How Does Lingerie Affiliate Marketing Work?
Lingerie affiliate marketing campaigns can only work effectively when all parties are all on the same page, working towards the same goal: increasing conversions.
These parties are as follows:
The Merchant – The merchant is the lingerie brand that produces the products, and is ultimately looking for additional revenue sources.
The Network – Webgains is an example of an affiliate network, which means we’ll work closely with the merchant brand to find the right publishers to convert more sales.
The Publisher – The publisher is the affiliate marketer who will promote your lingerie products to their audience to encourage them to make a purchase in exchange for a portion of the final sale price.
The Consumer – These are the customers that will buy the lingerie through the tracking links created by the publisher.
The merchant, network and publisher must work closely together to ensure that the right messaging and branding is carried over to the marketing material produced by the publisher.
Once a consumer purchases a product through a specially created referral link, the publisher and the network stand to earn a portion of the revenue created.
The standard publisher commission in the lingerie industry typically stands at 10%, which is what most lingerie merchants will offer.
How Will an Publisher Promote my Lingerie Brand?
Most lingerie affiliates will typically run their own website to publish content on, this may include blogs, video and product reviews.
They might use their expertise to focus on the fashion element of lingerie, body confidence, size guides, or the various applications to make more sales, and use the following tactics to promote them:
– Social Media.
– Digital ads – this is often a challenge when it comes to platforms like Facebook and Google.
– Pay-per-click advertising.
– Blogs
– Podcasts.
– Apps.
– Email marketing.
However, these processes will largely depend on the kind of products you’re selling and the tone you’re looking to set.
For example, if you’re selling maternity lingerie, the affiliate will probably want to create more of a lifestyle piece and promote this on social media like Facebook, but you should be in constant communication with your lingerie affiliate to decide which approach works best.
How Does a Lingerie Affiliate Programme Make Money?
A lingerie affiliate programme works much in the same way as any other, but as we mentioned there needs to be specific consideration to tone, sensitivity and branding to ensure each audience segment is seeing content that specifically suits the product type, i.e. maternity lingerie, for example.
From there, you, the network and the merchant must have a clear understanding of the commission process, which, as mentioned, is usually 10% with a cookie duration (we’ll cover this in more detail below) of between 30 and 90 days.
But, how exactly can an affiliate programme generate revenue for your business?
Warm Leads – The marketing strategies devised by the affiliate are done so to create sales, so they are completely aware of the links they’re clicking on, and will often do so with the inclination to buy the product.
Adaptable – Once you’ve chosen a quality affiliate network to find your publishers, you can scale up and scale down exactly as you please.
Low Cost – When you consider other forms of online marketing such as pay-per-click or social media, it often requires an entire team of specialists to ensure you’re getting the most from your investment. With affiliate marketing, the network will find the affiliates for you and those affiliates will do much of the heavy lifting on your behalf, which slashes up front costs.
Low Risk – When it comes time for your business to decide on where marketing spend will be placed, this can be a lottery, especially when doing so for the first time. Because affiliate marketing requires minimal upfront investment, you’re minimising that risk factor.
Low Ongoing Costs – Once you’ve briefed your network and your newly discovered publishers, there’s not really a whole lot else you need to do, assuming you’ve provided the correct materials to your affiliates. With affiliate marketing you don’t need to worry about agency rates for copywriters or paying in-house salaries, you’ll have a whole team of experts on hand creating conversion driven content in return for sales commission.
ROI – Although no business can suggest that every marketing campaign will be an instant hit, so long as you’re communicative and concise about the kind of content you’d like to see from your affiliates, you’ll be giving yourself a real chance of a big win. Lingerie affiliates know their stuff, and this knowledge is the reason that so many potential customers respond to their content.
What are The Pros of Lingerie Affiliate Programmes?
Many brands are still yet to utilise affiliate programmes to their full potential, and with this being the case, there’s certainly room for your brand to steal a march on the competition in this space.
Lingerie brands can find significant success with affiliate programmes due to the vast array of topics that women may need help with in this area, such as sizing and style guides.
So, why should you start an affiliate programme for your lingerie brand?
– Due to the sheer variety of uses, colours, styles and sizes, there’s bound to be something that suits all women, which means there are numerous content angles for affiliate marketers to develop on to reach their audiences.
– Because lingerie is a necessity, it’s much easier to convert potential customers when compared to other products that are considered luxuries.
– Many women will already know what they like and what feels comfortable for them, but find the range of options overwhelming. Affiliates are experts in their field, so will have an excellent understanding of which styles will appeal to certain audience demographics.
What are the Cons of Lingerie Affiliate Programmes?
As we’ve discussed, affiliate marketing is an ideal opportunity to expand your brand, but it’s crucial that you understand all facets of the process before you begin.
So, what are the cons?
– Due to the often sensitive nature of the products you’re selling, you must have a clear idea of which audience segments you want to target from the very earliest stage.
– Your affiliates must remain aware of the changing styles, tastes and buyer behaviours in order for their content to remain relevant in the long-term.
– There are some big names in the industry, many of whom are already running affiliate programmes, this means it may take some time to produce the right content to speak to more niche audiences if you’re a smaller brand.
Lingerie Affiliate Programmes: Getting Started
Now you’ve decided to start a programme of your own, there are a few questions you need to ask yourself beforehand:
What Commission Rates Will You Offer?
Typically lingerie brands offer a rate of 10% as standard, which is generous compared to other industries.
Before deciding on this though, you’ll need to study your margins to see if this is workable when considering the cut attributed to the network too.
What Network Will You Choose?
To ensure your lingerie affiliate marketing programme is successful, it is vital to choose the best possible network for your business.
Of course, depending on the sector, their commission rates may vary, but the last thing you want is to approach the cheapest network with no idea about the lingerie industry.
The best network will act almost as your partner, and offer you the benefits of their knowledge and experience for the best possible chance of success.
For example, at Webgains, we have dedicated teams with vast knowledge of the lingerie sector, and a range of free learning materials to help you hone your skills and knowledge, wherever you are in your journey.
What is Cookie Duration?
Cookie duration is the time you’ll give your affiliate to make a commission on the referral.
This means that if a customer clicks on the referral link, but doesn’t make a purchase immediately, you’ll need to decide how much time elapses to give that customer a chance to return and complete the purchase.
The lingerie industry typically operates with a 30 to 90 day cookie duration period.
How Can I Get Started?
Lingerie affiliate programmes are a great chance for your brand to uncover new conversion channels, while earning a high-margin return on your investment too.
At Webgains, we have significant knowledge and expertise in the lingerie market, so if you’d like more information or advice to get started, one of our knowledgeable team members will be happy to help.
Why not get in touch with us today?