Though affiliate marketing is not the dominating force it once was, the industry is still worth billions of dollars and looks to grow considerably over the remainder of the year.

Whether you’ve already been making big bucks as an affiliate for years, or whether you’re considering making your own mark in the industry for the first time ever, you’ll want to know what the current marketing affiliate trends entail.

Cross Device Tracking is becoming more Important…

In 2017, we can switch between our smartphones, tablets and laptops several times throughout a single day. As such, the need for cross-device tracking is fast becoming essential.

As marketers we appreciate the importance of understanding customer trends and being able to tailor advertisement accordingly. Being able to track a consumer’s preferences online means being able to optimize their experience by showing only those ads which are relevant to their interests and demographic, thereby improving their experience while increasing the likelihood of sales.

Ideally, a customer will be able to go back to your site on any one of their other devices and see that their shopping cart is still full from last time. They shouldn’t get bombarded by ads they’ve already seen, and they should still be eligible for all the same special offers that were presented to them last time they visited.

But what happens when we lose track of our customer, interpreting them as a different visitor when they log onto a new device? This is a challenge many marketers and retailers are seeking to overcome. Features that allow customers to connect their Facebook as a form of log-in verification is just one of many ways marketers are keeping tabs, but this method might not be ideal for everyone.

No matter which solution you settle on, understanding the consumer journey by collecting accurate data is essential to understanding your customers – which in turn is essential for becoming a better marketer.

…which also means Cross-Device Compatibility is More Important

If your online store isn’t mobile compatible, then we’ve got some bad news for you. You’re missing out on some serious revenue. Going mobile has become one of the most important trends for affiliate marketers, as more and more purchases are made through apps.

Not convinced? In just six years, global mobile app revenues have risen from $8.32 billion dollars to $76.5 billion dollars – and that upward trend doesn’t look like it’s stopping anytime soon.

Increasing mobile conversions should be a top priority, which not only includes making your site mobile-friendly or creating an app – it could also extend to purchasing direct ads in popular apps relevant to your industry.

Keep an Eye out for Rising Affiliate Niches

So far in 2017, we’ve already seen certain marketing verticals receive a considerable boost due to a variety of factors. This section is especially useful for those who do not yet have a firmly established affiliate business, or are simply looking to focus on a new niche.

For example, one of the industries receiving more attention than usual is online gambling. Thanks to a surge of popularity in esports and fantasy football, more and more people are interested in placing bets online. The advent of virtual reality gaming, meanwhile, has increased interest in online poker sites that can offer virtual card room experiences.

Other increasingly profitable niches are found within the health industry (each new diet fad attracts millions of consumers). Whilst dieting is evergreen for marketers (it’s unlikely people are going to stop obsessing over weight anytime soon) the most popular weight loss methods are always changing.

Video Content is Winning Likes and Shares

We all know ‘Content is King’, but have you also noticed that content these days includes videos? Social media has made ite easy for marketers to post autoplay videos, whilst having also made it easier for people to discover interesting videos and share them with the click of a button.

Just like with any other content, videos that make us emotional, that shock us, that entertain us or inform us are likely to fare well. Incorporate this into your marketing strategy and you could well earn yourself some likes, shares, clicks and links – not to mention a growing audience!

Influences are still influential

Yes, we know that reaching out to bloggers, YouTube personalities and prominent tweeters takes a lot of time and effort. It is, nonetheless, still extremely valuable for the most of us.

Reaching out to the right people and getting them to showcase our products  can give us positive associations, immense exposure and – of course – new customers.

The rising importance of platforms like Instagram to modern marketing has further established the fact that influential social media stars are…well, influential. Use that to your advantage.

In conclusion

While the number of boxes we, as affiliate marketers, need to tick simply to stay ahead of game may seem ever-increasing and daunting – this only goes to show that affiliate marketing is growing as an industry. Taking a hard look at current marketing trends and adapting your efforts accordingly will pay off in the long run. This should be a year where you see your revenue soar – so get excited!