There are many software tools dedicated to managing affiliate marketing processes on the market. You may be wondering what factors you need to consider when choosing one. In this article, you will learn what to look for and how to choose the best one.
The best affiliate management system for your company: What you need to identify first
Let’s start with whether you already have an affiliate program in place. Perhaps your business has grown so much that you need to manage several programs at the same time (congrats!). This is a key factor when choosing affiliate management software. It will help you decide whether you need to invest in a more advanced system that will help you manage several affiliate programs or if you can opt for a more basic version that provides a more narrow list of features.
Your company’s needs and expectations
To choose a solution that best fits your needs, consider what problems you want to tackle. Ask yourself questions like “What do I need it for?” or “Am I happy with how I communicate with my affiliates?” Moreover, do you know how to track your progress? Payments can also be a problem for many merchants. These factors (and many others!) are the reason why there is no one-size-fits-all type of solution.
If your goal is to increase sales, the affiliate management system that you use should allow you to track affiliate links in order to verify their effectiveness. Once the software you choose meets your primary goals, you can start looking at other aspects of the software such as design or ease of use. Even though these are not the most important factors, they do affect the user experience.
Is affiliate marketing your main sales strategy or just something on the side?
This factor may determine whether you actually need an affiliate management system. Let’s assume you made the decision that affiliate marketing would be the core of your marketing efforts. Then affiliate management software is a necessity for your business because affiliate marketing activities must be strictly controlled and measured in order to bring you the desired results. As such, you’ll need a complex system that can monitor tasks within a comprehensive marketing strategy and a lot of affiliate partnerships.
What’s your experience with affiliate marketing?
If you are just starting out as an affiliate merchant, then extensive, advanced software might only confuse you and make your work more difficult. The best affiliate management system for you should not be too complex. It would be great if the solution offered in-app tutorials or clearly described its features so that you can easily learn how to use it.
The situation is entirely different when you have a lot of experience or have already used a few systems. In this case, you don’t have to look at the software’s ease of use. Of course, it should still be intuitive and user-friendly, but the features come first.
Consider what stage of development your business is at
How many employees do you employ, and will you be the only one with access to the affiliate marketing management system or it will be used by your whole team? These are quite important questions, because not all software provides access to the merchant’s panel from several different accounts or IP addresses. The state of your company also determines the budget for this kind of software.
Take the number of affiliates you have into account
Different software have different options depending on the number of collaborators that need to be invited into the system. Amazon Associates works with over 900,000 affiliates. How about you? As you already know, the number of affiliate partners can vary. What else is quite significant is the type of product you offer– whether it’s a digital product/service or a physical good, as well as affiliate payout options.
How to choose the best affiliate management system: things to consider
Once you establish your goals and analyze your business’s needs, you should take a closer look at these key aspects:
Price
Let’s face it; money plays a huge role here. You don’t want to pay a lot for features that you can get at a lower price. It is quite logical. Many providers offer several plans that provide different features, so you can choose the most cost-effective one. Post Affiliate Pro gives you three plans to choose from – Pro, Ultimate, and Network. You can check out a thorough comparison of these plans and sign up for a free trial to test out the best option for you.
Features
Before you start looking for a piece of software, you should write down a list of features that are a must-have for you. Then, cross-check whether the system you’re eyeing provides them. If you know what you are looking for then it’s much easier to find, right?
Integrations
Now let’s move on to integrations. Before you commit to any software, check what integrations are available. It will be much easier for you to implement a new system when it is integrated with other pieces of your tech stack. Don’t settle on moving data manually – it’s time-consuming and can lead to data loss if done incorrectly.
Customer service and onboarding
These factors are crucial when it comes to acquiring any new products or services, especially digital ones. So when choosing an affiliate management system provider, find one that offers timely service and quality onboarding/ training so that you know how to use your new system efficiently.
Social proof
The average consumer reads ten reviews before buying any item online (source), so do the same before choosing an affiliate management system. This is, after all, a significant purchase for your company. Read some testimonials or check software review sites. By doing so, you can find out interesting pieces of information, like the fact that Post Affiliate Pro helps over 30,000 companies handle affiliate programs.
Final thoughts
Without a doubt, choosing the best affiliate management system is not a piece of cake. But all the work that you have to do before making your decision is worth the effort. Once you find the affiliate management software that ticks all your boxes, your affiliate marketing will be much easier to handle and bring better results.
The final decision depends on your needs, budget, the number of affiliates you work with, and many more factors. But keep in mind that many merchants have relied on Post Affiliate Pro and that they are more than happy with the tool. Maybe you want to join them?
Thinking about an iDevAffiliate alternative?
Post Affiliate Pro is a versatile affiliate management solution with social media integration and customizable features, offering alternatives to Scaleo, HitPath, Awin, and AffTrack. It helps businesses optimize their marketing goals and increase sales through effective campaigns and conversion tracking.
