Are you looking to launch an online store and develop an affiliate marketing program for your brand but don’t know where to start? Brands looking to stay competitive in today’s highly-competitive marketplace need to implement an affiliate marketing program of their own.
Affiliate marketing can help brands drive brand awareness, expand their market reach, and, ultimately, increase sales. A recent survey by Rakuten perfectly showcased the role affiliate marketing plays in a brand’s marketing mix, showing that more than 80% of brands utilize affiliate marketing. To further drive this point, another recent survey by INC found that 40% of US brands cited affiliate marketing programs as their top customer acquisition channel. That’s huge!
So, that all sounds appealing, but you may still feel a bit overwhelmed about how to join in on the action. That’s why Refersion is here to help simplify the entire affiliate marketing program process for brands of all shapes and sizes. One of the leading ecommerce software platforms that integrate seamlessly with Refersion’s affiliate marketing platform is BigCommerce.
What Is BigCommerce?
Since its establishment in 2009, BigCommerce has become one of the leading all-in-one ecommerce software platforms for both startups and established brands looking to launch and grow their online store.
It’s a robust platform with a straightforward and easy-to-use interface that makes it simple for beginners to get started while offering advanced built-in features that established brands can utilize to grow their online store.
As a result, BigCommerce is one of the fastest-growing platforms in the ecommerce software market, with more than 90,000 online stores in 65 countries using their ecommerce platform. Their clients range from startups to household names such as Toyota and Martha Stewart.
Below is a quick overview of the core features and offerings of BigCommerce:
- Highly-customizable pre-built site templates for easy online store creation
- Built-in SEO features
- Ecommerce marketing and conversion tools and solutions, such as affiliate marketing platform integration
- Ecommerce shipping and payment tools and solutions
- A single dashboard functionality: store product listings, as well as third-party product listings on platforms such as Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, eBay, and more, all accessible from one dashboard
- Point-of-sale (POS) solutions
- B2B ecommerce tools and solutions
Ease of Integration with Refersion
Refersion has made integration with your BigCommerce store to track affiliate orders generated in BigCommerce as easy as following these four steps:
- Install the Refersion app in BigCommerce.
- Add Refersion’s tracking code snippets to your BigCommerce store.
- Determine the SSL settings for your site, of which there are three options to choose from.
- Run a test order to confirm everything is working correctly.
Launching Your Affiliate Program with BigCommerce and Refersion
Refersion has broken down the typically confusing and complicated affiliate marketing process into an easy-to-follow procedure with helpful guidelines and support.
Once your BigCommerce store is integrated with Refersion, launching your affiliate marketing program is as easy as:
- Update your logo, site title, and set your terms and conditions.
- Create affiliate offers & tack orders.
- Set up your affiliate payment method.
Tips to Start Optimizing Affiliate Results Post-Integration
Once you have your BigCommerce online store’s affiliate program up and running with Refersion, a great way to start optimizing your affiliate results from day one is through tiered commission structures. Here are a couple of tips to start optimizing your affiliate results with tiered commission structures:
- Tiered Structure By Conversions
This is a great tier structure that allows you to set commission tiers based on the total approved conversions during a given time period. For example, let’s say you set a 15% commission rate on 10 to 25 approved conversions and an 18% commission rate on 25 to 25 approved conversions, with a maximum commission rate of 20% for the next six months. In this case, no commission on the first nine conversions would be received by the affiliate. However, the affiliate would receive a 15% commission on the following 10 to 25 approved conversions, an 18% commission on approved conversions 25 to 35, and finally a 20% conversion on approved conversions 35 and up.
- Tiered Structure By Order Value
This is another great tier structure that allows you to set commission tiers for specific order values during a given time period. For example, let’s say you set a 15% commission rate on order values between $100 to $200 in the next 30 days. So, if you have an affiliate that brings in an order on the first day at a $90 order value, they will get a 0% commission on that order. But, if their next order comes in at $105, then their commission on that order will be 15%. You can keep adding additional tiers after that, such as a 17% commission rate on order values between $200 to $400, and so on.
The Bottom Line
BigCommerce makes it easy to get started with an online store in minutes. It’s one of the leading ecommerce platforms on the market, with plenty of marketing and ecommerce features to drive sales.
In addition, integration of your BigCommerce online store with an affiliate marketing platform has never been simpler than with Refersion. Refersion’s easy-to-follow integration and affiliate program launch guide makes launching and growing a successful affiliate program a breeze.
FAQ
How does BigCommerce compare to other ecommerce platforms for affiliate marketing?
BigCommerce is renowned for its scalability and built-in sales tools, making it favorable for affiliate marketing. It’s often compared to platforms like Shopify or Magento, where the choice depends on specific business needs, integration capabilities, and budget constraints. Evaluating each platform’s affiliate marketing support and customization options is crucial for an informed decision.
What are the specific metrics to track and analyze the success of an affiliate program on BigCommerce?
To gauge the success of an affiliate program on BigCommerce, focus on metrics like conversion rates, average order value, click-through rates, and affiliate performance trends. Analyzing these metrics helps in understanding the program’s impact on sales and in identifying areas for improvement.
Can you migrate an existing affiliate program to BigCommerce, and if so, how?
Migrating an existing affiliate program to BigCommerce involves transferring affiliate data, ensuring seamless integration with the new platform, and possibly using specialized migration tools or services. The process requires careful planning and execution to minimize disruptions and maintain affiliate relationships.
