Episode 2: Why Traditional Affiliate Programs Are Failing DTC Brands

Welcome to Episode 2 of Season 1 of Masters of DTC! In this episode, hosts Sandeep Bansal and Aashi Garg dive deep into why traditional affiliate programs are falling short of meeting the complex demands of emerging direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands.

They explore how the modern customer journey is anything but a straight line. With prospects discovering brands through a multitude of channels like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and more, tracking and engaging customers has become increasingly complex. The hosts discuss how traditional affiliate networks struggle to keep up with this multi-touchpoint landscape, leading to challenges in attribution and performance measurement.

Key Topics Covered:

• The Evolution of the Customer Journey: Understanding how customers interact with brands across various platforms and the implications for tracking and attribution.
• Limitations of Traditional Affiliate Networks: Why simple link distribution and cookie-based tracking are no longer sufficient in today's digital environment.
• The Need for Advanced Partnership Ecosystems: Making the case for a comprehensive, partnership-led sales and marketing strategy that includes affiliates, influencers, content creators, and more.
• Essential Features for Modern Affiliate Programs:
  • All-in-one influencer marketing platforms for discovery, management, and scaling.
  • Mobile-friendly partner onboarding experiences.
  • Support for Shopify collections to target niche audiences.
  • Brand benchmarking reports to measure performance against industry standards.
• Practical Steps for Brands: How to build a robust partnership ecosystem that can rival traditional paid media acquisition programs.

Join Sandeep and Aashi as they share insights and practical advice on transforming your affiliate program into a powerful growth channel. Whether you're a DTC brand looking to scale or a marketer interested in the latest trends in affiliate marketing, this episode is packed with valuable information.

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Tune in and let's master the art of DTC together!