Internationalising your online store can be a crucial step in opening up new markets, increasing your reach and growing your online sales. But how can you ensure that your expansion is a success? A large part of the answer could well lie in the strategic use of affiliate marketing and the decision to rely on an international affiliate network from the very beginning.
First steps & key considerations
Before you internationalise your online shop with affiliate marketing, there is important homework to do:
- Market analysis: Examine the demand for your products in your target markets. Look at competitive situation, cultural differences and legal requirements.
- Audience analysis: Understand the needs, preferences and buying habits of your target group in different countries so you can adapt your messages accordingly.
- Language and cultural adaptations: Localise your website and marketing materials as required. Don’t forget to consider any cultural sensitivities.
- International payment methods: Make sure your e-commerce platform supports international payment methods and allows for a smooth process.
- Shipping and logistics: Find reliable international shipping partners and logistics service providers.
- Legal and tax aspects: Find out about the legal and tax requirements for selling in your target markets.
Once the above steps are covered and you start seeing sales in new markets, it is time to accelerate via affiliates. Careful preparation will allow you to benefit from the wide range of opportunities and growth potential offered by international expansion.
An international affiliate network like Webgains offers you global access to tens of thousands of publishers and comprehensive support.
Affiliate Marketing: The Key to Internationalisation
Affiliate marketing is a powerful marketing strategy where you work with partners (known as publishers or affiliates) who promote your products or services in return for commission. Typically, as it is for most advertiser merchants on Webgains, you only pay this commission on completed sales.
That’s no risk, all reward! This cost-effective model is particularly suitable for internationalisation, as it allows you to enter new markets without large investments and risks.
You can learn more about affiliate marketing through our free Introduction to Affiliate Marketing course available now via Webgains Academy.
The advantages of an international affiliate network
By opting for an international affiliate network, you can benefit from the following:
- Access to a global network of publishers: You get access to a wide range of publishers from different countries, so you can reach potential customers in different markets without having to search for partners individually.
- Scalability and growth potential: Opting for an international affiliate network allows you to easily expand and scale your international business to more countries.
- International expertise and support: High-quality international affiliate networks have experts with multi-layered knowledge and relevant contacts in the respective markets. They support you in adapting your marketing strategies to cultural differences and target group needs.
Finding the right international affiliate network
The international expertise of an affiliate network is evident in various aspects:
Global network of publishers and advertisers: A high-quality international affiliate network has an extensive and diverse base of publishers and advertisers from different countries or major brands operating in different countries.
Multi-language support: An international affiliate network should support multiple languages. This can be evidenced in multilingual user interfaces and support services.
Local market knowledge: Affiliate network employees should have in-depth knowledge of the various international markets in which they operate. This includes information about the competitive landscape, regulatory requirements, seasonal trends, and other relevant factors that may affect affiliate marketing.
Legal and tax expertise: Since international affiliate marketing can be associated with legal and tax challenges, the network should have expertise in these areas. For example, it can provide guidelines for compliance with GDPR in Europe or local tax laws for publishers and advertisers.
Payment and currency support: A global affiliate network should allow for seamless processing of payments in different currencies. This makes it easier for publishers to receive their commission in their preferred currency without having to deal with exchange rates and other complications.
Local events and training: To encourage collaboration between publishers and advertisers, the affiliate network may offer local events, workshops, or training. This gives partners the opportunity to engage face-to-face, gain new insights, and develop their affiliate marketing skills.
If your network hosts these and you are available to attend – go! Affiliate marketing is massively relationship-driven and in-person interaction is still king.
With the right partner at your side, you can make the most of the benefits of international affiliate marketing and take your online business to a new level.
To talk to us about starting an international affiliate program or scaling up an existing one, please fill in this form or email us at hello@webgains.com.