Do you think affiliate marketing is a matter for small entrepreneurs? Not at all! You should know that 8 out of 10 brands (81%) use affiliate programs as part of their marketing strategy, according to Mediakix data.
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What are the most representative affiliate marketing examples?
Amazon and the sites ‘Every Day Carry’ and ‘Gear Patrol’.
uSwitch and the ‘Money Saving Expert’ site
The Home Depot and the ‘Consumer Search’ site
eBay and the ‘Glory Cycles’ site
What are the best affiliate programs for ecommerce?
eBay, The Home Depot, Amazon and other well-known ecommerces have affiliate programs. The secret of its success is due to the performance it offers: advertisers pay commissions only for the conversions they get, which means that the sales cycle is financially beneficial to the company. For example, hiring a billboard requires an initial outlay, and the resulting benefits are not easy for advertisers to calculate. This is not the case with affiliate marketing.
As you will discover in the following lines, there are many examples of affiliate marketing, such as Gear Patrol, Money Saving Expert or Glory Cycles. Would you like to discover them in depth?
What are the most representative affiliate marketing examples?
Amazon and the sites ‘Every Day Carry’ and ‘Gear Patrol’.
Sites associated with the Amazon affiliate program abound, not so much for the commission earned but for the variety, security and prestige of Jeff Bezos’ ecommerce. One of the best examples of affiliate marketing strategies is Every Day Carry, an interesting site of reviews of survival articles.
In Every Day Carry it is possible to find analyses of Swiss Army Knives, watches, flashlights, gadgets, backpacks, notebooks and other products, which are indispensable in the luggage of the adventurous public. All their links lead to Amazon products, where the purchase is made. The same happens in Gear Patrol, a site that covers a greater number of products and market niches.
Gear Patrol is another of Amazon’s best examples of affiliate websites. It is defined as a daily men’s magazine, specializing in travel, adventure, food and technology. In addition to receiving millions of daily visits, this site has a large community of loyal followers, who are redirected to Amazon through affiliate links. It is a clear example of a win-win relationship!
uSwitch and the ‘Money Saving Expert’ site
Money Saving Expert was founded by Martin Lewis, is based in the UK and boasts one of the most inspiring affiliate marketing cases. The purpose of this site is to teach you how to save money and educate you on the main financial instruments.
The theme of Money Saving Expert is not conducive to use the affiliate systems of Amazon, eBay or other common programs. However, this site is highly profitable thanks to the affiliate links of uSwitch, TotallyMoney, Tradedoubler or Affiliate Window, among others. Without a doubt, one of those examples of affiliate marketing to imitate.
The Home Depot and the ‘Consumer Search’ site
Consumer Search is your product recommendation and analysis site. It was created in 1999 with a curious mission: to eliminate the commercial exaggeration and dishonesty of brands on the Internet.
By personally examining each new product, Consumer Search can recommend the best of the best from each category and market niche. Thanks to the independence of its professionals, the public relies on the transparency of their opinions.
Consumer Search revenue comes from links to affiliates of The Home Depot, a powerful U.S. retailer of DIY and household products. While Consumer Search earns a commission for each sale, The Home Depot increases visitor traffic and achieves powerful backlinks.
eBay and the ‘Glory Cycles’ site
Glory Cycles is the result of an excellent integration of BigCommerce and the eBay catalog. This online shop specializes in products and accessories for cyclists, as well as bicycles and related equipment. According to its creators, the mission of Glory Cycles is “to use the web to connect our customers with exactly what they are.
Glory Cycles has been a great success since its launch in 2001, which is not only due to the good management of its founders. eBay and its stock of products has also contributed. Both have helped each other to achieve success, which is one of the pillars of affiliate marketing.
What are the best affiliate programs for ecommerce?
According to Business Insider, income from the use of affiliate programs has grown by 10% per year since 2015, and this dynamic is expected to continue until 2021. It is clear that this marketing strategy is effective for both ecommerces and their associates.
In addition to Amazon Associates and its well-known affiliate program, many e-commerce companies have similar strategies. They stand out:
- Etsy Affiliates: Despite its low commission of 4%, Etsy has one of the most interesting affiliate programs, with a wide variety of products that attract a very wide audience.
- eBay Affiliates: With very high commissions, between 40% and 80%, eBay’s affiliate program competes with Amazon’s, offering various solutions to monetize third-party websites and applications.
- The Zalando Partner Program: Zalando’s affiliate commissions are 8%, but it has a wide selection of clothing, accessories and shoes online to provide. Like eBay, Amazon or Etsy, Zalando has a customer community and a recognized brand, which brings added value.
- AliExpress Affiliate: with a variable commission of up to 50%, AliExpress competes with the previous ones, and despite its short trajectory (it was launched in 2010), its affiliate program is a reference in e-commerce.
These and other examples of affiliate marketing are very inspiring. But startups and midsize companies should not think that this marketing strategy is out of their reach. Regardless of their size, sector or product, all online retailers will succeed in launching their own affiliate program.
Image credit: Tokokoo
