You’ll need to learn about Internet marketing and affiliate programs, as well as different types of social media, to become an affiliate manager. While some employers prefer that you have a business or Internet marketing degree, you may be able to learn how to be an affiliate manager on the job. Affiliate management companies may be able to help you in your quest to become an affiliate manager by providing proprietary training programs that you can attend to learn more about the position.
Affiliate marketing programs partner with website owners to provide businesses with a low-risk way to market their goods and services online. The website owners manage the advertiser’s advertising. The advertiser only pays the website owner if the advertisement is successful: Typically, this means that the owner of the website receives a commission on any goods or services sold through advertisements on his site. To work as an affiliate manager, you’ll need to know how to find website owners who are willing to participate in a company’s affiliate program and how to manage his employer’s relationships with these owners.
If you want to work as an affiliate manager, you should look for a job with a company that does a lot of business online. It helps to have prior experience working in online retail, as well as a basic understanding of web coding, design, and graphics. While you may not be in charge of managing website content, understanding how your company’s website and e-commerce service operate can be extremely beneficial when working with affiliate management programs. Your boss might be willing to send you to affiliate marketing classes as part of your continuing education.
Some companies manage their own affiliate programs, which can be time-consuming for an affiliate manager but saves the company money on commissions and fees paid to third-party affiliate management programs. Develop your management and negotiation skills if you become an affiliate manager for a company that prefers to keep its program in-house. This is critical because, in order to keep your affiliate program running smoothly, you will most likely need to collaborate with various departments within your company. For example, you’ll need to collaborate with the IT department to ensure that the affiliate-enabled shopping cart functions properly, and you’ll need to collaborate with the accounting department to ensure that all of your affiliates are paid on time.