Diversifying ad spend away from big tech is a priority for more than three-quarters (77%) of senior marketers, with nearly a third (30%) saying it is their top priority. I am.
Affiliate marketing can help companies achieve their goals, diversify ad spend, and develop more balanced, ROI-focused marketing programs, according to research conducted by global marketing technology platform Awin in partnership with Forrester Consulting. .
The study surveyed 650 senior marketers and directors and found that almost half (46%) said their primary objective was to invest in emerging technologies, and what was driving their investment. , a desire to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape and advances in AI.
Similarly, 46% are also focusing on improving measurement capabilities, and 45% are shifting to first-party data strategies for customer retention as privacy regulations change.
To achieve these marketing goals, diversifying ad spend and reducing companies' dependence on big tech companies like Meta and Google is a top priority when it comes to budget allocation, with two-thirds (68% ) cited a lack of personalized strategic guidance, with inadequate reporting being a key complaint.
Additionally, 67% also highlighted that their ability to predict outcomes is hampered by a lack of detailed insight. This is further exacerbated by unresponsive customer support and an inflexible commercial model, which affects 64% of respondents.
The report said this response “demonstrates the major shortcomings of an advertising platform built primarily for scale and reach, rather than one designed with individual customer needs in mind.” .
affiliate marketing is underrated
The study also found that marketers are prioritizing investments in integrating data across various digital channels (27%) and improving customer experience across online platforms (27%).
Affiliate and partner marketing was cited by 92% of respondents as one of the top three channels for effectiveness, along with content marketing and blog leads (96%) and paid search (93%).
Respondents also said that one of the benefits of affiliate marketing is that it aligns with their core objectives, especially leveraging emerging technology (22%) and improving customer retention (22%) .
Despite the focus on diversifying ad spend away from big tech, fewer than one-fifth of respondents say they see affiliate marketing as a way to achieve this goal. (18%). Also, only 7% said it was their top budget allocation priority.
According to the report, this stark contrast is because “affiliate marketing is so diverse as a channel and incorporates so many other elements that it is not easily understood.” It may be.
Affiliate marketing relies on one-on-one relationships rather than the automated bidding often found on big tech platforms. Although this direct partnership model increases transparency, 68% of those surveyed said relationship management is their organization's biggest challenge, especially when there are multiple partners.
Adam Ross, CEO of Awin, said: “Marketers must make the most of their ad spend while continuing to drive growth and power the customer journey. Achieving this, especially in a rapidly evolving digital environment, requires Affiliate marketing offers brands adaptability and multifaceted benefits, demonstrating strong ROI across channels.”
This article originally appeared on Performance Marketing World.
