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Struggling?

The E-commerce world is changing almost by the minute lately. From Merchants having to pause programs because they cannot ship anything, to panic over budgets, commission rates slashed or set to zero.

While this is a very unusual set of circumstances we are all dealing with; there are some bright notes.

  • Some Merchants are stepping up and adding in bonuses
  • There are very profitable sectors with healthy affiliate programs
  • Now is a good time diversify your affiliate earning platforms
  • As a community, we are helping each other
  • Consumers are discovering this shopping from home thing is pretty cool.
  • Oh, and in about 7 months you better have a Baby site in place.. just saying

Commission Junction is making Network Consumer Trends Reports available – These are updated every Wednesday.
https://junction.cj.com/covid-19-network-consumer-trends-report

FMTC has partnered with Trackonomics to give daily updates on commissions changes in Affiliate Networks. You can sign up to subscribe to their email updates here: http://fmtc-7325025.hs-sites.com/affiliate-program-covid-19-updates

Rakuten Center has insights on current commerce and consumer behavior with specific global and category trends. this is updated weekly: https://rakutenadvertising.com/covid19/

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Working from Home, A new reality for some of you :)

I have worked from home for 27 years..so after being thoroughly entertained by posts of those new to working from home I thought I would give you some tips and giggles.

  • The worst thing that can happen during your new office commute is you blow out a slipper in the hallway.
  • Loungewear..is the new uniform. Don’t call them jammies.
  • PC Gaming Headphones with their own mute function are your best friend!
  • Wireless headsets are MUST! especially if you have children. ( the look of shock when your sweet cherubs who are coloring on the wall see you get up from your desk to deal with them is priceless)
  • It is way too easy to just stay in your jammies..for days. Get dressed and prepared for home office work like you would for normal work..just skip the dress shoes and stick to slippers.
  • Team meetings fails on Zoom are a trending search lately. Don’t be one of those examples. Always mute yourself upon entering  ( both from your mic and the button in your conference screen to be safe. )No one wants to hear you arguing with your housemates.
  • Video IS optional place a sticky note over your camera, or disable it when entering a conference. If you are using your phone for conferencing disable the camera in the meeting settings. We really do not need to see video of you in the bathroom…please noooo. ( see Zoom meeting fails search)
  • Multiple Monitors are a must. If you are using a laptop you can add a monitor to your set up with a HDMI cable on most Macs and PC’s..you know that extra TV sitting around ..it works as a monitor too! 
  • Screen sharing meetings are pretty common now. For these make sure you are turning off all other applications so you can get the best frame rates on the video screen shares.
  • If you are the Presenter in a screen share – move any other applications to the opposite screen you are sharing- no one needs to see that private Skype pop into the screen share.
  • Working at home is a complete disruption of your schedule..specifically your eating schedule. Set timers for your breaks and lunch or you will find yourself skipping these and by the time we get back to going in the office you might have snacked yourself into a new
    size.
     
  • Get the best comfy chair you can- your body will thank you. When shopping for that new comfy office chair for home look at the ratings for both weight and hours of use. I love the Serta chairs – they are one of the few brands that have chairs designed for big and tall people.
  • Know your function keys..why you ask?..in case your new furry supervisor walks on your keyboard and suddenly your screen size has changed or you are typing in a different language. ( most common F11 pops you in full screen view  and the toolbar disappears)
  • Hydration is your friend, but it isn’t friendly with laptops and keyboards. Those travel cups are now your desktop coffee cup and all around drink cup. Think sippy cups for adults. I admit I or my furry supervisor cat- Shadow has helped to kill off several expensive mechanical keyboards and two laptops over the years.  

Got something to add?

Shadow, My supervisor
Shadow- supervising

‘They haven’t been given the receipts’: Why one brand is auditing its DSPs for greater transparency

Buoyed by the shift of sports programming to streaming, ad spend on digital video continues to climb, but that growth comes with greater scrutiny around transparency and business outcomes. 

Case in point: A major beverage company is conducting an independent audit of its digital media ads — including CTV and online video — that ran across the World Cup. It is a move toward transparency and accountability that Blockboard, one of its vendors being audited, welcomes.

“Marketers want the receipts, and they haven’t been given the receipts,” said Matt Wasserlauf, CEO at Blockboard. “All the demand-side platforms that are running these ads are giving them countless reasons why they can’t provide those receipts. And so, this audit represents a demand for that information, for that transparency.”

Continue reading this article on digiday.com. Sign up for Digiday newsletters to get the latest on media, marketing and the future of TV.

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A Time Saving Guide for Affiliate Marketing Automation

Performance marketing is more competitive and fast-paced than ever. With multiple traffic sources to manage, campaigns to optimize, and new opportunities to test, time is one of your most valuable resources.

The less time you spend on repetitive manual tasks, the more time you have to test new ideas  that can improve your performance.

Automation can help take certain routine tasks off your plate, giving you more time to focus on strategy. Instead of spending hours on repetitive work, you can put that time toward experimenting with new ideas, finding what performs best, exploring creatives, A/B testing and scaling campaigns more efficiently.

Time-Saving Tools to Streamline Your Workflow

AI Tools

AI tools can help affiliates speed up the parts of campaigns that often take the most time by supporting the creative process and helping you brainstorm new angles, explore different messaging ideas and quickly create variations to test. Instead of replacing the strategy and decision making behind a campaign, AI can help you move faster and spend more time focusing on what drives results.

Use AI tools for things like:

  • Brainstorming headlines, copy and creative concepts to test different campaign angles.
  • Repurposing existing content into new formats (EX. turning a blog post into social posts, emails, etc).
  • Rewriting messaging for different audiences by adjusting tone or style.
  • Creating outlines or initial rough drafts. 

Social media scheduling

Social media scheduling tools make it easier to stay consistent without having to stop what you’re doing every day to create and publish posts. When you’re managing multiple campaigns, channels and audiences, this can save a lot of time and help keep content running in the background while you focus on growing your campaigns.

Planning your content in advance also gives you more room to think strategically about what you’re sharing and when. Rather than rushing to post something last minute, you can create a content plan that supports your promotions.

  • Batch your content for the week or month so you’re not creating posts every day.
  • Schedule content across multiple social platforms from one place.
  • Keep a consistent posting schedule to stay visible and engaged with your audience.
  • Organize posts around important launches, seasonal promotions, and affiliate offers.

Email scheduling

Email scheduling tools let you connect with your audience without having to manually send every message. you can plan newsletters, promotions, and follow-ups in advance and schedule them to go out when they’ll have the biggest impact. 

  • Plan newsletters and updates ahead of time so your emails are ready to go when needed.
  • Set up automated email sequences to keep your audience engaged.
  • Test different subject lines, messaging and send times to see what drives better results.
  • Spend less time managing email sends and more time focusing on campaign strategy.

Automatic alerts

Automated alerts help you stay on top of important campaign changes without constantly checking throughout the day. If you set up notifications for key performance updates, you can quickly spot opportunities and make faster decisions. You can create alerts for things like traffic spikes, budget limits, conversion drops, or offer changes.

Strategy Can’t Be Automated

Automation can help you save time, but the parts of performance marketing that require creativity and decision making still need a human touch. Tools can help you work faster and more efficiently but they can’t replace the strategy behind choosing the right opportunities or understanding what motivates your audience.

The best performing campaigns still come from affiliates who understand their audience and make informed decisions based on data and experience:

  • Choose offers that align with your audience and goals.
  • Understand who you’re targeting and what messaging will resonate with them.
  • Build long-term strategies instead of only focusing on short-term wins.
  • Using experience and insights to make decisions that tools can’t make for you.

Common Automation Mistakes to Avoid

Automating inefficient processes

Automation can make your workflow more efficient, but it only works when it’s set up properly. Automating a process that is already inefficient can create more problems instead of solving them. Take time to improve your workflow first, then look for ways automation can make it easier.

Relying too heavily on AI-generated content

AI can help speed up content creation but an overreliance on AI-generated content can make your messaging feel inauthentic. This is especially important as AI-generated scam ads and low-quality content have increased on social media platforms and websites. Consumers have become more skeptical of ads, including legitimate ones. 

To build trust and actually drive conversions, make sure to use AI as a tool to support your creativity, but ensure your content still has your own insights, brand voice and a genuine understanding of your audience.

Ignoring performance

It’s important to regularly review your automated workflows to make sure they’re still helping you reach your goals. Track performance, look at what’s working and what isn’t, and make adjustments when needed. Automation should make your workflow more efficient, but it still requires ongoing optimization to ensure it’s delivering real value.

Save Time Without Sacrificing Strategy

Automation can’t replace what makes great affiliates successful. However, it can remove repetitive tasks so you can spend more time on the work that drives results. By incorporating automation for content planning, email scheduling, monitoring campaign performance and brainstorming, you can work more efficiently without sacrificing quality.

Use tools to save time, test more ideas and optimize your campaigns, but continue to rely on your experience and understanding of your audience to make the decisions that matter most. 

FAQ

Q: What tasks can affiliate marketers automate?

A: Social media scheduling, email campaigns, performance alerts, content planning and parts of the content creation process. 

Q: Can AI replace affiliate marketers?

A: No. AI can help speed up tasks like brainstorming ideas, creating drafts and repurposing content, but it can’t replace strategic thinking, audience insights or decision making. The best results come from combining AI with human experience and creativity.

Q: What should you avoid when using automation?

A: Relying too heavily on AI-generated content and failing to monitor performance are two big mistakes affiliates make. Automation should support your strategy, not replace it, and your workflows should be reviewed regularly to ensure they’re delivering results.

Q: Is automation useful for new affiliates?

A: Even simple automation tools can help new affiliates stay organized and build consistent habits while they focus on learning and growing their campaigns.

The post A Time Saving Guide for Affiliate Marketing Automation appeared first on MaxBounty+.

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