Special Report: Affiliate Marketing

This Is Not a Test

As a direct marketer, you want to test; it’s in your blood. But that could work against you as you begin an affiliate marketing program. While testing new affiliates, new creative and new offers within the channel are good practices, testing the channel itself can be difficult.

“[Affiliate marketing] is not something you can dip your foot into and see how it works. You’re asking affiliates to pick up your creative and get paid when they drive an end-user to your site who buys a product,” says Steve Denton, senior vice president of client services at New York-based affiliate network LinkShare.