Affiliate marketing has experienced significant changes, especially with the rise of AI and the impact of the pandemic. Brett Deister chats with Dustin Howes, a seasoned expert in this field, who shares insights on how affiliate marketing has thrived during challenging times and continues to grow. They discuss essential strategies for creating effective affiliate programs, emphasizing the need for personalized outreach, attractive incentives, and thorough competitor analysis. Dustin also delves into the importance of maintaining strong relationships with top affiliates, leveraging tools for better management, and the potential future of affiliate marketing as it becomes increasingly relationship-driven. Tune in to discover actionable tips, industry trends, and resources to enhance your affiliate marketing efforts.

Takeaways:

• Affiliate marketing saw significant growth during the pandemic as businesses moved online.
• Creating an affiliate program requires a solid plan and understanding of competitors' offerings.
• Personalized outreach is crucial for successful affiliate recruitment and maintaining relationships.
• AI can streamline content creation for affiliates, but personal relationships remain essential.
• Top affiliates should be nurtured continuously to avoid them switching to competitors.
• Old school methods like manual outreach and keyword research still yield high-quality affiliates.

Links referenced in this episode:

• dustinhouse.com/pod15
• performance marketing manager.com
• pubrecruiter.com
• publisherdiscovery.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• SEMrush
• PubRecruiter.com
• Publisher Discovery.com
• ChatGPT
• Jasper
• Impact
• ShareASale