Writing the beginners guide to affiliate management book

Hello. I am very pleased to share a project I have been working on for quite a while – a new book aimed at entry-level programs like Awin Access, Grow by Tradedoubler and Webgains Edge.

After the Beginners Guide to Awin Access was well received by the affiliate community I embarked on a much more ambitious project – writing a book to guide new merchants on their journey regardless of the platform they chose.

After researching the market I was surprised that there hadn’t been any notable affiliate management books released for several years. “Affiliate management for self-managed programs” was written over the first half of 2022, and fills a gap in the market for quality advice for newcomers to affiliate marketing.

Affiliate Management for Entry Level programs will be available available on Amazon Kindle and in print very soon.

How is it structured?

The book adopts a very informal style. That’s just how I write, and my editors had their work cut out making it somewhat professional. I hope if you do read it you’ll appreciate the relaxed, direct approach – nothing is there for the sake of it.

Industry involvement

I approached three European networks and I was very pleased when all three jumped at the chance to contribute. The content in this book applies to any network, but I hope the comparison tables and examples will be of specific help users of three of the largest entry-level or self-managed programs in Europe. Many thanks to Tradedoubler, Webgains and Awin for their involvement.

Special thanks go to Alona from Webgains and Seth Rubin from Tradedoubler for their ongoing support. Seth was such a big advocate of the book, not just for Tradedoubler but to benefit the entire industry, that I asked him to write the foreword and Alona provided a perfect summary for the rear cover.

Why didn’t you feature any SAAS platforms?

Before I invited anyone to contribute to the book, I wrote a list of attributes I felt they should have:

• They have a dedicated “entry-level” offering
• They have been active for a number of years
• Their service is available across Europe and beyond
• Their networks are open to legitimate publishers of any size

SAAS platforms like Partnerize or Impact Radius (other platforms available) don’t meet those requirements. While I am sure that may change in the future, for the time being I don’t believe they are suitable for newcomers to the industry.

Who came first?

Unsurprisingly, everyone involved claimed to have invented the concept of an “entry-level” program themselves. At first I thought it was Awin Access, but that went down like a lead balloon. In the end I decided it doesn’t really matter and removed all references to whoever came first.

What challenges were there?

I did enlist the services of a professional editor to whip the book into shape. Good proofreaders and editors are always in demand, and sadly the editor who I really wanted to work with was not able to start in time. I was very lucky when a mate of mine, stepped into the fray, allowing me to use a cheaper, quicker editor, with his feedback making up the difference.

The design and layout was a different matter. Against my better judgement, I found a typesetter with an excellent portfolio on Fiverr. Fiverr is notorious for poor work and attention to detail, but his portfolio was excellent, he was based in the UK, and the price was not cheap. Luckily, I paid a small amount for a sample of the work, which allowed me to test the quality with little risk. It quickly became obvious that it wasn’t up to the standard I needed.

So, against even more better judgment, I dusted off my design skills and did it myself. Luckily this time the gamble paid off. The ebook in particular benefits from being written in native epub format, while most commercial designers simply load the layout into Adobe Indesign and press “export”.

What next?

I really enjoyed writing this book, and I learned a lot so I wouldn’t be surprised if another one pops out. In fact, I already have ideas for two new books.