This week in FMTC’s Affiliate Roundup: Take a closer look at full-funnel planning and strategies, learn about an elevated affiliate reward program called Shareback, and more.

• Gen Z’s ecommerce habits require brands to focus on social media, sustainability, and advanced AI technologies.
  
• Full-funnel affiliate planning enhances customer journey engagement, integrating strategy, partner alignment, and personalized data for growth.
  
• Termination threats to affiliates are demotivating and, at worst, counterproductive.
  
• Merge influencer reach with affiliate conversion to maximize full-funnel marketing success.
  
• WeShop launches new program “Shareback” to elevate and reward affiliate relationships.
  
• Take a look at these important affiliate marketing terms, models, and strategies to enhance your program.

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Welcome to the latest edition of FMTC’s Tech Corner. Today we are exploring unique identifiers used within the FMTC platform (and API). A unique identifier is a distinct value assigned to an entity to differentiate it from others in the system. Understanding these identifiers will enhance your comprehension of FMTC endpoints and their interactions.

Purpose

FMTC manages dynamic data that changes frequently. That could be a merchant changing their name, buying another company, or possibly rebranding. In cases like this, you can’t rely on a name remaining the same for any amount of time. Unique identifiers solve this problem by ensuring you always reference the correct data, regardless of external changes. 

Implementation

FMTC uses unique identifiers throughout our database. Each of these identifiers interacts between endpoints, such as categories interacting with both the deals and deal-merchant endpoints. 

Key Identifiers

id:

• Description: This universally unique identifier is used across multiple endpoints to represent specific entities (e.g., deals, merchants). For example, in the deals endpoints the id is the FMTC unique identifier for the deal, in the deal-merchant endpoints it is the FMTC unique identifier for the merchant, etc.
• Endpoints: Deals, deal-merchants, types, categories, networks, getProducts
• Origin: Assigned by FMTC

merchant_id: 

• Description: A single merchant can have multiple affiliate programs across one or more networks. Each of these programs will have a unique merchant_id. In the screenshot below, Invite Health is a single merchant but has an affiliate program on multiple networks, so there is a unique merchant_id for each.
• Endpoints: Deals, deal-merchants, getProducts
• Origin: Assigned by FMTC

master_merchant_id: 

• Description: This identifier shows the hierarchical relationship between a single merchant (parent) and all their programs (child); master_merchant_id is the parent field and merchant_id is the child field. Multiple merchant_id identifiers can be associated with one master_merchant_id, but only one master_merchant_id can be associated with a merchant_id. This can be seen below with Abacus Sportswear US and is only available via API.
• Endpoints: Deals, deal-merchants
• Origin: Assigned by FMTC

network_id: 

• Description: This identifies the network from which FMTC sources the information. 
• Endpoints: Deals, deal-merchants, networks
• Origin: Assigned by FMTC

program_id: 

• Description: This is a network-assigned identifier for a merchant’s program and is used to find a program on its host network.
• Endpoints: Deals, deal-merchants
• Origin: Assigned by the network

link_id: 

• Description: This is a network-assigned identifier for a tracking link and is used to find a tracking link on its host network. 
• Endpoints: Deals
• Origin: Assigned by the network

Disclaimer: The network-assigned identifiers are not controlled by FMTC and are provided as it is within the network. Due to this, FMTC can’t guarantee these are unique identifiers; however, most networks treat them as unique identifiers. 

parent_id: 

• Description: This is an identifier that shows the hierarchical relationship between categories. A value returned in the parent_id field indicates a parent-child relationship exists. For example, the “parent_id” for “Bird Supplies” returns 1; the 1 value identifies “Animals & Pet Supplies” as a parent category. Multiple child categories can be associated with one parent category. If a parent_id is 0, like it is for “Animals & Pet Supplies,” that is how you know you have a root category.
• Endpoints: Categories
• Origin: FMTC Assigned by FMTC

[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "parent_id": 0,
    "name": "Animals & Pet Supplies",
    "slug": "animals-pet-supplies",
    "restricted": 0
  },
  {
    "id": 5,
    "parent_id": 1,
    "name": "Bird Supplies",
    "slug": "animals-pet-supplies-bird-supplies",
    "restricted": 0
  },
  {
    "id": 12,
    "parent_id": 1,
    "name": "Cat Supplies",
    "slug": "animals-pet-supplies-cat-supplies",
    "restricted": 0
  },
  {
    "id": 13,
    "parent_id": 1,
    "name": "Dog Supplies",
    "slug": "animals-pet-supplies-dog-supplies",
    "restricted": 0
  },
  {
    "id": 368,
    "parent_id": 1,
    "name": "Horse Supplies",
    "slug": "animals-pet-supplies-horse-supplies",
    "restricted": 0
  }
]

FMTC passes IDs through the API endpoints to ensure that the data is properly aligned regardless of changes that happen outside of the data. FMTC follows these best practices for data integrity, efficient retrieval of data, and avoiding conflicts when multiple entities exist. Ensuring uniqueness is essential for maintaining smooth operations in various contexts. Whether managing databases, developing software, or organizing content, distinct identifiers prevent conflicts, streamline processes, and enhance overall efficiency.

As always, a dedicated team is here to assist you! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact your account manager or email us at support@fmtc.co. 

Curious about other FMTC technologies? Find more information on FMTC’s tools in Tech Corner:

• FMTC Tech Corner: New Incremental
• FMTC Tech Corner: API v3
• FMTC Tech Corner: Deal Processing

The post FMTC Tech Corner: Unique Identifiers appeared first on FMTC.

This week in FMTC’s Affiliate Roundup: MFA continues to gain traction web-wide, Google further improves product search results, and podcast ad revenue is on the up and up.

• [Case Studies, Profiles & Awards] Affiliate links masquerading as organic search results threaten transparency and trust.
  
• [Case Studies, Profiles, & Awards] Dotdash Meredith partners with OpenAI to boost ad business and protect traffic.
  
• [Affiliate-Adjacent] A study of over 17,000 campaigns found that cost per lead increased by an average of 25% over the past year.
  
• [Affiliate-Adjacent] Podcast ad revenue rebounds to a projected $2 billion after a period of slow growth.
  
• [Affiliate-Adjacent] Google enhances product search results, streamlining price comparison within SERPs.
  
• [Affiliate-Adjacent] Almost half of all internet traffic in 2023 was the result of bots, highlighting a problem with open web programmatic.
  
• [Affiliate-Adjacent] MFA content farms — and questionable profits — are gaining traction at best and running rampant at worst.

The post Affiliate Roundup: MFA, CPL, SERPs, & More appeared first on FMTC.

This week in FMTC’s Affiliate Roundup: Elevate Summit makes a major move out of the computer screen. BarkleyOKRP expands their performance marketing offerings with a new acquisition. Amazon’s investment in timely delivery pays dividends.

Special announcement: ELEVATE Summit announces first-ever in-person conference, September 16-17 in London.

• After merging in March, BarkleyOKRP acquires Adlucent to expand their performance marketing.
  
• Google cracks down on fake coupon content to protect consumers.
  
• Diversify content, build community, and secure sustainable revenue for niche sites.
  
• The 2024 Affiliate & Partnership Industry Review by IAB delves into industry insights, including advertiser spending trends and publisher revenue growth.
  
• Amazon bets on fast delivery — with monumental results.
  
• Marketers are shifting spend from big tech to affiliate marketing due to control issues.
  
• Affiliate marketing: Opportunity or online scam? Check out this crash course.

The post Affiliate Roundup: Elevate Summit, Niche Sites, & More appeared first on FMTC.

This week in FMTC’s Affiliate Roundup: Cookies fight to see another day, Threads expands its creator offerings, and The NY Post provides a good use case for first-party data.

• Retail marketing firm Neptune Retail buys Quotient Technology for $430 million in cash.
  
• Revcontent Insider challenges claims on native ads, emphasizing their vitality.
  
• Google delays cookie deprecation, leaving marketers to pursue alternative solutions.
  
• Meta’s Threads, which is seeing stable growth, invites creators to earn bonuses.
  
• Estimating affiliate marketing growth is complex and often unpredictable; merchants are urged to focus on controllable aspects and view it as a long-term investment.
  
• The New York Post leverages first-party data for targeted ad sales and growth.

The post Affiliate Roundup: Neptune Retail’s M&A, Cookie Delays, & More appeared first on FMTC.

So many things have happened in the past 10 days it’s hard to choose what to write about! On top of everything else, I was at an entrepreneurs’ conference last week in Singapore. (Aside: If you are an owner/founder with an established business, reach out to me and I can connect you with this community, which includes a few affiliate marketers.)

Of all the developments, the one that seems most timely, if not significant, is Google’s recent inclusion of an anti-spam policy against “site reputation abuse,” including this specific example: “A news site hosting coupons provided by a third-party with little to no oversight or involvement from the hosting site, and where the main purpose is to manipulate search rankings.” 

Famed SEO Lily Ray asked on X/Twitter (doesn’t “ex-Twitter” make more sense than Twitter/X?) if enforcement of this would be manual or algorithmic, to which Google SearchLiaison responded, “Both,” indicating a serious level of intent. 

Forbes’ addition of a no-indexing tag to its coupon directory was cited over a week ago as an example of heading off a penalty, though multiple SEOs observed loss of SERP ranks and traffic for coupon and reviews pages. Ray contended there was a “double whammy” with the combination of no-indexing and algorithmic changes.

Since then, the coupon portion, managed by Upfeat Media, has apparently been shuttered entirely. (Forbes Vetted, which my sources indicate is operated separately, is still up.) The dramatic policy change and outcome merit some commentary. 

Upfeat Media, like its better known competitor, Global Savings Group, whose https://coupons.cnn.com/ is still up, is a subdomain leasing affiliate. For the record, they are, at most, indirect competitors to FMTC, because our core customer is an enterprise affiliate with its own relationships and platform. While we do have our sub-affiliate network called FreshReach, its strategy is speed to market and long-tail monetization, not being a concierge turnkey solution offering merchant negotiations, content curation, display technology, and backend operations. Moreover, the merchant sets are typically much smaller — in the low hundreds as opposed to FMTC’s low tens of thousands.

Thus, as a relatively neutral observer, I can sincerely say this takedown misses the real villains: sites that post totally fake data. While the frustration over search engine manipulation is understandable, subdomain leasing affiliates, which may also operate their own properties, generally publish valid, updated content. This means consumers have a good experience. When clickbait codes don’t work, that means there is a bad experience. My guess is that many people stop shopping through coupon sites entirely, which means merchants miss out, especially long-tail merchants.

My hope is that Google’s next ruling will be to penalize sites with demonstrably bad data, which should improve the overall user experience and, I think, the success of the affiliate channel.

The post Did Google Take Out the Wrong Guys? appeared first on FMTC.

This week in FMTC’s Affiliate Roundup: A major retailer files for bankruptcy, a slew of new e-commerce tools for you to try, and journalism meets marketing.

• Apparel brand Express files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans to shutter at least 95 stores.
  
• From Amazon to Walmart, Alibaba to Shopify, check out a roundup of new e-commerce tools.
  
• Learn more about incrementality, which measures additional sales from affiliate efforts and improves affiliate program evaluation and optimization.
  
• As brand budgets slim down, the pressure for ROI increases. Here are eight ways creators can build resilience in the face of smaller budgets.
  
• Martech Record’s Smooth Operator podcast welcomes a former Hearst editor and current e-commerce VP to discuss the intersection of marketing and journalism.
  
• Check out these nine key affiliate management strategies to keep your program afloat.

The post Affiliate Roundup: Express, Incrementality, & More appeared first on FMTC.

Welcome to the latest edition of FMTC’s Tech Corner. Today we are diving into a new implementation of an old API parameter: the “incremental” parameter. As you transition from the v2 deal feed endpoints to the new and improved v3, it’s imperative to adjust your approach to using the incremental parameter. Let’s explore its revamped functionality and what you can expect with this new parameter. 

Purpose

Originally, the incremental parameter was designed to make deal calls smaller and more efficient. With FMTC continually adding more merchants and deals, the need for swift delivery of deal information to subscribers became more apparent. Thus, the incremental parameter was added to supply only new or changed deals between calls so affiliates were getting the most recent information. With the introduction of the new v3 API, FMTC aims to provide enhanced flexibility in providing deal information. 

Usage Guidelines

Previously, the incremental parameter operated as a Boolean parameter that you turned on and off. When off, you received your full call of deals with no filtering. With it on, you receive all the deals that have been changed or updated since the last call that you made. 

In our latest v3 API, the incremental parameter is no longer a Boolean; it now accepts a numerical value. This number represents the time elapsed since the previous call. For example, setting this value to 60 will retrieve all changes made within the past 60 minutes from the time of the call. This enhancement addresses the intermittent issues encountered when making an API call. 

FMTC recommends making a full call every two hours while making incremental calls every 30 minutes. This will allow you to keep up with the frequent changes while keeping your calls small. While you should set it up to run every 30 minutes, automated processes are not guaranteed to run every 30 minutes, which could lead to the possibility of missing an update. Fortunately, the incremental parameter empowers you to dictate the frequency of updates since your last call. FMTC recommends buffering your incremental parameter to ensure comprehensive system updates within the specified timeframe, in which case you can double the time and look for all changes in the last 60 minutes to ensure that you are always getting the deal changes you are expecting. 

v2 Deal Feed Legacy Usage

Full Call

Incremental Call

Once any call has been made, the incremental call will check to see when the last call was made, regardless if the previous call was full or incremental, and capture all the changes that have occurred since that instance. Once this call is made, you won’t be able to retrieve those changes again unless you initiate another full call, as the incremental call will have synchronized with the most recent one. The primary limitation is having only one opportunity to capture changes, necessitating a full call to access them again.

v3 Deal Feed Usage

Full Call

Incremental Call

Unlike the v2 legacy system, the above call is not linked to the previous one. Instead, it retrieves changes that have occurred within the last 30 minutes. This approach allows you to capture updates efficiently and keep your calls smaller, limiting the need to make a full call. FMTC recommends that you still make a full call every two hours while making incremental calls every 30 minutes. 

What Constitutes a Deal Change?

Understanding deal changes is important to leveraging the incremental parameter effectively. Primarily, when a field such as a label or category changes, the deal will be updated and passed through the incremental parameter. Additionally, several other actions will trigger a deal change and allow the deal to come through the incremental parameter (even if one of the fields hasn’t changed): 

• Activation or deletion of a merchant
• Addition or removal of a deal-associated merchant by an affiliate
• Exclusion of a deal by a user (the status will be returned as “deleted”)
• Transition of a deal from a future status to an active status

As always, a dedicated team is here to assist you! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact your account manager or email us at support@fmtc.co. Curious about other FMTC technologies? Find more information on FMTC’s tools in Tech Corner:

• FMTC Tech Corner: API v3
• FMTC Tech Corner: Deal Processing
• FMTC Tech Corner: Deal Management Tools for Merchants

The post Tech Corner: New Incremental appeared first on FMTC.

YouTube’s new shopping features for creators, including “Shopping Collections” and “Affiliate Hub,” have had a burst of coverage this past week, including in TechCrunch, Hello Partner, Practical Ecommerce, Search Engine Journal, Modern Retail, and AdExchanger. So much coverage indicates to me some kind of public relations push, which, in turn, signals serious intent by YouTube. 

I wrote a blurb just over a month ago about YouTube, TikTok, and X’s disparate treatment toward affiliate, with YouTube being the most favorable, but it bears more detailed commentary in light of a subsequent Business Insider (paywall) article that Jesse Lakes of Geniuslink shared.

From the article: “While it’s still early days for YouTube’s native affiliate program, Business Insider’s conversations with several talent managers and creators suggest the tool may be having a hard time attracting creators who have a bevy of other affiliate options to choose from.” 

“Native affiliate program” is, for me, a novel term to describe a situation like this, which itself is kind of novel — i.e., a platform acting as a sub-affiliate network for its creators. Whether or not this catches on both as a term and a practice may depend on YouTube’s success. The article cites creators already having direct relationships with other monetization solutions, such as Amazon, LTK, and MagicLinks, or niche advertisers, such as finance-related companies.

A couple cited commission rates were competitive, so integration into creator workflows might come down to YouTube’s tools, which it could be in a good position to cultivate. The company also offered bonuses last year to entice participation, according to BI. 

Two other challenges were the threshold of 15,000 subscribers and fear of demonetization (i.e., a creator would keep direct-relationship revenue even if it lost revshare dollars), though the latter seems to impact political channels, which probably post fewer affiliate links anyway (at least at this time). 

Thus, YouTube’s embrace of affiliate, while most welcome, may have come too late in the game. Other platforms should take note. 

The post Did YouTube Wait Too Long for YouAffiliate? appeared first on FMTC.