With so much to do in so little time, automation has become the best friend of many enterprises. Automated workflows take the burden of dealing with menial tasks while you attend to more important business matters.
In short, automation improves overall efficiency and productivity. Not to mention, automation software nowadays can also streamline campaign performance.
Automation in affiliate marketing is rising in popularity. While infamous as one of the best ways to earn a passive income, a lot of work goes into running an affiliate marketing program. With automation, your affiliate marketing strategy may just experience a boost in performance and conversions.
What is Affiliate Marketing Automation?
Affiliate marketing is an advertising model where businesses launch an affiliate program for affiliate marketers (i.e. influencers, bloggers, affiliate networks) to promote to their audiences. The affiliate program pays marketers a commission for every sale they secure.Running an affiliate program is an excellent method for businesses to advertise their products and/or services to their target audience. A well-oiled affiliate marketing program keeps track of your campaigns’ progress, runs fraud protection, and follows a payout schedule. All these tasks can be accomplished with ease by integrating automation.
Affiliate marketing automation allows you to strategize campaigns and affiliate performance with robust analytics. In addition, automation tools run mundane processes for you, leaving you more time to focus on other important tasks. Automation in affiliate marketing also supports affiliates in managing their performance with just a few clicks.
What Good is Automation in Affiliate Marketing?
A lot of work goes into running affiliate programs. Monitoring multiple campaigns may be overwhelming. Because time is of the essence in affiliate marketing, it’s crucial to streamline affiliate marketing processes with automation.Automation tools and software allow you to accomplish several objectives with your affiliate marketing strategy:
- To perform daily technical tasks such as campaign overview, data analysis, and reporting;
- To optimize campaign strategy and affiliate performance;
- To serve as a communication and resource channel for your affiliates;
- To run data-backed advertising campaigns; and
- To save time and money for other business objectives or marketing tasks.
Advantages of Using Affiliate Marketing Automation Software
Automation in your affiliate marketing strategy introduces a range of advantages for you and your affiliates. Besides the overall operational efficiency it grants, affiliate marketing automation software delivers:- Quick and reliable performance of technical tasks such as performance analysis weekly overview
- Campaign optimization (targeted advertising, SEO, content marketing, and more)
- Integrations with current tech stack such as customer relationship management (CRM) and brand tracking tools
- Reduced operational costs as more staff can work on more important tasks for the day
- Flexible commission models, payout processes, and incentives
Affiliate marketing automation software streamlines processes and protects sales from fraudulent activity. It provides you with u actionable insight into on the performance of your current campaigns, helping you make better-informed decisions for your future campaigns.
How is Automation Implemented in Affiliate Marketing?
Every affiliate program runs a unique blend of processes to improve brand awareness, drive traffic, and boost sales. As the competition tightens, it is highly recommended to equip your affiliate marketing strategy with the appropriate automation software.1. Chatbots
Chatbots are one of the most used forms of artificial intelligence in the enterprise industry, 40% of consumers say they prefer interacting with chatbots due to their quick response and round-the-clock availability. These handy tools interact closely and build trust between the brand and visitors. Chatbots are always ready to answer any queries a visitor may have, leading to an engaging discussion on the visitor’s needs and how your services can be of help.Chatbots are also excellent endorsers of affiliate links. Upon recognizing a string of relevant keywords, chatbots can invite visitors to check out links to address their needs.
Additionally, chatbots can collect information on the interests and buying behavior of customers. A brief survey at the end of every visitor inquiry provides chatbots with insightful information on the needs and preferences of your audience. You can then tailor future marketing campaigns to better suit your audience’s buying habits.
2. Email marketing and communications
An open communication channel between you and your affiliates ensures they are in the loop on the latest news and updates for the affiliate program. With an automated email marketing tool by your side, you can send out emails regarding recruitment, onboarding, account credentials, and performance reports regularly.Automated email marketing also nurtures the trust developed between potential leads. A step-by-step procedure of warming up the customer to your products and/or services calls for carefully measured email sequences. These email campaigns invite prospects to sign up for the newsletter or download an e-book before eventually leading them to seal the deal by clicking on affiliate links.
3. SmartLinks
Smartlinks are an efficient solution to distribute affiliate links among your affiliate marketers. This AI-powered tool generates one link that shall redirect customers to the most suitable offer, according to their needs and preferencesSmartLinkA smartlink is not attached specifically to one offer only. Rather, it uses the cost-per-action (CPA) model to determine the best offer for the customer, increasing customer satisfaction and conversion rates. Smartlinks save you time in generating individual affiliate links for every offer. In addition, tracking traffic is more manageable with just one link to monitor.
4. Fraud Protection
The increase in online activity also invites many threats to online businesses, so business owners are responsible for protecting both the brand and the customers from suspicious activity.As affiliate programs involve interactions from multiple marketing channels, it is crucial to prevent fraudulent activity from interfering with campaign performance and sales. Fraudulent activity ranges from malicious clicks and ad stuffing to domain spoofing. Manual security measures are not enough to prevent fraud from affecting your campaigns, so you must employ AI-powered fraud protection tools.
Integrating fraud protection in your affiliate marketing strategy protects the integrity of your campaign and brand. Data reflected on reports are ensured to be authentic sales and impressions.
Automation in affiliate marketing works in multiple ways to streamline the processes behind your affiliate program. These practices can be integral to making the most out of your campaigns.
Best Affiliate Marketing Automation Software to Scale Your Marketing Strategy
1. Refersion
Services: affiliate marketing with influencers, publishers, and brand ambassadors
Featured es: an all-in-one platform for recruitment, campaign management, payment processes, data insights, and integrations
Industries: Fashion and Beauty, Health and Wellness, Food and Beverage, and Home and Furnishings
Pricing: Starts at $99 per month for a Professional subscription, with up to 50 monthly order conversions
Refersion is a versatile affiliate marketing software trusted by more than 60,000 brands. This platform is packed with the essential tools to automate your affiliate program and drive ROI. It supports the management of campaign progress and partner performance, delivering real-time insights with a built-in reporting feature.
Refersion also optimizes payments for a hassle-free transaction on your affiliates’ end. Taxes and other fees are automatically attended to, saving affiliates the trouble of deducting dues.
Aside from automating affiliate marketing workflows, Refersion also introduces you to its Affiliate Recruiting Solutions, where you can connect with rockstar affiliate marketers and publishers. Refersion is not only a platform to streamline your campaigns, but it is also a network of businesses and marketers with a shared passion for revenue growth.
2. Post Affiliate Pro
Services: affiliate tracking, affiliate management, affiliate management, and automation
Features: Affiliate software with promotional content, robust analytics, diverse tracking methods, and integrations for any affiliate program or network
Pricing: Starts at $129 per month for the Pro subscription plan
Post Affiliate Pro has long been supporting merchants, affiliate marketers, and networks since 2004. It boasts flexible use cases for both affiliate programs and networks, supporting affiliate tracking, lead generation, and milestone-based bonuses.
Post Affiliate Pro also features automation for several processes. Automate email marketing campaigns, or generate ad campaigns tailored to your audience’s interests. Post Affiliate Pro supports marketing across social media platforms, coordinating posts with ongoing campaigns to attract more leads and expand brand reach.
3. Tapfiliate
Services: affiliate marketing, performance tracking, and management of branded content and advertising campaigns
Features: Affiliate marketing control center for rich and engaging content marketing, tech integration, recurring commissions support, and automated workflows
Industries: SaaS, e-Commerce, dropshipping
Pricing: Starts at $89 per month with the Essential subscription plan
Tapfiliate is a cloud-based platform supporting several marketing approaches, such as affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, and referral marketing. Campaign management and workflow automation are optimized to meet your preferences, from a personalized landing page and dashboard to custom commission payments.
Tapfiliate supports automation for easy and stress-free management of your affiliate program. It enables the Zapier app to perform automated email triggers and webhooks. Performance bonuses and lifetime commissions are also supported by the platform, attracting premium affiliates to join your program.
4. EverFlow
Services: affiliate marketing and management with performance tracking and in-depth reporting
Features: diverse marketing platform to launch and scale affiliate programs, build lasting relationships, and support networks
Industries: e-Commerce and B2B
Pricing: Starts at $750 per month with the Core subscription plan, featuring full platform access
If you’re managing an affiliate program for a big enterprise, Everflow is your best pick. This affiliate marketing software aims to generate revenue growth from step one of engaging your affiliate marketing strategy.
Everflow features several functions for transparent monitoring of campaign progress. You can track potential leads and impressions, down to the individual performance of mobile partners. You can also monitor coupon codes used and reward affiliates for every sale they close.
Everflow simplifies repetitive tasks with instant and automated workflows. Keep things in control, from fraud detection and payments to software integration, within minutes.
5. PartnerStack
Services: affiliate marketing, referral marketing, and automated processes from partner recruitment to rewards
Features: affiliate marketing automation software tailored to grow revenue, establish partnerships, and enhance partner performance
Industries: B2B, SaaS
Pricing: Custom quotes for every enterprise
PartnerStack simply can’t be forgotten when discussing automation. This affiliate marketing platform does all the hard work for you, leaving you with more time and energy to work on more demanding tasks.
Fast-track your campaigns with automated workflows right from the get-go. PartnerStack boasts a community of B2B brands and competent affiliates. You can market your partner program on the marketplace to attract affiliates interested in taking part in your affiliate marketing journey.
Automate affiliate onboarding, rewards, and branded content marketing with PartnerStack. Directly send payments from your dashboard, and motivate partners in generating more sales with tier-based rewards and private bonuses.
6. TUNE
Services: platform migration and automation tools for affiliate marketing programs and networks
Features: flexible affiliate marketing platform with affiliate management support, fraud detection, real-time reporting for merchants and affiliate networks
Industries: Direct-to-Consumer, Finance, Subscription services
Pricing: Custom quotes for every enterprise
Enhance your affiliate marketing journey with TUNE, the first-ever marketing software to support optimization for mobile app campaigns. TUNE supports merchants and advertising networks in automating their workflows and scaling operations.
TUNE focuses on building lasting relationships with every partner. It automates technical tasks for minimal risk and tracks campaign and partner performance across devices. Affiliate partners and customers need not worry about privacy threats, as TUNE deploys an intelligent system to prevent fraudulent behavior. TUNE is among the few affiliate marketing platforms to showcase transparency In their security system.
