Publishers already know they can’t rely on traditional ways of earning revenue. Subscription models are dwindling. Slices of ad spend are thinner than ever. Creative solutions—like affiliate content — are strategic ways to maintain multiple streams of revenue without diluting your publication’s brand. And they can work—nay, must work—in tandem with a content licence in order to maximise their monetisation potential.
Before we tie them together, let’s revisit what affiliate content is in the first place. When a brand wants to reach new audiences with their product or service, having a reputable publication mention them is a powerful PR win. But it doesn’t always happen organically. Instead, affiliate content is a solution whereby a publication partners with a brand to create content with a link to the brand’s product or service. In return, the publishers receive commissions for any sales initiated by that link.
Commerce content exists in many forms, covering all types of editorial guides or reviews that lead to purchasing decisions. Affiliate content is a specific kind of commerce content that allows creators and publishers to leverage their audiences as affiliates for the partner brands. The win here is twofold: publishers earn extra money and brands reach new audiences more efficiently.
For any publication considering affiliate content, the advantages go beyond just generating revenue. This content, whether it’s on your social media or website, reduces the dependence on ad sales and subscriptions that traditionally have supported many media brands.
Creating affiliate content, however, doesn’t preclude developing a content licence at the same time. The content can work overtime for publishers. Brands will clamour to repurpose content to show audiences, “Look who’s talking about us!” While this repurposing provides synergetic visibility to publishers who, in turn, land in front of a brand’s audience, it doesn’t need to be free.
Consider affiliate content as marketing assets that brands want to use. It’s valuable to them! Monetising it through a content licence also ensures some control over how a publication’s logo and content gets used. Incorporating a content licensing approach may involve adding a badge or bespoke logo to affiliate content, further diversifying revenue streams.
Content licensing through affiliate content creates two new paths to revenue generation. Publishers earn money from any sales via the link and from a content licence hammered out with the brand to use specific content for marketing purposes.
Beyond money, it also boosts the publisher’s reputation among audiences. By creating affiliate content for exciting or noteworthy brands, publications stay relevant and keyed into current trends.
The most exciting part about affiliate content is that it can take any form your editorial team wishes, meaning it integrates naturally and as authentically as possible into your publication. It opens up possibilities to write editorial content and think pieces that can meaningfully mention affiliate brands in the process.
Maybe a travel publication will publish an editorial about the benefits of driving versus public transportation in a destination, linking to a car hire service. Or perhaps a culinary website will interview a chef about the challenges of vegan cooking and link to a partner vegan food product. The possibilities are endless, but the goal is always the same: monetise content as much as possible to maintain visibility in this competitive media marketplace.
Achieving these goals means partnering with the right people, and Wright’s Media represents some of the industry’s leading commerce content brands.
As the premier global content licensing agency with 25 years of industry experience guiding publishing clients, Wright’s Media develops cutting-edge licensing programs, applies a proactive sales approach, and elevates brand visibility by monetising commerce content.
Contact Wright’s Media to get your free licensing review from one of the most trusted authorities in the industry.
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