Four Key Trends Affiliate Program Members Can Expect for 2023
The affiliate program industry has continued to grow during 2022, as an increasing number of businesses have switched on to the marketing potential. For the bloggers and website owners who work with them, this means increased opportunity. More affiliate programs to work with. And more chances to build a strong affiliate income. But the affiliate industry is constantly changing. Meaning that there are new practices to adopt and new trends to keep up with. So, what can we expect to see from the industry in 2023?
The Four Main Trends That Affiliate Program Members Can Expect to See in 2023
Voice search optimization
In November 2020, 135.6 million people in the US were using voice search technology. In September 2022, Google reported that 27% of the global population was using voice search on mobile devices. And more and more people are switching on to voice every day. Which means that if you work with an affiliate program, if you want your content to continue to be found, you need to get voice ready. Understanding how to optimize your content for voice search is now integral.
Goodbye cookies, hello contextual marketing
In 2021, Google announced the cessation of the use of third-party cookies. This has meant the total rethinking of audience targeting for all websites. Including members of affiliate networks. And we’ve already seen a swathe of websites making the change away from cookie use to contextual marketing. Not least because it’s hugely successful. Research has shown that 69% of consumers engage more with contextually relevant content, particularly ads. But it’s not the only adjustment that will need to be made. Without cookies, we’re also going to see an increased reliance on on-page analytics and social listening, as affiliate program members seek to find new ways to understand their audience. And target the right demographics.
The move into meta
After years of hype, 2022 finally saw a significant move into the metaverse. There are now an estimated 400 million monthly active users of the metaverse. And that figure is predicted to massively increase throughout the next year. If you’re a member of an online affiliate program, that can only mean one thing: New marketing opportunities. But for most people, that’s going to involve a pretty steep learning curve, as they get to grips with metaverse affiliate marketing.
Localization
The amazing thing about the internet is that you can connect with anyone, anywhere. So, if you’re based in the UK and working with an affiliate program in Russia, you can still seek to attract dating traffic from America, China, Australia, or Germany. It’s just a question of accurate targeting. But what many affiliate program members are now focussing on is localization. Which is the creation of content and marketing materials specifically made to appeal to a fixed audience within a particular location. So, we’re going to see more local links. More local content. And more focus on local conversion rates. As affiliate program members move away from reaching for a broad global audience. And focus on dominating a particular audience in a particular niche.
Although some of these trends are already partly established, it’s in 2023 that they’re really going to find their feet. And any affiliate program members looking to stay ahead of the game, need to start taking steps to grips with them now.