Moving Methodically
As an overview, methodology implies working methodically. Both words are so closely related that they can be used interchangeably. Both imply proceeding in a measured, step by step manner towards an overarching purpose. The main advantage of this methodological approach is that each step is finite and at the same part of a larger whole; and therefore, trackable — meaning that retrospectively we can evaluate what works and what does not — endless perfectibility, in other words.
In digital technology terms, “endless perfectibility” translates into what is also called optimisation. Why is that important? For two reasons, first, because most if not all of the enabling contemporary technology you will use in running your affiliate business will be digital; second, because running an affiliate marketing business — or, for that matter any online enterprise — comes down to perpetual optimisation. Businesses are by definition fluid, online business perhaps even more so because of a continuous stream of data. Digital technology in itself, however, has not created more data but made available more options for capturing it.
While this may seem overwhelming, it need not be. Ironically, the same digital technology that appears to drown us in data also provides the very means of managing it. Almost every data driven system also comes with a management system embedded in it.
Take FB, for example. Every user can see how many likes they received for a particular post, at what time — that is at the minimum level of analysis. Much higher levels of data analysis — finer granularities — are also possible: which words, images, colours and so forth produced the most desirable results. We can even get data on gender, geo location, income level, education, times of interaction and so forth.
I mention this because building an understanding of your own affiliate enterprise and the affiliate marketing industry broadly on such foundations increases your chances of success. The central notions of such an understand are: data and data management.
Notice that this central notion also plays very comfortably into structured learning, our central learning strategy. Both data management and structured learning share this in common: modularity. Modularity is the quality of being broken up into smaller, more manageable parts, or modules — modules which work as individual units while being able to be organised into a larger whole, a unity.
The analogy I have in mind is furniture, modular furniture, which by definition displays the same characteristics of: being able to function as single units and also being parts of a larger whole, an organic unity. Structure and design . . . the units can be arranged and rearranged in infinitely into arrays, each holding a different significance as a composite. Structured learning and data work in the same way. Uncanny.
The upshot: affiliate learning — or data management — is eminently learnable.
Get To Work
In keeping with our methodological approach, I shall divide this process into two broad categories — first, platforms/marketplaces; second, social media analytics; third, manual research.
Under the first category come the following:
- AspireIQ — Quick Note: use for determining which micro influencers could be partners.
- Upfluence — Quick Note — for more granular data on niche, location, engagement.
- Influencity — Quick Note — use for even deeper analysis
These tools will enable you locate micro influencers in your chosen niche with a certain degree of specificity, so that you can enter the game in a focussed — as opposed to a scatter gun approach, which can easily lead you exhaustion and consequently demotivated. No point in going into the game in a disorganised manner — you are likely to give up even before you start.
You want a degree of specificity — fast — and not simply because you want to get off the ground fast but more so because you want to stay airborne for longer. And this cannot be achieved without constant monitoring and course correction.
This is where transitioning into the second category comes into play. Treat the actions in the first category as preliminary assessment, those in the second category as reassessments. As soon as the objectives of the first category are achieved, move into the next as outlined below.
Social Media Analytics
Two Top Recommendations
HypeAuditor — great for assessing authenticity — engagement metrics
SocialBlade — great for growth analytics on YouTube, LinkedIn
Both these tools will help you bring your preliminary findings into much sharper focus — what do you need to keep? what you need to reject? It never pays go after poor leads. That is why I suggest that you generate sufficient leads — 10 is my recommendations for each session — so that if even two of them look good, you can pursue them profitably. (Recall the 80/20 Rule). Be prepared to reject bad prospects early, so that they do not clutter your judgement and create more room for further research.
Never begrudge having to start all over again if you have to after discovering that they were all bad prospects. Rather than thinking of this as lost work, think instead how many bad prospects you were able to weed out at the outset.
Manual Research
I call this hard yakka research — the time honoured method of seeking out pieces of information from a vast trove, AKA Google, etc — although in this case we are emphasising only these two: Instagram and LinkedIn. The focus is on checking the publicly available bios of the micro influencers. This can tell you a lot. Explicit information is easy to understand. However, it is the implicit messages that you need to decode. For example, if you see a publicly available email, that is definite sign of availability even if it is at a basic level. The micro influencer is saying “Contact me” . . . accessability, in other words.
Take this a level further. Check out their correspondence, their interactions with their audience to get a measure of their inclinations.
Develop your script, a pitch — a draft email/message emphasising alignment. Here are some things to remember:
Use a friendly tone, while keeping the friendly tone within professional boundaries — remember, you are asking their help. Presumptuousness has nipped many a relationship in the bud. Even though the micro influencer may be friendly, you still need to treat them as a professional. Be courteous.