What is a ‘self-managed’ affiliate program?

Affiliate marketing is powerful and effective because it rewards results. However, the barrier to entry can be quite high, with long term contracts and high access fees.

Self-managed programs were born out of a desire to make the affiliate industry more accessible. Since early 2020, several networks have launched self-managed programs to help SMEs access those results at an earlier stage in their development.

It is the fastest-growing segment of the affiliate industry, with thousands of new programs launching every year. Accessible contracts and simplified requirements mean almost any online business can launch a new affiliate program quickly and cost-effectively.

Self-managed programs usually share a few distinguishing features:

• ‘Self-service’ account management
• Low monthly cost
• Industry-standard override fees (usually 30%)
• Quick launch process
• Curated or restricted feature set
• Short minimum commitment

Will my self-managed program be taken seriously?

While there may be a few minor technical differences, self-managed advertisers have access to all the same tools and opportunities as the rest of the industry.

Since 2020, thousands of new advertisers have taken advantage of self-managed terms to launch new affiliate programs. There is no reason why a self-managed affiliate program can’t be as successful as any other affiliate program.

Do I have to use a network?

You don’t have to use an affiliate network, but they are strongly recommended. Networks act as the link between retailers and the affiliates that promote them. Their technology is proven and they come ready with large ecosystems of publishers, ready to promote your brand.

Any advertiser can build and power their own affiliate program, but networks add a lot of value. They provide proven tracking technology, host your creatives and other resources and coordinate payments to your affiliate partners. The most important thing they offer is an ecosystem of affiliates ready for you to recruit.

In-house affiliate programs must work hard to build the affiliate’s confidence in the tracking and payment processes, something networks have already done.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a book I could read?

You’re in luck, I wrote such a book! It discusses self-managed programs in detail and talks you through the first steps to build and manage your own program. You can read more about it here: Affiliate Management for Self-managed programs, or find it on Amazon.