While affiliate marketing is a relatively passive marketing tactic, the success of your affiliate program relies on your affiliates. Thus, recruiting the right—or best affiliates is the basis of successful affiliate marketing programs for SaaS companies.
This affiliate marketing blog will show you how to find, connect, and recruit your ideal affiliates to help grow your SaaS affiliate program.
Who Are the Right Partners for Your Affiliate Marketing Program?
Before diving into the strategies for recruiting affiliates, it’s crucial to define who your ideal affiliates are. Since affiliate marketing thrives on word-of-mouth promotion, your best affiliates should align closely with your ideal customer profiles (ICPs).
For example, if you offer an AI-based video editing tool, your ideal affiliates would likely include content creators, marketers, and video editors or videographers—essentially, individuals or businesses who already cater to your target audience.
Identifying the right partners ensures that your affiliates can effectively promote your product to a relevant and engaged audience. In our blog, How to Attract Top-Quality Affiliates to Your Affiliate Program?, we explore how to determine your ideal affiliates using the ICP approach. This resource provides valuable insights and is definitely worth checking out if you want to build a successful and impactful affiliate program.
By focusing on the right partners, you can create a strong network of affiliates who not only understand your product but also resonate with your audience, driving meaningful results for your business.
Why Finding the Right SaaS Affiliate Matters
Many affiliate marketing experts emphasize the importance of focusing your recruiting efforts on affiliates who align with your ideal affiliate profile. The goal isn’t to recruit as many affiliates as possible but to attract those who truly fit your specific requirements. It’s far more effective to have a small group of high-performing affiliates who consistently drive conversions than to have hundreds of affiliates who make little to no impact on your revenue.
The ideal affiliate profile will vary depending on your specific industry and target market. You might find success with micro-influencers, email marketers, mobile app developers, coupon/deal websites, or other specialized affiliate types. To learn more about different affiliate categories and their best use cases, check out our blog on 10 types of affiliates and their use cases.
7 Best Practices for Recruiting the Best SaaS Affiliates
Now that you understand the importance of finding the right SaaS affiliates, it's time to recruit them. These affiliate recruitment guides will walk you through the process.
1. Make Your Affiliate Program Easy to Find
Our top tip on how to recruit affiliates: don't jump straight into recruiting.
Before promoting and recruiting affiliates on affiliate networks and directories, you should make it easily discoverable.
How to do that?
By writing a clear and compelling description that attracts affiliates to your affiliate program.
Let’s start by crafting a captivating program description that highlights your affiliate program's unique features and benefits.
Then, showcase the attractive commission structure and how you will support them with exclusive promotional materials and any special incentives.
Let them know why partnering with your program is a win-win opportunity—but keep it real.
2. Promote Your Affiliate Program on Social Media
The best place for affiliate recruitment is promoting your program where your potential affiliates are.
This action can include establishing and maintaining affiliate program support forums, Facebook pages, LinkedIn Groups, and a dedicated support Twitter account. Truly engage with your audience and smother them with valuable content to build trust and credibility. Here are some ideas to implement:
- Share success stories
Highlight the success stories of your current affiliates to showcase the earning potential and benefits of your program. Authentic testimonials and case studies can inspire others to join and promote your products or services.
- Host Q&A sessions
Conduct live Q&A sessions on platforms like Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or anywhere you can that makes sense for your affiliate audience. This interactive approach helps build trust and encourages engagement – and it shows you’re serious about your affiliate program.
- Engage in affiliate marketing chats
Participate in Twitter chats, LinkedIn groups, and Reddit discussions dedicated to affiliate marketing discussions. Contribute valuable insights and easily connect with potential affiliates who are actively seeking program opportunities.
- Leverage the power of hashtags
Research and utilize relevant hashtags related to affiliate marketing, such as #affiliatemarketing, #affiliateprogram, or industry-specific hashtags. This helps expand your reach and connect with individuals interested in affiliate opportunities.
- Create visibility through partnerships, press releases, and SEO
Leverage the power of press releases! Don’t be shy and proudly announce new developments, partnerships, or updates about your affiliate program. This not only boosts SEO benefits but also increases visibility and exposure.
- Be present at conferences and print publications
Participate in affiliate marketing conferences and consider advertising in conference guides/programs. Also, explore niche conferences that align with your target affiliates' interests. Don't forget to advertise in relevant print publications.
3. Create an Affiliate Page That Sells and Supports
What is the best way to sell your affiliate program? Show potential affiliates how you'll make them successful, not just how much they can earn.
You can create an FAQ section and an affiliate program support site or blog. These resources will attract potential affiliates through search engines by increasing your discoverability, and they'll also free up your time by allowing affiliates to find answers to their questions independently, minimizing your support workload.
When creating the FAQs or affiliate program support documents, put yourself in the shoes of affiliates-to-be, and answer anything you can think of. Here are some questions to include.
Affiliate tracking, commissions, and payments
- What is the commission structure?
- Is there a minimum threshold for affiliate payouts?
- Are there any performance-based incentives or bonuses available?
- How and when are affiliate payments made?
- How are sales and conversions tracked?
- What is the cookie duration for tracking affiliate referrals?
- How frequently are reporting and analytics updated for affiliates?
Affiliate program regulations and policies
- Can affiliates promote multiple products or services within the program?
- Are there any special promotions, discounts, or exclusive offers for affiliates to promote?
- Are there any restrictions on geographic locations for affiliates?
- What promotional methods are allowed or prohibited? For example: can affiliates advertise on Google Ads?
Affiliate support and contact
- Do you provide affiliate support and resources?
- Are there any specific guidelines for using affiliate links or promotional materials?
- What platform do you use? Are you using SaaS affiliate tracking?
- How can affiliates contact the program manager or support team for assistance?
If you’re looking for more inspiration, check out our affiliate ABC—the complete affiliate marketing glossary.
4. Offer Rewards Beyond Financial Benefits
While offering competitive affiliate commissions can easily attract potential affiliates, monetary incentives aren’t always their top priority. For many, building close, reliable relationships with brands holds greater value than financial rewards.
From the moment you make contact, potential affiliates will assess the benefits of joining your program. If they feel appreciated and can naturally connect with your product and audience, they’re far more likely to join your affiliate network and advocate for your SaaS brand.
If you’re unsure about standard affiliate commission rates, the Rewardful team recently analyzed top-performing affiliate programs and found the following averages based on generated revenue:
- 24.5% of affiliate commission rate for affiliate programs generating $1M+
- 19.1% for affiliate programs generating $500k-1M
- 20.7% for affiliate programs generating $100k-500k
- 22.1% for affiliate programs generating below $100k
Discover more insights and affiliate marketing statistics here.
5. Get to Know Your Affiliates
Sending an affiliate recruitment invitation might seem like the easiest step in the process, but the real challenge lies in building a strong relationship.
Before directly asking a potential affiliate to join your program, take the time to get to know them. This allows you to understand their audience, marketing strategies, and personality, helping you determine if they’re the right fit for your program. It’s okay to place them on a “maybe” list while you evaluate.
Start your interaction casually. For instance, you can leave a thoughtful comment on their social media posts or send a friendly hello email. Even if they don’t ultimately join your program, they’ll become aware of your brand and the existence of your affiliate program.
This approach not only fosters genuine connections but also increases the likelihood of attracting affiliates who align with your goals and values.
Related: are you new to affiliate marketing? Start your journey with confident by joining Rewardful’s FREE affiliate marketing course.
6. Boost the Affiliate Recruitment Effort with Paid Ads
Consider setting up paid advertisements specifically aimed at attracting affiliates. Some people actively search for affiliate programs to join, and paid ads can give your program an extra boost alongside your SEO efforts.
- Leverage the network of your current affiliates and community
Tap into the power of your existing affiliates by asking them to refer your program to people in their network. Incentivize them to do so by offering rewards or bonuses for successful referrals. This strategy allows you to expand your community from within, leveraging the trust and relationships your current affiliates have built.
- Make sure all your customers know about your affiliate program
Put your affiliate program front and center. If someone signs up for your newsletter, make sure there's an email in the pipeline that mentions it or a link in every email mentioning the program. You can also personally reach out to customers who leave stellar reviews and offer them to join your program.
7. Target Competitor Affiliates
One of the smartest strategies to recruit affiliates? Look at ambitious and active affiliates – they rarely only work with one partner.
Identify affiliates who are already (actively and successfully) promoting your competitors. You can find them by searching tagged posts and relevant hashtags. Reach out to these affiliates and highlight the unique advantages of your program compared to your competitors. Here’s how to persuade them:
- Identify competitor affiliates
Look for websites, blogs, social media accounts, or review platforms that feature content or promotions related to your industry or niche.
- Analyze affiliate performance
Evaluate the performance and influence of competitor affiliates by considering their reach, engagement rates, audience demographics, and conversion rates. This data can help you prioritize and focus on affiliates who are likely to have a significant impact on your program.
- Highlight unique selling points
Clearly communicate the benefits, advantages, and incentives that set your program apart from your competitors.
- Personalize your outreach
As you would for influencers, do this for individual affiliates as well. It doesn't have to be long letters and deep digging, but personalize your messages to demonstrate that you've done your research and are genuinely interested in their work. Tailor your message to highlight how your program aligns with their audience and goals.
- Provide data and testimonials
Back up your claims with relevant data and testimonials from current affiliates who have experienced success with your program. Sharing concrete evidence of the benefits and results will definitely help build credibility and trust.
Last but not least, you don't have to bash the competition—you can also focus on how your program is a great addition to their current tactics.
TL;DR of How to Recruit SaaS Affiliates Successfully
- Research and target relevance
Focus on influencers who have a genuine interest in your industry or niche. Dig deep—sometimes, micro-influencers are the best option.
- Personalize your outreach
Avoid generic templates, they’ll spot those in a heartbeat. Take the time to personalize your outreach messages. Reference specific content or campaigns from the influencer that caught your attention.
- Offer exclusive incentives
Go on the charm offense! Provide influencers with exclusive incentives to join your affiliate program. This can include higher commission rates, personalized discount codes for their audience, free products or services for review, or the opportunity to participate in exclusive collaborations or events.
- Provide supporting materials
Provide them with high-quality visuals, product descriptions, affiliate links, and any necessary guidelines or restrictions. The more prepared and organized you are, the more likely they will be to consider jumping on your program.
- Emphasize authenticity and transparency
Encourage influencers to disclose their affiliation with your brand to maintain transparency with their audience. Highlight that you value genuine recommendations and authentic content. This helps build trust and credibility for both the influencer and your brand.
- Follow up professionally
If you don't receive an immediate response, don't hesitate to follow up after a reasonable time frame. A gentle follow-up can help increase the chances of getting a response.
- Work on the relationship
Once an influencer becomes an affiliate, foster a strong relationship by providing ongoing support, timely commission payments, and open lines of communication. You’ll want to be known as a great partner in the influencer industry.
Ready to Recruit Your Next Top Affiliates?
While you take care of affiliate recruiting, Rewardful takes care of the rest. Our SaaS affiliate software helps you create a solid foundation and a warm welcome for your affiliates in just a few simple steps.
Sign up and start your affiliate program today!
FAQs on Where to Find and Recruit Top Affiliates
Answering your questions about affiliate recruitment strategies.
1. What Is the Best Way to Approach Potential Affiliates?
The best way to approach potential affiliates is by initiating a genuine conversation. Start by engaging with their content—comment on their latest social media posts, exchange a few messages, and build a rapport. Once you’ve established a connection and gotten to know them better, you can then send your affiliate recruitment invitation.
2. What Are the Most Common Mistakes in Recruiting Affiliates?
One of the most frequent mistakes in affiliate recruitment is blindly approaching influencers to join your program. Not all influencers are a good fit for your affiliate program or products. Before reaching out, take the time to analyze their audience, marketing strategies, and past affiliations. Ensure their values, content, and audience align with your brand.
Learn more about the basics of affiliate marketing in our affiliate marketing guide.
3. How Many Affiliates Are Enough for a SaaS Affiliate Program to Start Generating Revenue?
There’s no fixed number of affiliates required for your SaaS affiliate program to start generating revenue. Instead of focusing on hitting a specific quota, prioritize recruiting high-quality affiliates who align with your brand and audience.
