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How to Craft an Attractive Affiliate Program Description

Mar 7, 2022
Written by Jennifer McBrayer

The CJ network is an expansive ecosystem that’s constantly growing and evolving, offering both advertisers and publishers countless opportunities for partnership. While access to such a large community is a clear benefit for everyone, it can also leave brands wondering how to stand out and grab the attention of new affiliate partners.

Fortunately, as a CJ advertiser, you can highlight your program’s best qualities via your Program Description, which serves as your first impression to publishers. This free-form section of your Network Profile allows you to appeal to future partners in your own unique way as they consider new advertisers in the network. Below are a few tips on how to craft an enticing program description that will catch the eye of new publishers.

 

Know Your Audience

When developing your Program Description, remember that you’re describing your program first and foremost to publishers—think of them as an extension of your sales team. The things they care about are different from your customers, so make sure to call out benefits like your program’s high conversion rates and potential for earning commissions. However, keep in mind that publishers care deeply about the customer experience, so highlighting customer perks (that will ultimately drive higher conversion for publishers) such as free shipping or free and easy returns will make you stand out as well.

 

Play up the Benefits and Differentiators

Your Program Description is your opportunity to brag—so don’t be shy! Tell prospective partners why your brand is worthy of being promoted on their websites, blogs, or social channels. Be sure to call out anything that sets you apart from other brands, particularly those in your category or vertical. Are you the market leader in your industry? Do you offer exclusive brands or products that no other advertiser carries? Seize the opportunity to highlight your uniqueness and value proposition.

In addition to sharing your brand’s unique identity, list out the benefits that appeal to publishers due to their earning and relationship potential. Some examples include:

  • Conversion rate
  • Average order value
  • Commission rate
  • Cookie duration
  • Performance incentives for top performers
  • Cross-Device enabled
  • Mobile/Content Certification
  • Exclusive affiliate promotions
  • Dedicated affiliate team
  • Regularly updated links/creative/product catalog
  • Customer perks such as free shipping or free and easy returns

Pro Tip: Want to stand out even more? For a small fee, you can add a logo to your listing to help you get noticed during publishers’ searches. Check out the Program Settings section on the Network Profile page in your account to learn more.

 

Update as You Evolve

As a final word of advice, be sure to remember that your Program Description should change alongside your program. A misstep that advertisers commonly make is adopting a “set-it-and-forget-it” attitude, leading to outdated information for new affiliates. Make a habit of double-checking your Program Description once a quarter to ensure that it still aligns with the current state of your program.

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Follow these simple guidelines and you will make a great first impression on your prospective partners! To learn more about your CJ Network Profile, please visit the Support Center.

This article was originally published on June 13, 2017, and was updated on March 7, 2022.

Topics: CJ 101,
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