Key takeaways
- A strong affiliate marketing strategy starts with a business goal, then matches partners, briefs and payment models to that goal.
- Australian retailer Kleva Brands moved beyond its TV advertising roots into affiliate partnerships during COVID-19, working with agency Silverbean.
- Content partnerships help educate shoppers about products, while cashback campaigns and smarter commission structures help drive conversion.
- Measure success against the goal you set, not revenue alone. Track average order value, purchase frequency and conversion rate too.
- Trusted editorial content matters more as shoppers use AI tools to discover products.
Your affiliate marketing strategy can support more of your marketing goals when you plan partnerships around how people discover, research and buy your products. For retailers, that means deciding where partners add value across the customer journey, then giving them the information, assets and incentives to do it well.
In season four, episode two of the Awin-Win Marketing Podcast, Commission Factory's Revenue Operations Director, Sophie Metcalfe, spoke with Callum Hinett, Business Manager at Kleva Brands, and Annabel Gray, VP APAC at Silverbean. They discussed how Kleva grew from its foundations in TV advertising and product demonstrations into a broader affiliate partnership strategy.
How did Kleva Brands start with affiliate marketing?
Kleva began exploring affiliate marketing during COVID-19, when restrictions limited its ability to produce new studio content. Affiliate partnerships gave it a way to diversify its marketing channels.
As Callum explained: "We had to find new avenues to sell our existing products."
Working with Silverbean, Kleva's program grew into a strategic partnership. It now includes partnerships that support awareness, product education and conversion across its product range.
How do you connect affiliate partnerships with your wider marketing plan?
Bring your affiliate calendar into your wider campaign planning. Partners can only support a campaign they know about.
If you're launching a product, brief your partners early. Share the launch date, audience, key benefits, and available assets so they can propose activity that fits the campaign.
For a seasonal promotion, agree which products you want to prioritise. Check that partner messaging matches your website, email and paid activity, so a customer moving between those touchpoints finds a consistent offer and a clear reason to buy.
How do you choose affiliate partners around your goals?
Set a specific business goal before deciding which partners to approach. The goal shapes the type of partner, the brief and how you measure the result.
For example, if you want to introduce a new kitchen appliance, consider a content brief that shows how it solves an everyday cooking problem. If you want to reach a particular community, explore partnerships with publishers serving that audience.
Use these questions to guide recruitment:
- Who are you trying to reach?
- What does that audience need to understand before buying?
- Where could a partner help answer their questions?
- What outcome would make the activity worthwhile?
Give each partnership a clear purpose. That makes your brief stronger and gives you a better basis for reviewing performance.
Why do content partnerships matter for product-led brands?
Content partnerships let publishers explain what a product does and why it's worth buying. For a brand built on product demonstrations, like Kleva, that's a natural fit.
The team described using content partnerships to explain individual products and their benefits, alongside promotional activity. Apply the same thinking to your publisher resources by building your brief around the questions a shopper is likely to ask.
For a vacuum cleaner, for example, include:
- The surfaces it suits.
- Its weight and battery life.
- Included accessories and warranty.
- Which features matter for different households.
- Evidence for any performance claims.
Include current product links, approved images and clear demonstrations where available. Check that pricing and availability are accurate before a placement goes live.
Where do cashback campaigns fit in an affiliate marketing strategy?
Cashback campaigns give shoppers an extra reason to buy, which makes them useful for conversion-focused activity. The episode covered how cashback works alongside content partnerships in Kleva's program.
Use cashback where it supports a clear goal, such as a seasonal sale or a product you want to move. Pair it with content partnerships so shoppers also understand why the product is worth buying, not just what it costs.
Click here to find out more on how cashback partners can benefit your affiliate program.
How should you structure commission and payment?
Match your payment model to what the partnership will deliver. The episode covered smarter commission structures and different payment approaches, including commission, placement fees and cost-per-click campaigns.
When assessing an opportunity, ask for a clear proposal:
- What will be delivered.
- Where it will appear.
- How long it will run.
- What reporting you'll receive.
Set a test budget and agree your review criteria before committing. Include placement fees, commissions, product samples and other campaign costs when assessing the return.
Use what you learn to decide which partnerships to continue, adjust or expand. See our guide on affiliate commission models.
How do you measure affiliate marketing success?
Measure the outcome you set out to achieve. Silverbean highlighted the importance of defining success beyond revenue, with measures such as average order value, purchase frequency and conversion rate.
For Annabel, that starts with "understanding what good looks like for a brand".
Build your reporting around the objective you agreed at the start:
- Product education campaigns: review engagement and traffic alongside sales.
- Acquisition activity: examine new customer performance where your reporting supports it.
Compare results over a suitable period and record what changed between campaigns. Keep a simple note of the audience, offer, creative and investment, so you can make a better-informed decision next time.
Why does trusted editorial content matter for AI product discovery?
As more shoppers use AI tools to research products, trusted editorial content becomes more important. The episode discussed how this shift affects the way brands are discovered.
Detailed, accurate product content from credible publishers gives shoppers, and the tools they use, clear information to work from. That's another reason to invest in strong publisher briefs and content partnerships.
What's changing in the Australian affiliate landscape?
The Australian affiliate market continues to evolve, and the conversation covered how brands can future-proof their marketing.
The guests also challenged traditional perceptions of affiliate marketing as a channel used only for discounts. Kleva's program shows how affiliate partnerships can support awareness and product education as well as sales.
Frequently asked questions
What is an affiliate marketing strategy?
An affiliate marketing strategy is a plan for how you'll use affiliate partners to reach your business goals. It covers which partners you work with, what you brief them on, how you pay them and how you measure results.
Can affiliate marketing build brand awareness?
Yes. Content partnerships can introduce your brand and explain your products to new audiences, as well as drive sales.
What should I include in a publisher brief?
Include your goal, target audience, key product benefits, the questions shoppers ask, current product links, approved images, and accurate pricing and availability.
How do I measure affiliate marketing beyond revenue?
Track the metrics that match your goal, such as average order value, purchase frequency, conversion rate, engagement, traffic and new customer performance.
Plan your next affiliate marketing campaign
Start with one upcoming campaign. Set the goal, identify the audience and choose where affiliate partnerships could contribute. Then brief your partners, agree how you'll measure the activity, and use the results to shape your next step.
At Commission Factory, we help you find partnerships that fit your business and your growth plans. Explore affiliate marketing with Commission Factory.
Listen to the full conversation with Kleva Brands and Silverbean on the Awin-Win Marketing Podcast.