:28)
  • Categorizing affiliates into different groups such as coupon sites, loyalty programs, content affiliates, and social media influencers.
  • The importance of tailoring your approach based on the type of affiliate.
• SEO Benefits of Affiliate Links (00:20:04)
  • The debate on whether affiliate links contribute to SEO value.
  • The indirect benefits of increased brand awareness and direct searches due to affiliate promotions.
• Successful Affiliate Program Examples (00:25:18)
  • Examples of successful affiliate programs such as Loom and Rank Math SEO.
  • Best practices like using video tutorials for onboarding affiliates and running content contests to encourage affiliate engagement.

Bullet Points of Key Takeaways with Timestamps:

• [00:00:57] Introduction to Dustin Howes and his experience in affiliate marketing.
• [00:03:13] Importance of a high-converting website and readiness for an affiliate program.
• [00:08:37] Effective methods for recruiting and retaining affiliates.
• [00:11:30] Setting competitive commission rates through analysis and negotiation.
• [00:13:28] Categorizing affiliates and influencers for targeted strategies.
• [00:20:04] SEO benefits and indirect advantages of affiliate links.
• [00:25:18] Examples of successful affiliate programs and best practices.

Guest Information:

Dustin Howes

• Founder of DustinHowes.com
• Website: DustinHowes
• Online Course: PerformanceMarketingManager