Closers target people who have demonstrated a stronger interest in buying a particular product, either based on their online searches or the type of content they engage with.
- Paid media: Paid media partners tend to attract users with very high intent because much of their traffic is driven by specific keywords or other sophisticated targeting. The first group is a blend of comparison sites that build their own landing pages specifically to drive traffic from paid search keywords. The second group consists of paid media partners who work closely with you on a performance basis to drive direct traffic back to your site through paid search, paid social or more traditional digital advertising platforms.
- Strategic partners: Strategic partnerships can take various forms like a simple cross-promotion with a non-competitive brand. Alternatively, it could entail a comprehensive tech integration with a competitor, allowing the opportunity to enhance your customer’s purchase with an add-on from a competitor—something that you may not offer.
- Agencies and consultants: Having an agency-specific program is typically the optimal approach to address the distinct needs of this segment. However, many programs either use affiliate as a testing ground for agencies and consultants or lack the systems and processes to manage them separately.
It’s worth mentioning that there is still an opportunity in B2B to work with coupon, loyalty or cashback sites. These sites sit further down the funnel and can be quite impactful when leveraged strategically. But it depends on the product, audience and conversion events being tracked. Common discounts we see are “% off” an annual plan, a free upgrade to a higher plan or an extended free trial—all of which can make a difference to price-conscious businesses, startups or entrepreneurs.
If you’re not working with comparison sites, your competitors likely are. If you’re not developing a strategy to reach your audience through social influencers and groups, your competitors are likely there as well. The speed of growth—what McKinsey refers to as the “multiplier effect”—will accelerate for those who invest, while those who don’t will fall behind. B2B affiliate won’t replace an entire digital channel strategy on its own, but it can provide a strong entry, complement or upgrade to expensive and ineffective marketing channels.
In the end, the future of B2B affiliate looks promising—technology has evolved, new partners consistently emerge to fill digital channel gaps. Now is the opportune time for B2B organizations to embrace digitalization.
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