Signup with multiple networks

is it worth it to signup with multiple affiliate networks

[Mvelopes]

I am wondering if it worth it to signup with more than one affiliate network for recruiting reasons. Assuming a publisher has a successfull affiliate program on one of the major networks(good payouts,benifits ect) will signing up with multiple networks give increased access to "useful" affiliates? For example running programs on cj, linkshare, and befree. And is it worth the initial effort and the continued maintanence?

What about the large group of smaller affiliate networks. It seems there should be a "sweet spot" where increased efforts result in increased sales from an affiliate program. Any experience with this or thoughts?

[nativenewyorker]

Hi Mvelopes,

Welcome to Webmaster World!

Promoting yourself as a merchant through several affiliate networks will expand your reach to new publishers. Keep in mind though that some publishers belong to several networks and that you are likely to see some overlap of affiliates who are already your publishers within CJ. In other words, you will probably see an overall increase in sales, but a decline in the incremental rate of return.

Extra effort is probably more rewarding by improving your current program. Consider starting a newsletter with sales tips, offer fresh sales promotions or run sales contests to help your current publishers boost productivity.

One high profile site that operates 2 different affiliate programs is eBay US. They have a program with CJ and another with BeFree.

Ted

[firstmark]

I think running through multiple networks is a good idea.
Even smaller merchants may find some benefit to running their program via fineclicks, shareasale, clickxchange and clixgalore
as all of these have very low monthly minimum fees.
That monthly fee is better advertising for a program than you can get almost anywhere else if you view it as such.

CJ has combined payments so that attracts lots of smaller publishers. I think joining CJ and Linkshare, and befree is probably not a good idea for many merchants as linkshare and befree do not combine payments for publishers. So only those who can generate your minimum payout with your program itself would find any benefit to signing up for it at Befree or Linkshare. When CJ combines payments there is no point in runnning an offer through the other large networks as most who are members of befree or linkshare are members of CJ too.

[johannes]

If you're already a merchant at CJ, I don't think you will gain much by joining Linkshare & befree. Of course I can't know the figures, but my guess is that 90% of Linkshare affiliates are CJ affiliates too.

What might gain some more useful affiliates is to start your own affiliate program, if you do a great one with good tracking etc. Maybe a subaffiliate program too.