What is an affiliate program, or what is affiliate marketing?
An affiliate program is a marketing arrangement in which affiliates receive commission for each sale they generate for a merchant. It is a form of performance-based marketing where the commission acts as an incentive for the affiliate. Most merchants join affiliate networks (like Refersion!), which provide reporting tools and payment processing among other resources, to help track and manage their affiliate programs
What is Refersion?
Refersion is an affiliate marketing platform. It allows merchants to track affiliate sales on their ecommerce stores and helps them manage every aspect of their program, including their relationships with their affiliates, in one place.
As an affiliate, you will be able to login to your own affiliate dashboard to see reports, earnings, links/banners, and receive important announcements for each merchant’s affiliate program. Our customer success services are also free of cost to affiliates, and we can provide proper guidance and support to help you navigate the interface.
What resources does Refersion provide to affiliates?
The Refersion platform provides affiliates with an all-in-one dashboard that allows you to track your performance and payment history, contact the merchant that you’re working with, and pull brand resources like product links or banner ads if available. You can check out our help guide on how to use the affiliate portal, which includes a video walkthrough, for additional details.
Additionally, affiliates also have free access to join the Refersion Marketplace. More information on that can be found below.
Lastly, our customer success services are free of cost and provide proper guidance and support to help you navigate the Refersion Platform. Feel free to email [email protected] if there’s something that we can help you with! While we are happy to answer your questions about your account and about best practices, we cannot execute your affiliate channel efforts such as adding links or banners to your website. Each affiliate is responsible for their own day-to-day operations and decision-making.
What is the Refersion Marketplace?
Separate from the Refersion platform, which an individual merchant may use to host their brand’s own affiliate program, the Refersion Marketplace is our open network where all of our merchants who are looking for affiliate partners can list their programs and commission offerings.
Having an affiliate account in one brand’s affiliate program is not the same as having a Refersion Marketplace account. If you are an affiliate with multiple brands, then opening a Refersion Marketplace account is a great way for you to centralize all of your different affiliate accounts into one dashboard.
The Refersion Marketplace is also a great way for affiliates to find new brands and products to promote!
Why should I be an affiliate?
The commission incentive for joining an affiliate program will vary from merchant to merchant, but in general if you are a fan of a specific merchant or brand, then you can earn commissions for your referrals!
Most affiliate programs are free to join, and you likely do not need any specific degree or work experience. All you need is a computer or smartphone to create and edit content and the basic skills necessary to maintain your website or social profile. You don’t even have to appear for an interview. Anyone can become an affiliate marketer with ease, and you can become an affiliate for multiple businesses.
There is also little to no investment from your end since you are simply recommending products to others. Who knows? You might start off making some extra cash, and then you may consider becoming a part-time or even full-time affiliate marketer!
Is being an affiliate the same as being a brand ambassador?
When you are promoting for a brand (or multiple brands) and earning commission, you might be labeled as one of many things: brand ambassador, affiliate, influencer, publisher, etc.
On the Refersion platform in general we use ‘affiliate’ as an umbrella term to encompass all of these things. Our help resources also do not really make a distinction between these different types of affiliates. However, the merchants that you work with may decide to call you something else for branding or segmentation purposes.
Regardless of your audience size or your relationship with a merchant, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to promote brands and be rewarded for your efforts!
How do I sign up to be an affiliate?
If you want to sign up for a specific brand’s affiliate program, then the exact method to join the program may vary from merchant to merchant. Many merchants may have a page on their website (listed in either the header or footer of their site) about their affiliate program that links to their affiliate registration page:
They may also share the registration page in their marketing emails or on their social channels. If a merchant is not publicly promoting their affiliate program, then you may have to reach out to them directly to inquire about a potential partnership.
If you don’t have a particular merchant in mind that you’d like to promote, then you can simply signup to join the Refersion Marketplace! From there you can browse all of our merchant’s listings and also filter by vertical or search for specific merchants or products. Just be sure to align yourself with brands that you’re familiar with, are passionate about, or that relates to the content that you share on your blog or website
How much commission will I earn? How and when will I be paid?
There is a very wide spectrum here but typically, commission rates are based on a percentage of the total sale and land in between 10 and 20%. Exact commission rates, payment schedules and payment methods are set by each individual merchant, and you’ll be able to review your exact commission rate under a specific merchant from your affiliate dashboard. Checkout our help guide on tracking your commission payments for additional information.
Is there a minimum payout threshold I need to reach?
There is no specific feature on Refersion that prevents affiliates from earning commission until they have reached X threshold. However, a merchant may decide to implement their own payout threshold.
Can I give my audience a coupon code?
The option to promote via coupon code is determined individually by merchants. Some merchants may allow affiliates to request their own coupon code right from their registration form. Other merchants may exclude coupon codes from their affiliate program entirely.
If you’d like to request a coupon code from a merchant that you’re working with, then you’ll need to reach out to them directly. Read below for additional information on how to do that.
How do I contact the merchants I am working with?
Please check out our dedicated help guide on this question for additional information.
Was your question not answered above?
If not, then please feel free to email [email protected] as we're happy to help!