Affiliate recruitment is a vital part of running a successful affiliate marketing campaign.
We already mentioned that 70% of affiliate revenue comes from affiliates sourced through outreach in our last blog post.
But did you know that almost 60% of brands used influencers for affiliate campaigns (according to The State of Influencer Marketing Report)?
Even if you already run a program, it’s unlikely that an influencer is going to organically apply for it, so in order to keep up with the competition, you have to conduct proactive affiliate outreach for recruitment.
In this article, we’ll be talking about the top 11 affiliate recruitment tools this year.
Link building cheat sheet
Respona
First up, of course, is our own tool, Respona.
Affiliate recruitment is one of its biggest use cases – but it’s also awesome for link building, digital PR, podcast booking, and even sales.
How does it help recruit affiliates?
By finding relevant content – such as listicle posts, product reviews, product alternative pages, etc., and automatically finding bloggers’ contact information (email and LinkedIn profile).
Bloggers can make for great affiliates, and Respona automates the entire process from start to finish by first finding content using an automated search engine (can run multiple queries at once, and pulls relevant results on auto-pilot):
Fiding new affilaites contact information in bulk:
Forming and automating your email sequence:
And even speeding up personalization with an AI article summarizer:
It also features a shared inbox where you can manage all ongoing communications with your potential affiliate partners:
Pricing: Please visit Respona’s pricing page.
HubSpot Email Tracker
Although HubSpot’s email tracking software doesn’t include dedicated affiliate research tools, it’s still an excellent addition to your email outreach strategy.
The platform lets you know exactly when a prospect either opens your email, clicks on a link, or downloads an attachment. You can also set up trigger-based follow-up sequences to make sure you always send follow-ups at the right time and maximize results.
HubSpot also gives you all the context necessary to further personalize your messages. You can use its built-in contact records to store and manage all relevant prospect information, like activity history, previous conversations, and company data.
Pricing: starts at $15/seat/month, free version available.
Semrush
Semrush is an all-in-one SEO tracking and reporting software.
But what does it have to do with affiliate recruitment?
Simple – its backlink tracking functionality can help you discover your competitors’ (or simply other peoples’) affiliates, and reach out to them to recruit for yourself.
While it doesn’t have a contact finder (you’ll have to rely on another recruiting tool to discover contact information), Semrush is a valuable tool in any SEO or affiliate marketer tech stack, simply due to its versatility.
Pricing: starts at $129/month.
Reditus
Instead of manually searching for potential affiliates, Reditus provides access to an extensive affiliate network across various industries and niches.
Marketers can filter affiliates based on specific criteria such as industry, geographic location, website traffic, and social media following.
Reditus also provides built-in communication tools for seamless communication between you and your potential partners.
You can send personalized messages, offers, and updates directly to affiliates through the platform.
Pricing: Starting with $59/month, free version available.
Kiflo
Kiflo also provides you with a comprehensive database of potential affiliates.
It scours the web to find relevant websites and influencers in your niche, saving you hours of manual research.
The tool also offers various features to help you connect with them – like personalized outreach campaigns. You can create customized email templates that are sent automatically to potential affiliates.
Furthermore, Kiflo provides analytics and tracking tools for tracking the performance of your recruitment efforts.
Pricing: starts at $249/month.
CJ
CJ, also known as Commission Junction, is a popular platform that helps businesses recruit affiliates.
With over thousands of publishers and influencers registered on their platform, CJ.com offers businesses great exposure to potential affiliates across various industries and niches.
Commission Junction also offers businesses the option to set up unique commission structures and payment models.
Whether it’s through pay-per-sale, pay-per-lead, or pay-per-click models, with CJ you can incentivize affiliates and maximize their earnings potential.
Pricing: contact Commission Junction for a quote.
Publisher Finders
Publisher Finders is similar to the previous tools on the list in the sense that it provides you with access to an extensive database of potential affiliates.
One feature that sets Publisher discovery features apart is its comprehensive profile information for each potential affiliate.
You have access to important details such as website traffic, social media reach, and engagement metrics, enabling you to find the right affiliates.
Pricing: starts at $99/month.
Mavrck
Instead of a database, Mavrck offers an advanced influencer discovery engine.
It leverages data analytics and proprietary algorithms to identify relevant influencers in your niche.
It also offers comprehensive influencer profiles with insights including engagement rates, follower demographics, and past campaign performance.
In addition to that, Mavrck comes with a campaign manager bringing the process into one centralized platform – from tracking affiliate performance to monitoring campaign metrics.
Pricing: get in touch with Mavrck for a quote.
Breezy
Breezy provides businesses with a streamlined and efficient way to connect with potential affiliates.
What we like most about it is its intelligent matching algorithm. It uses advanced technology and data analysis to match businesses with the most relevant affiliates for their industry or niche.
Breezy’s user-friendly interface is another strong point, making your affiliate recruitment process seamless.
It also offers a dashboard where you can view and manage your affiliate recruitment activities – from tracking outreach efforts to monitoring response rates, you always have full visibility into the progress of your affiliate recruitment campaigns.
Pricing: starting at £800/quarter.
GrowthHero
GrowthHero is a 3-in-1 influencer, referral, and affiliate marketing software.
Its suite of tools includes everything you need to find, recruit, and manage your affiliates.
More specifically, their “Affiliate Hunt” feature allows you to both discover and get in contact with potential affiliates, such as bloggers and publishers within your niche.
Moreover, Growth Hero provides integration with popular affiliate networks and platforms, making it even easier for you to manage your recruiting affiliates and track their performance.
Pricing: starting at $49/month.
Any Social Media
All of the tools described above automate the affiliate recruitment process at least to some degree.
However, nobody is stopping you from taking the old-fashioned route: by hand-picking affiliates on social media.
For example, if you’re in the fashion industry, Instagram and Pinterest might be ideal platforms to focus on.
Look for accounts, pages, or profiles that have a significant following within your niche. Pay attention to engagement rates, the quality of their content, and their overall brand alignment with your business.
Start engaging with their posts by liking, commenting, and sharing their content. This will help you establish a connection and capture their attention.
Then, send a personalized direct message or email expressing your interest in collaboration. Be specific about why you believe their platform is a great fit for your affiliate marketing program.
Link building cheat sheet
Now Over to You
So, there you have it.
Last week we discussed the top 23 tools for affiliate program management and marketing, and now you have our top picks for specifically affiliate recruitment.
If you need a jump-start with your affiliate partner recruitment process, don’t hesitate to give Respona a try – a 14 day free trial is available to all users.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are affiliate recruitment tools?
Affiliate recruitment tools are affiliate software or platforms that help businesses find and recruit affiliates to promote their products or services.
These tools streamline the process by providing features such as affiliate directories, tracking links, communication tools, and performance analytics.
Why should I use affiliate recruitment tools?
Using an affiliate recruitment tool can be beneficial for businesses looking to expand their reach and boost sales.
These tools help in finding relevant and high-performing affiliates, managing and tracking their activities, and optimizing performance through data-driven insights.
How do affiliate recruitment tools work?
Affiliate recruitment tools work by offering a variety of features. They allow businesses to create enticing affiliate programs, provide affiliates with unique tracking links, and offer resources and marketing materials for promotion.
Additionally, the tools facilitate communication between businesses and affiliates, as well as provide performance reports and analytics.
What features should I look for in affiliate recruitment tools?
When choosing affiliate recruitment tools, consider features such as a comprehensive affiliate directory, advanced tracking and reporting capabilities, integration options with your existing systems, communication tools like email or messaging, and the ability to create customized commission structures.
Are there any free affiliate recruitment tools available?
Yes, there are free affiliate recruitment tools available, but their features and capabilities may be limited compared to paid options. Some free tools offer basic features like affiliate tracking and reporting, while others may provide a limited number of affiliates to recruit.
Paid tools generally offer more comprehensive features and a wider range of affiliate recruitment opportunities.