Investigating Affiliate Management Programs

Earlier, I had an interesting conversation with a marketing representative from a new affiliate network. I am investigating whether or not to offer affiliate partnerships to publishers to help promote ProfessionalProfiles.

Over the years I have partnered with several advertisers via affiliate networks where I was the publisher. The percentages offered me in some cases were good [i.e., web hosting partners] and in other cases-- not the 10% I want to offer.

No matter what percentage promised-- I have never realized any revenue from any of my affiliate partnerships. The marketing representative wanted to offer 40% to the publishers and the affiliate management network would take 30% on top. So if I offer a profile submission for $10.00, each sale the publisher makes would garner him/her $4.00 and the affiliate management network $1.20. So after I have paid everyone-- I would get $4.80.

I am not sure if I will use affiliates to promote ProfessionalProfiles-- but I am glad I investigated how all of this works.

The benefits of using an affiliate network to manage your affiliate program? Accounting, payment, legal, etc.

The marketing representative-- as we were ending our call, asked if there was anything else I wanted to ask. I explained that I was a publisher for several affiliate networks and routinely developed software tools and interfaces to help promote advertisers products and services. I told her about WiredPages and asked her to have a look around the news service [ApartmentFinder, Books, iTunes]. She agreed to do just that.

Maybe I should concentrate my efforts on providing publishers, management teams and advertisers with customizable software tools?

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