build a better program: segmentation, attribution & motivation

Segmentation, Attribution, and Motivation

Brian LittletonFounder/CEO ShareASale

SEGMENTATION, ATTRIBUTION AND MOTIVATION – BRIAN LITTLETON FOUNDER/CEO SHAREASALE

Attribution is a popular word!

Overheard at every Industry Conference, every Board Room and every Vendor pitch.

Let’s start by looking at the main problem identified.


The “Last Minute” Click


AVG TIMETO COMPLETE ORDER10 MinutesVS.$$

Click to Commission3 Minutes


The Turtle is in position to earn a commission as last click and is trumped

by the Parrott at the last second.

How to correct?

Major lines of thinking include

• Remove Affiliates• First Click

• Pay Per View Models


Remove Affiliates


Masks the problemLeaves revenue on the table

“Head in Sand” technique

First Click RewardOften utilized by Merchants.

On the surface, it looks like a good way to reward the first person to send

traffic.



First one in, keeps everyone else out.Encourages spam and click stuffing behaviour.Can result in simply random sale ownership.

What about View Tracking•Touted as a way to reward content sites who are

othewise difficult to engage.•Activates on any view of the site as opposed to

the user taking any action.



• Essentially is encouraged cookie-stuffing•Merchant has no real idea why / how a consumer

came through this relationship.• Random sale ownership.

So what’s a better idea?•Let’s create a solution that is fair •Go back to history to remember the benefits…


Early Affiliate Marketing•One size fits all•Scale achieved by giving all people the exact same product thereby limiting the workload of an AM.•Not the reality of today.


Segmentation•Critical in developing a complex

commission structure.•Track trends and manages

positives/negatives


Attribution•Use behaviour and rules to determine

commission


Examples:The “Last Minute” Click


AVG TIMETO COMPLETE ORDER10 MinutesVS.$$

Click to Commission3 Minutes


The Turtle is in position to earn a commission as last click and is trumped

by the Parrott at the last second.

Scenario Building


Coupons v. Content

Scenario Building


Coupons v. Coupons

Things to look out for


Contiguous clicks

Build the Rules“LeapFrog”


Build the Rules“Big Sale”


Encourage an Affiliate to play to their individual strengths.

Scenario Building


Not all about the Coupons!

•2% Bonus from a certain recruitment source•Add $50 for a sale over $500•Double commission for a new customer•Generate full commission for an affiliate tagged as “Coupon” utilizing a specific creative

You’ve created a Modern Affiliate Program


•Uses real data to determine complex commission structure•No “blanket” decisions such as paying all coupon affiliates 2% or removing from the program.•Incentives affiliates to encourage the behaviour that you want.•Scales using technology and rules – not just because one size fits all.

Questions and Discussion


build a better program: segmentation, attribution & motivation

Business

segmentation critical

double commission

coupon affiliates

minute click avg timeclick

incentives affiliates

random sale ownership

minutes3 minutessegmentation

complete order