It is no secret that customers love discounts. For decades, they have been spoiled to buy only when provided an ultra mega super special offer.
Now in 2019, coupons, voucher codes, cashback and loyalty programs are on the rise. In Admitad alone, these publishers are responsible for 37% of total sales across the globe. In the UK, however, the figure is slightly over 20%. Why so?
There is an ungrounded belief in the market that discount-type publishers are a fraud since they only leech profit from content-based resources by taking advantage of the last-click-attribution. Such claims demonstrate a lack of understanding of the current nature of coupons and voucher projects and undermine trust towards one of the most efficient traffic sources.
So let’s name the top reasons why it is not just desirable, but necessary for advertisers to have coupons and voucher codes up their sleeve in 2019.
Be aware of competitors
Even if you are the largest retailer in the country, it does not mean that customers have to buy from you. In the era of cross-border trade, it might be easier for them to order the same goods from abroad or surf the web until they discover a more humble price at your competitors’.
2018 Google & comScore joint study suggests that 94% of customers check out the coupons prior to visiting the advertiser’s store. This indicates that coupon aggregators act as an entry point for most of the customers. Brands have to be present there should they wish to compete with other service providers head-to-head.
Increase conversion rates
Do you think it is enough to drive customers to your store? Well, sometimes it is not.
You have to motivate them at every point of the customer journey, lead them all the way down the sales funnel. Some buyers need an extra push even when the merchandise is already in the cart. Because if you fail to make a customer pay at the very last step, all the marketing money spent to engage them will be lost in vain.
Most of the retailers (especiallу the ones selling household appliances) claim that voucher codes help them to improve conversion from cart to the transaction. There is definitely no reason to believe otherwise.
Freedom of publishing
The more instruments your affiliate program provides, the more publishers will be able to spread the word. Where regular affiliate links are insufficient, voucher codes take their place, engaging customers via messengers and Instagram, offline flyers and radio – practically anywhere.
It does not simply boost sales but also grants more accurate data regarding new traffic sources and their efficiency for performance marketing. With that data, you will be able to adjust your understanding of the affiliate industry, reshape your approach and strategy.
If you hope to have your back scratched properly, scratch your partner’s one first. There is a downside to vouchers as a traffic source — they might get stolen by other media and put into someone else’s affiliate link. By using unique promo codes for instance you can gain more trust and make sure that every media owner receives their share for promoting your brand. Publishers’ world is a small one, so good relations with multiple publishers will advertise your affiliate programs as a caring and profitable one. The one that is worth dealing with.
Extra remarketing
Finally, you should not forget that publishers have a handful of other ways to get in touch with shoppers and influence their decisions. It is not just their website, but also social media, contextual advertising, messenger and blogs, etc.
It is not common among coupon websites to collect emails from customers, but some of them do. This is how they could push special offers a little bit further and re-engage customers into buying activity. That is if you let them join the party.
All in all, coupon publishers can compensate for your lack of marketing if handled properly.
Summing it up
Conventionally regarded as a closing publisher, coupons put on weight as a marketer that generates its own traffic. Now they drive a conceivable proportion of visits and purchases to advertisers’ websites, so missing out from their pages may potentially lead to significant losses for advertisers in the long term. If you do not turn to coupons, your competitors will. Consider them as a measure to defend your share of the market.
Desire to save money is only natural, so this traffic type is not expected to die out easily. There are currently no impending laws that would limit the effectiveness of coupon traffic. Even chokehold of GDPR has no power over vouchers.
Can coupon affiliates add value to your affiliate program? – The answer is yes, of course. Unless you are the only company in the market with unique merchandise that does not need advertising.
