Getting Started
Q. What is included when I purchase?
A. You’ll receive everything you need to launch and run your
affiliate program. This includes:
- Tracking, reporting and management technology
- Exposure to our network of thousands of affiliates
- Hands-free setup and integration
- Ongoing support
Q. How does your pricing work?
A. Our basic pricing structure is comprised of a $2495 fee to start and an
ongoing monthly fee of 30% of affiliate commissions with a $500 monthly minimum.
Please contact us for complete pricing details.
Q. How long does the setup process take?
A. Setup can be completed in a matter of a few days. However, in most
cases, we find that it takes clients about 1 month to get all of their
materials together for a proper launch.
Here is a quick list of steps that are included in the setup process:
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1. Integration of your website. This entails placing a .js script
in your footer file. We can do this for you – but need access to your server. |
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2. Integration of your order/lead system. In most cases, we simply
need to place an image tag on your receipt/thank you page. Again, we can
do this for you with access to your server. |
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3. Adding your information to the network. We’ll fill in your
network listing after getting information from you about your company,
products and program. |
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4. Adding your linking materials to the system. We can upload and
categorize all of the banners, text links, HTML and other materials that
you’d like to make available to your affiliates. We just need you to provide
us with the materials. |
Tracking and Reporting
Q. What makes your solution different from the other solutions in this industry?
A. KowaBunga! offers you a combination of features and benefits you’ll find nowhere else:
- Customizable technology so that you can track and run reports
in a way that makes sense for your business
- Network exposure plus full affiliate transparency
- Direct links to help you build search engine link popularity
- Cross channel tracking and reporting allowing you to
track and analyze all sources of traffic
Q. What is Cross Channel Tracking and Reporting?
A. This feature allows you to track and report on all incoming sources of traffic including affiliates, paid advertisement, pay per click search campaigns and natural search results.
Through a tag placed on each page of your website, the system can track the source of all incoming traffic from click to sale (or lead). It places this information in easy-to-read reports that help you determine how each channel is performing compared to the others.
This feature is also helpful in determining channel and affiliate cross-over. You’ll be able to view all of the touch points a client had with your various marketing efforts before they purchased.
Q. Can the software handle recurring commissions?
A. Yes, it can. Most of our clients opt to provide us with a single file each period that contains all of the customer IDs and charges. This is “batch” uploaded to the system to credit all referring affiliates at once.
If batch uploading does not sound like a solution that will work to track your recurring commissions, please contact us to discuss further options.
Q. Do you have an API?
A. We can create an API to work alongside your other systems. Please contact us to tell us what you are looking to accomplish ad we’ll discuss a solution.
Q. How does the integration work?
A. Your site and shopping cart/order form/lead form will communicate
with your KowaBunga! account through a few points of integration.
There is a .js file that is placed on each page of your site – usually in the
footer file. This communicates all incoming traffic information to your account
and is the piece that allows affiliates to link directly to your site instead of
linking through our tracking domain.
To communicate with your order or lead system, we’ll provide you with an image
tag that is placed on your receipt/thank you page. If you have a complex system,
we offer a variety of options including batch uploads and SKU-based tracking
and reporting.
We offer hands-free setup services in which our technical team will implement
these scripts for you.
Q. How do you combat fraud?
A. Keeping our network and your program free of fraud are top priorities for us.
Before accepting affiliates into the network, we check the information that they’ve
provided and attempt to find any red flags. Once they are accepted, we actively
monitor their activity to look for potential fraud and weed out fraudulent
affiliates.
You’ll find fraud alert reports on your administration panel that help you
identify irregular patterns in affiliate activity and keep you up to date on
fraudulent activities that we may identify.
By default, the system includes IP tracking to assist in detecting simple fraud.
If you are paying for clicks or a click-based action like a download, we can implement
an added level of security with our company’s patent-pending ValidClick click fraud
detection and prevention technology.
Managing Affiliates
Q. How will I find affiliates?
A. For starters, your program will be placed in our network where thousands of
affiliates can see it. Our Affiliate Managers will reach out to the affiliates that
they feel are appropriate for your program and invite them to join. Plus, they work
to identify and recruit new affiliates to the network every day.
Standard advertising and marketing practices work as well. Our Marketing Department
can help by drafting and distributing a press release within the affiliate industry
for targeted exposure for your program. We also suggest placing a link on your site
to let visitors know that you offer an affiliate program, and announcing the program
to your current clients and other contacts.
Q. Who are the affiliates in your network?
A. There are over 50,000 affiliates in the KowaBunga! Network. They range from small,
niche-topic websites that generate a few sales here and there, to large shopping
comparison engines and portals that generate hundreds of transactions each day.
Q. Can I move affiliates from another affiliate network?
A. That depends on who you current provider is. In some cases, affiliate
networks don’t allow you to see who your affiliates are or allow you to contact
them outside of the network interface. In those cases, it’s difficult.
If you do have access to your current affiliates, uploading them into your
KowaBunga! program is not a problem.
Paying Affiliates
Q. How much should I pay my affiliates?
A. The best way to determine your payout rate is to research the competition.
Find out what your competitors are offering their affiliates. Note that the rates
you see listed on their websites and within their programs are the “public” rate.
Most merchants offer high-quality affiliates a higher rate.
Q. What happens if I refund a sale that I paid an affiliate on?
A. You can subtract the sale from the affiliate’s account. If they’ve yet to
receive payment for that sale, the commission will simply be deducted from
their commission total. If they did receive payment for the sale, the commission
can be deducted from future commissions.
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