FMTC for Merchants: Best Practices for Creating Content That Converts

FMTC helps merchants scale their affiliate programs and bring in more revenue. Once you sign up to be an FMTC merchant, you’ll have access to a powerful suite of tools to get your offers in front of affiliates across 19 of the biggest networks.

Ready to make your content work for you? Here are the top 12 best practices to create content that converts.

What you should do to create effective content

1. Add FMTC to your program

Once you’ve accepted FMTC into your program, you get a free listing in our Program Directory. If you don’t see your listing, send us a request to add it!  

2. Always add beginning and ending dates

Even if your offer is “evergreen,” it’s vital to add beginning and end dates to your offer. This practice ensures your content is fresh and accurate for your affiliates and does not get pushed to the bottom of the pile. We recommend setting an expiration date of six months or less.

3. Use coupon codes

When offering deals, use coupon codes, which allow you to track offers and make it easier to manage the correct attributions. Coupon codes also make deals more compelling to consumers and affiliates.

4. Include free shipping

In today’s e-commerce landscape, customers expect free and fast shipping. Research by Baymard Institute found that the number one reason shoppers abandon their carts is extra costs like shipping.

5. Add new promotional content often

Boost engagement with a steady schedule of promotional content. Adding new promotions regularly will keep your shoppers coming back and help your affiliates bring in new audiences.

6. Keep the title simple

Keeping the title of your offer simple helps with clarity. In a world of short attention spans, the shorter the message, the more likely people will read it.

7. Always provide an evergreen home page link

In e-commerce, your home page is the display window for your business. Make your site easy for returning customers to find by maintaining an evergreen home page link. 

8. Create at least one text link in addition to the home page link

In addition to the home page link, add at least one other text link to your network listing.

9. Promotional content is preferred over non-promotional: “$10 off” vs. “shop for shoes”

Promotional content entices customers to click on an offer. Learn how to write deal labels that convey value to your shoppers.

10. Provide only one text link per promotion

Keeping in line with making information easy and accessible, use only one text link per promotion per post. This improves the readability of your content, helping to keep your audience engaged.

11. Include two logo sizes in SVG format: 88×31 and 120×60

Make it easy for your affiliates to promote your deals! Provide two sizes of your logo for your affiliates to use.

12. Save “[email protected]” as a trusted contact and respond as soon as possible

Safelist “[email protected]” so you never miss out on any correspondence. And while you’re at it, sign up for our weekly newsletter to stay in touch with key affiliate trends.

What you should NOT do for your content

What should you avoid when creating content?

1. Don’t leave date fields blank

Keep your content fresh by including starting and ending dates in your offers.

2. Don’t use complicated, wordy ad copy or descriptions

 Avoid copy that reads like ad. Simple words feel more organic and accessible to readers.

3. Don’t include the coupon code in the title

Don’t add your coupon code to the title of your offer. Add pertinent information to its designated field.

4. Don’t remove your home page link

Home page links lead traffic back to your e-commerce site and improve your ranking.

5. Don’t promote the same offer with multiple text links

This turns into spam for affiliates. Say it once, the best way you can. Multiple ways of saying the same thing just get ignored.

6. Don’t ignore emails from [email protected]

Don’t miss out on updates! Safelist our support email address and read them to get the latest information.

Follow these simple do’s and don’ts to maximize your content. If you want even more tools to grow your affiliate program, find out how to become a premium merchant!