Influencers & Affiliates - Practical Ecommerce https://www.practicalecommerce.com/category/marketing/influencer Independent analysis and strategy for online merchants Mon, 11 Aug 2025 11:23:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.4 AI Shopping Tools Threaten Affiliates https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ai-shopping-tools-threaten-affiliates Mon, 11 Aug 2025 11:00:34 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1555485 Shoppers who ask AI for product recommendations bypass traditional review sites, potentially causing lost or unattributed traffic from affiliates.

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]]> A Playbook for Influencer Marketing https://www.practicalecommerce.com/a-playbook-for-influencer-marketing Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:16:29 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1551803 Josh Durham, a seasoned marketer, shares the essentials for scalable, high-performing influencer programs.

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]]> Influencers Are Remaking Product Discovery https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencers-are-remaking-product-discovery Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:02:35 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1545880 Influencers are no longer just trendsetters; they're remaking how consumers discover and choose products.

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]]> Stay-at-home Moms Drive Totally Dazzled https://www.practicalecommerce.com/stay-at-home-moms-drive-totally-dazzled Fri, 21 Jun 2024 14:19:27 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1538681 In 2012, Natalie Mounter was a new mom looking to work from home. Other moms had the same goal.

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]]> Pro Boxer Pivots to CBD Wellness https://www.practicalecommerce.com/pro-boxer-pivots-to-cbd-wellness Fri, 14 Apr 2023 13:00:20 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1520132 Mike Lee was once a 12-0 professional boxer who fought for a world title. Then anxiety and injuries took a toll. Soul, his CBD brand, is the result.

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]]> The Rise of De-influencers https://www.practicalecommerce.com/the-rise-of-de-influencers Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:34:49 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1518908 De-influencers address consumers' desire for authenticity and transparency. It's the anecdote to over-the-top marketing pitches.

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]]> How Affiliates Address Google’s Product Review Updates https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-affiliates-address-googles-product-review-updates Mon, 27 Feb 2023 22:35:57 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1518532 Affiliates sometimes post less-than-helpful reviews of the products they're promoting to garner organic search traffic. Google is cracking down.

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]]> Homes Smell Better with Pura https://www.practicalecommerce.com/homes-smell-better-with-pura Fri, 16 Dec 2022 14:00:57 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1515378 Pura makes and sells smart fragrance diffusers controlled via a phone app. Launched in 2015, the company has scaled to 180 employees. CMO Daniel Lacey tells the story.

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]]> Advertising Trends from Top DTC Brands in 2022 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/advertising-trends-from-top-dtc-brands-in-2022 Mon, 23 May 2022 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1503488 Learn from leading direct-to-consumer brands how to engage shoppers at various stages of the buyer's journey in 2022.

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]]> Podcast Advertising Basics for Ecommerce Brands https://www.practicalecommerce.com/podcast-advertising-basics-for-ecommerce-brands Thu, 19 May 2022 14:00:21 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1503375 Contextual podcast ads read by the host are a form of influencer marketing. They can drive demand for ecommerce products and even the brand itself.

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]]> 9 Types of Influencer Marketing Campaigns https://www.practicalecommerce.com/9-types-of-influencer-marketing-campaigns Tue, 08 Feb 2022 14:18:20 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1499320 How, exactly, should ecommerce marketers use influencers? Blog posts, social media, videos, other? We explain nine types of proven campaigns.

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]]> 4 Successful Influencer Marketing Campaigns https://www.practicalecommerce.com/4-successful-influencer-marketing-campaigns Sun, 23 Jan 2022 13:28:47 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1497620 We explained influencer marketing and its key tactics in our recent 8-part series. This post reviews examples from four merchants of influencer marketing success.

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]]> Defining Influencers and Creators Requires a Venn Diagram https://www.practicalecommerce.com/defining-influencers-and-creators-requires-a-venn-diagram Tue, 16 Nov 2021 10:00:47 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1291330 The difference between a "social media influencer" and an online "creator" may be no difference at all. Defining these terms has more to do with opinion or perspective than it does actual divergence.

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]]> Influencer Marketing, Part 8: Analyzing Performance https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-part-8-analyzing-performance Sun, 07 Nov 2021 14:06:37 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1272965 You’ve made it to the end of my series on influencer marketing. To date, I've defined influencer marketing and addressed why merchants should use it. I've explained how to set goals, how to pick the right channels, and more. In this final, "Part 8" installment, I'll describe a process to analyze performance.

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]]> Influencer Marketing, Part 7: Your First Campaign https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-part-7-your-first-campaign Wed, 13 Oct 2021 19:47:12 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1180225 You've hired your first influencer and have received a draft of her initial promotion, a review of your product for her social media followers. This is "Part 7" of my influencer marketing series.

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]]> PPE Provider Thrives on Influencers (and Hollywood) https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ppe-provider-thrives-on-influencers-and-hollywood Fri, 01 Oct 2021 15:25:19 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1118567 Roman Zrazhevskiy's company, Mira Safety, sells protective gas masks. It launched in 2018. The masks protect against tear gas, chemicals, and, yes, viruses. Still, reaching prospects was a challenge.

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]]> Influencer Marketing Part 6: Pitching https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-part-6-pitching Wed, 15 Sep 2021 15:08:00 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=1081297 Prospective influencers likely know little about your company or its products. They're not necessarily interested in promoting. You have to pitch them. Welcome to "Part 6" of my influencer marketing series.

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]]> Influencer Marketing, Part 5: Choosing Influencers https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-part-5-choosing-influencers Mon, 16 Aug 2021 12:34:07 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=971014 Choosing an influencer is everything. The right spokesperson can yield big profits. The wrong one can bring disaster. This post is "Part 5" in my influencer marketing series. I've covered what it is, why to use it, setting goals, and picking the right channel. Now it is time to choose influencers.

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]]> Influencer Marketing, Part 4: Choosing Social Networks https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-part-4-choosing-social-networks Tue, 27 Jul 2021 12:58:40 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=870456 Social networks are the primary channels of influencer marketing campaigns. Knowing who you're trying to influence is the first step in choosing the network.

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]]> Influencer Marketing, Part 3: Setting Goals https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-part-3-setting-goals Thu, 17 Jun 2021 13:13:52 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=680540 Now that you know what influencer marketing is and why you as an ecommerce brand should use it, the next step is to create campaign goals before spending your hard-earned budget. The ultimate marketing goal of ecommerce brands is, presumably, acquiring profitable customers. But there are many ways to do that.

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]]> Influencer Marketing, Part 2: Why Use It? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-part-2-why-use-it Mon, 24 May 2021 18:50:20 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=558942 This is the second installment in my influencer marketing series. In "Part 1," I established what influencer marketing is. In this "Part 2" post, I'll address why ecommerce businesses should consider it.

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]]> Influencer Marketing, Part 1: What Is It? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/influencer-marketing-101-part-1-what-is-it Sun, 09 May 2021 13:55:55 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=468025 What do Kim Kardashian, Armando Roggio, and your neighbor have in common? They're all influencers. Influencer marketing is the digital equivalent of word-of-mouth promotion. Within ecommerce, we can segment influencers into three categories: celebrities, authorities, and peers.

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]]> Ridge Wallet Hits $50 Million with Influencer Marketing https://www.practicalecommerce.com/ridge-wallet-hits-50-million-with-influencer-marketing Fri, 12 Feb 2021 16:43:56 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=367550 Ridge wallets launched via a Kickstarter campaign in 2014.  Ultra-thin, metal-clad, with RFID protection, the wallets are enormously popular in the U.S., with $50 million in sales in 2020 alone. Influencer marketing has driven much of the growth. Sean Frank is The Ridge's chief operating officer.

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]]> How Influencer Marketing Drives Holiday Sales https://www.practicalecommerce.com/how-influencer-marketing-drives-holiday-sales Sun, 13 Dec 2020 13:47:33 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=364666 Influencers have the power to help drive ecommerce sales the way old school media did in years past. Advertising on 1950s television and other mass media was successful because of the audiences. Today, the same thing may be true for influencer marketing.

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]]> Amazon Live: 12 Shows from Influencers, Sellers, Brands https://www.practicalecommerce.com/amazon-live-12-shows-from-influencers-sellers-brands Mon, 21 Sep 2020 13:40:49 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=359802 Amazon Live combines streaming video with online shopping, letting influencers, sellers, and brands engage and interact with consumers in real-time. Here is a list of shows using Amazon Live from influencers, sellers, and brands. Episodes range from 30 minutes to two hours, though most are roughly one hour.

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]]> Opening Up Influencer Marketing with Blockchain https://www.practicalecommerce.com/opening-up-influencer-marketing-with-blockchain Thu, 19 Sep 2019 12:50:18 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=183646 Influencer marketing has become a meaningful customer acquisition channel for many brands. The channel is not foolproof, however. It has challenges for both advertisers and influencers. Fortunately, blockchain can help overcome these obstacles.

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]]> Affiliate Marketing Report Card: WP Engine https://www.practicalecommerce.com/affiliate-marketing-report-card-wp-engine Mon, 04 Dec 2017 15:48:06 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=144783 This installment of “Affiliate Marketing Report Card” reviews WP Engine, a global WordPress hosting platform. WP Engine has a powerhouse affiliate program listed at number 38 in the ShareASale Top ...

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]]> Which Affiliate Marketing Model Fits Your Business? https://www.practicalecommerce.com/which-affiliate-marketing-model-fits-your-business https://www.practicalecommerce.com/which-affiliate-marketing-model-fits-your-business#comments Mon, 30 Oct 2017 16:30:02 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=143283 If you attend the Affiliate Summit West conference in Las Vegas next January, you will be among 6,000 attendees from more than 70 countries. At some point, you may ask ...

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]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/which-affiliate-marketing-model-fits-your-business/feed 2 Affiliate Marketing Meets Influencers https://www.practicalecommerce.com/affiliate-marketing-meets-influencers https://www.practicalecommerce.com/affiliate-marketing-meets-influencers#comments Thu, 28 Sep 2017 13:38:18 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=142167 The crossroads of affiliate marketing and influencer marketing is here. Merchants are testing ways to merge the channels to create sales.
The word “influencer” was mentioned in a dozen session titles ...

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]]> https://www.practicalecommerce.com/affiliate-marketing-meets-influencers/feed 1 Affiliate Marketing Report Card: Fanatics.com https://www.practicalecommerce.com/affiliate-marketing-report-card-fanatics-com Mon, 28 Aug 2017 16:57:50 +0000 https://www.practicalecommerce.com/?p=141182 This second installment of “Affiliate Marketing Report Card” focuses on Fanatics, an online retailer of licensed sportswear, sports equipment, and merchandise. I’ve watched its affiliate marketing program greatly expand over ...

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