Mail Online begins affiliate marketing: Editorial links to vendor content

Jul 2, 2013 | Content marketing, E-commerce and E-retailing, Online advertising

The Daily Mail has begun an affiliate marketing scheme, offerering advertisers paid links from MailOnline articles. The trial from the world’s most visited news site could be mirrored by other online publishers. The move allows readers of its celebrity-fuelled stories to follow links directly through to vendors of fashion items featured on the website, providing […]

The Daily Mail has begun an affiliate marketing scheme, offerering advertisers paid links from MailOnline articles.


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The trial from the world’s most visited news site could be mirrored by other online publishers.
The move allows readers of its celebrity-fuelled stories to follow links directly through to vendors of fashion items featured on the website, providing another marketing outlet for clothes and accessories retailers.
Speaking to the FT, Mel Scott, commercial director at Mail Online, said: “The feeling was that we wanted to give something back to the reader, who was asking us: ‘Where does Amanda Holden’s silver skirt come from?’ We will make affiliate revenue around it but the editorial integrity will be absolutely key. We have had massive click throughs to look at the product and massive click throughs into the suggested products.”
Earlier this month, MailOnline provided a link to a Hobbs Dalmatian print dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, which subsequently sold out within an hour.
Mark Haviland, MD, Rakuten Marketing commented: “The popularity of online shopping coupled with an extremely powerful media platform like MailOnline, which attracts over 8 million users a month, will create an invaluable channel for retailers selling online. This affiliate marketing platform is a fantastic compliment to the existing players in the CPA space, combining a content rich experience, that is highly sociable and relevant, but also connected to popular fashion and shopping trends.
“The ‘Kate effect’ shows that celebrity endorsement isn’t going to go out of fashion and this latest industry development allows brands to make it easy for shoppers to instantly buy the same items as their favourite celebs or designers. Looking ahead, I’m sure that traditional publishing houses will continue to see the CPA model as a valued compliment to existing revenue streams, not just for the commercial opportunity, but also for the richness in experience it can offer readers. The ‘Read, Share & Shop’ publishing model is in its early years, but has a bright future ahead.”
Micke Paqvalen, CEO and Founder of Kiosked, comments: “In the past, publishers relied on ad networks to monetise an increasingly digital readership. Today, new and innovative advertising models provide publishers with the opportunity to offer readers more when it comes to content.
“In recent years, media has become decentralised, allowing it to dovetail with ecommerce. By linking content to commerce whilst maintaining editorial integrity, publishers are able to turn advertising into a service for consumers. DMTG’s announcement shows how publishers can add value to existing content while facilitating new, non-intrusive and useful models of digital advertising.”

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