SEO
What It Is, and How to Demonstrate It to Google
Keyword relevance is a key part of Google Search, including both organic and paid search results. It helps make sure that the results Google shows are directly related to what people are searching for and match their needs.
Google determines relevance in search results by understanding the intent behind user queries, considering exact and related keyword matches, and analyzing user engagement with pages. It also takes into account factors like internal links, localization, personalization, and whether the content is up-to-date.
Think of relevance as the bedrock of your content. First and foremost, your content needs to align with the meaning of the query and the reason why someone could be searching for it. You can also use SEO techniques to improve the relevance of your content and get more traffic.
Keyword relevance is more than just matching words. Google uses at least these seven different factors to decide not just if any given page is relevant, but how relevant it is. Make sure your content checks all the right boxes.
- The intent behind the query. Google aims to understand what users want when they search. If your content is about the topic but not in a way that would fulfill the needs of the user, it’s simply less relevant to the user (source)
- Exact keyword matches. Content containing the same words as the search query is considered relevant. However, Google doesn’t rely solely on exact matches (source).
- Other relevant keywords and content. Beyond exact matches, Google looks for related words and media such as videos or pictures. If a page covers a topic comprehensively, it’s likely to include relevant terms (source).
- Searchers’ behavioral data. If users engage with a page they found in the SERPs, it indicates relevance (source).
- Links. External and internal links help Google understand the page’s context. Google also examines the page’s anchor text and the surrounding text (source).
- Localization and personalization. Search results can vary based on the user’s location, search history, and preferences. This personalization helps in delivering more relevant results (source).
- Freshness. Regularly updated content is more likely to be relevant, especially for topics that evolve over time. Google may prioritize newer content for certain queries (source).
That said, relevance is not the only principle or system that Google uses for ranking. In the video below, Paul Haahr, Distinguished Engineer at Google, explains two types of signals: those that take into account the user’s query and those that score the page itself, regardless of the query.
Relevance, in my opinion, would be in the query-dependent category.
Google uses the idea of keyword relevance in ranking local results and choosing winners of Google Search Ads. If you ever step into the territory of search engine marketing, it’s good to know the difference.
- Local relevance refers to how well a local business profile matches what someone is searching for (source). This can include name of the business, business category and attributes. When people look for products or services in their vicinity, Google takes this into account and weights against other factors (prominence and distance).
- Ad relevance is how well the content of the ad and the landing page fit the intent behind the query (source). Google claims that you get a higher position for your ad than someone who’s willing to pay more for their ads, just because you’ve hit a higher ad relevance.
First, make sure you have a good target keyword that’s worth the time and effort put into search engine optimization. You can check that with our guide to keyword research.
Google tends to favor what it already ranks highly, which is why the top 10 search results often look very similar. To ensure your content is keyword-relevant, it’s often more effective to align with existing successful content rather than trying something entirely new and hoping that Google will recognize your effort.
And this is also my advice to you. Make your content relevant before you make it unique. Don’t skip any of these seven steps.
1. Make sure you’re aligning with search intent
Search intent is what the searcher expects to see in the SERPs when they type in a search query. It could be a list of the best products, a video, a Wikipedia-like page, or a simple, direct answer that doesn’t require clicking on anything.
Nobody types in queries like “give me the best places to buy the doona liki trike but if there’s something important I should know before buying, lmk”. They will just type “doona liki” because they’re used to writing simple queries and expecting Google to figure them out. Google expects content creators (you) to make that content so they can index it, rank it, and show it to their users.
The most reliable way to align with search intent is to look at what’s already ranking and identify the 3Cs of search intent:
- Content type. Typically one of the following: blog post, video, product page, category page, landing page.
- Content format. This applies mostly to informational content. For example, a how-to guide will be a different content format than a listicle or product review.
- Content angle. The specific focus or unique selling point that makes top-ranking posts and pages stand out.
For example, all the the posts below are blog posts in the listicle format. Some angles you can spot here are “that actually matter”, “important”, “key”.
Another great way to examine search intent is to check the amount of traffic generated by each type of page. To make this fast and easy, use Ahrefs’ Identify intents feature.
If you’re curious to learn more about search intent, head on to our guide.
2. Include your target keyword in relevant places
On any page, there are a few places that Google likes to look for signals of relevance.
- Page title.
- URL.
- Main header (H1).
- Subheaders (some of your H2s, H3s, etc.).
- Intro paragraph.
Here’s an example with highlighted page elements:
In other words, Google is looking for the most direct, straightforward type of relevance. Both a poem and a Wikpedia article can be about a topic like love. But the kind of relevance that you need to achieve in content is the latter type.
Keep in mind that in any text that you want to rank, however creative or unique you want it to be, Google will likely look at these places.
3. Include secondary keywords and frequently mentioned phrases
This step refers to words and phrases that naturally fit into the text. Once you identify them, it feels obvious. For example, if your primary keyword is ‘running shoes,’ related phrases could include ‘breathable material,’ ‘arch support,’ and ‘lightweight design.
You can manually look for commonalities among top-ranking pages or even brainstorm these words. But the quickest and most reliable way is to use an SEO tool that allows you to look specifically for those keywords.
Here’s how it looks in Ahrefs’ Keywords Explorer:
- Enter your target keyword.
- Go to the Related terms report.
- Choose Also rank for for secondary keywords and Also talk about for frequently mentioned phrases. You’ll likely get the best results in the Top 10 mode.
4. Align with the content structure of top-ranking pages
Content structure is about serving the most relevant need-to-know information first and goo-to-know information last.
The key to understanding what is need-to-know and what is good-to-know is to look for hints in the content that already ranks; these have already nailed keyword relevance.
For example, if you’re creating content about “beginner’s guide to investing” you’ll want to start with the most essential, need-to-know information, such as “What is investing?” and “Why should you start investing?”. Opening with key takeaways, as Nerdwallet does in the example below, wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.
The structure is also about the comprehensiveness of your content. In other words, it’s about covering the topic in full and how much focus you’ll give to each subtopic.
Again, you can look at pages manually or streamline the process with an SEO tool. In Ahrefs, you can find a tool called Content Grader that scores content based on the topics mentioned and how well they are explained.
If you’re working on a new piece of content, you can use Content Grader to aid your outlining process. You can also use it to optimize existing content; it will help close the content gap.
Finally, structure is also about what media you include on a page. Google claims to take into account the presence of images or videos that could support content’s relevance:
Just think: when you search for ‘dogs’, you likely don’t want a page with the word ‘dogs’ on it hundreds of times. With that in mind, algorithms assess if a page contains other relevant content beyond the keyword ‘dogs’ – such as pictures of dogs, videos or even a list of breeds.
Tip
Remember to add descriptive alt text to your images. It will help Google understand what the image is about and how it relates to the entire text. So this might help you rank in Google Image Search, too.
Google has some helpful, easy to follow tips on how to write good alt text here.
5. Look for hints in the SERPs
Apart from what we’ve discussed so far, you may find additional clues on search engine results pages.
For example, meta descriptions are often overlooked in SEO because they’re not a direct ranking factor. However, since Google rewrites meta descriptions around 60% of the time, they can provide valuable insights into what Google and searchers find most important about a page.
I used the information from meta descriptions to rank #2 for the keyword “is seo worth it” and increase traffic to the post (#1 being Reddit…).
I noticed that Google favors a quick and direct response to the question (they even highlight the most direct answer—“yes”), so I added that to the intro.
Moreover, Google also rewrote my original meta description to put the new direct answer in front of the searcher.
You can find similar hints in these SERP features:
- Featured snippets.
- “People Also Ask” box.
- “Things to know” box.
- Images shown on top of the SERP.
6. Add relevant internal links
As you may already know, internal links are hyperlinks between pages on your site. Not only they help Google understand the linked page is about but also they aid the flow of link equity, helping interilnked pages rank higher.
Here’s a tip for adding internal links as you write. Use the “inurl” search operator to find other places on your site where you mention a particular word or phrase. To illustrate, here’s what I would type into Google’s search bar if I wanted to find mentions of the phrase “content marketing”:
inurl:ahrefs.com "content marketing"
As for adding internal links to your existing content, you can streamline the process with Internal link opportunities tool in Ahrefs’ Site Audit. It takes the top 10 keywords (by traffic) for each crawled page, then looks for mentions of those on your other crawled pages.
It will tell you where to link from, where to link to, and which word/phrase to link.
7. Aim for relevant backlinks
Relevant backlinks mean links from other sites that mention your target keyword or a similar phrase in the anchor text or surrounding text.
In a short video on how Google Search works (below), Google’s Matt Cutts explains that a document can become relevant to a query by having that query included in its backlinks. Paraphrasing his explanation, backlinks containing the target query can enhance the relevance of a webpage in search results.
You can use Ahrefs’ Web Explorer to find and vet pages that already use your target keyword as link anchors and try to win over those links. Just type “outlinkanchor:[your keyword]” in the search bar.
There is also a possibility that backlinks coming from pages or sites on the same topic (or closely related) can increase relevance — some SEOs believe so. Mentions of such a system come from Google’s Reasonable Surfer patent, research on topic-sensitive PageRank. Moreover, irrelevant links were supposedly the target of the Google Penguin update.
However, at this point Google erased the only official mention of this I could find.
In 2021 Google said this:
If other prominent websites on the subject link to the page, that’s a good sign that the information is of high quality.
But then, they erased a few words, giving a whole different meaning to that sentence:
For example, one of several factors we use to help determine this is understanding if other prominent websites link or refer to the content.
If you want to see if these kinds of links work for you, you can find them and vet them using either Ahrefs’ Web Explorer or Content Explorer.
You can aim for topically relevant backlinks but make sure you don’t over-optimize your link profile. If most of your backlinks include the same anchor, it may signal link manipulation to Google.
Final thoughts
The goal of achieving high keyword relevance is to improve your organic rankings. But it’s sometimes hard to draw the line between all the different systems that Google uses for ranking. Backlinks are a great example of that. They play a role in determining relevance but authority as well.
For this reason, content optimization tools can be useful in creating relevant content, but they don’t guarantee high rankings. A high content score doesn’t always mean your page will rank well (read our study), and sometimes you can rank high even with a low score.
So, it’s best to treat SEO as a holistic process. Do what you need to do to achieve high relevance, then check all the other boxes, such as technical SEO, EEAT, and link building.
Got questions or comments? Find me on LinkedIn.
SEO
Google’s Guidance About The Recent Ranking Update
Google’s Danny Sullivan explained the recent update, addressing site recoveries and cautioning against making radical changes to improve rankings. He also offered advice for publishes whose rankings didn’t improve after the last update.
Google’s Still Improving The Algorithm
Danny said that Google is still working on their ranking algorithm, indicating that more changes (for the positive) are likely on the way. The main idea he was getting across is that they’re still trying to fill the gaps in surfacing high quality content from independent sites. Which is good because big brand sites don’t necessarily have the best answers.
He wrote:
“…the work to connect people with “a range of high quality sites, including small or independent sites that are creating useful, original content” is not done with this latest update. We’re continuing to look at this area and how to improve further with future updates.”
A Message To Those Who Were Left Behind
There was a message to those publishers whose work failed to recover with the latest update, to let them know that Google is still working to surface more of the independent content and that there may be relief on the next go.
Danny advised:
“…if you’re feeling confused about what to do in terms of rankings…if you know you’re producing great content for your readers…If you know you’re producing it, keep doing that…it’s to us to keep working on our systems to better reward it.”
Google Cautions Against “Improving” Sites
Something really interesting that he mentioned was a caution against trying to improve rankings of something that’s already on page one in order to rank even higher. Tweaking a site to get from position six or whatever to something higher has always been a risky thing to do for many reasons I won’t elaborate on here. But Danny’s warning increases the pressure to not just think twice before trying to optimize a page for search engines but to think three times and then some more.
Danny cautioned that sites that make it to the top of the SERPs should consider that a win and to let it ride instead of making changes right now in order to improve their rankings. The reason for that caution is that the search results continue to change and the implication is that changing a site now may negatively impact the rankings in a newly updated search index.
He wrote:
“If you’re showing in the top results for queries, that’s generally a sign that we really view your content well. Sometimes people then wonder how to move up a place or two. Rankings can and do change naturally over time. We recommend against making radical changes to try and move up a spot or two”
How Google Handled Feedback
There was also some light shed on what Google did with all the feedback they received from publishers who lost rankings. Danny wrote that the feedback and site examples he received was summarized, with examples, and sent to the search engineers for review. They continue to use that feedback for the next round of improvements.
He explained:
“I went through it all, by hand, to ensure all the sites who submitted were indeed heard. You were, and you continue to be. …I summarized all that feedback, pulling out some of the compelling examples of where our systems could do a better job, especially in terms of rewarding open web creators. Our search engineers have reviewed it and continue to review it, along with other feedback we receive, to see how we can make search better for everyone, including creators.”
Feedback Itself Didn’t Lead To Recovery
Danny also pointed out that sites that recovered their rankings did not do so because of they submitted feedback to Google. Danny wasn’t specific about this point but it conforms with previous statements about Google’s algorithms that they implement fixes at scale. So instead of saying, “Hey let’s fix the rankings of this one site” it’s more about figuring out if the problem is symptomatic of something widescale and how to change things for everybody with the same problem.
Danny wrote:
“No one who submitted, by the way, got some type of recovery in Search because they submitted. Our systems don’t work that way.”
That feedback didn’t lead to recovery but was used as data shouldn’t be surprising. Even as far back as the 2004 Florida Update Matt Cutts collected feedback from people, including myself, and I didn’t see a recovery for a false positive until everyone else also got back their rankings.
Takeaways
Google’s work on their algorithm is ongoing:
Google is continuing to tune its algorithms to improve its ability to rank high quality content, especially from smaller publishers. Danny Sullivan emphasized that this is an ongoing process.
What content creators should focus on:
Danny’s statement encouraged publishers to focus on consistently creating high quality content and not to focus on optimizing for algorithms. Focusing on quality should be the priority.
What should publishers do if their high-quality content isn’t yet rewarded with better rankings?
Publishers who are certain of the quality of their content are encouraged to hold steady and keep it coming because Google’s algorithms are still being refined.
Featured Image by Shutterstock/Cast Of Thousands
SEO
Plot Up To Five Metrics At Once
Google has rolled out changes to Analytics, adding features to help you make more sense of your data.
The update brings several key improvements:
- You can now compare up to five different metrics side by side.
- A new tool automatically spots unusual trends in your data.
- A more detailed report on transactions gives a closer look at revenue.
- The acquisition reports now separate user and session data more clearly.
- It’s easier to understand what each report does with new descriptions.
Here’s an overview of these new features, why they matter, and how they might help improve your data analysis and decision-making.
▶ ️We’ve introduced plot rows in detailed reports. You can now visualize up to 5 rows of data directly within your detailed reports to measure their changes over time.
We’ve also launched these new report features:
🔎: Anomaly detection to flag unusual data fluctuations
📊:… pic.twitter.com/VDPXe2Q9wQ— Google Analytics (@googleanalytics) September 5, 2024
Plot Rows: Enhanced Data Visualization
The most prominent addition is the “Plot Rows” feature.
You can now visualize up to five rows of data simultaneously within your reports, allowing for quick comparisons and trend analysis.
This feature is accessible by selecting the desired rows and clicking the “Plot Rows” option.
Anomaly Detection: Spotting Unusual Patterns
Google Analytics has implemented an anomaly detection system to help you identify potential issues or opportunities.
This new tool automatically flags unusual data fluctuations, making it easier to spot unexpected traffic spikes, sudden drops, or other noteworthy trends.
Improved Report Navigation & Understanding
Google Analytics has added hover-over descriptions for report titles.
These brief explanations provide context and include links to more detailed information about each report’s purpose and metrics.
Key Event Marking In Events Report
The Events report allows you to mark significant events for easy reference.
This feature, accessed through a three-dot menu at the end of each event row, helps you prioritize and track important data points.
New Transactions Report For Revenue Insights
For ecommerce businesses, the new Transactions report offers granular insights into revenue streams.
This feature provides information about each transaction, utilizing the transaction_id parameter to give you a comprehensive view of sales data.
Scope Changes In Acquisition Reports
Google has refined its acquisition reports to offer more targeted metrics.
The User Acquisition report now includes user-related metrics such as Total Users, New Users, and Returning Users.
Meanwhile, the Traffic Acquisition report focuses on session-related metrics like Sessions, Engaged Sessions, and Sessions per Event.
What To Do Next
As you explore these new features, keep in mind:
- Familiarize yourself with the new Plot Rows function to make the most of comparative data analysis.
- Pay attention to the anomaly detection alerts, but always investigate the context behind flagged data points.
- Take advantage of the more detailed Transactions report to understand your revenue patterns better.
- Experiment with the refined acquisition reports to see which metrics are most valuable for your needs.
As with any new tool, there will likely be a learning curve as you incorporate these features into your workflow.
FAQ
What is the “Plot Rows” feature in Google Analytics?
The “Plot Rows” feature allows you to visualize up to five rows of data at the same time. This makes it easier to compare different metrics side by side within your reports, facilitating quick comparisons and trend analysis. To use this feature, select the desired rows and click the “Plot Rows” option.
How does the new anomaly detection system work in Google Analytics?
Google Analytics’ new anomaly detection system automatically flags unusual data patterns. This tool helps identify potential issues or opportunities by spotting unexpected traffic spikes, sudden drops, or other notable trends, making it easier for users to focus on significant data fluctuations.
What improvements have been made to the Transactions report in Google Analytics?
The enhanced Transactions report provides detailed insights into revenue for ecommerce businesses. It utilizes the transaction_id parameter to offer granular information about each transaction, helping businesses get a better understanding of their revenue streams.
Featured Image: Vladimka production/Shutterstock
SEO
Top 10 Affiliate Marketing Platforms To Maximize Sales In 2024
Affiliate marketing has been experiencing explosive growth in recent years, so it’s essential now more than ever for brands to run affiliate programs of their own.
It involves brands hiring affiliates to promote their products and services and rewarding them with a commission from every sale.
As such, affiliate marketing is an excellent low-cost and low-risk way for brands to drive sales and brand awareness without hiring an in-house advertising and marketing team of their own.
Affiliate marketing spending worldwide is estimated at around $14 billion in 2024 – and the industry is predicted to reach a worth of over $38 billion by 2031.
Affiliate Marketing And SEO
Affiliate marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) both share a common goal of attracting relevant and high-quality traffic to a site with the goal of increasing sales.
As such, both of these marketing activities shouldn’t be perceived as two separate, competing entities.
Instead, you should look at them as one and the same that work together in perfect harmony to increase website traffic and generate more revenue.
The most successful publishers in the affiliate marketing space combine the two to get the best of both worlds.
SEO affiliate marketing involves choosing the right products and affiliate programs that attract the most search traffic and offer the best commissions.
Publishers often make the most of affiliate marketing by creating content that adds real value for their readers and prioritizes their experience.
Publishers often do this by creating “Best of” or “Top X” oriented posts that address their audience’s needs and pain points, while, at the same time, allowing them to monetize their content by using affiliate links throughout the posts.
By adding relevant and contextual affiliate links in such posts, publishers foster an authentic user experience that puts their readers first.
This is one of the most significant advantages of affiliate marketing compared to alternative marketing methods such as sponsored posts.
Today’s consumers are increasingly distancing themselves from heavily business-oriented content, as it’s often perceived as inauthentic and disingenuous.
By focusing on high-quality content that adds value to readers and combining it with relevant and contextual affiliate links, everyone wins!
Additionally, Google rewards publishers who create original content and add real value for their readers.
They reward such publishers by placing them higher in search results and driving more traffic to them.
But, in today’s highly competitive and increasingly dynamic market, how can brands find the time to manage and grow their affiliate marketing program?
The answer is with the help of the right affiliate marketing software that streamlines the entire process.
Once upon a time, running a successful affiliate marketing program meant manually managing every aspect – a time-consuming and inefficient process.
Thankfully, these days, affiliate marketing software and solutions have evolved to offer all the necessary tools in a single place, which simplifies the whole process and enables brands to optimize their programs and focus on growth.
Therefore, brands need to utilize the right affiliate marketing software to stay competitive and maximize ROI in today’s highly competitive affiliate marketing space.
This article will go over what affiliate marketing software is and what makes a great affiliate software platform.
We’ll also review the top 10 affiliate marketing software platforms that brands can use to take their affiliate program to the next level.
What Is An Affiliate Marketing Software?
In a nutshell, affiliate marketing software is a comprehensive tool that facilitates all aspects of affiliate marketing program management.
It allows brands to track, manage, and grow their affiliate marketing campaigns.
Most affiliate marketing software platforms share standard features such as affiliate onboarding, collaboration with affiliate partners, affiliate tracking and reporting, and referral, cost, and commission payment management.
What Makes A Good Affiliate Marketing Software Platform?
Though most affiliate marketing software platforms share many of the same features, what sets apart the good platforms from the bad is what’s important.
For starters, the actual platform must have an intuitive and user-friendly interface.
An affiliate marketing platform can boast all of the best affiliate tools and features available.
Still, it’s a moot effort if the dashboard is complicated for most people.
Additionally, since brands usually utilize a variety of Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms for ecommerce and affiliate marketing, affiliate marketing software platforms need to offer tons of third-party SaaS integrations.
The best affiliate marketing software platforms offer robust tracking and reporting capabilities.
Brands need to be able to precisely track their affiliate sales and access real-time granular data to measure the ROI of their affiliate campaigns effectively.
Additionally, a good affiliate marketing platform will provide brands with all the affiliate tools they need to launch, manage, promote, and scale their affiliate programs, such as flexible commission management and customizable real-time affiliate tracking and reporting capabilities.
At the same time, they should offer their clients peace of mind by providing the highest level of fraud detection and other security features.
Lastly, the best affiliate marketing software platforms mean nothing if there isn’t quality customer service available 24/7 to back it up. Readily available customer assistance is equally important for brands as it is for affiliates.
Top 10 Affiliate Marketing Software
1. Refersion
With over 60,000+ registered merchants, 6.6 million affiliates managed, and $2 billion in affiliate revenue tracked, Refersion is one of the leading affiliate marketing software platforms on the market.
Its robust and highly personalized dashboard allows brands to manage all aspects of their affiliate program, such as monitoring all aspects of their affiliate activity with extensive real-time reporting capability.
Refersion offers brands all the tools they need to scale and promote their affiliate programs, such as managing commissions, payouts, and providing simplified tax automation. It also offers easy integration with popular tools like Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce.
While Refersion does come with a higher price point than some competitors – starting at $99 per month – it’s hard to find a solution that offers the same level of top-notch affiliate tools, marketplace, and customer service.
Pricing:
- The professional tier starts at $99/month (if paid annually) for up to 50 monthly order conversions.
- The business tier starts at $249/month (if paid annually) for up to 200 monthly order conversions.
- The enterprise tier is available with unlimited monthly order conversions – you’ll need to contact Refersion for pricing details.
2. Impact
Screenshot from Impact.com, August 2024Impact is one of the biggest affiliate marketing software platforms for cloud automation.
Its signature product, the Impact Partnership Cloud, allows brands to automate their affiliate and influencer marketing campaigns. It offers a marketplace where brands can connect with a network of affiliates, influencers, ambassadors, and other possible partners.
The platform’s tools also include dynamic commissioning, reporting, advanced analytics, and third-party integrations for companies to track and manage their affiliate programs.
However, pricing is not readily available, and you must contact the Impact sales team for a custom quote.
Pricing:
- Custom quotes are available upon request.
3. Tapfiliate
Screenshot from Tapfiliate.com, August 2024For businesses primarily operating and generating their revenue on ecommerce SaaS platforms, Tapfiliate may be a great choice.
It features a range of automation capabilities, including an autopilot mode that can automate things such as onboarding new affiliates, sharing via social media, or even drip campaigns.
Tapfiliate easily integrates with major ecommerce players like Shopify and WooCommerce, and offers advanced tracking and reporting capabilities. However, most of the features are accessible only through the Pro plan, which starts at $149 a month – nothing to sneeze at.
Pricing:
- The essential plan starts at $74/month for 1 team member and basic features.
- The pro plan starts at $124/month for 5 team members and more advanced features.
- The enterprise plan offers custom pricing for unlimited team members, unlimited tracking requests, a dedicated personal manager, and more.
4. Awin
Screenshot from Awin.com, August 2024Awin, previously known as Zanox, merged with Affilinet in 2017 to become one of the largest affiliate marketing platforms, providing “unlimited access to over 1M vetted partners.”
It features a handful of marketing and reporting features you’d expect from such an extensive network, like tools for cross-device tracking, real-time reporting, and automated compliance management.
The platform’s Awin Access program is an interesting option for smaller businesses or teams newer to affiliate marketing, as it offers a straightforward setup process and flexible pricing to make joining the network easier.
Registration is free on Awin, but it uses a performance-based pricing model. This means brands pay a predetermined cost-per-acquisition (CPA), and specific pricing details are only available upon request.
Pricing:
- Custom quotes are available upon request.
5. CAKE
Screenshot from getcake.com, August 2024CAKE is another SaaS-based affiliate marketing platform, meaning you can access it from anywhere (with an Internet connection).
CAKE partners with a bunch of partners to offer a variety of streamlined and automated features. It’s known for its great tracking and reporting capabilities, which enable you to follow and optimize your campaigns in real time.
The platform boasts more than 500 advertisers, networks, and publishers across 50+ countries, and it offers 24/7 customer support to its users. It has customizable features, granular data analysis, and impressive fraud protection to give customers peace of mind.
Unfortunately, CAKE’s pricing is not readily available on its website. It also doesn’t feature any pre-made promotional tools for marketers, which doesn’t make it quite suitable for novice users just starting out with their affiliate program
Pricing:
- Custom quotes are available upon request.
6. ClickBank
Screenshot from ClickBank.com, August 2024ClickBank was one of the first affiliate platforms, launching all the way back in 1998. Since then, it’s grown to one of the largest affiliate marketplaces with over 200 million customers.
According to the company’s website, there are 300,000+ daily purchases made on ClickBank – and it boasts $4.2B in paid commissions.
ClickBank stands out for its native support for subscription services, which makes it easy for brands to create one-click, repeatable purchases. This allows them to provide monthly products without requiring manual monthly payments.
It also offers some of the standard features commonly found on most affiliate platforms, such as affiliate reporting, payments, commissions management, and third-party integrations. It’s quick and easy to list your products and set up affiliate programs on the platform.
However, compared to some of the other affiliate platforms on this list, it doesn’t offer a demo, free trial, or monthly pricing. Instead, ClickBank charges a one-time activation to list products on the platform and then a fee per sale.
Pricing:
- One-Time Activation Fee: $49.95.
- Transaction Fee: 7.5% + $1 per sale.
7. CJ Affiliate
Screenshot from cj.com, August 2024CJ Affiliate is a well-known and reputable affiliate marketing platform. It offers access to hundreds of advertisers, publishers, and potential partners in one platform.
CJ Affiliate provides a customizable dashboard and a variety of reports and specialized tools, including advanced tracking and reporting capabilities. Most notably, it offers specialized tools, such as Deep Link Automation and Product Widgets, that enable brands to improve their affiliate program ROI.
While CJ Affiliate is a great choice for businesses of all sizes, it’s worth noting that the company doesn’t provide a free trial or demo, operates on a performance-based pricing model, and you’ll need to reach out for specific details.
Pricing:
- Custom quotes are available upon request.
8. TUNE
Screenshot from Tune.com, August 2024Designed for companies that require detailed tracking and analytics, TUNE allows brands to build, manage, and grow their affiliate partner networks through its proprietary marketing technology.
TUNE offers a flexible platform, which users can tweak and tailor to fit their needs. Within the platform, you have customizable tools, commissions, payments, and real-time affiliate tracking and reporting.
However, it doesn’t provide affiliate promotional tools like most other platforms, and there is no straightforward pricing listed on the website.
It does, however, list details on its different plans, including a Pro Plan with basic features up to an Enterprise Plan with features like custom integrations, premium support, enhanced fraud prevention, and more.
Pricing:
- Custom quote available upon request.
9. LeadDyno
Screenshot from LeadDyno.com, August 2024LeadDyno specializes in affiliate program promotion and perhaps offers the most promotional tools available in an affiliate marketing software platform.
LeadDyno offers tools that enable brands to create various promotional campaigns, such as email, newsletters, and social media campaigns, making it a wonderful choice for companies that want to expand the reach of their programs.
It provides a straightforward user experience that makes it easy to onboard affiliates, track your performance, and manage payouts. Extensive real-time tracking and reporting features give businesses the ability to monitor and optimize their campaigns.
Pricing is on the affordable side and LeadDyno offers a free trial – which not all tools on this list do!
Pricing:
- The lite plan starts at $49/month for up to 50 active affiliates, one commission plan, one reward structure, and other basics.
- The essential plan is $129.month and offers up to 150 active affiliates, three commission plans, and one reward structure, as well as other advanced features like a landing page, 1:1 call and video support, and more.
- The advanced plan is $349/month and offers up to 500 active affiliates, unlimited reward structures and commission plans, and many other advanced features.
- The unlimited plan is $749/month and offers unlimited active affiliates, unlimited reward structures and commission plans, and more.
10. ShareASale
Screenshot from ShareASale.com, August 2024With over 20 years of experience, ShareASale has been around for quite some time. It’s a reliable solution for merchants and affiliates alike, and carries a variety of tools to help boost your affiliate marketing programs.
If you’re looking for an extensive network of affiliates and partners across a ton of industries, ShareASale is a good option for you. You’ll also get access to customizable affiliable management, real-time tracking, detailed reporting, custom banner, and link generation, and plenty more.
One thing to note: like a few of the other tools listed here, ShareASale uses a performance-based pricing model that includes a one-time network access fee and then transaction fees.
Pricing:
- There is a one-time setup fee of $650.
- Transaction fees: 20% of each affiliate commission, with a minimum of $35/month.
Wrapping Up
Great affiliate marketing solutions enable brands to easily launch and manage affiliate programs, as well as track referrals and sales made by their affiliate partners.
The best affiliate marketing software provides brands with all the tools needed to launch, promote, and grow their affiliate program.
At the same time, they provide customizable and easy-to-use reporting capabilities for real-time performance tracking.
Without reliable tracking and reporting tools, brands cannot effectively assess the success and profitability of their affiliate campaigns and partnerships.
More resources:
Featured Image: Panchenko Vladimir/Shutterstock
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