Hey y’all,

Unattractive affiliate programs = inactive affiliates.

75% of creators say affiliate commissions aren’t attractive enough to incentivize them to post.

You read that right: 3 out of 4.

And I mean – look at it from their perspective.

They’re looking at going through the trouble of planning, writing, recording, and editing content.

For a 10% commission on a $30 product that they might get if one of their community members purchased.

If they feel like it – or they’re in-market. Or if they remember to use the creator’s code. Or if the brand’s attribution is set up correctly and they get credit for the sale.

That’s a hard sell.

So you won’t be too surprised if I tell you a third of the creators we polled no longer accept affiliate commissions at all. The reason? It’s just not worth it.

An unattractive commission isn’t the real killer – it’s when the program as a whole is unattractive. If commission is the only thing you’re offering, and it’s not competitive – welp.

The path towards an attractive affiliate program isn’t necessarily paved in gold either. There are tons of things you can do to make your affiliate program irresistible (and increase your rate of active affiliates in the meantime).

And if you suspect that your affiliate program is unattractive for creators, maybe it’s time for a makeover. 💅

I know what you’re thinking.

“No duh, Whitney. Just give them more money. Why didn’t I think of that?”

That’s not what I’m saying, actually.

I’m saying give them something to work towards. 6 out of 10 marketers we polled said they have a flat, single-tier affiliate structure.

And if that commission sucks, you can’t expect affiliates to go through the work of creating content.

I get it – budgets suck. You’re locked into certain rates. So find other ways to make it worth their while:

You can get by with a less-than-competitive commission if there are tons of other bonuses that make it worth their while. Plus, if you do the work of recruiting creators that already love your brand, you’ve got even more leeway for gifted product incentives.

Now, this isn’t a hot tip to avoid paying affiliates – au contraire. It’s a way to make your commission more attractive (when you can’t afford to raise it).

Again, this will depend on your budget and the kinds of products you sell.

Fast-moving products – think food, cosmetics, fashion, other consumables – need to be refreshed regularly. 15% of marketers gift on recruitment, and then never again.

The majority of brands only regift before new launches and campaigns. That’s all well and good if you do a new campaign or product launch every month. If not, what are your affiliates meant to be doing in the meantime?

That’s a ripe time for them to go cold on you.

Over half the creators we polled said monthly was the ideal cadence for fast-moving goods. If you can’t swing monthly (because that’s massive from a logistics standpoint), at least go bi-monthly. Anything to keep your affiliates stocked with fresh product they can promote for you.

I know, you’re busy. We all are.

But for real – creators don’t want a code, they want a real partnership.

They want to be involved, and they want access to you and your brand. 7 in 10 creators we spoke to wanted more brand involvement in affiliate programs.

They want more tips for selling products, games, and events, insider looks, and contact with the brand. They want to feel like you’re both in it together.

That means instead of playing the numbers game, focus less on recruitment and more on cultivating a community with your affiliates. Regular communication, updates, and check-ins will go a long way toward keeping your affiliates active for longer.

And there are other bonuses:

It’s basically about doing fewer things better. The more you focus on your best affiliates, the smaller your pool, the more you can do for them.

And the more you do for them, the more active they’ll be, and the bigger incentive they’ll have to post – even if your commission isn’t maybe the most attractive on the market.

Affiliate marketing is so much harder than people think.

And I think for a lot of people, more = better is usually the mindset, which I get.

However – recruitment takes a ton of time. And if you’re putting all that effort into recruiting more affiliates, for them to churn out after a post or two, that doesn’t really feel like an effective use of anyone’s time.

Instead, pour the time you would normally spend recruiting into nurturing your best affiliates. Pour that energy into galvanizing your best performers and giving them custom sneak peeks into a brand they already love. Bonuses, events, contests, and personalized collabs with your affiliates will be game-changers.

That’s going to get you an attractive program – even if the commission isn’t quite the draw.

I got a feeling your affiliate program duckling is a swan in the making,
Whitney 🦇
Content R&D at Modash. Send hate mail to LinkedIn

Who she is: Geo Rutherford, known as @geodesaurus on Instagram or TikTok

Why she’s worth a follow: Um, yes, hello – it’s time for the best content creator you’ll wait for every year. Geo is a huge water nerd – meaning she’s obsessed with lakes, rivers, oceans, and any given water source on the planet.

For 6 years, Geo has been publishing content every October for “Spooky Lake Month” – 31 days of haunted hydrology. Her videos talk about all the ways lakes, rivers, and the ocean can be so creepy – and it’s such great spooky season vibes. When I tell you, seeing this woman’s forehead with “Um yes hello” gets me so very hyped. It’s the second-best thing about October. (The first is obviously Halloween)

I would’ve loved to post this before October – but here’s the good news: You now have 31 days of content to watch.

Dream collab: A lot of her videos touch on environmental conservation (because, real talk, humans are usually the bad guys here), so any sustainable brand will work for her. She’s also a gouache artist and has hand-illustrated her own Spooky Lake Book and designed a coloring book. Any art, painting, or modeling brands will be a hit with her.

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