#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Or, “Frenemies and Enemies”

Don’t Take Your Brand for Granted

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

About Vistaprint

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

#1!

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

#1!

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

#1!

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

#2!

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Visibility Makes You a Target

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Part 1: Frenemies

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The Context: Affiliate Investment

• Engaging with affiliates for nearly 10 years• Partner types

Niche, consumer-oriented bloggersLoyalty partnersVirtual currency partnersDeal sites

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Payouts

• Commission structureFlat paymentsRevenue share

• Different commissions• New/Repeat• Specific publishers• Partner types

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Competing With Coupon Sites

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Bad Actors

• Fraudulent orders from loyalty program customers• Toolbar and malware traffic• Brand bidders

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Brand Hijackers

via reddit.com

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It’s Less Fun Than It Looks

via nasdaq.com

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Taking a Hard Line

• Zero-tolerance policyReverse commissionsBoot from programC&D

• Transparent networksIndividual affiliate performance

• Monitoring platformsUpdate keywords seasonally

• High Paid Search CPCs for brand keywords as insurance

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Sneaky Brand Bidding

• Geolocate brand bids to areas without VP offices• Monitor affiliate performance

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Part 2: Enemies

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Brand Spend

via technode.com

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“Auction Dynamics”

freeimages.com/anka zolnierzak

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Not Going to Happen.

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Of Course It Is.

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SALE SALE SALE!

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Improving the Quality Score

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Still Not Good

via technode.com

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Still Not Going to Happen

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“Auction Dynamics”

• Tried everything else• Budget immovability

Source: Wired Magazine “15th Anniversary: Hooking Google To The Evil Meter”

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

A/B testing

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Outcome

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Don’t take your brand for granted!

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

Be Proactive About Brand Protection

• Keep affiliate relationships simple enough to monitor closely• Be completely hard-line on affiliates about brand bidding• Look out for sneaky redirects and geotargeting

• Use every extension you can cram in there• Test your bids to find the optimal CPCs.

#SMX #23D @vistaprint

THANK YOU!

Adria Kyne

Manager, SEO NA AU/NZ