Online Marketing Knowledge Level: Beginner: You’ll learn what is an affiliate and operator.

Marketing Channel:  Affiliate Marketing

Introduction: Over the years we’ve trained newbie affiliate managers on how to successfully manage and grow an affiliate program.  The first day on the job we go through examples of what is an affiliate and what is operator.  In some industries is a lot easier to explain the difference as examples we walk through are very clear to the affiliate manager.

What is an affiliate?

An Affiliate website will not have the option to make a purchase or take a bet on their website.  They will refer traffic to the operator that allows the customer to make a purchase or a bet.  Affiliate websites are most likely to contain reviews, coupon or discount codes, comparing similar operators and their offerings. An example of an affiliate website pizza coupon deals

What is an Operator?

An operator has the functionality that allows a customer to make a purchase or place a bet.  An operator will be an ecommerce store with a shopping cart, a sportsbook that offers odds on sporting games or have a wallet that you transfer money that allows you to make a purchase on the same website. An example of an operator Mini Nation or Sports Bet

Why is it important to explain the difference?

Part of managing an affiliate program is recruiting new affiliates.  An affiliate manager needs to be able to identify the right target websites.  There is nothing more embarrassing for an affiliate manager to send an email to a target website that is a direct competitor of your business.