Why Use Affiliate Software Instead of an Affiliate Network

Let’s regard the conundrum of affiliates and address what is the advantage of using affiliate software instead of an affiliate network? It’s a tough one. Ideally, one should have both. Software provides measurement and control. On the other hand, networks are closest to the target audience and are considered the “oldschool” method.

If a choice had to be made, however, when compared, there are clear advantages in favour of software. Let’s have a closer look.

People Are Control Freaks and Software is All About Control

It would not be an exaggeration to say this. Marketing specialists, especially those who are more capable, do not like relying on uncertainties to get the job done; instead opting to personally control as many of the variables that contribute to delivering traffic as possible. The advantage of using affiliate software is that it allows them to do precisely that. Micromanagement reduces the risk of failure on a larger scale.

More than that, good affiliate software is highly customisable. The ability to structure or break down processes for each campaign individually is a great asset. This leaves room for marginal mistakes. In fact, making mistakes isn’t necessarily a bad thing but can be looked at as an opportunity to adapt and overcome.

Those same mistakes cannot be made when dealing with affiliate networks. It would mean burning the bridges between your best contacts and moving on to the next best thing — which is neither prudent nor economically viable.

Economically It Makes More Sense

Speaking of economics, it should be emphasised that only the best affiliate networks bring results and are therefore worth the money. Anything else is experimental and risky. Risky in the sense that it will most likely waste your time. And in business, time is money.

On the other hand, using affiliate software is far more structured financially. In most cases it’s a fixed fee or a combination of fixed and percentage post-establishment. Of course, if finances allow it, any brand should make good use of both options simultaneously.

Easier Integration, Better Scalability

iGaming affiliate software was specifically designed for this purpose. It should be easy to integrate with your brand, establish campaigns, set up data collection and run the process semi-autonomously. In time, the data will show what works and what doesn’t, allowing for both the brand and the process to be scaled up accordingly.

It’s All About the Brand

One of the downsides of affiliate networks is that they’re not always exclusively brand-centric. Not to the degree that any custom affiliate software would allow for. Any good marketeer will know that even the small details matter when crafting your online image and presence. Remember the point we made about control.

Data Ownership and Privacy Are Legitimate Concerns

Again enacting on the point of control, the access to sensitive data and the associated privacy concerns can really only be guaranteed via the use of software. There is no safer alternative. The gambling business often operates in grey sectors. Under these conditions, remaining anonymous is often the sole factor that keeps the business running in the first place.

Likewise, the same is true for the people who run it.

Direct Relationships With Affiliates and Avoiding Network Limitation

The whole model of affiliate networks is that they act like middlemen. They curate the various affiliates and aim to bring the traffic in bulk for convenience purposes. While this is one of their more obvious advantages, it’s also not always the case that iGaming brands want to skip the relationship building part altogether.

Given enough time and experience, software does allow for the manual execution of this step without sacrificing productivity. Great connections are difficult to establish but they are also the backbone of any good business. Networks are restricting in that regard, blocking that opportunity for direct communication.

While Technology Advances, Do Networks Really Change?

Another advantage of using affiliate software is about the long-term investment of software. Affiliate networks mostly rely on working with people and connections. It’s possible that they can fall behind on the trends. Software, on the other hand, is kept up-to-date. Technology improves constantly. It is a requirement.

Some Real-world Examples

So far, we have laid out some strong points to determine what is the advantage of using affiliate software instead of an affiliate network. Now let’s look at some direct examples and the reasons for their successes.

Commission Junction (CJ Affiliate)

Industry: Affiliate network
Affiliate Program: A leading affiliate network that connects businesses with a global network of affiliates.
Success: CJ Affiliate has helped numerous businesses achieve their marketing goals by providing tools and resources to manage and optimise their affiliate programs.

ClickBank

Industry: Digital products
Affiliate Program: A popular platform for digital products, connecting creators with affiliates to promote their products.
Success: ClickBank has enabled many digital product creators to generate significant revenue through its affiliate program.

ShareASale

Industry: Affiliate network
Affiliate Program: A well-established affiliate network with a wide range of merchants and affiliates.
Success: ShareASale has helped businesses of all sizes increase sales and build brand awareness through its affiliate program.

Specific software details are often not publicly disclosed by companies. This is due to competitive reasons and the desire to maintain a competitive advantage. Nevertheless, based on the nature of these businesses and common industry practices, it's likely that they have used either proprietary affiliate software or third-party affiliate software.

Most likely:

HasOffers: A comprehensive platform offering features like tracking, reporting, and fraud prevention.
Affilorama: A popular choice for smaller businesses, providing tools and training for affiliate marketing.
Post Affiliate Pro: Known for its flexibility and customization options.
ShareSale: While primarily an affiliate network, ShareSale also offers software tools for managing affiliate programs.