Using WordPress affiliate plugins to boost your sales with strategic partnerships

Learn how to set up and manage your affiliate program with the Affiliate WP WordPress plugin. This guide covers registration, tracking referrals, and managing payouts using WordPress affiliate plugins and WP Affiliate Manager.

Are you a coach, course creator, membership site owner, or spiritual teacher looking to expand your reach and increase sales through affiliate marketing?

Using the Affiliate WP WordPress plugin is a powerful way to achieve this.

That’s why I wrote this guide, to walk you through setting up and managing your affiliate program with the Affiliate WP WordPress plugin, including registration, tracking referrals, and managing payouts.

By the end, you’ll be equipped to grow your affiliate network and boost your sales through strategic partner relationships without a hitch!

How to Access the Affiliate Area and URL Setup

First, access the Affiliate WP section from the left sidebar in your WordPress dashboard. This dashboard displays key statistics such as paid and unpaid earnings, top-performing affiliates, recent referrals, and new user registrations.

Now you can customize the dashboard view to show relevant data by adding or removing columns as needed.

Affiliates can register at a specific URL, typically formatted as yourdomain.com/affiliate-area.

Ensure this page is accessible to you and is properly set up during the initial installation of the WordPress affiliate plugin.

Next, affiliates need to register on this page and await approval. If automatic approval is not enabled, manually review and approve each registration.

Upon registration, affiliates receive an email with their login credentials. Approved affiliates can then log in to their dashboard to view statistics on referrals, visitors, commissions earned, and the status of their payouts.

How to Manage Affiliates and Referrals

When approving and managing affiliates with the Affiliate WP WordPress plugin, keep an eye on affiliate status. You can view the status of each affiliate (e.g., approved, pending) in the “Affiliates” tab.

Each affiliate has an ID and a default commission rate unless a special rate has been set.

Review the information submitted during registration, and then approve or deny applications based on the provided details. Approved affiliates will receive an email notification confirming their status.

How to Track Affiliate Links in WordPress

To track affiliate links using the Affiliate WP plugin, use the default tracking URL. Affiliates can generate tracking URLs to monitor their referrals.

The default format is yourdomain.com/?ref=1 or yourdomain.com/ref/username. Make sure that “Pretty URLs” are enabled for cleaner and more professional-looking links.

Next, set the cookie duration, which determines how long a referral is tracked. For example, setting it to 180 days means any sale within 180 days of the referral will credit the affiliate.

This setting is crucial for tracking long-term engagements and ensuring affiliates are fairly compensated for their referrals.

How to Set Up Commissions and Products

To configure your commissions using the Affiliate WP WordPress plugin, decide whether to offer a percentage or flat rate commission. For instance, you might offer a flat rate of $200 per eligible product.

Configure these settings in the “Settings” tab of the Affiliate WP plugin.

Use the “Allowable Products” add-on to specify which products are eligible for commissions. Enter the product IDs of eligible items to ensure only specific products generate commissions for affiliates.

To customize product commissions, navigate to “All Products” in WooCommerce and select a product to edit. In the product’s settings, locate the “Affiliate WP” tab to override default commission settings. Set a unique commission for the product, either as a percentage or a higher flat rate.

For example, change the commission to 70% for a high-value product. Disable referrals for specific products if needed by selecting the “Disable Referrals” option.

How to Use Integrations and Add-Ons in the Affiliate Area

Thinking of using integrations and add-ons? WooCommerce is a great option for coaches and online business owners. To set up your WooCommerce integration, first ensure WooCommerce integration is active in your Affiliate WP settings.

Add product numbers in the Affiliate WP settings to specify which products are eligible for commissions.

This ensures accurate tracking and payment for referred sales. We suggest activating the allowable products add-on as well, since this add-on helps manage which products are eligible for commissions.

Without this add-on, all products will be eligible by default. With the add-on, you can specify eligibility, preventing unauthorized commission payouts.

Other add-on options include integrating recurring referrals. Enable recurring referrals for subscription products by setting the commission rate or flat amount for each recurring payment.

For example, if you have a subscription with four payments of $97, set the recurring commission rate to ensure affiliates earn on each payment. Without enabling this, only the initial payment will generate a commission.

Understanding the Affiliate Dashboard, Reporting, and Payouts

Affiliates can log in to view their dashboard, which provides detailed statistics on their referrals, commissions, and visitor conversion rates.

They can also generate custom referral URLs for specific campaigns or products. The dashboard shows unpaid and paid referrals, total visitors, and the conversion rate (e.g., 2% conversion rate means 2 out of 100 referred visitors made a purchase).

How to Manage Reporting and Payouts for Affiliates

To manage payouts, access the “Payouts” section to manage and mark referrals as paid. Use add-ons like PayPal to streamline the payout process. Set up the PayPal add-on for easy and secure payments to affiliates.

When you need reporting, the “Reports” section provides detailed metrics on visits, referrals, and payouts.

Use the “Tools” section to export affiliate data and payout information for record-keeping and analysis. Customize date ranges and other parameters to generate specific reports, helping you understand affiliate performance and optimize your program.

Understanding Additional Settings and Customization

To enable recurring referrals in the Affiliate WP plugin, go to the “Settings” tab. Enable the option for recurring referrals and set the commission structure (percentage or flat rate).

This ensures that affiliates earn commissions on all subscription payments, not just the initial one. Affiliates can also enable email notifications for new referrals, keeping them informed and motivated by providing real-time updates on their performance.

Customize the affiliate experience by uploading banners, links, and other promotional materials in the “Creatives” section. Affiliates can then download these assets to use in their promotional efforts, ensuring consistent branding and messaging.

Build Strategic Partnerships and Boost Course Sales with Affiliate WP

By effectively setting up and managing your affiliate program with the Affiliate WP WordPress plugin, you can create a powerful network of partners who help you grow your sales.

Thanks to this guide, you should now be equipped to handle registration, track referrals, manage payouts, and leverage integrations and add-ons to maximize your affiliate marketing efforts.

Time to embrace the power of affiliate marketing to expand your reach and finally get the sales revenue you’ve been dreaming about.

P.S. If you’re looking for a truly strategic partnership, you might want to connect with our founder to discuss how The Digital Navigator can improve your course sales through one of our customizable marketing plans.

Until then!

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