How to Launch an Instagram Affiliate Marketing Program
Ready to launch your Instagram affiliate marketing program? Here are seven simple steps:
#1: Determine Your Goals
Before you kick off your affiliate marketing program on Instagram, it’s essential to define your SMART goals and metrics.
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What’s your ideal conversion rate for affiliate link clicks that lead to a sale?
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How many clicks (or sales) do you want affiliates to bring in per month, quarter, and year?
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Which audience are you targeting?
This will help guide the kind of Instagram influencers you work with, what products you want to promote and help you drive your strategy forward.
#2: Scope the Competition
When it comes to creating a fruitful Instagram affiliate marketing program, don’t be afraid to take a peek in your own backyard for inspiration.
Making note of structure, pricing, and influencer partners, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of competitors’ affiliate programs in your industry.
What are they doing well? What can you do better?
#3: Choose Your Affiliate Network
While you can create your own affiliate program from scratch, affiliate networks are the best option for first-time programs.
Platforms like Rakuten and PartnerStack provide features like tracking technology, reporting tools, and payment processing.
Select the platform that best aligns with your goals, then choose your commission model. The two most popular are:
#4: Set Your Commission Rates
Once your Instagram affiliate marketing program is officially underway, it’s time to map out how much you’ll pay an influencer for each sale (or click) they drive.
There are a lot of different ways you can do this. Here are a few ideas:
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Analyze your profit margins: Commission payments ultimately come out of your profit margin, so understanding how much profit you are willing to trade for a higher volume of sales is essential
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Check your competitor notes: How much commission do your competitors pay out? What is the industry standard?
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Ask your affiliate network: Affiliate networks have tons of experience and are likely to provide you with a wealth of information
To get the best results, pay creators a base rate and a commission – it might be more expensive, but it will solidify you as a client that creators want to work with.
#5: Create a Compelling Affiliate Program
You can ’t reap the benefits of an Instagram affiliate marketing program if no one actually wants to participate in it.
The best way to incentivize? A tiered program with the option to unlock extra rewards.
Think: a higher commission rate for a higher volume of sales, or a one-off bonus payment for certain sales.
#6: Find Influencers with Influence
Depending on your Instagram marketing goals, you may want to strategically hand-pick influencers to get the most from your affiliate campaigns.
With ‘s influencer marketing services, real humans (not robots) will help find top creators that match your brand.
Plus, you can easily manage multiple campaigns all in one spot. Schedule a call today to learn more.
#7: Analyze & Adjust
Once your affiliate program is up and running, it’s important to keep track of what’s working and what’s not, and adjust.
Are influencers properly representing your products and brand? What is your return rate? Which influencers are generating the most sales?
Dig into the detailed reporting provided by your affiliate network to reveal how many affiliate links have been generated for your brand, the number of clicks driven, and the total sales value.
NOTE: We recommend tracking and analyzing your affiliate marketing data on a monthly basis to keep a pulse on your program.
