There can be little doubt that communication between merchant and affiliate partner is key to the success of an affiliate marketing programme. But what constitutes appropriate communication?
The 2009 UK Affiliate Census found there to be a “worrying lack of communication between merchants and affiliates”, which was “holding back the industry”. However, there is a difference, analysts note, between the amount of communication in the industry and its appropriateness.
Owen Hewitson of Affiliate Window points out that the Census asked the question: “How would you describe your level of communication with your merchants?” Affiliates could chose amongst five possible answers.
Hewitson contends that it is difficult to draw any significant conclusions from these responses as the key issue is not how many times affiliates receive contact from the merchant but whether this contact is sufficient and of high value.
He explains that with the wide range of communication methods now available (email, IM, phone, forum etc), the challenge in the industry is one of quality versus quantity. The merchants who properly know their customers so that they can communicate targeted and relevant deals to their affiliate partners in a timely way will hold the key to success, he advises. 
Popularity: 1% [?]
