ARTICLE

Smooth Affiliate Programs: Do You Need an Affiliate Manager?

SmallBizCRM Staff – July 12th, 2024

 

 

Elevating Your Strategy with Post Affiliate Pro:

Getting your affiliate programs to run smoothly without anyone being responsible for managing them is a tough task. But what exactly is affiliate management, and should you hire a manager in your company? Read on to find out!

What is Affiliate Management and Do You Need It in Your Business?

Affiliate marketing is currently worth $12 billion. If you scroll down to the bottom of any SaaS website or click on a “User settings” icon, you are very likely to find either “Become an affiliate” or “Recommend us to your friends” links. Surprising? 80% of brands use affiliate marketing to generate leads, including well-known companies like Amazon and Shopify.

The number of companies leveraging affiliate marketing is only growing since it’s a win-win strategy. Companies boost their reputation and revenue at a low cost (without the upfront risks of other marketing strategies), and marketers earn a reward for each customer they bring in, aligning their interests with the brand’s success.

The costs of running an affiliate program are minimal (aside from commissions for marketers or fees for network owners). Importantly, you only pay for visible results. If no new customers are acquired, you don’t pay a cent. Sales from affiliate programs can contribute up to 30% of a company’s total revenue. Consequently, many companies hire affiliate marketers, start their programs, and let them run on autopilot—only to be disappointed when there are no tangible results.

Unfortunately, affiliate marketing isn’t just a “plug-and-play” venture. Many tasks must be done daily to keep the program running smoothly. When you have one or two affiliate marketers, tracking and monitoring their performance isn’t a problem. But as the network grows, keeping track of everything becomes challenging. This is when companies need to consider proper affiliate management and hiring a manager for this sole purpose.

What is Affiliate Management?

Besides having a great product, high-quality content, and skilled affiliates, you need a management platform to grow your network and achieve the expected results. Good management involves tracking and monitoring affiliate performance, searching for new affiliates, optimizing strategies, and ensuring timely payments.

Initially, managing these tasks is easy. But as your number of affiliates grows, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and keeping the program running seamlessly becomes challenging. You need someone to lend a hand—and by someone, I mean an affiliate manager.

What is an Affiliate Manager?

An affiliate manager is responsible for managing your affiliate program from A to Z. Their daily tasks include tracking and monitoring performance metrics, evaluating and optimizing campaigns, creating and implementing sales strategies, and suggesting keywords or content.

Additionally, they research, recruit, and train new affiliates. They also build strategies that align with company goals, answer marketers’ questions, and resolve any issues. Keeping an eye on program terms and conditions to prevent breaches is also part of their job.

Lastly, they create content for newsletters and resource guides, answer emails, and fulfil affiliate requests. As you can see, an affiliate manager’s job isn’t a piece of cake. To handle these tasks, an affiliate manager needs several skills.

What Skills Should an Affiliate Manager Have?

Affiliate managers wear many hats, taking care of both the affiliate program and the people behind it. They need a wide range of skills and qualities to succeed. Here are some traits to look for in your future affiliate managers:

  • Willingness to Learn: With the increasing number of companies starting affiliate marketing campaigns, the market is getting more competitive. Managers must keep up with industry trends and discoveries. Continuous learning enhances their confidence in making suggestions and decisions.
  • Confidence: Managers frequently make decisions and discuss improvements. They need to persuade affiliates to join the program or negotiate with suppliers. Confidence, backed by data and public speaking skills, is essential for this role.
  • Flexibility: Marketing is an ever-changing industry. Managers must adapt quickly to new situations, whether it’s a sudden change in the industry or an unexpected problem. They need to negotiate and find compromises between different expectations.
  • Data Analysis and Computer Skills: Affiliate marketing can be done in many ways, and data helps determine the best approach. Managers should focus on relevant metrics and use affiliate management tools to track performance.
  • Creativity: Promoting a brand in a competitive industry requires fresh and innovative ideas. Creativity helps managers solve business problems, handle unexpected events, and find new opportunities.
  • Communication and Leadership Skills: Managers interact with many people daily. They must be excellent public speakers, pitch ideas, answer questions, handle criticisms, and persuade others. As leaders, they set goals, guide affiliates, and present ideas.
  • Organizational Skills and Steel Nerves: With many tasks and responsibilities, good organizational skills are a must. Managers need to make swift decisions, create work schedules, prioritize tasks, stick to deadlines, and keep a cool head.

Many people think that creating affiliate programs, and links, and hiring marketers will flood them with new customers at a low cost. If only it were that easy!

To keep affiliate campaigns running smoothly, affiliate managers need to continuously improve and optimize. They ensure the program runs without a hitch while encouraging affiliates to give their best and keep improving. So why not start the new year with improved affiliate marketing?


Post Affiliate Pro is a highly suitable choice for businesses looking to streamline their affiliate marketing efforts. This robust platform offers a comprehensive set of features that cater to both small businesses and large enterprises. With its user-friendly interface, it simplifies the management of affiliate programs, making it easy to track performance, manage payouts, and optimize campaigns. The software supports various commission structures, providing flexibility to create custom programs tailored to specific business needs. Its advanced reporting tools offer valuable insights, enabling data-driven decisions to enhance program effectiveness. Integration with numerous payment processors and third-party applications ensures seamless operations. Additionally, Post Affiliate Pro’s scalability makes it ideal for growing businesses, accommodating an expanding network of affiliates without compromising performance. The platform’s exceptional customer support and regular updates further enhance its reliability, making it a dependable solution for any business aiming to succeed in affiliate marketing.