The ABCs of Affiliate Marketing Success: Chapter 4
Previously
Chapter 1: Becoming an Affiliate Marketer
Chapter 4: Cookies Matter
Cookies Matter When Your Goal Is to Promote for Long-Term Commissions.
A cookie is either an expiring or permanent referral tracker that tells the vendor or platform who sent the visitor (buyer) so that they can get paid for that, and any additional purchases the customer may make.
These are great for situations where there may not be a one time sale. For example, the customer may come back to the funnel for the purchase of a one time offer upgrade. Or they might add additional items to their cart.
You may think that the longer the cookie lasts, the better it will be for you. And sometimes that can be true. But if you send a bunch of traffic to a site where these customers have already been cookied in from someone else, it can backfire on you.
Even though you convinced them to buy a particular product, the previous referrer is the one who gets the financial credit for it. That isn’t very fair. So you have to think carefully about which cookies you want to promote.
Last click cookies are popular, because it gives each affiliate the chance to earn based on whoever sent the visitor in the most recent period of time. Now many are saying we’re in for a cookie-less future.
But that’s not really true. There are first party, second party and third-party cookies. The second party ones are not a concern to affiliates – those are more B2B situations. The first party cookies, where the person visits a site and they track the experience, is still in effect.
Third party cookies are the ones from other sites, like when you get retargeted across different platforms. In some places where GDPR is an issue, consumer have to be given the option to opt out of these, so those are the only ones that won’t be working the same.
Your cookie links as an affiliate will be in normal working order, so you only need to ask yourself if you want to promote things that have the set timing to last click, 24 hours, 30 days, lifetime, and so on and select products to promote that are in line with your preferences.
Recent Comments
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The cookie issue is definitely a concern.
Many marketers are turned off by the Amazon 24 hour cookie.
I am taking advantage of the “sense of urgency” of the 24 hours. (from the shoppers point of view)
I like how you compare the cookies to the information that you were describing here, Phil.
Myra
Some more interesting information, Phil! I learned a few more things from you today!
Jeff
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I hate to say it, but most of what you are talking about are still over my "Tech-Challenged Head" :p. That is ok. I am learning and will continue to learn, to succeed. :) Thanks, Phil.
I'm sure it will all fall into place soon.
I feel the same way. This one was over my head.
Cookies just determine how long you'll get credited for the sale. Say a visitor clicks on your affiliate link and the vendor has set a 7-day cookie (which lives on the visitor's computer, not yours). If they complete the purchase inside 7 days, you'll get the commission. Otherwise, not.
Amazon cookies are only 24 hours.
:)Hang in there and keep learning.
The more you learn, the easier it gets.
I hope so. :)
:)
Definitely so, especially if you ask questions to clear up anything you don't understand.
I will, but I'm trying to concentrate on my website before I delve too deep into anything else. :)
Thanks for the clarification. :)
No problem.