Rebranding your affiliate program – what you need to know

Rebranding can be a fantastic move to make in the right circumstances. However, you need to make sure that you are going about it properly. Swapping your program name and logo is not the same as a full rebrand, and the latter will take a lot to master. Here are some tips to help you pull off a successful rebranding of your affiliate program.

Decide what you are taking forward

Rebranding your affiliate program is also an opportunity to restructure it. There might be aspects in your current program that you do not wish to take forward into the new one.

For example, there might be some links and other brands that you wish to end your partnership with. Go over your contracts and partnership agreements with them to guarantee that you are severing ways properly.

This might also be an opportunity for you to go through your affiliates and decide if they are right for you. If there are some that you wish to part ways with, now is the time to do so.

Have the rebrand ready to go

When rebranding your affiliate program, you will quickly learn that there is a lot that needs to be done. From creating a new website to ensuring that domains and email addresses are in place, to something as simple as finalising your logo, it all needs to be in place.

It is always going to be better to have this all in place before your launch, instead of trying to do things in bits and pieces. Ensure that you have all the materials ready to go by the time your deadline for the rebrand rolls around.

Prep your followers

For those affiliates you are keeping, you should prepare a quick brief about the rebrand and how it will affect them. Rebranding your affiliate program might require some changes from them too, or it could be as simple as just having them switch out their links when the time comes. You need to make sure that they are aware of any major changes there might be.

Promote to your audiences

Beyond your affiliates, you might have a wider audience who needs to be made aware of the rebranding of your affiliate program. For example, you might want to prepare a short press release to circulate around some key publications and contacts. This is an easy way to inform your wider network about the rebranding.

Likewise, you should prepare some materials for your social media. A countdown to the branding reveal can be a great move to build up engagement and interest.

Will you be launching new social media or will you simply be rebranding your existing pages? If you will be looking to the former, make sure your old pages have links to your new so you do not drop traffic as activity on the old pages ceases.

Organisation will be key

Organisation and planning are key to a successful rebrand. Both will be needed for you to pull off the rebranding of your affiliate program properly.