Posted by Karen Noonan, August 11, 2010

I received my copy of Feed Front Magazine last week and it reminded me to check out the AffStat report for 2010. While not all of the data that Missy Ward and Shawn Collins collect has direct implications to my job as the affiliate manager for RevResponse.com, the insight provided by a large sector of affiliate marketers always gives me a few things to think about – which is exactly what they hope it will do…

The research has been designed to increase awareness and foster best-practices in the affiliate marketing industry. As you peruse this report, it is our hope that you consider the results and how they affect your role as an affiliate, merchant, network or vendor.

One finding from the report that particularly struck me was respondents who said that they actively promote 51 or more affiliate programs. 21% of respondents noted that yes, the actively promote more than 51 affiliate programs! I want to hear from these affiliates. Are they testing these programs out and then deciding to keep some and chuck others? Are they building more than 51 sites specific to each program they promote? What kind of earnings are they seeing? What kind of organizational skills do they employ? If you are one of these affiliates, I want to hear from you!

Another pretty pie chart in the AffStat report breaks down how affiliates find out about the programs they join. There are 13 different ways that the respondents note finding out about the programs they join. The most popular seem to be Google, affiliate directories, and being contacted directly by an affiliate manager. My question is, if you find out via Google, what are you searching for that leads you to join? Are you clicking on Google Ads for the program or are you searching for an affiliate program in your search term and then joining a program based on your search results?

I’d love to have you chime in to my curiosities above. Comment away!

The AffStat report also publishes many affiliate comments related to the survey they conduct…

Affiliates were asked to share any complaints, ideas, suggestions or opinions they have regarding affiliate marketing.  Read what happens when affiliates stop being polite, and start being real. This is the Real World– Affiliate style.

One of my favorite comments speaks to the integrity of affiliate managers and programs. It’s always nice  to have a reminder that affiliate marketing is a two-way street:

We as affiliates do not like it when affiliate managers pull shady stuff, like allowing certain publishers to break the rules. If you piss us off enough, all it takes is one phone call to the CEO of the advertiser that you are working for and we can let them know exactly how they can save hundreds of thousands of dollars (in some cases, millions) by dumping your ass. (and reversing the commissions of your buddy who happens to be in the affiliate program breaking all of the rules) Play fair, or face the vindictive wrath of the publishers! Just remember, we got the exact same eyeballs on you, that you got on us.