Top Affiliate Marketing Strategies for Global Expansion

You’ve established your brand’s affiliate marketing program. You may have even grown and scaled it to feature numerous affiliate partners spanning multiple social media channels. So—now what? 

Some brands may choose to focus on their current efforts and maximize returns on their existing investment. However, for others, it may be time to consider expanding to a global affiliate marketing program.

Expanding your affiliate marketing strategies to target a global audience can get your brand in front of new eyes, driving conversions from users worldwide. That said, expanding an affiliate program globally comes with some unique opportunities—and challenges. 

This guide breaks down some tried-and-true affiliate marketing techniques for brands looking to go global. Read on for all you need to know about our top affiliate marketing strategies for global expansion.

Why Expanding Your Affiliate Program Internationally Is a Smart Move

We live in a connected world. However, all too often, brands limit themselves—and their affiliate marketing campaigns—to a specific geographical region. Numerous factors can play into this decision, ranging from experience with affiliate marketing to product or service availability in another country. 

If you’re ready to take your affiliate marketing strategy to the next level and have the logistical foundation in place to serve customers worldwide, breaking into new, global markets can lead to exciting new opportunities and the chance to drive more conversions through a new consumer base.

Laying the Foundation for Global Affiliate Marketing Success

Global expansion of an affiliate marketing program requires careful planning and strategy. Before you start searching for affiliate partners, consider the following:

• Understand the culture. Conduct thorough research about the culture in your desired market before launching a campaign. It’s easy to make decisions based on assumptions, but these can lead to lackluster results—or, worse, disparagement from your intended audience.

• Research consumer buying habits. Where and how does your intended audience shop? Are affiliate partners commonplace on their social media sites, or do they tend to avoid advertised products? It’s also worth considering what percentage of buyers within your demographic shop online versus in-store.

• Look into online behavior. Where does your target user hang out online? Do they frequent global platforms like Instagram and TikTok, or is there a regional social media platform they prefer?

• Consider pricing differences in other countries. This point applies more to your affiliate partners than your potential buyers, but it’s important to consider. Research affiliate pricing structures in your desired region to understand the average range. That way, you avoid insulting a potential partner with a low commission offer. At the same time, you prevent your brand from experiencing financial duress thanks to hefty commission fees.

• Conduct competitor research. Who currently dominates your niche in your target market? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Know exactly who you’re up against—and where the opportunities exist to expand your brand.

• Explore keywords. In many cases, the keywords you use for affiliate marketing or SEO campaigns won’t translate directly in other countries. Do your research to identify the phrases your potential buyers use when searching for products and services like yours.

• Review legal and regulatory guidelines. Tax regulations, disclaimer and disclosure laws and data privacy requirements can vary from country to country. Speak with an expert to avoid any unpleasant legal surprises after launching your campaign.

The Essentials of Global Affiliate Marketing Success

Once you’ve done your initial research, here are five essential steps to help you break into new markets successfully.

1. Conduct Market Research and Target Audience Identification

Before you launch a campaign, ensure you and your team understand the ins and outs of your target market and ideal audience. 

Spend time on popular social media platforms and see how users talk about similar brands, products and services. Talk with locals to learn more about online behaviors and preferences, too. For instance, users in the U.S. might be more accustomed to direct sales pitches. On the other hand, users in countries like Canada, for example, may shy away from obvious promotions and prefer honest reviews or how-to guides. 

In addition, make sure you understand the key industry players in your desired market: 

• Who are they? 
• What products or services do they offer? 
• How do customers perceive them?
• What do they excel at? 
• Where could they improve?
• What portion of the market do they control?
• What, if any, affiliate marketing strategies do they currently use to target consumers?
• Are potential customers already showing an interest in products or services like yours in your desired target area? 
• Will you need to build awareness and kickstart a trend with the help of influencer marketing? 

2. Choose the Right Affiliates for Global Expansion

Once you’ve done your market research and understand your audience, it’s time to choose your affiliate partners. As a refresher, an affiliate partner can range from a social media influencer to a popular blogger, a review site, a comparison site or even a traditional news outlet. With that in mind, it’s important to consider the type of affiliate that best suits your needs, then begin dialing into the individual partners or networks you may choose to use for your campaign.

You may consider affiliates with global reach, like a trending macro-influencer or a TikTok star. However, local publishers may have an established audience of followers in your desired region—and have the trust and influence your brand needs to establish a foothold in a new market. What’s more, they’ll understand the ins and outs of the culture, including the digital norms and sales tactics that drive conversions effectively. 

3. Leverage Technology for International Affiliate Growth

Technology likely plays a key role in your daily operations, so it makes sense to include it when expanding your global affiliate marketing strategies. AI-powered tools like Google Analytics, Meta or LinkedIn Ads and platforms like HubSpot can monitor user behavior and campaign performance. Take some time to explore the best automation and tracking tools to suit your needs, and build a suite of affiliate marketing technology to refine your campaign.

On the other hand, working with a global partnership agency like Acceleration Partners can also provide access to proprietary software without the need to cobble together a tech stack. Our in-house platform, APVision, leverages AI and business intelligence (BI) to track, analyze and interpret data from thousands of affiliate publishers. 

APVision empowers our experienced affiliate marketing program management teams to identify unique opportunities to expand your affiliate marketing campaign, optimize performance, improve conversion rates and stay ahead of global trends. 

4. Ensure Content Localization and Cultural Adaptation

Localizing content goes beyond a word-for-word translation of your brand messaging and product descriptions. When done correctly, localization involves a complete adaptation to the culture in the region you’re targeting. This includes: 

• The overall tone and the wording and colloquialisms used
• The graphics, images and visual elements used, including colors and emojis
• The payment methods locals typically use which may differ from those in your home country

It’s also important to consider seasonal trends and cultural events or holidays. While you don’t need to act as an expert on these events, incorporating them respectfully into your content plans can help build trust and engagement with followers.

5. Use Social Media for Global Affiliate Marketing

Finally, remember that social media can be a powerful force to connect and build relationships with affiliate partners and potential customers. Post consistently from your brand accounts and ensure you’re engaging with any affiliate partners’ posts. While you don’t necessarily need to limit your affiliate campaigns to social media, consider partnering with an influencer or two with an existing audience in your target country for quick exposure to potential customers ready to buy your products or services.

Turn to Acceleration Partners for Global Affiliate Marketing Support

Our team at Acceleration Partners knows how overwhelming a global affiliate marketing campaign can feel. Fortunately, our global affiliate marketing experts bring hands-on, high-touch expertise, a vast network of vetted affiliate partners and networks worldwide and the unmatched insights drawn from APVision. 

If you’re ready to scale your campaign and go global, contact our team today to discuss how we can help ensure your success.