It’s lovely to have you as a partner of PerformanceIN. For those who aren’t familiar with Soicos, please can you explain a little bit more about the company?

Soicos is an affiliate network focusing on the Hispanic LatAm market. We started business back in 2010 as an internal project of the Argentinian Advertising Agency Adverit. Soon, we received our first investment round from Mediasur, a Swiss group that, at the time, possessed some online stores in Europe. Powered by that investment, we opened our branch offices in Chile, Mexico & Colombia.

The project was designed to replicate a classic CPA affiliate network. Since then, we’ve been promoting the benefits of affiliate marketing to the Latin online advertising environment, starting with discussing the lead-generation campaigns that occurred in the very first years, before moving onto the online stores CPA programmes we’re currently seeing.

How do you plan to expand beyond Hispanic LatAm?

We don’t currently plan on expanding out of LatAm during 2021. Reaching clients within our region is still a large challenge for us. We are not speaking about regular market penetration here; we still have to spread the word of affiliate marketing in some countries and we still have too many brands to partner with. We also have a huge number of goals we would like to achieve before landing in new markets. So yes, we are focusing 100% of our efforts on developing within our region for now!

Which countries do you operate in?

We currently operate in Mexico, Chile, Argentina & Colombia, and we have active sales managers closing new deals for Soicos. We also have some activity in secondary markets like Peru and Brazil.

Despite the fact that each country within the region is slightly different in culture, they do actually have a lot in common. However, each country has its own unique challenges, and the advertiser and publisher environments vary a lot. It’s challenging and exciting to adapt tactics to handle the pros and cons that these countries have.

How has your business adapted to COVID-19 and what sort of strategies have you implemented to support your clients?

To start, working remotely has been a dramatic change for Soicos’ team. Most of our team members are located in our Buenos Aires’ office, and they thoroughly enjoy the team work that the industry demands. Having to interact strictly through Zoom/Hangouts forced us to rethink a lot of work processes and get very creative in maintaining our company culture.

When it comes to clients, the whole situation has accelerated their performance marketing needs to levels we never imagined. The demand we felt to make the most of each invested dollar helped unintentionally to push the market’s maturity. Our strategy was to put focus on launching speed and requirements, as well as speaking less aggressively in terms of network and transaction fees and, especially for the travel industry, being flexible with payment terms.

What type of affiliates do you work with?

Our publisher network is quite varied. We work with coupon sites, cashback, content sites, tech partners, comparison engines, display, email, and more!

We are very proud to say that, since the beginning of this fantastic journey, we have helped some local entrepreneurs to develop their affiliate business models, helping to grow the local publisher landscape from the isolated environment it was ten years ago into the promising market we can see unfolding in front of us today.

Soicos has worked with a number of big names. Particularly in today’s economic climate, what opportunities and challenges have you seen or faced when working with advertisers and publishers?

In terms of opportunities: Online retailers and consumers have never needed each other more than they do now. Latin buyers are getting savvier than ever. The status-quo of brands investing in traditional advertising models is out of date, and is based on their necessity of real, tangible results. This whole situation is playing in Soicos’ favour.

Regarding the challenges: Any massive change has its costs. Adapting to these new demands will be very challenging. Clients highly rely on our consultancy to help them develop their programmes and the affiliates understand their value, meaning they’re getting pickier as new programmes appear. Therefore, being up to the challenge will be an interesting test for Soicos.

What can we expect from you in the coming months?

LatAm is growing tremendously fast. We are really excited to finally capitalise a decade’s work. Brands are keen to develop their performance campaigns and affiliate marketing is already in the dictionary of most potential advertisers. Online buyer stats in Latin America are thriving. Based on this, we can expect a bright future for our business, clients and region.

We would like to thank Ignacio for taking part in this Q&A. It’s great to have Soicos as part of the PerformanceIN partner network – we’re looking forward to hearing more about the industry within LatAm and how Soicos will continue to grow its success.

The post Q&A: Soicos on the Affiliate Channel in Latin America and Its Tremendous Growth appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Understanding the local flavour and uniqueness of India’s e-commerce opportunity, however, is critical to success. CJ Affiliate has had a front-row seat on this growth from its Bangalore office, the home base for its publisher development team focused on publisher growth in the APAC markets. Based on our firsthand learnings, below are the top five things to understand about the market and supporting strategies to be successful in this continually growing market. 

1. Indian shoppers prefer shopping “in app” and are fans of cross-border shopping

Massive government programs such as “Digital India” are transforming India’s cash-based economy to a paperless one, and the country’s digital population has evolved to be some of the world’s most engaged online buyers. When they shop, Indians prefer the experience and convenience of retailer branded apps — 94% of Indians prefer using apps over websites to make purchases online. This digital-forward culture has also embraced shopping from overseas retailers, primarily from brands in the US, China and Australia. Cross-border shopping by Indian shoppers is estimated to reach $2B USD in 2020. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: Connecting with Indian shoppers means reaching them on their mobile phones and converting them requires easy digital payments. Work closely with review or content sites to educate consumers about the value of your brand and ensure you have the necessary global payment methods and mobile capabilities to streamline checkout.

2. Retail events during the religious festival season are gaining traction with online shoppers

Autumn is the biggest online shopping season in India because retailers have grown the number of promotional events they host during the Fall religious festivals: Diwali, Dussehra, and Navratri. The Big Billion Sale usually held in October by the Walmart-owned Flipcart company is one of the biggest events, rivalling Amazon’s Prime Day in sales volume and shopper interest. The Big Billion Sale has become an important sales event for sellers of mobile phones and electronics and India’s price conscious shoppers approach the event with a keen interest in getting a great deal. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: Create customized offers for shopping events. Indian consumers are looking for special deals and savings during Holiday season and shopping events. 

3. Content publishers are a fast-growing publisher model

Similar to what we’ve seen in the UK and US markets, large media sites in India have started to use affiliate offers to monetize their content. Reaching many millions of readers, the digital newspapers and television sites launching content monetization models are currently gaining momentum faster in India than any other market. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: For advertisers to fully take part in the vast reach into digital audiences of India’s content sites, they have to bring a deep commitment to working closely with the publisher. We’ve found content publishers in India are most inclined to work with advertisers who help them sell the partnership within their companies by collaborating on pitches and informational meetings. Advertisers should also be prepared to offer hybrid compensation models

4. Affiliate network compliance education and monitoring is key

Affiliates in India often have a different understanding of network compliance then western networks do.  For example, it may be acceptable for a local advertiser from a network compliance perspective to promote offers through direct linking and iframes. For many global brands this isn’t business as usual and such practices have inevitably given some brands pause on launching in India.  

Affiliate Strategies for Success: It is important to establish transparent and clear guidelines up front when working with local India-based affiliates. Introducing network compliance rules and practices have become a part of early (and ongoing) education and training that CJ Affiliate provides to both publishers and advertisers we work with in India.    

5. Publisher scale, transparency, and trust are key—but local connections seal the deal

Forging scalable partnerships based on trust continues to be an essential ingredient to making affiliate marketing successful in India. But at the end of the day, the local connection seals the deal. This emphasizes the importance of having a local publisher’s development team available to take calls and meetings to build relationships and trust. 

Affiliate Strategies for Success: What makes India unique is not only the digital market but also the size of affiliate partner opportunity. It is essential to create processes for recruitment and onboarding that can scale by delivering self-help tools for affiliates and giving them access to relevant offers. It is equally important to build the human connection and forge a partnership. 

With 240 million potential consumers to reach, it is clear that now is a great time to start testing the affiliate waters in India. With these strategies, brands are sure to be off to a good start in this booming market. 

The post Five Trends That Are Shaping Affiliate Marketing Opportunities in India appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Founded in 2004, shares in the Manchester-based firm changed hands for as much as 658p, 32% above the 500p IPO price, before easing back to 625p, valuing the business at £5.6 billion.

The result puts founder Matthew Moulding more than halfway to hitting a target that would give him shares worth £700 million. Moulding is both chairman and CEO of the company.

Meanwhile, investors in the company were typically unconcerned by the health and beauty retailer’s unusual corporate governance structures, with Phil Drury of Citigroup stating that the deal had received “multiple levels of oversubscription”.

Given the current impact of the stock market due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the looming Brexit taking place, this is significantly development and great to see a British tech company making its debut on the London Stock Exchange.

The post The Hut Group Shares Soar in Landmark IPO appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Leupold von Löwenthal will be responsible for local business development, marketing activities & sales in addition to taking over two business directions: Admitad Affiliate Network and Admitad Technology. The latter is focused on software solutions initially owned by Adgoal, such as Admitad Extension link generator and Smartlink Technology that converts regular links into affiliate ones.

“My primary objectives will be to establish Admitad as a reliable service provider and use all its resources to pursue building long-term partnerships in the DACH region. Admitad wants to be perceived not as a competitor, but as an assistant, a boost rather than hindrance. I’m sure we have the right tools just for that,” said Dino Leupold von Löwenthal.

Since 2012, Dino Leupold von Löwenthal has been holding senior-level positions, including head of affiliate marketing & lead generation at iProspect, region managing director Central Europe at Awin and CEO of VerticalAds Group.

”We have a vision of Admitad as an affiliate service provider for all market peers – both in DACH and globally. Von Löwenthal is an acknowledged expert in the said market. I strongly believe he will help us pursue this vision and become a valuable part of the team. I am happy to welcome him to the Admitad family,” commented Alexander Bachmann CEO Admitad.

This news follows the recent announcement of Admitad’s parent company AB Capital Group investment of cashback service LetyShop of $3 million. The investment will aid in increasing the holding’s share in one of Eastern Europe’s leading cashback service providers.

The post Admitad Launches New Office and Hires DACH Region Manager appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Europe’s largest independent bank Engagement as a Service solution will continue building its existing and successful UK partnership with Visa, where they currently provide Customer Engagement capabilities and content to support several of Visa’s UK client programmes. These programmes provide customers with some of the richest retail offers in the market, across more than 30 of the UK’s leading retailers, due to Reward’s ability to deliver personalised card-linked offers (PCLO).

As part of the partnership, Reward’s Customer Engagement capabilities and merchant content will be distributed to a potential 250m+ customers across Visa’s European banking partners – launching first in the Republic of Ireland in the second half of the year.

“Our goal is to help design, build and operate the best Customer Engagement programmes in the world, around the world. We made a pledge in 2018 to give £1bn of rewards to customers by 2022. So far, we’ve given back over £740m and we hope this partnership with Visa will help us achieve that goal,” said Gavin Dein, Reward’s founder and CEO.

“In the last few years, we’ve made huge investments in anonymising, cleansing and aggregating transactional data so that our advanced algorithms can predict where consumers are likely to shop next. This combined with Visa’s ability to promote these offers on a one-to-one basis, enables us to give consumers access to offers from the world’s largest retailers. We call this process Personalised Card Linked Offers (PCLO) and it’s an evolution from a one-size-fits-all Card Linked Offers (CLO) approach. We believe that PCLO is the future of performance marketing and excited to bring this Capability to Europe with Visa,” he continued.

The partnership builds on Reward’s already sizable cardholder portfolio, providing retailers with the transactional insight and banks with technological capabilities to deliver PCLO offers and Customer Engagement solutions at scale.

This supports Reward’s strategic goal of giving £1 billion in rewards to customers through bank Customer Engagement programmes by 2022.

“With Reward’s extensive retail network and tailored content, Visa cardholders can get access to relevant and personalised offers to spend and save at the retailers they prefer,” said Kevin Akerman, Executive Director, Visa.

“In partnership with our issuing banks, we are delighted to continue working with Reward to bring tailored offers to our customers across Europe so they can save when they spend with their Visa card,” he added.

The post Reward Extends Partnership with Visa to Provide Award-Winning Customer Engagement capabilities to Banks Across Europe appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Schmidt will be responsible for establishing Impact’s growth in the region, from the new office in Berlin. He brings many years’ experience in affiliate marketing to the business, having previously held the roles of Head of Business Development at MenschDanke and Head of Key Account Management and Sales at Webgears.

Schmidt will report to MD EMEA Florian Gramshammer and will lead the German business in a market where the digital penetration is at 93% and there is significant growth in opportunities for advertisers.

“Impact has created a game-changing SaaS platform which enables advertisers to leverage high-quality partnerships globally at scale. Having worked for a number of years in the affiliate industry I’ve seen many attempts to provide the full picture in this way but the level of insights, reliability and effectiveness that Impact’s Partnership Cloud offers is unique. I’m more than convinced that our platform will help DACH advertisers to unlock the growth potential of partnership automation,” said Schmidt.

“Germany is the fifth largest consumer market globally and brands have been harnessing the power of partnerships over the last 12 months and this is timely for us to be launching in this strong and innovative market.”

In his previous role, Schmidt successfully established the Webgears Group as a whitelabel provider for savings across three markets: Germany, the UK and the US. He also designed a performance-based commerce content strategy for media houses in order to generate new revenue streams and prove incremental value in affiliate marketing – most famously for Germany’s largest newspaper Bild.de, which resulted in revenue gains of over 500% in two years.

“We are delighted to continue our growth in EMEA with the German office marking a significant milestone for Impact. We see huge potential for the region and Felix is the ideal fit to lead the business forward. Felix is the ultimate performance marketing specialist and his strategic know-how in this area will undoubtedly help us to get the message of Impact’s unparalleled offering out to this crucial market,” commented Florian Gramshammer, MD EMEA, Impact.

Catch up with our interview with Gramshammer on how Impact has been responding to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The post Impact Opens German Office and Appoints Felix Schmidt as Country Manager appeared first on PerformanceIN.

With over 50% of the world’s retail e-commerce sales, China offers many opportunities for brands looking to reach new customers. The affiliate industry started to gain traction in the early 2000s and has continued to grow since then. Though not as advanced as the US and Europe, affiliate marketing in China has developed, and there are plenty of opportunities for brands looking to expand to APAC. 

Like any new market expansion, brands must tailor marketing strategies to the local market, industry landscape, consumer behaviour and cultural etiquette. 

Country overview

China is the most populous country in the world, with a total population surpassing 1.4 billion in 2019. By June 2019, China’s internet users reached 854 million, with a 60% internet penetration rate. Among that were 639 million online shoppers. Mobile devices are highly popular with a 99.1% mobile usage rate across the country. Due to such high mobile penetration, many consumers prefer mobile payment solutions such as WeChat Pay and Alipay.

With China’s e-commerce revenue exceeding $2 trillion in 2020, digital ad spending is expected to grow steadily to an estimated 94.58 billion USD. While traditional affiliate marketing through networks and affiliates is growing, influencer marketing has soared in popularity through social media networks like Weibo, WeChat, Douyin, and live-broadcast platforms.

1. Industry nuances

The Affiliate marketing industry started in China in the early 2000s, with local affiliate networks controlling the majority of affiliate traffic. Some leading Chinese affiliate networks include Duomai, Yiqifa and Adways. Publishers readily rely on these affiliate networks for the security of commission payments as well as the ability to quickly work with many brands. Brands wanting to reach many affiliate sites at one time will work with multiple networks to grow their share of voice.

Like the US and Europe, traditional affiliate models are popular in China including Loyalty, Voucher and Content. One affiliate model that is thriving in China is influencer marketing. Driven by a growing consumer demand on e-commerce platforms, influencer marketing has evolved to become a channel capable of quickly delivering huge volumes, even in real-time. To tap into this channel, brands can work through affiliate networks or influencer marketing platforms with an existing pool of influencers in various verticals and tiers. China’s influencer marketing industry is considered to be 3-5 years ahead of the rest of the world and a must, for any brand looking to raise awareness in the Chinese market.

2. Communication

The official and commonly used language in China is Chinese (Mandarin). Although English is widely spoken, Mandarin is preferred in business settings and being able to communicate in Mandarin is essential for starting any business relationship and subsequently maintaining the long-term partnership. Having a Mandarin speaker is necessary for any brand looking to expand their affiliate programme to China. 

While emails are used frequently in global business communication, it is not the most efficient option in China. Direct email outreaches usually result in a low response rate. The preferred communication tool is WeChat with 1.151 billion monthly active accounts, followed by QQ Messenger, phone calls and then email. 

3. Chinese culture

China has a long history spanning 5,000 years; throughout this time, it has developed a unique and nuanced culture. It’s imperative to recognise business culture, etiquettes and nuances before engaging with partners in the region. 

Mianzi: The direct translation of Mianzi is “face”, and it carries the meaning of “reputation”, “respect” and “honour”. Chinese culture places a high value on harmony, so people tend to be polite, considerate and respectful. There are some unspoken social rules and etiquettes associated with Mianzi. Open conflict, direct criticism and upfront rejection are avoided as these are considered an ‘unpleasant’ experience and can make people feel they are “losing face”. When working in the Chinese market its important to handle conflict and criticism indirectly and subtly.

Hierarchical order: People in China pay special attention to the hierarchical order; understood as one aspect of Mianzi. Older, more senior, and higher-ranked people command more respect. They’re usually the first one to enter the room, take a seat, be greeted and addressed in the introduction. It’s advisable to check with your contact beforehand about the seniority of any other members present in the meeting and act accordingly. 

Build trust: The trust among the Chinese is relationship-based. Invest time and energy to develop and maintain relationships. After business meetings, it is common to have entertainment such as drinking or karaoke when developing a partnership. So, be open to planning after-work activities, especially in the early stages of the partnership.

4. Business etiquette

When developing partnerships with Chinese networks or affiliates, you need to observe certain business etiquettes. Business cards are exchanged during any introduction and having one side of your business card translated into Chinese is a great way to show dedication to the Chinese market.  

Other business etiquettes include gentle handshakes, addressing with the surname followed by an honorific title (e.g, GM Liu), and avoiding pro-longed eye contact.

China’s e-commerce market has grown steadily over the years and affiliate marketing is growing in popularity, as e-commerce across the country booms. With a high mobile penetration rate and prevalence of mobile payment, the purchasing behaviours of China’s consumers are rapidly evolving, giving rise to new features in affiliate marketing. For businesses looking to expand into China having well-planned strategies with a sound understanding of the Chinese culture and the local marketing landscape is key to survival and success in this market.

The post Emerging Market Spotlight: China appeared first on PerformanceIN.

The third-largest economy in the world, Japan offers many opportunities for brands looking to reach new consumers. Its unique culture and business etiquette mean Japanese expansion is more hands-on than most Western countries. But with the right planning, research and support, brands can find success in this growing e-commerce market.

Country overview

Japan has a population of around 126 million people with a high internet penetration of 91%. eCommerce revenue is predicted to reach $99,130 million by the end of 2020, amounting to an annual growth rate of 5% (CAGR 2020-2024). While this means that digital marketing is now important for any brand, affiliate marketing is an exception because it allows advertisers to pay based on performance and by 2023, the market size of affiliate marketing is expected to reach $4,357 million. 

Thanks to growth in mobile use and social media proliferation, the affiliate market has shown steady growth, with increasing sales at leading sub-networks (known as ASP’s, affiliate service providers in Japan). Affiliate marketing has proven its value in businesses ROI, and brands are starting to view the channel as a crucial part of their overall marketing strategy, more than ever before. 

If you feel that Japan is the next step towards expanding your company to the APAC region, then read on for some essential tips and nuances:

1. Cultural adaptations

Japanese culture and traditions are incredibly unique, and recognising business culture, etiquettes and nuances are vital before engaging with Japanese people to prevent any miscommunication. 

Japanese language skills: The most widely spoken language in Japan is Japanese. It has no official status, but it is a national language. In terms of the number and quality of English speakers, Japan is one of the weaker countries because the differences in grammar, syntax, and pronunciation between English and Japanese are so significant. Japanese-speaking support is essential when managing your affiliate programme and communicating with affiliates. Reach out to Japanese business partners in native Japanese to build trust in a shorter timeframe, avoid ignorance and receive friendly and faster responses.   

Politeness: Being polite is essential, as it is closely tied to respect. Japanese people are well-mannered and courteous, and business culture is less relaxed than countries such as the UK, Australia and America. In the business world, a respectful attitude is essential. Saying no directly is considered rude in Japanese culture. Instead, it is preferential to say no euphemistically and avoid any confrontation. Lastly, when addressing people, use last names with the honorific -san to show respect, like “Smith-san”.

Business etiquette: In Japan, business cards have more considerable significance than in Western culture. Exchanging business cards is a formal self-introduction used to remember the names and roles of other people. Double-sided business cards in Japanese and English are great for building trust and showing potential partners that you are serious. The card should be clean, removed from a professional business card case and presented with both hands.

2. Market maturity

The affiliate marketing industry is well established in Japan. Sub-affiliate networks control most of the affiliate traffic, known as ASP’s (Affiliate Service Provider). For any brand new to Japan, a partnership with at least one of the largest ASPs is recommended. Due to the market dominance of ASPs, SaaS platforms are not yet widely known, and there is hesitation to work with networks directly that are not CPA-networks. Both are growing in popularity, and we expect this trend to increase. 

In terms of affiliates, loyalty sites are popular, with a particular focus on points sites such as Chobirich and Hapitas. These sites allow customers to collect points with purchases and exchange these for products and services. Any brand new to the Japanese market should consider partnering with points sites to gain brand awareness and build customer loyalty. 

3. Japanese creatives

Localising your website and creatives into the local language and currency have significant effects on marketing strategies, enhanced visibility and brand recognition. Before entering the Japanese market, we encourage conducting a competitor analysis of affiliate’s creatives and websites to understand what kind of creatives can attract the attention of Japanese customers and increase engagement. Japanese customers are used to high-quality creatives, and often they do not read English websites unless they are straightforward. 

4. Building trust

Building trust with affiliates is also crucial for long-lasting relationships and smoother negotiations in Japan. Punctuality is key.  Japanese people are punctual, particularly in the business world. If you are going to be late or miss a deadline, inform partners in advance. It’s also important to note that business decisions can take longer compared to the European and American markets. Japanese businesses tend to follow a top-down approach in terms of the company hierarchy, and therefore, sign-off can take a little longer. 

Sake and Japanese style dining bar: If you are planning on a business trip to Japan, it is a great idea to meet business partners in person, to forge stronger connections and build trust. The local word, “Nominication”, combines “Nomi (drink)” and the English loanword “communication”. It refers to the practice of connecting with others through the drinking process. I recommend cherry blossom or foliage season if you can pick a time to visit. The breathtaking views make Japanese sake even more delicious! 

As the affiliate marketing space grows in popularity in APAC, Japan offers an excellent opportunity for brands. As consumers spend an increasing amount of time online, the affiliate industry is rapidly evolving with new partners and players entering the space. Like any business expansion, adapting your strategies to the country’s cultural and business nuances is key to success and winning the hearts of new customers in Japan.

The post Emerging Market Spotlight: APAC – Japan appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Redirecting funds which were meant for the social media giant’s Splice Beta Fund, the new grant will aid 50 publishers in the region with support in mentoring and training journalists who are reporting on the latest developments around the world — helping them to navigate the economic impact as well as building a sustainable digital business.

Facebook will be working closely with the Walker Foundation to hand out funds to publishers based in Australia and New Zealand that are outside city centres.

Facebook is also working with the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), where it will offer a combination of grants, webinars and professional mentorship.

In addition, the social media platform is set to launch a virtual edition of its Reader Revenue Accelerator grant and training program to help publishers monetise readership.

This announcement follows something similar done by Google last week in supporting publishers during these times as the tech giant released a Journalism Emergency Relief Fund to provide support for local and small newsrooms on the frontline of covering COVID-19.

The post Facebook Unveils $2M Grant Funding to Financially Support Publishers appeared first on PerformanceIN.

Country overview

Australia has a population of approximately 26 million people with an internet penetration of 88%. Year over year, e-commerce sales continue to rise, with 2019 showing a steady 17.2% increase from 2018. While this means digital marketing is a must for any brand nowadays, partner marketing is a standout since it is a pay for performance channel. Brands are catching on to the minimal, upfront cost this channel boasts and converting their digital strategy accordingly. 

The IAB Australia’s latest 2020 insights reported that over one-third of brands and agencies are allocating around 10% of their overall marketing budget in the affiliate/partnerships space with intentions to continue to increase that spend over the next 12 months. Partner marketing has shown its value in ROI and brands are viewing the channel as a necessary part of their overall marketing strategy. 

Besides the statistics that back up expanding your programme to the region, Australia’s geographic location along with its generally western culture, make it a prime location for European and American business to capitalise. If you feel Australia is the next step for bringing your business to the APAC region, then read on for some key market expansion tips and nuances. 

1. Cultural adaptations

Australia overall is a westernised country with symbiosis stemming from the UK. Two of the most-significant cultural differences I have learned as an American are:

Laidback work culture: Australians value work-life balance, receiving a minimum of 4 weeks paid annual leave. Australian’s often take this leave all at once (something uncommon in the US) to travel to new countries and spend time with family. Australians view their family as their main priority and shutting work-life off to enjoy their personal lives is expected- don’t email them on the weekend, save your email for Monday morning. 

Build trust: Trust and relationship building in Australian business culture is a huge factor. If you are not building a relationship with your partners, I guarantee you will hit a standstill and things will not progress. Facetime is key, inviting your contacts to discuss business over lunch or an afternoon drink is a common approach. Aussies like to know who they are doing business with, open up and get to know your contact on a personal and professional level, it will go miles!

2. A less mature market

The partner marketing industry is still in its early stages in Australia. For those coming from a more mature market such as the UK or US, you will find it feels about five years behind where the industry currently stands in those countries. As partner marketing grows in popularity, there is a ton of opportunity for thought leadership as well as brand and affiliate strategy when it comes to running a programme in the region. Education is key. Brands often need to be educated that this is a pay for performance channel with great ROI potential, while affiliates tend to need a push to steer away from flat spend models and adapt to a CPA. 

3. Location is important

Australia is a huge country. So, where do you start when putting boots on the ground? Currently, Sydney is the country’s leading affiliate hub, with Melbourne as a second business hot spot. Keep in mind that domestic travel is often quick and efficient. A flight from Sydney to Melbourne is only an hour and thirty minutes. Remembering the value of facetime in this culture, those flights are often worth it to build relationships across cities with different partners in the space!

4. Allocate budget to aid business growth

Travel to Asia: Australia is a great starting point for APAC business growth; however, you will want to allocate a budget for your employees to travel to other key countries in the region. Some current standout countries in the industry include Singapore, China, Thailand, and Korea. 

Events and speaking engagements: Attending industry events as a guest or a presenter in APAC is key to getting your company recognised. As the industry is still new here, thought leadership is sought after. Hosting a panel discussion is a great way to get yourself established in the market and a popular format at events. 

Flat whites and pints: Knowing that those face to face meetings are valued, remember to have money available to treat your contact to a morning coffee (my Aussie staple is a flat white) or an afternoon pint! Oh, one other thing I should point out, Fosters is NOT the beer of choice here despite the rumours. You’ll come off well versed in Aussie beers by grabbing a Victoria Bitter or Coopers instead. 

Conclusion

As the partner marketing space grows in popularity in APAC, you will not regret picking Australia as your regional hub. The industry here is continually evolving, with new affiliates, platforms, and marketers entering the space on what seems like a weekly basis! The talent is incredibly hardworking, creative, and collaborative as everyone works to educate brands on the value of the pay for performance channel. With the rapid growth and success in the industry I have seen over my 18 months here, I can confidently say it is only a matter of time before partner marketing becomes a must have in business across the Asia Pacific region. 

The post Emerging Market Spotlight: APAC – Australia appeared first on PerformanceIN.