Affiliate marketers are executing this tactic faster than you can type 90210.
Every now and again, marketers fall upon a tactic that performs at such a high level both publishers and consumers can’t get enough of it. Like when the first Gift Card offers came out and when advertisers like True raised their CPA to unheard of levels.
The latest phenomenon, (already over three months old) is the heavily trafficked “ZIP code submit” offer.
The ZIP offer is assaulting (in a good way) both consumers and publishers alike. Consumers are entering their ZIP codes in record numbers, and publishers are falling over themselves to provide them opportunity. The reason ZIP code submits are so powerful has as much to do with how consumers react to the offer as it does with how fast savvy advertisers “borrow” the mechanism that creates the CPA, and create similar offers.
Part of the appeal of ZIP code submits from a consumer’s point of view is the fact that they are offering up non-personally identifiable information. The predominant lead generation CPA prior to this, the Email Submit, made the consumer offer up a much more valuable item; their personal email addresses. From a publisher’s point of view, the ZIP submit on its face value seems easy to complete. And it is. Five keystrokes and a submit earns the publisher up to $1.50 on some channels.
Publishers race to fill their respective distribution channels (email, search, Web, others) to maximize the revenue opportunities that ZIP offers provide. Publishers almost fall over themselves to push as much of their traffic to these high converting ZIP offers that it floods the channel. This leads to two things: large amounts of dollars exchanging hands (between advertiser and publisher) and a relatively quick burnout. The burnout is only expedited by similiar advertisers, who launch their version of ZIP products.
The beauty of zip code submit offers is that you can apply it to any product offering available in the area -- ranging from consumer electronics to gas cards to grocery shopping sprees.
What is the next phenomenon? It’s difficult to predict when these types of offers come about, but my prediction is expect A LOT more as advertisers get better at understanding this channel.
For an idea of what's to come, read New Year’s Affiliate Resolutions. According to experts in the space, changes in 2005 will result from cogent business decisions, reaction to litigation and following trends, such as blogging.
Additional resources:
An Affiliate Marketing History Lesson
New Options for Affiliate Marketing
Scott Rewick is the Vice President of Business Development for the YFDirect Trust Network, an affiliate marketing network that allows publishers to monetize all Web, email and search offers. The YFDirect Trust Network caters to publishers who want to run the most exclusive performance-based marketing offers from top-tier advertising clients.