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Affiliate
Digital Marketing / Affiliate Marketing

A Sales Channel You Only Pay When It Works

Affiliate marketing is the only digital channel with zero wasted spend — but only if the program is built right. We build affiliate programs from the ground up or fix the ones sitting dormant: recruitment, platform setup, tracking, creative assets, and monthly performance management all included.

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Affiliate Programs Built & Managed
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Avg Revenue Lift From Active Channels
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To First Active Publisher Cohort
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Clients Served
The Problem

Why Brands Choose CGM to Build and Manage Their Program

Most affiliate agencies hand you a platform login and a list of publishers. That is not what makes a program produce revenue.

What actually makes a program produce revenue is commission structure that motivates, recruitment targeting the right publisher type, and ongoing support that keeps affiliates active past the first 90 days. Across 80+ affiliate programs, the ones generating consistent revenue shared one thing: they treated affiliates as partners, not just a performance channel.

What's Included

Full-Service Affiliate Program Management

Everything from setup to scale, so your program keeps generating revenue past the first cohort.

01
Economics First
Affiliate Program Strategy

Commission structure, cookie window, payout model, and publisher tier design are all strategic decisions that determine whether affiliates choose your program over a competitor's. We build the structure before touching any platform.

02
Accurate Attribution
Platform Setup & Tracking

We set up and configure affiliate tracking on platforms including Impact, ShareASale, PartnerStack, or Post Affiliate Pro — with accurate attribution, fraud prevention rules, and conversion event mapping.

03
Right-Fit Publishers
Affiliate Recruitment & Outreach

We identify and recruit publishers, bloggers, comparison sites, coupon platforms, and niche content creators whose audiences match your buyer profile. Outreach is personalized, not a generic pitch template.

04
Faster Activation
Affiliate Onboarding & Asset Delivery

New affiliates get a structured onboarding pack: brand guidelines, approved creatives, tracking links, product messaging, and a contact point for questions. Proper onboarding means faster, more consistent activation.

05
Motivated Publishers
Commission & Incentive Management

Flat commissions produce flat results. We design tiered incentive structures — performance bonuses, exclusive offers for top publishers, seasonal uplift campaigns — that keep your program a priority for affiliates.

06
Clean Payouts
Fraud Detection & Quality Control

Affiliate fraud — click stuffing, cookie dropping, self-referrals — can drain commission budgets without producing a single real sale. We configure detection rules and audit traffic quality monthly.

07
Stops Program Decay
Affiliate Communication & Retention

Most programs lose affiliates to inactivity within 90 days because brands never communicate after onboarding. We run monthly newsletters, performance updates, and reactivation campaigns to keep publishers engaged.

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Where To Invest
Program Performance Reporting

Monthly reports track active affiliate count, revenue per affiliate, conversion rate by traffic source, top-performing publishers, and program ROI — so you see which affiliates are worth investing in.

Why Choose Us

Affiliates Treated as Partners, Not Just a Channel

Most affiliate agencies hand you a platform login and a list of publishers. Across 80+ affiliate programs, the ones generating consistent revenue shared one thing: they treated affiliates as partners, not just a performance channel.

Commission Structure Designed for Margins

Before recruitment ever starts.

Fraud Detection Configured as Standard

Not sold as an add-on.

Structured Onboarding Pack

Included for every new publisher.

Monthly Affiliate Communication

To prevent program decay.

Transparent Reporting

Tied to revenue per affiliate, not click volume.

How We Work

How We Build a Program That Attracts Publishers

A structured six-step process that takes you from audit or strategy to ongoing, revenue-tied management.

01

Program Audit & Strategy

For new programs, we define commission structure, payout model, and cookie window. For existing programs, we audit affiliate quality, tracking accuracy, and activation rate.

02

Platform Selection & Technical Setup

We select the right affiliate platform and set up tracking, conversion events, fraud rules, and payment workflows — all tested before recruitment begins.

03

Affiliate Recruitment & Vetting

We build a target publisher list matched to your audience, category, and traffic quality standards. Every affiliate is reviewed before approval.

04

Onboarding & Asset Delivery

Approved affiliates receive a structured onboarding pack with tracking links, approved creatives, and a clear brief on what converts for your brand.

05

Activation & Performance Monitoring

We monitor affiliate activation rates in the first 30-60 days and run outreach to inactive partners before they go cold.

06

Ongoing Management & Optimisation

Monthly reporting, fraud audits, commission reviews, and affiliate communication run on a fixed calendar to keep the program healthy.

FAQ

Affiliate Marketing — Common Questions

What is affiliate marketing and how does it work?
Affiliate marketing is a performance-based channel where publishers — bloggers, comparison sites, content creators, or coupon platforms — promote your product or service and earn a commission for each sale or lead they generate. You pay only when a defined conversion event occurs, making it one of the lowest-risk acquisition channels available to ecommerce and SaaS businesses.
How long does it take to build an affiliate program?
Platform setup and initial recruitment typically take 4-6 weeks from strategy sign-off to first live affiliates. A meaningful active publisher cohort generating consistent revenue usually builds over 60-90 days as recruited affiliates activate, test content, and optimize their placements for your offer.
What commission structure should I offer affiliates?
Commission structure depends on your product margins, average order value, and how competitive your category is on affiliate networks. Flat percentage commissions are standard but tiered structures — where top publishers earn higher rates — consistently produce better long-term performance. CGM models commission options against your margin requirements before recommending a structure.
What is the difference between affiliate marketing and influencer marketing?
Affiliate marketing is performance-based — publishers are paid a commission only when a conversion happens. Influencer marketing typically involves upfront fees for content creation and reach regardless of sales outcome. Affiliate programs work best with content-driven publishers and comparison platforms; influencer campaigns work best for brand awareness and social proof at scale.
How do I prevent affiliate fraud in my program?
Affiliate fraud — including click stuffing, cookie dropping, and self-referral abuse — is prevented through tracking platform fraud rules, traffic source auditing, suspicious conversion pattern monitoring, and publisher vetting before approval. CGM configures fraud detection as part of every program setup, not as a later add-on.
Which affiliate platform is best for my business?
Platform selection depends on your business model, publisher type targets, and budget. Impact and ShareASale suit most ecommerce and D2C brands, PartnerStack is built for SaaS and B2B programs, and Post Affiliate Pro works for businesses wanting self-hosted tracking control. CGM recommends a platform after understanding your publisher mix and technical requirements.
How much does affiliate program management cost?
Affiliate program management is typically scoped as a monthly retainer covering recruitment, reporting, affiliate communication, fraud monitoring, and optimisation. Platform fees are separate from management fees and vary by provider. CGM prices based on program size, current state, and whether a full build or ongoing management is needed — starting with a free program audit.
Ready When You Are

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