What Is ShareASale? [The Ultimate Guide For Affiliate Marketers] |

Are you ready to unlock the potential of affiliate marketing? If you’re an affiliate marketer looking for products or services to promote, understanding What Is ShareASale is crucial. ShareASale is a leading affiliate marketing network that connects affiliates and merchants seamlessly. Since its acquisition by Awin in 2017, ShareASale has played a vital role in guiding clients to success with its innovative technology and ethical business practices.

With over two decades of experience, ShareASale is renowned for creating partnerships that drive sustainable growth. This platform’s customer-first approach ensures that affiliates and merchants both benefit remarkably. Dive in as we explore how ShareASale can elevate your marketing efforts and foster rewarding collaborations.

Check out this tutorial to get started with ShareASale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLtlR9atWQQ

ShareASale is a top-tier affiliate marketing network that connects affiliates with merchants. Whether you are a content creator, blogger, or social media marketer, it’s a platform designed to help you generate income by promoting a wide variety of products and services. Since its inception in 2000, and later acquisition by Awin in 2017, ShareASale has maintained a commitment to ethical business practices and customer-first service, making it a trustworthy partner in the affiliate marketing industry.

ShareASale stands out for its accessibility and robust technology. But what exactly sets it apart? Here’s a snapshot:

Accessibility: ShareASale has relatively lenient sign-up requirements compared to other affiliate networks, making it accessible to a broad range of marketers.
Diverse Product Range: The network offers a vast array of affiliate products and partnerships across different niches, including retail, telecommunications, travel, and finance.
Advanced Tools: ShareASale provides cutting-edge technology and business intelligence insights to help affiliates optimize their marketing efforts.

Founded in 2000, ShareASale rapidly evolved into one of North America’s largest and most trusted affiliate marketing networks. The platform was built on a foundation of fair business practices, with a goal of supporting performance-based partnerships. It was acquired by Awin in 2017, merging the strengths and expertise of both companies, and expanding its reach globally.

Why ShareASale? The platform excels in:

Fair Business Practices: Emphasizing socially responsible actions and ethical dealings, ShareASale ensures trust and transparency between affiliates and merchants.
Customer-First Mentality: Always prepared to go the extra mile, ShareASale is committed to nurturing relationships and ensuring mutual success for both affiliates and merchants.

ShareASale’s primary purpose is to facilitate affiliate marketing by connecting affiliates (those who promote) with merchants (those who provide the products/services). Here’s a simplified process of how it works:

Merchants List Products: Merchants sign up on ShareASale and list their products or services along with the commission rates they offer.
Affiliates Promote Products: Affiliates choose products to promote on their blogs, websites, or social media channels.
Earning Commissions: Affiliates earn commissions for every sale or lead that comes through their referral links.

Powered by 17 offices worldwide and a workforce of over 1,400 employees, ShareASale, along with its parent company Awin, recorded impressive numbers:

Revenue Generation: The Awin Group generated $19 billion in revenue for its advertisers and $1.4 billion for its publishers globally in the last financial year.
Impact: The platform connects businesses with customers across various sectors, boasting over 1 million contributing publishers and 30,000 advertisers.

Discover more about how to get started with ShareASale here.

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Conclusion

ShareASale remains an indispensable tool for affiliate marketers striving to connect with leading brands and diverse audiences. Its customer-centric approach, combined with innovative technology, ensures that both affiliates and merchants are well-supported in their efforts to drive mutual growth and success.

ShareASale has a rich history that has helped shape the affiliate marketing world. Below, we dive into key milestones and significant achievements that have marked the journey of this influential platform.

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ShareASale was founded in the year 2000 by Brian Littleton. With a vision to create a fair and transparent affiliate marketing network, Brian set out to build a platform that emphasized ethical business practices and strong partnerships. ShareASale quickly gained recognition as a pioneering force in the industry, standing out for its reliability and user-friendly approach.

Acquisition by Awin

In 2017, ShareASale reached a significant milestone when it was acquired by Awin, one of the world’s leading affiliate marketing networks. This acquisition allowed ShareASale to leverage Awin’s global reach and technological capabilities, enhancing its ability to serve clients more effectively and expand its market presence.

This merger has seamlessly integrated the strengths of both companies, resulting in a robust platform that continues to drive success for affiliates and merchants alike. Find out more about this acquisition on Awin’s website.

Growth and Achievements

Over the past two decades, ShareASale has grown substantially, both in terms of its network and its impact. Here are a few key achievements:

Network Expansion: Today, ShareASale operates with 17 offices worldwide, boasting over 1,400 employees dedicated to client success.
Financial Impact: In the last financial year, ShareASale and Awin generated $19 billion in revenue for advertisers and $1.4 billion for publishers.
Global Reach: With over a million contributing publishers and 30,000 advertisers, ShareASale has firmly established itself as a global leader in affiliate marketing.

The timeline of ShareASale’s significant milestones can be explored in more detail on Zippia.

Commitment to Ethical Practices

From its inception, ShareASale has maintained a strong commitment to fair business practices and social responsibility. This approach has fostered trust and transparency, ensuring the platform remains a reliable partner for both affiliates and merchants. Committed to doing the right thing, ShareASale continues to hire like-minded professionals who share these values.

ShareASale’s legacy is a testament to innovation, partnership, and ethical business conduct. As the platform continues to grow, its focus remains on supporting sustainable success through affiliate marketing.

ShareASale is designed to create meaningful connections between affiliates and merchants, benefiting both parties through a robust affiliate marketing network. By leveraging the platform’s tools and extensive reach, affiliates can find lucrative products to promote, and merchants can expand their market presence.

For Affiliates

Joining ShareASale as an affiliate is straightforward and opens up a plethora of opportunities to earn commissions.

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Here’s how it works for affiliates:

Sign Up: Affiliates begin by signing up on the ShareASale website. The process is free and designed to be quick and easy.
Choose Products: Once enrolled, affiliates can browse thousands of products and brands available for promotion. ShareASale offers a wide variety of categories including retail, services, and digital products.
Promote and Earn: Affiliates promote selected products using unique referral links. Whenever a sale or lead is generated through these links, they earn a commission.

Benefits for Affiliates:

Diverse Product Range: With thousands of products to choose from, affiliates can find items that truly resonate with their audience.
Reliable Payments: ShareASale ensures timely and consistent payments for the commissions earned.
User-Friendly Tools: The platform provides robust tools to track performance and optimize promotional efforts, helping affiliates maximize their earnings.
Support and Resources: Affiliates have access to detailed guides and support to help enhance their marketing strategies.

For Merchants

For merchants, ShareASale is a powerful platform to connect with potential affiliates and expand the reach of their products.

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Here’s how it works for merchants:

Sign Up: Merchants can join ShareASale and create an account. After setting up the program, they will need to pay a one-time network access fee.
List Products: Merchants list their products or services on the platform, defining the commission rates offered to affiliates.
Connect with Affiliates: ShareASale helps merchants connect with a wide network of affiliates who will promote their products, driving more sales.

Benefits for Merchants:

Vast Network Reach: ShareASale connects merchants with over 1 million affiliates globally, increasing their product exposure.
Performance-Based Payment: Merchants only pay commissions based on actual sales or leads generated, ensuring a cost-effective marketing strategy.
Detailed Analytics: The platform provides detailed reporting and analytical tools, enabling merchants to measure campaign success and optimize performance.
Support and Consultation: Merchants can access dedicated support and resources to ensure their affiliate programs succeed.

By creating a seamless connection between affiliates and merchants, ShareASale enables both parties to thrive in the affiliate marketing landscape. Affiliates benefit from a wide range of products to promote and earn commissions, while merchants gain broader market exposure and increased sales. Through its ethical practices and customer-first approach, ShareASale remains a trusted and effective platform for marketing success.

Features and Tools

Navigating the world of affiliate marketing can be challenging, but with the right arsenal of features and tools, you can turn those challenges into opportunities. ShareASale offers a suite of powerful features designed to help both affiliates and merchants succeed. Below, we’ll go over some of the most essential tools and how they can benefit you.

User-Friendly Interface

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ShareASale provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies the tasks for both merchants and affiliates. The platform is designed to be intuitive, making it easy to navigate even for beginners. Think of it as having a well-organized toolbox where everything you need is right where you expect it to be.

Advanced Tracking System

One of ShareASale’s standout features is its advanced tracking system. This robust system allows affiliates to monitor every click, sale, and conversion with precision.

Key benefits include:

Real-time analytics: Keep track of your campaign performance on the go.
Customizable reports: Generate reports tailored to your specific needs.
Cookie tracking: Ensure that all your referrals are accurately tracked.

For more details, check out how ShareASale’s tracking capabilities can help you here.

Reporting Capabilities

Understanding the performance of your campaigns is crucial for success. ShareASale offers comprehensive reporting tools that provide detailed insights into how well your affiliate links and ads are performing.

Notable features include:

Performance Reports: Analyze which campaigns are most effective.
Merchant-Specific Reports: Focus on particular merchants to see which products drive the most traffic and sales.
Custom Reports: Tailor the data to meet your specific business needs.

Learn more about these tools in this resource.

PPC Monitoring Tool

ShareASale’s Pay Per Click (PPC) Monitoring Tool is designed to offer stronger brand protection and advanced control over your PPC activities. This tool helps you ensure that your brand is represented accurately and your advertising investments are optimized.

Advantages:

Protects your brand integrity.
Monitors PPC campaigns to avoid unnecessary expenditure.

Explore how this tool can benefit your campaigns in this article.

Affiliate Promotional Tools

For affiliates, ShareASale provides promotional tools that elevate your marketing efforts beyond traditional banners and text links.

Innovative tools include:

Make-A-Page: This tool allows you to create custom landing pages featuring selected products.
Product Discovery: Easily find and promote trending products that align with your audience’s interests.

Get a deeper understanding of these promotional tools here.

Comprehensive API Access

ShareASale’s API access provides the flexibility for businesses to integrate their own systems seamlessly with the ShareASale platform. This means you can automate various aspects of your campaigns, making your workflow more efficient.

Automation: Streamline repetitive tasks.
Customization: Tailor integrations to fit your business needs.

Find more information on ShareASale API features here.

A/B Testing Capabilities

The A/B Testing feature allows both merchants and affiliates to test different strategies and find out what works best for them. By comparing two or more versions of your content, you can optimize for better performance.

Benefits:

Improves conversion rates.
Provides data-driven insights for better decision-making.

Embracing ShareASale’s comprehensive suite of tools can significantly enhance your affiliate marketing campaigns, helping you to track, analyze, and optimize your efforts for the best results. With a powerful combination of user-friendly interfaces, advanced tracking, and detailed reporting, ShareASale empowers both affiliates and merchants to achieve their goals effectively.

ShareASale is a powerful tool for anyone in the affiliate marketing industry. It provides various benefits that make it an attractive option for both affiliates and merchants. By addressing the needs of both parties, ShareASale ensures a win-win situation, fostering long-term collaborations and sustainable growth.

Advantages for Affiliates

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1. Diverse Product Range

ShareASale offers a vast array of products and services spanning multiple industries, including retail, telecommunications, travel, and finance. This diverse selection allows affiliates to find products that align well with their audience and content.

2. Reliable Commission Payments

Timely and consistent payments are essential for maintaining trust with affiliates. ShareASale ensures that affiliates receive their earnings reliably, giving them peace of mind and financial stability.

3. Advanced Tracking and Reporting

ShareASale’s advanced tracking system meticulously monitors clicks, sales, and conversions, providing real-time data and insights. Affiliates can generate customizable reports to analyze their campaign performance, helping them refine their strategies for better results. Learn more about ShareASale’s tracking systems on this helpful resource.

4. User-Friendly Tools

The platform offers intuitive tools that assist affiliates in promoting products more efficiently. From customizable promotional materials to detailed guides, ShareASale equips affiliates with everything they need to succeed. Check out the benefits of these tools in detail here.

Advantages for Merchants

1. Expansive Network Reach

With access to over 1 million affiliates worldwide, ShareASale provides merchants an extensive network to promote their products. This connectivity helps merchants tap into new markets and boost their sales significantly.

2. Performance-Based Marketing

One of the primary advantages of ShareASale for merchants is its performance-based payment model. Merchants only pay commissions on actual sales or leads generated, ensuring a cost-effective and result-driven marketing strategy. Discover more about this model here.

3. Transparent Reporting

ShareASale offers detailed analytical tools and reporting features that help merchants track their campaign performance with transparency. Merchants can access comprehensive data, enabling them to optimize their marketing efforts and maximize their return on investment.

4. Support and Resources

Merchants on ShareASale benefit from dedicated support and access to numerous resources that help them develop effective affiliate programs. This support ensures that their promotional strategies are on target, enhancing overall success.

5. Global Reach

ShareASale, combined with Awin, has a global presence with 17 offices worldwide. This international scope means merchants can effectively reach audiences globally, expanding their brand’s reach and influence.

By offering tailored benefits for both affiliates and merchants, ShareASale fosters a collaborative environment where both parties can thrive. The platform’s commitment to ethical practices, reliable tools, and comprehensive support makes it a standout choice in the affiliate marketing landscape.

Success Stories

ShareASale has a multitude of success stories from both affiliates and merchants. These stories showcase the platform’s impact and effectiveness in driving business growth and achieving marketing goals. Let’s look at a few inspiring anecdotes.

Eddie’s Niche Blog Triumph

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Eddie, an affiliate marketer with a niche blog focusing on fitness products, was initially skeptical about diving into affiliate marketing. He decided to join ShareASale and selected a few high-quality fitness brands to promote on his blog.

What happened next for Eddie was astounding:

Increased Website Traffic: Eddie saw a spike in website visitors due to his engaging and informative content.
Conversions Galore: Visitors clicked on affiliate links, leading to numerous conversions and a significant boost in earnings.
Partnerships: His collaboration with top fitness merchants earned him exclusive deals and products to showcase, strengthening his blog’s credibility.

Eddie’s story is a powerful example of how selecting the right niche and utilizing ShareASale’s tools can transform a blog into a reliable income stream.

Local Business’s Revenue Surge

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often face challenges in expanding their customer base. However, one local business saw tremendous growth after joining ShareASale.

Wider Reach: By integrating with ShareASale, the business reached thousands of affiliates eager to promote its unique products.
Enhanced Sales: The steady stream of referrals led to a 150% increase in sales within the first six months.
Brand Awareness: Collaborations with influencers through ShareASale significantly boosted the business’s brand recognition, translating into long-term customer loyalty.

This story is a testament to how local businesses can use affiliate marketing to elevate their market presence and drive substantial revenue growth.

Fashion Blogger’s Affiliate Marketing Success

A budding fashion blogger decided to leverage ShareASale to monetize her passion for style and fashion.

By strategically selecting fashion merchants from ShareASale, she experienced incredible results:

Increased Engagement: Her followers quickly engaged with the promoted fashion items, eager to try out the recommendations.
Commission Earnings: With an audience passionate about fashion, the sales soared, and her commission earnings reflected this enthusiasm.
Sustained Growth: Continuous collaboration with top fashion brands led to sustained growth and a loyal follower base.

This fashion blogger’s journey exemplifies how tapping into the right affiliate network like ShareASale can help turn a passion into a profitable venture.

Tech Startup’s Revenue Milestone

A tech startup looking to expand its product outreach turned to ShareASale for its affiliate marketing needs. The company’s innovative gadgets were a hit among tech enthusiasts, and ShareASale helped amplify their reach.

Key milestones included:

Strategic Promotions: Affiliates skilled in tech reviews promoted the startup’s products, leading to authenticity and trust in the market.
Global Reach: With ShareASale, the startup connected with international affiliates, breaking into new markets.
Revenue Spike: The affiliate-driven marketing efforts contributed to a 200% rise in revenue within a year.

This tech startup’s success showcases how ShareASale can be instrumental in achieving rapid growth and hitting ambitious revenue targets.

These stories highlight the versatility and effectiveness of ShareASale in driving success across various niches and business types. Whether you’re a niche blogger, small business owner, fashion influencer, or tech startup, ShareASale provides the tools and support to achieve your affiliate marketing goals.

Awards and Recognition

When it comes to awards and recognition, ShareASale stands as a testament to excellence in affiliate marketing. Throughout its journey, the platform has garnered numerous accolades, solidifying its reputation as a leader in the industry. These awards not only highlight ShareASale’s achievements but also underscore its commitment to ethical practices, innovation, and stellar customer service.

Industry Accolades

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ShareASale has been recognized by several prestigious organizations for its contributions to affiliate marketing.

Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Awards: One of the platform’s most notable recognitions includes the Affiliate Summit Pinnacle Awards, where ShareASale has been honored multiple times for being the best affiliate network.
mThink Blue Book: Year after year, ShareASale has consistently ranked at the top of the mThink Blue Book survey for performance marketing, showcasing the platform’s dedication to excellence.

These accolades reflect ShareASale’s status as a trusted partner in the affiliate marketing sphere.

Client Testimonials

The true measure of success for ShareASale comes from the feedback and testimonials of its clients. Both affiliates and merchants often praise the platform for its reliability, advanced tools, and superior customer support.

Testimonials highlight:

Ease of use and effective tools.
Consistent and timely payouts.
Reliable customer support and resources.

Technological Innovations

ShareASale’s commitment to innovation has also not gone unnoticed. The platform has been recognized for pushing the boundaries with its cutting-edge tracking systems and comprehensive analytics tools.

MarTech Awards: ShareASale has been a recipient of the MarTech Awards, acknowledging its contributions to technological advancements in marketing solutions.
Innovative Product Solutions: The platform’s introduction of new tools and features continues to earn praise from industry experts and users alike.

ShareASale’s dedication to social responsibility and ethical business practices is another area where it shines. The company has been commended for its unwavering commitment to fairness and transparency in all its dealings.

Ethical Corporation Awards: Recognized for its initiatives in maintaining fair business practices, ShareASale has received accolades from organizations dedicated to promoting ethical business conduct.
Community Engagement: ShareASale actively engages in community support and charitable activities, further cementing its reputation as a socially responsible company.