Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, it’s evident now more than ever the importance of content publishers in your affiliate program. Although social media influencers and bloggers have gained a lot of popularity in recent years with their ability to drive revenue growth, it’s during unfamiliar times like these where they can provide a sense of familiarity. With consumer discretionary spending trending down, content publishers are able to supply the one thing everyone is still searching for—information. Good content publishers have the ability to continue to drive sales even when demand is down. They go to work advocating for your brand at a time when a coupon or special offer may simply be overlooked.
Why You Need Content Publishers
Current events aside, there is further evidence that suggests content publishers can help the overall health and growth of your affiliate program; otherwise, why would 86% of B2C businesses already be using content marketing as part of their digital strategy? Looking at Instagram alone, influencer marketing spending is expected to reach $8 billion by the end of 2020, according to eMarketer. So, for those who have thought social media marketing was just a fad, think again.
Top bloggers and Influencers are able to tap into their network of loyal followers and inspire conversions. By sharing tips, recommendations, and other information, their followers are able to make a purchase decision. The key ingredient is “trust”. Their audience trusts them implicitly, which allows partner brands to leverage that trust and parlay it into sales. The catch? The best content publishers are very selective about the brands they work with. Many only want to work with brands they’re familiar with or who have a good reputation, which leads to the next point…
Build Strong Relationships
It’s very important for brands to build strong relationships with all of their affiliate publishers, but especially their content partners. For many of them, their personal reputation is at stake. This directly impacts their ability to make a living, therefore, it’s important for influencers and bloggers to really believe in the product or service they are promoting.
At AIM, we take pride in our ability to build strong relationships with the publishers we work with, and we have a strong network of high-performing social influencers and bloggers that have proven results. When it comes to recruiting new content publishers into a program, the key is finding the right fit. We look at things like who their audience is, how big their following is, where they’re located, and what type of content they create. This information allows us to bring on partners that we feel will make the biggest impact and drive the most growth within a program.
The Road Ahead
Although much uncertainty and doubt looms heavily over our global economy, one thing has become increasingly clear—we are all in this together. Helen Keller once said, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” This statement should be the mantra of your affiliate program. If you can use this time to strengthen the relationships you have with your existing content publishers, as well as cultivate new relationships, you’ll be paving the road to a successful program.
If you’d like to learn more about how to build strong publisher relationships or interested in working with more content publishers, please contact us today and let us know.
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