Q4 Top Tips Series
This Q4, we asked members of our Client Services Team to share their top tip for helping advertisers maximise performance during the peak trading season. We first challenged them to deliver their advice in just 30 seconds (see video above), but we know many brands will want to dive a little deeper.
That’s why we’ve asked the team to expand on their insights in a series of blog articles like this one. Here’s Tip #1 from our Q4 Top Tips series, brought to you by Senior Account Director Ben Eversden. Read on to discover why Ben is encouraging advertisers to explore the power of gamification in your affiliate strategy this Q4.
Gamify the Customer Journey: Driving Q4 Performance Through Affiliates
Q4 Top Tip by Ben Eversden, Senior Account Director at Webgains
As peak trading season approaches, brands are under more pressure than ever to maximise the value of every shopper. November, traditionally the highest converting month of the year, is a golden opportunity, but the challenge isn’t just getting customers to transact. More often than not, they already have a good idea of what they want.
‘More often than not, customers know what they want‘
The real challenge is: how do you encourage them [customers] to spend more, increase their basket size, or discover additional products they hadn’t planned to purchase?
That’s where gamification in the affiliate channel comes in.
Why Gamification Matters in Q4
Gamification introduces playful, incentive-driven mechanics into the customer journey. By weaving in spend thresholds, tiered rewards, and targeted product incentives, brands can transform a simple, single-product transaction into an engaging shopping experience.
Rather than relying on blanket discounts, brands can use affiliates to design offers that nudge customers toward higher-value behaviours:
- Basket value uplift: Offering cashback or rewards that unlock at £100+ baskets.
- Product discovery: Boosting commission rates on seasonal ranges or underperforming SKUs to bring them into the spotlight.
- On-site engagement mechanics: Affiliates can integrate gamified tools like spin-to-win wheels, tiered cashback, or milestone rewards to keep customers engaged and shopping for longer.
The key is not about winning the initial transaction, it’s about maximising the spend once the customer is already in buying mode.
Affiliate Performance in Q4
Affiliate marketing shines brightest in Q4, with the channel consistently delivering both volume and incremental value:
‘Affiliate marketing shines brightest in Q4‘
- Q4 typically accounts for 35–40% of annual affiliate revenue, with November driving the sharpest conversion peaks.
- In 2024, brands using gamified commission structures saw average basket sizes increase by 18% compared to flat discounting.
- Cashback and loyalty publishers delivered up to 40% of affiliate revenue in Q4, proving the impact of incentive-led mechanics.
- Voucher and incentive publishers saw a 25% increase in click-throughs, particularly where gamified offers were tied to “spend more, save more” mechanics.
These results highlight the power of affiliates not only to drive sales, but to influence incremental spend and product mix at the checkout stage.
Top Tip: Gamify the Customer Journey
Q4 success isn’t about just winning clicks, it’s about extracting maximum value from each shopper. Customers already have a good idea of what they want; gamification helps incentivise them to go further, spend more, and explore.
Heading into peak, consider how you can:
- Build tiered or gamified offers that reward higher spends.
- Use commission uplifts to push seasonal or strategic products.
- Partner with affiliates offering on-site optimisation tools to drive engagement where it matters most.
Final Thought
Peak trading is a battle for share of wallet, but gamifying the customer journey ensures you’re not only winning the purchase, you’re maximising its value. With affiliates as your ally, Q4 becomes an opportunity not just to sell, but to sell more.
‘With affiliates as your ally, Q4 becomes an opportunity not just to sell, but to sell more‘
If you’d like to grow your sales through the affiliate channel this Q4, please email hello@webgains.com or complete this form to get started with Webgains.
