As brands revisit marketing strategies to best meet consumer needs during the COVID-19 pandemic, budget has shifted from more expensive channels to more accountable ones like affiliate marketing.
One area where CJ is seeing a strong shift in advertiser budget is from paid search. Within affiliate, trademark+ search publishers (commonly called “TM+” in the industry) can make up for the performance brands would typically find through traditional search—and they are doing so with higher AOVs (upwards of $80 more than program average) and in a more accountable way. The affiliate channel has the flexibility to manage commissions in a way that allows brands to meet ROAS goals—and even exceed them.
How Do TM+ Publishers Work?
TM+ publishers bid on a brand’s trademarked name (without outbidding the advertiser) plus other terms like “coupon” or “discount”, appearing in paid search. When consumers click through, the advertiser only pays a publisher commission when the agreed-upon action takes place (i.e. a sale).
TM+ publishers within affiliate are true experts in the search space and they know how to do it well, customizing their approach for each advertiser to align with business needs or meet certain KPIs without cannibalizing an advertiser’s existing search efforts. These partners also help monitor the space to ensure that search publishers who have not been approved aren’t bidding on the advertiser’s branded terms.
The benefits of working with TM+ publishers go beyond the incremental lift they provide and their ability to drive efficient demand. These partners typically provide ongoing placements as part of the larger partnership, which enhances an advertisers’ visibility with the publisher’s audience, reaching far beyond search. TM+ publishers also help mitigate the number of competitors that are bidding on your brand, increasing the probability that a consumer converts with you versus a competitor.
A Test Run Becomes an Evergreen Strategy
CJ is seeing more and more brands shift investment dollars towards TM+ publishers to make up for their search strategy. One major luxury retail brand, now in month two of a TM+ campaign, has already seen over $600K in sales revenue since launch, and TM+ has proven to be a successful new revenue stream complementary to their in-house efforts. The incremental impact for this retailer has been significant, turning what was at first a test into an evergreen strategy. Compared to their regular search performance, affiliate has far exceeded expectations.
Making Search More Accountable
Have your search dollars been pulled? Simply looking to revisit your affiliate investment strategy? Now is the perfect time to try something you may not have considered before. Drive growth with TM+ publishers within the affiliate channel—and only pay when a conversion takes place.
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Reach out to your CJ account team for more information on how to get started with TM+ publishers today.
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