Making money from a small business blog may seem like a straightforward process, but there’s more to it than just writing about a product or service and waiting for customers. To start earning money from web content like affiliate marketing blogs, choosing the right niche and growing your audience is absolutely essential. But wait…aren’t we getting ahead of ourselves? What is a blog, and how do you blog in the first place? In the vast digital landscape, blogs are the beating heart of online communication, the core around which proper customer relationships can be built. Blogs are gateways to knowledge, creativity, and – for aspiring bloggers – livelihoods. Technically, blogging involves creating and maintaining a website where you publish written content, multimedia, or a combination of both. In reality, though, it’s much more than that. For devoted bloggers, blogging is all about passion, dedication, inventiveness, and a full comprehension of their target audience. Fortunately, you’ve come across this blog monetising guide. Whether your blog is a platform for your hobbies, expertise, or creative expressions, you will learn how to unlock its full potential with this comprehensive read. Meanwhile, let’s explore the dynamic landscape of bloggers in the United States, spanning the years from 2014 to 2020: Source: Statista The first and foremost advantage of working as a blogger is…blog monetising. Affiliate marketing blog monetising can earn you huge profits, whether you’re writing how-to articles, guides, or other popular blogs. Blog monetising involves a good niche selection, affiliate programmes, and promotional strategies. If you already have a fine free blog website, a few adjustments may transform it into an effective affiliate marketing platform. via GIPHY Whether you’re a blogger with years of experience or a beginner, welcome to the art and science of blog monetising. How To Start a Blog and Make Money Do you know how to create a blog for free without a plan? Spill the beans if you do, because we don’t. Any blog monetising attempt, big or small, starts with a plan. Now, the gist of the plan is to provide clear step-by-step guidance into creating evergreen content that stands the test of time and generates new customers without or with only little tweaks. Such content may include: A blog post White papers Case studies Best blogs serve as a platform for sharing information, opinions, and experiences while promoting products and services. Whether you are an aspiring actress, a serious scientist, or an athlete, you can write blogs if you feel you have value to share. Affiliate marketing stands out as one of the most profitable blog monetising avenues, with countless affiliate marketing programmes allowing you to generate revenue by promoting products or services. Affiliate marketing bloggers can make money writing by collaborating with famous brands and earning commissions for every successful sale or lead. Likewise, they may leverage their expertise and build trust with their audience, increasing the likelihood of purchase. Long storey short, there are three main steps to kick things off with affiliate blogging: Selecting a niche and product you are knowledgeable about Choosing an affiliate programme that satisfies your expectations Applying theory to practise while analysing results and adjusting down the road Effective blog monetising needs a strategic approach, but the main ingredient to creating a free blog or affiliate blog website is your passion. The niche isn’t as important as your desire to share experience, value, and joy with the world. That said, many affiliate blogs tap into the vast world of e-commerce for the unmatched profits the latter offers. Here are the top high-ticket affiliate marketing niches you might want to explore: Source: Unlocking Revenue: What Are High-Ticket Affiliate Marketing Niches? Among other affiliate marketing niches are: Insurance Finance Renewable energy solutions Online gaming Accessories Pet products Eco-friendly products and organic foods DIY guides As a blogger, the very least you must do to start a blog for free is pinpoint a niche market and find high-value products to promote. It is key to remember that niche popularity may shift as market trends and user preferences change. Here are some preferred blog content formats: Source: Statista The next step in starting a blog is to comprehend the needs of your target audience. You need to build authority, so it’s important to create high-quality content that directly connects with people, like how-to-articles or posts about news and trends. Bloggers also need a solid SEO strategy to attract potential customers. Professional bloggers prioritise keyword research and on-page content optimisation to drive website traffic. When Is the Best Time To Start Making Money from Your Blog? You need to wait until your traffic is consistent before considering blog monetising. Common sense is key — when you see a steady flow of customers, it’s a good time to begin. On a similar note, some advertisers and affiliate networks may reject your application if your audience is not big enough. For a speedy overview of creating a blog for affiliate marketing, take a look at this video: Six Ways to Efficient Blog Monetising So, what is blog monetising besides moneymaking? It is a great opportunity to turn your passion for writing into a revenue stream, monetising your natural talent, unique experiences, expertise, and command over the subject. You can’t monetise your blog overnight, but with the right methods and dedication, you have every chance to create a consistent income from your blog. Speaking of the blog monetising methods, you may need six of them. Let’s discover them in detail. 1. Affiliate Marketing Programmes Affiliate marketing is a common way to generate income with blogs, a deal between businesses and individuals, where the company pays a commission to those who generate customers or sales through their marketing efforts. Explore the average income for all affiliate marketing niches combined: Source: Statista Affiliate marketing is quite a profitable and popular example of blog monetising, but you must work hard to succeed. One thing that may help you is social media, especially social media influencers. Famous bloggers bring in traffic and enhance brand awareness, often using social networks or email marketing. How To Launch an Affiliate Marketing Blog To Earn Money From It Here are the three steps to launch or upgrade affiliate marketers’ blogs: Explore relevant offers to select the best-matching niche and product. Select one or a few affiliate programmes that resonate with you. Incorporate marketing strategies to improve your business: blogger SEO optimisation, affiliate link tracking, user behaviour tools, artificial intelligence, and social media ads. The good news is that bloggers have the opportunity to work through established affiliate networks like Amazon Associates, so you don’t even have to do much to convert your blog into a money-making machine. Any popular affiliate marketing programme includes customisable creatives, software, and other things to help you generate and convert more leads. Here’s how Amazon grew over the decades: Source: Statista How To Launch an Affiliate Marketing Website To Earn Money From It Albeit more complex than a blog, an affiliate marketing website is a great choice for aspiring and professional bloggers alike. Cheque out the steps for creating affiliate blogger websites: Pick a niche: The most profitable niches nowadays are finance, insurance, and home services. Select website design: Common versions include personal blogs, business blogs, review sites, and price comparison web pages. Choose hosting and a domain: Whether a traditional or cloud hosting, the most well-known and memorable domain is “com.” Choose a website builder and plugins: You build a fully-fledged WordPress blog or a lightweight blog with a drag-and-drop affiliate website builder. Optimise and control: When a blog website is ready, you are responsible for ongoing content creation, affiliate link tracking, and partner management. Consider using affiliate management software to streamline your efforts and maximise your results. 2. Email Marketing Lists Email marketing is indispensable for bloggers looking to boost their blogs with monetisation. Well-thought-out email campaigns delivered to the right recipients at the right time can increase your traffic, conversions, and revenue. The Major Benefits of Email Marketing for Blogging Sites Precise targeting You can reach high-intent subscribers, who are more likely to take action. Building relationships Email marketing through affiliates helps strengthen the connection with customers by providing valuable content, offers, and recommendations. Automation Email campaigns can be scheduled in advance and triggered by specific user behaviours so they receive the message at the right time. Engagement Email subscribers are more engaged and likely to share your content on social media, improving your brand visibility. Measurability Bloggers can track email campaign results in real-time and accurately calculate the return on investment. To tap into the full spectrum of email marketing advantages, explore Phonexa’s E-Delivery, a powerful tool to enhance the performance of your email marketing campaigns through: Multi-channel distribution Behavioural segmentation A/B email marketing automation ESP integration SMTP support Efficient list-building, and more. With E-Delivery, you can get insights into how different email delivery services affect your performance and reach audiences through email and SMS, adding personalisation for better engagement. But that’s not all. To keep your email list relevant at all times — a crucial component of your mail marketing success — you quality suppression list management and email cleansing, which are both incorporated into a unique Opt-Intel solution. Among other things, Opt-Intel offers: List sharing Automated data transfers Opt-out domain white labelling Opt-Intel helps you extract more value from your emails, enable efficient opt-out processing, and achieve robust data security. 3. Online Courses The e-learning industry is becoming more popular among blogs for affiliate marketing as more people seek new skills in the ever-globalising world. The e-learning avenue of blog monetising includes: Webinars Seminars Workshops Advisory services Coaching Begin with creating a landing page on your affiliate marketing blog to offer coaching or consulting services and expand depending on what your audiences need. However, keep in mind that you must demonstrate significant expertise in your field for your practises to be considered ethical and, in some cases, legal. 4. Advertisements Online advertising is an extremely popular blog monetising method, with Google AdSense allowing an affiliate marketing blogger to earn money through on-site or social media promotions. That said, paid ads require substantial organic traffic to be profitable, including providing newsworthy and viral content, implementing SEO optimisation, and other rules. Alternatively, a blog creator can partner up with advertisers directly, charging a flat fee for running ads on their blog. 5. Sponsored Posts It’s no secret that businesses pay famous blogs to create sponsored content. Sponsored posts can be effective when the blogger has a huge audience and at least some credibility. At the same time, smaller blogs might struggle to find decent offers. If your affiliate blog is small, scrutinise all partnership offers you get. Remember, an instant buck is not worth risking your reputation. On the other hand, established affiliate blogs usually don’t have problems with affiliate marketing offers. 6. Selling Physical or Digital Products Here are some of the physical products you can sell to online retailers: Ebooks Podcasts Webinars Templates Checklists Subscriptions Affiliate marketing bloggers must select products that align with their business goals and audience’s needs. Likewise, you can explore marketplaces like Amazon Kindle, Etsy, or dedicated platforms like Sellfy and Podia. Core Principles of Successful Blogging for Money Whether you’re just starting or have been blogging for a while, there are five principles every blogger should follow when writing for money. Here’s a quick instruction on how to start blogging and perform well: Focus: Choose a specific industry, niche, or topic you can consistently write about and get as much knowledge about it as possible. People return to a blog when it offers unique value and meets their needs. Quality: Your content must be well-written and supported by credible sources. Don’t compromise on quality if you’re serious about turning your blog into a profitable venture. Value: Invest the time to create comprehensive tutorials and informative posts with various media formats to help readers solve their problems. Value is the foundation of success in blogging for business, and it sets the stage for income generation. Engagement: Evaluate how interactive your content is. The more engagement you generate, the higher the likelihood of turning visitors into customers, your main blog monetising objective. Authority: If you’re already an expert, a best-selling author, or have a substantial social media following, launching a blog can quickly drive traffic. Start Making More Money with Your Blog Now Blog monetising is achievable with the right strategies and dedication. Explore options that align with your niche, audience, and expertise. Whether you choose to sell digital products, physical products, or online courses, make sure to provide value to your readers while generating income for yourself. Explore all available blog monetising options, ensuring they align with your business case. Here’s what blog affiliate marketing can grant you: Stable passive income Scalability Global reach Low entry barrier Diverse income sources Remember, though, your blogging success hinges on a delicate balance of serving your audience’s needs while generating income for your business. Increase Your Affiliate Marketing Blogging Potential With Phonexa Affiliate marketing is trendy for promoting products and services. Phonexa offers effective automated affiliate marketing software to achieve impressive growth for businesses in various industries. For only $100 per month, you can unlock access to: LMS Sync — empowering lead management system Call Logic — streamlined call tracking and analytics platform Cloud PBX — trustworthy virtual phone system Lynx — professional-grade click-tracking software E-Delivery — potent email marketing tool HitMetrix — uniquely insightful user behaviour analytics and CRO software Opt-Intel — effective email suppression list management solution Books360 — versatile accounting software with integrated invoice generation Improve your performance marketing and affiliate blog monetising efforts with Phonexa’s comprehensive marketing software suite, or schedule a free online consultation to learn more about how Phonexa can elevate your blogging career. Frequently Asked Questions What is blogging? Blogging is the practise of creating and publishing content on a website. This website usually contains written articles to share specific information, opinions, or experiences with the audience. What’s a blog? A blog is a web page with experience-sharing, problem-solving, or promotional information, usually told as storeys. Besides, a blog is a valuable instrument to target certain customers, including with the help of social media and influencers. How to make a blog in 5 steps 1. Choose a niche you’re passionate about2. Utilise a blogging platform such as WordPress or Blogger3. Choose your domain name and web hosting service4. Design your website or blog5. Create engaging content like blog posts, case studies, white papers, etc. What is blog monetising? Blog monetising means earning income from a blog with various strategies.Learning how to monetise a blog requires a few key methods:– Displaying advertisements– Promoting products or services directly on a blog– Offering sponsored content– Participating in affiliate marketing programmesThe most effective way to make money blogging involves joining several affiliate marketing networks, which provide affiliate bloggers with everything they need to strike a chord with their readers. What guidelines should be followed to monetise a blog? To launch a money-making and attractive blog, please consider the following:– Using just one source of income can be inefficient, so combine several affiliate marketing programmes, campaigns, traffic sources, etc.– Leverage email marketing campaigns for more efficient blog monetising.– Focus on quality and helpful content to foster trusting relationships and better engagement.– Experiment and test your blog’s performance using analytics tools.– Follow the industry trends and adapt to shifts in the digital landscape. Bloggers need to stay adaptable and evolve their blog monetising strategies.
Embarking on the journey to excel in the affiliate industry can be a challenging path. Statistics reveal that only a fraction of affiliates – around one in six – manage to earn over £50,000 from their efforts, with a mere four percent surpassing £150,000. However, despite the obstacles, success is attainable, particularly if you have mastered the essential tool of affiliate marketing – affiliate link tracking. Source: Influencermarketinghub Your adeptness at affiliate tracking distinguishes you as a significant player in the market, whether you’re an advertiser or an affiliate network proprietor. Why is this the case? Primarily because affiliate tracking provides access to comprehensive data concerning your affiliates and marketing initiatives, placing you in full control of your enterprise. From monitoring affiliate performance to refining marketing campaigns, advanced affiliate tracking has the potential to enhance every aspect of your business. Continue reading to explore how affiliate link tracking can elevate your affiliate enterprise. Affiliate Link Tracking: An Overview Tracking affiliate links holds immense significance for advertisers across various industries, ranging from real estate to insurance to fashion. Link clicks represent the primary marketing metric for 83% of marketers, with 59% of them using clicks as the principal metric for monitoring affiliate programmes. Simultaneously, affiliate tracking is relatively straightforward: An affiliate is assigned a unique affiliate link containing the advertiser’s ID, facilitating the connection between the affiliate and the purchases made by customers who follow the affiliate link. Source: Moneymakingcrew The mechanism of affiliate link tracking may vary depending on the tracking method and affiliate tracking software used. Nonetheless, the fundamental purpose remains consistent – to link customers with their traffic source, enabling timely affiliate payments, affiliate analytics, and more. Source: Influencermarketinghub The deeper your understanding of your affiliates, the more effectively you can execute your affiliate marketing strategies, whether you collaborate directly with affiliates or operate through an affiliate network. Cookie vs. Pixel-based vs. Cookieless Affiliate Tracking Cookie Tracking Upon visiting a website for the first time, you are typically prompted to agree to a cookie policy. This policy collects your data to provide tailored services based on this information, including affiliate tracking. Cookies won’t remain prevalent for much longer, as Google appears determined to phase out third-party cookies altogether. However, the extinction of cookies has been postponed multiple times already, with the latest deadline set for 2024. Cookie-based affiliate tracking operates as follows: When a customer clicks on an affiliate link, the affiliate tracking software deposits a cookie in the clicker’s browser. This cookie may expire – a standard cookie lasts up to 60 days – or endure for as long as necessary to fulfil the campaign’s objectives. Upon making a purchase on the merchant’s website, customers are assigned a unique ID tracked by the cookie. The affiliate tracking system records this ID, along with product details and associated commission amounts. The final connection between the customer and the affiliate is established by comparing the merchant and affiliate datasets. As informative as cookie tracking may be, it will soon be outdated. The technology has been viewed unfavourably by the public for too long to escape Google’s decisive blow. Pixel-based Tracking Pixel-based affiliate tracking entails placing a tracking pixel – an invisible 1×1 pixel image – on the merchant site. This pixel gathers data, such as IP addresses, referral URLs, browser versions, and more, to gauge the website’s conversion rate. Pixel-based affiliate tracking is more precise than cookie tracking, as the pixel cannot expire or be disabled (which many customers do, having become wary of cookies), unequivocally linking the customer to the affiliate. However, pixel-based affiliate tracking can only monitor certain types of interactions – clicks, page views, purchases – while disregarding demographics and purchase history. Cookie-Free Tracking True to its name, cookieless affiliate tracking (also known as server-to-server tracking or postback URL tracking) enables the monitoring of conversions without relying on cookies, a significant advantage given the current cookie landscape. Here’s how cookie-free affiliate tracking operates: 1. When a customer clicks on an affiliate link – one embedded with a click ID key – they are directed through a sequence of redirects that gather customer data and transmit it to the following entities: The advertisment tracker The affiliate network or affiliate tracking platform The advertiser The landing page itself: the click is allocated to a unique ID in the landing page URL 2. Upon completing a purchase, the conversion is attributed to the appropriate affiliate or affiliate network, with the customer ID relayed back to the tracker and the affiliate. 3. The affiliate dispatches a postback, and the ad tracker validates the conversion. Source: Offerslook Postback URL tracking empowers you to monitor your affiliates’ performance, encompassing clicks, leads, and sales generated by each affiliate. This insight enables you to identify top performers and areas requiring support while also safeguarding against affiliate fraud. How Affiliate Networks Acquire Generated Links Assessing affiliate marketing efficacy is only one facet of the equation – the other is remunerating what is owed. As an affiliate network – an intermediary linking affiliates and merchants – you are responsible for receiving and disbursing payments for various measurable actions, encompassing clicks, impressions, sales, and leads. Popular Affiliate Payment Methods Cost-Per-SaleCPS reimburses a percentage of the product’s sale price or a flat fee. CPS eliminates the need for upfront investment from advertisers and mitigates risks, as advertisers only pay a fraction of their earnings.Pay-Per-ClickPPC compensates for each click on their affiliate link, factoring in not just the clicks generated but also the quality of the landing page, the audience’s conversion potential, and the keywords used in the campaign.Cost-Per-ImpressionCPI disburses £2 to £20 for every 1,000 ad displays to potential customers. CPI is most effective for affiliates with substantial traffic volume and advertisers aiming to boost brand awareness rather than immediate sales.Cost-Per-ActionCPA remunerates for a specific action, such as visiting a merchant’s website, subscribing to the newsletter, purchasing a product, or installing an app or software. Ultimately, CPA benefits both affiliates and merchants.Pay-Per-LeadPPL compensates for a generated lead – a customer who meets the affiliate agreement’s criteria (for instance, a customer who has registered an account on the merchant’s website or downloaded a demo). Did you miss our recent blog on pay-per-lead marketing? Cheque it out here to discover how it can enhance your business’s success and boost ROI. The key to selecting the optimal payment model is to blend various payment methods based on the strengths and weaknesses of your affiliate network. Source: Influencermarketinghub Essential Link Tracking Features for Affiliate Campaigns Whether an advertiser or affiliate, you require an affiliate link tracker – or, more accurately, an affiliate tracking system – that enables you to gather and analyse click-and-clicker data for marketing insights and integrates seamlessly with your CRM or lead management system. Below are the four fundamental link-tracking tools you might wish to find in your affiliate link tracker, illustrated using Phonexa’s link tracking software for business: Deep link generator: Steering customers directly to the landing page instead of the homepage optimises the customer journey, boosting leads and conversions over time. Included in your affiliate link tracking software, a deep link generator automatically creates deep links that smoothly guide customers towards conversion. Tracking URL parameters: Automated URL tracking allows prompt revenue distribution and data-driven marketing decisions for advertisers and affiliate networks. The typical URL parameters to monitor include affiliate ID, campaign ID, traffic source, and keywords that triggered the purchase. Direct link tracking: Direct link tracking – via a tracking code embedded in a link – promptly attributes conversions and sales to the correct affiliate, ensuring the effectiveness of affiliate marketing where space for promotional content is limited. Redirect links: Redirect link tracking is employed when a marketing campaign incorporates an intermediary landing page or website from which the user is redirected to the offer. A common use scenario for redirect links is pre-sale campaigns, where customers are primed before reaching the product page. In Phonexa’s affiliate link tracker, these and other features facilitate real-time affiliate tracking and analysis, bolstering your bottom line, whether as an advertiser or affiliate network. Key Features of Affiliate Link Tracking Software 1. Holistic Campaign Overview Advanced affiliate link tracking methods – detailed in the table below – consolidate all crucial data in one place, streamlining control over the process and freeing up resources for any tasks you cannot automate. Advanced Methods for Affiliate Link Tracking Customer Journey TrackingSophisticated affiliate link tracking software will unveil the entire customer journey, encompassing how affiliates and customers engage with adverts, links, and other promotional material. Consequently, this facilitates comprehensive segmentation and personalised content.Coupon TrackingCutting-edge link-tracking software suites will trace offline transactions – such as those made by influencer marketing affiliates – back to the affiliate network, ensuring prompt payments.Lifetime Customer TrackingAdvanced affiliate link tracking software can attribute purchases made by lifetime customers to a specific affiliate network, provided the terms of use in the affiliate agreement permit this revenue model. Essentially, lifetime affiliate tracking offers enduring benefits.Product TrackingRecognising the promotional efficacy of marketed products is crucial for both affiliate networks and advertisers. Per-product tracking, a feature widely accessible within affiliate tracking software, assists in optimising your ROI with your most lucrative products. Comprehensive insight into your campaigns from a unified dashboard allows you to tweak automated affiliate management with minimal effort. While setting up your click-tracking software may require time, the system will quickly yield returns, saving substantial resources daily. 2. Accuracy An affiliate marketing tracker functions adeptly, irrespective of the number of affiliates involved. The impartiality of data collection and analysis, even with an extensive affiliate base, ensures seamless scalability without concerns of software congestion. 3. Immediate Updates Real-time reporting, an integral component of affiliate software, empowers you to respond promptly to significant shifts in the global affiliate market and within your specific affiliate network. For instance, you can quickly address the performance of underperforming affiliates, bolster successful campaigns, and incentivise your most lucrative partners. 4. Equitable and Prompt Payouts The ability to track clicks, leads, and sales in real time – an essential feature of your affiliate marketing tracking software – facilitates accurate commission calculations. It identifies affiliates who have surpassed the payout threshold and adjusts commission rates in accordance with custom payout regulations. 5. Fraud Prevention More than two-thirds of affiliate marketing participants have encountered affiliate fraud, from cookie stuffing to fabricated leads to deceitful transactions. Affiliate tracking software combats this through transaction monitoring, fraud score computation, validation cheques, and other anti-fraud measures. Source: Influencermarketinghub Phonexa’s Lynx: Safeguarding Your Affiliate Campaigns While affiliate networks remain popular, they confront substantial competition from SaaS platforms, and for good reason. Firstly, proprietary software can cater to your entire spectrum of marketing requirements by seamlessly integrating with a CRM or lead management platform. For instance, Phonexa’s Lynx seamlessly incorporates LMS Sync into a comprehensive lead management system that encompasses marketing from A to Z. Secondly, affiliate networks sometimes offer limited incentives to maximise advertisers’ revenue, compelling the latter to focus on their top affiliates while deriving minimal benefits from the broader pool of affiliates within a specific network. Source: Influencermarketinghub In-house management of affiliate programmes is gaining traction, but this does not diminish the value of solutions like Phonexa for affiliate networks. On the contrary, affiliate networks can harness SaaS affiliate marketing solutions to enhance their overall performance, empowering their affiliates with greater marketing capabilities and ultimately enhancing their ROI. Tips for Scaling Your Affiliate Campaigns 1. Maintain Continuous Market Research, Regardless of Your Achievements With affiliate marketing spending witnessing a steady annual increase of 10%, it’s evident that the affiliate marketing landscape is becoming more competitive by the day. Therefore, it’s imperative to persistently conduct market research. Even if you’re an experienced marketer, staying updated with the affiliate market is vital for identifying potential gaps and opportunities for growth. 2. Strategically Grow Your Affiliate Network While it might be tempting to establish an affiliate network and let it run its course, it’s crucial to take a proactive approach: nurture your affiliates as you would your leads. You’re likely to encounter familiar challenges, such as understanding your affiliates’ motivations and re-engaging inactive affiliates. Discover affiliate marketing tools for your business. Here’s how you can maximise the value of your affiliates: Define your ideal affiliate: Clearly defining or redefining your ideal affiliate groups is essential for understanding how to expand and scale. Imagine your affiliates underperforming due to mismatched creative materials without your awareness. Defining your ideal affiliates is crucial for recruiting the right affiliates and providing them with appropriate marketing support. Continuously attract new affiliates: Utilise your online presence, such as your website, blog, social media platforms, and forums, to promote your affiliate network while offering incentives like competitive commissions, exclusive marketing materials, and comprehensive data analytics. Provide ongoing support to your affiliates: Maintain regular communication, offer data-driven feedback, and promptly address any queries or concerns. With 83% of customers prioritising good customer service, your affiliates will be more inclined to stay if you demonstrate responsiveness and insightfulness in addressing their needs. Conduct split-testing of campaigns: A/B testing your advertising campaigns enables you to assess your efforts and determine which ad copies, CTAs, and landing pages yield the best results. 3. Promote Your Unique Selling Proposition While you may possess several advantages within your offer, it’s essential to identify your unique speciality — the irresistible incentive that sets you apart from competitors. This could be anything your rivals lack, such as a two-tier affiliate programme or exceptionally low commissions. Offering an additional tier in your affiliate programme can yield various benefits, from attracting more new affiliates to boosting sales volume and motivating both existing and new affiliates. Grow Your Affiliate Network With Phonexa Phonexa offers a comprehensive solution to enhance affiliate click tracking alongside lead management, email marketing, and click and call tracking, all integrated within a single software suite. This synergy is designed to expand your affiliate network effortlessly, leading to continuous profits. Schedule a consultation to explore how Phonexa’s click-tracking software seamlessly integrates with other Phonexa solutions to elevate your affiliate business. Secure your tailored marketing software suite today and boost your profits in affiliate marketing. Frequently Asked Questions What is an affiliate link? An affiliate link is a URL containing a unique code or identifier, linking the product promoter (publisher, affiliate) with the product owner (merchant, advertiser). Example of an affiliate link: “https://www.examplestore.com/?ref=affiliate123”, where “www.examplestore.com” denotes the merchant’s website and “?ref=affiliate123” serves as the unique affiliate identifier. How do affiliate links function? Affiliate links establish a connection between the affiliate and the product by comparing data from both ends. This can be accomplished through cookie affiliate tracking, pixel affiliate tracking, or cookieless affiliate tracking. Each tracking technology has its advantages and disadvantages, with cookieless affiliate tracking being regarded as the most advanced and reliable. For instance, when a user clicks on “https://www.examplestore.com/?ref=affiliate123” and completes a purchase – immediately or later, depending on the affiliate agreement – the affiliate tracking software records the transaction and attributes it to the affiliate with the ID “affiliate123.” Subsequently, this affiliate receives the corresponding payout as outlined in the affiliate agreement. What is an affiliate tracker? An affiliate tracker is a tool or set of tools – sometimes referred to as sophisticated affiliate tracking software or an affiliate management platform – that offers a wide range of functionalities for tracking affiliates. Among other capabilities, affiliate trackers can generate affiliate links, track affiliate sales, and provide comprehensive reports on affiliates. What qualifies as a favourable affiliate commission? The suitability of an affiliate commission varies depending on whether one is an advertiser, an affiliate network owner, or an affiliate. Advertisers aim to pay minimal commissions while receiving high-quality traffic. Affiliate network owners strive to secure maximum commissions from advertiser-affiliate agreements. Affiliates aspire to receive substantial commissions for the traffic they generate. In reality, affiliate commissions typically range from 10% to as much as 70% of the sale amount, as depicted in the graph below.Source: Influencermarketinghub What constitutes an affiliate lock-in? An affiliate lock-in binds an advertiser to an affiliate programme, even if better options are available, to ensure a steady revenue stream for the advertiser in exchange for loyalty to an affiliate programme. Similarly, a lock-in encourages affiliates to deliver quality content by assuring them of sales over a specific timeframe. However, lock-ins have drawbacks as they may lead to advertisers paying excessively for customers while being unable to switch to a more advantageous affiliate programme, resulting in frustration and negative feedback. What is a lock date? A lock date (locking period) is the date that finalises the transaction (typically the 20th of the month). Once the lock date arrives, advertisers cannot edit or void the affiliate deal but must reimburse the affiliate for the leads, clicks, or sales generated. What is the most straightforward niche for affiliate marketing? The most popular niches for affiliate marketing include finance, home services, insurance, education, e-commerce, gambling, health and beauty, dating, and gaming. However, the popularity of these niches does not necessarily correlate with ease of success. What is link cloaking in affiliate marketing? Link cloaking involves transforming random letters and numbers into meaningful words representing the link’s content. Despite the potentially negative connotations, link cloaking is a legitimate practice aimed at making affiliate links more appealing to potential customers. The prohibition of link cloaking by certain affiliate programmes, such as Amazon Associates, does not render this practice malicious. Source: Influencermarketinghub What is click fraud? Click fraud involves deliberately clicking on an affiliate link to generate income within a pay-per-click affiliate payment model. This fraudulent activity encompasses creating fake accounts, employing automated scripts, and utilising third-party platforms to mimic genuine website visitors. To combat click fraud: Establish protocols for affiliates to report suspicious activities. Monitor for excessive clicks originating from the same IP address. Implement click filtering to eliminate irrelevant clicks on affiliate links. Additionally, consider diversifying your affiliate partners, as relying solely on one partner is not advisable, or setting limits on the amount of money per click/day/etc. Source: Influencermarketinghub
Software automation is what most businesses need to optimise such sales processes as tracking leads and routing them. It is no secret that lead generation is all about numbers. And that is why process automation is a surefire way to manage lead distribution effectively. Lead gen tools can help enterprises boost their revenues and expand reach with powerful analytics like ping tree technology and predictive insights. This article will guide you through the fundamentals of the ping post process and explain how lead sellers, customers, and buyers can make the most of it. Ping Tree Technology Explained Let’s start with the terminology first. So what is a lead? And what does it have to do with a ping tree? A lead can be generated through an online form, a landing page, and any ad campaign. Simply put, leads are prospective customers. Once they fill out a form or call a number displayed on an ad, leads are validated and sent to the lead management platforms. Ping tree can also be called a marketplace that strategically connects prospective consumers looking for specific services with businesses offering such services. Utilising this technology implies getting access to lead distribution software. In a nutshell, it allows finding a perfect match. It means that a potential lead buyer can choose to purchase a lead based on particular criteria or pass. This process is ongoing up to a point when a business decides to acquire the lead. Ultimately, ping trees help enterprises simplify the process of selling data in real-time and maximise the value of leads for sellers and buyers. Key Advantages #1. Breathing new life into your leads With this technology, enterprises can distribute leads to multiple buyers and set their price points. That is an excellent way to add value to the declined organic leads and find numerous buyers. #2. Increasing revenue Apart from providing the opportunity to set the price, this technology enhances the likelihood of finding specific buyers and choosing from several options when selling leads. This way, the marketplace becomes even more competitive. #3. Improved purchasing power Lead buyers gain more authority when it comes to optimizing their acquisition costs. They also get access to the network of buyers, which implies sustained demand. #4. Numerous opportunities for consumers Lead routing is as crucial for customers as it is for businesses. It offers them countless opportunities to connect with specific companies where their needs are more likely to be met. #5. Shorter wait times Ping trees help enterprises reduce response time and connect them with businesses in a more efficient way. What Is a Ping Post Software? Ping post allows sending partial information about the leads, a.k.a. a ping, to the buyers. Pings can include a geographic location, answers to specific questions, or personal information like a mobile number or email. Once buyers receive the ping, they evaluate the information received and decide whether these leads are worth buying. Phonexa offers its clients an opportunity to optimise their buying processes, manage multiple lead sellers, and minimise the time required for setup through its ping post lead distribution software. Phonexa ping post software allows gaining control over both buying and selling. Here is how it works: Buyers receive fragmentary lead information They choose to accept the offer or pass Sellers send partial lead information to multiple buyers The auto-optimising algorithm finds the best fit for every lead Both parties benefit from maximised profitability and lead value Consumers get to enjoy the most suitable services A user-friendly design of the software removes the typical barriers associated with complex algorithms and technologies. It means that features and commands are intuitive, which, in turn, allows clients to make fast adjustments, automatically accept or reject any offers, and scale their business. Make data-driven decisions a priority and schedule a consultation with Phonexa’s experts to find out more about the ping post software features.
If you’re using Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or any other pay-per-click platform to drive traffic to your webpage, you know how expensive traffic can be and how little room there is for marketing errors that result in financial loss. But imagine what would happen if you had a tool integrated with the rest of your marketing tech stack that provides you insights into conversion rate optimisation (CRO) by leveraging real-time user behaviour data and web analytics that help you with the actionable insights you need to improve conversions. Finding a wholesome tool that supplies all those demands is challenging, but with Phonexa’s HitMetrix, you can now grow your business with an improved CRO, eliminate fraud, identify friction points, and take necessary action to improve your campaign outcomes. Actionable Analytics: No More Digging Into Extensive Screen Recordings & Heatmaps to Identify Friction With HitMetrix, the days of watching hours of screen recordings and manually vetting issues and friction points are far gone. While still offering heatmaps and session recordings as additional tools to look deeper into web page performance, HitMetrix approaches conversions with strategies to support publishers, leadgen professionals, and conversion rate optimisation specialists. This behaviour recording and analytics tool also gives website owners access to a simply navigated yet extensive data set that can be overlaid with other marketing metrics to improve conversion performance. Here’s what supplies this 360-degree view: Friction Insights & Evaluation: Track any action that causes friction, including click rate, click-error, bounce, speed-browsing, mouse-out, and mobility. Session Replay Software: Videos are archived for review, allowing you to track behaviour analytics, tendencies, and frequencies to identify frustrating sessions for fixing. Usability Testing: Understand when visitors get stuck and drop out during the conversion journey. Click Tracking: Discover which components of your marketing funnel capture attention that translates into clicks. Activity-Tracking: Leverage the real-time changes to the data that analyses your conversions and tracks every step of how leads turned into conversions. Screen Recording & Session Replay: Archived videos that back your data and review them later to track behaviour, tendencies, and frequencies in visitor behaviour. The value proposition here is simple — maximising conversions with a tool that gives complete visibility into fraud, friction, and other measurable data and making your site compelling to visitors and beneficial to your conversion rate optimisation efforts. Use web analytics through HitMetrix like a pro to grow your lead generation with a powerful yet easy-to-use tool that is native to your current lead management system. Learn more here. A CRO Tool as Part of Your Marketing Tech Stack HitMetrix sets itself apart from competing products on the market with its ability to pair and be fully integrated with seven core marketing automation tools within the Phonexa platform. And you’d be missing a key piece of the puzzle if you didn’t wonder where HitMetrix sits with the rest of your automation stack. While powerful alone, HitMetrix is most effective when used with other Phonexa products to optimise conversions resulting from calls, leads, clicks, email, SMS, and more. The benefits are unmatched. Here’s how HitMetrix works with other key players within the Phonexa platform: HitMetrix & LMS Sync What if you knew just about everything about your lead traffic? When you pair HitMetrix with LMS Sync, you can activate an all-encompassing view into fraudulent lead traits, insights on user behaviour, and more. HitMetrix & Call Logic Do you have a business that’s more call-focused? Add HitMetrix to your website that drives call traffic to unpack what exactly causes call conversion. HitMetrix & Lynx Gain campaign clarity when you track the clicks on your paid campaigns with direct links to landing pages within your website. Add HitMetrix to the equation to measure conversion rates and evaluate the return on your ad spend (ROAS). These solutions embody a marketing powerhouse that fully supports your website’s conversion rate optimisation and lead generation efforts when working together. HitMetrix for the Win Current Phonexa customers already know the value of running all of their leadgen efforts through one comprehensive solution. HitMetrix has been that missing piece in the puzzle, the cherry on top, for those wanting to optimise conversion rates as an added layer of certainty to the rest of their marketing. With HitMetrix, these desires are a mere reality as the product is driven by a fully-integrated and self-sufficient automation platform that does the job of eight separate ones. HitMetrix is a part of that bundle, so you never have to worry about lengthy integrations and inactivity caused by singular third-party tools. Power your leadgen and conversion rates with one centralised platform that converges your data, insights, and campaign ROI to shape winning strategies for your overall business. Are you a current Phonexa user unsure of where HitMetrix can jump in with the rest of your marketing efforts? Click here to learn more about the tool that can help you gain a 360-degree view of your conversion rate optimisation. New to Phonexa but curious about HitMetrix? Schedule a consultation to learn more about how HitMetrix and the rest of the Phonexa suite can help you centralise your efforts in one place.
The federal solar tax credit is on its way out, and in less than two years, homeowners will no longer be able to deduct nearly 20% of the cost of their solar energy systems from their federal taxes. To the typical solar business, this means almost nothing, but the smart and proactive business will tackle this as an opportunity to sell more solar packages in a wider geographical compass. Of course, letting consumers in on the urgency of the matter should be a huge selling point that prompts homeowners to take care of the home project they may have been putting off before the tax legislation expires in 2024. While there’s a lot I can say about the effect of this legislation, I’ll keep my focus on what I know best – the home services market. In this article, I’ll cover everything solar companies need to know about reaping the benefits of marketing automation for their businesses. Why Marketing Automation? Any good marketing technology should do three things: help marketers learn from past campaigns, be transparent about the current state of marketing, and strategize for the future. How can that be achieved? Luckily for you, Phonexa’s all-in-one platform for automated calls, leads, clicks, email, SMS, accounting, and more, puts every aspect of your business marketing in one place, providing you with the tools and functionalities, real-time insights, and scalability, to achieve precisely that. Now, ahead of SolarCon 2022 in Salt Lake City, here are a few ways your solar business can benefit from using marketing automation technology. 1. Leverage Calls, Powered By Ping Post Calls 2.0 If you’re running targeted Google Ads for your services with a CTA that prompts consumers to call your business, you know how critical it is to answer a call quickly. But if you’re not backing these calls with tracking technology that secures dynamic functionality, know that you’re losing consumers before they even make it to your sales funnel. Considering the urgency and that over 40% of callers abandon after waiting too long in the queue, now is the right time to invest in solutions like Call Logic to help you avoid the churn. Track all aspects of your call from the source to the conversion and beyond to gain detailed insights about which aspects of your call campaigns work and which don’t. And when you get leads that don’t fit your criteria, take advantage of Ping Post Calls 2.0 to streamline selling leads by allowing simultaneous pings to high-intent buyers. As a result, you’ll convert the leads that fall into your criteria, or you can sell the ones that your company cannot service to the highest bidder. 2. Creating Revenue Streams Via IVR Knowing when to say goodbye to an underqualified lead should always be an easy call, and with Phonexa’s responsive IVR system, you can automate that vetting process within seconds. Let’s say a call lead has already shown you their high intent in buying your product, but the lead doesn’t quite fit well into your target audience, be it due to the customer’s financial background, deal size, or geographic location. Phonexa allows users to retain or re-route these leads through automated filters and IVR blocks that can ping the caller’s information to first and third-party databases to find out more about them. With that, you’re being methodical about your lead generation efforts by vetting only the best leads for your business. Then you’re monetizing on the lead data that you don’t deem suitable for your business type. It’s a double-win! 3. Mobile-Friendly For The Win Let’s consider this factoid – nearly 75% of solar consumers conduct their business via mobile devices. About 41% of customer journeys begin on an e-care platform before switching to traditional channels. The next logical step here is a phone call. When your advertisements, landing pages, and offerings are designed and optimized for mobile, you’re increasing the likelihood of consumer calls and conversions. A user-friendly mobile experience will streamline the customer call journey and make these callers a part of that average 30 to 50% of consumers that convert after a phone conversation. Improve your mobile experience with the following: Launch trackable ads with enabled link and click tracking functionality; Use clickable phone numbers at the top of your campaign landing pages; Use vanity phone numbers; Design for mobile or create a mobile app Final Thoughts The solar industry has varying challenges and sensitivities, but one thing that constantly evolves and improves this process is automation technology. That’s why investing in a platform that covers all aspects of your business is the right place to start. When choosing your platform, remember that implementing the above strategies will generate a steady stream of new revenue for each campaign, helping you set efficient budgets and meet your ultimate conversion goals. Be efficient, and always keep the urgency of speed to contact at the forefront of all your marketing decision-making for your solar company’s business and leadgen strategy. Send Patrick Boyd a message on LinkedIn if you’d like to meet with him while at SolarCon 2022 in Salt Lake City. Schedule a consultation if you’d like to learn more about how Phonexa can power the marketing automation efforts for your solar company.
Set to take place from March 21 to 23 at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, LeadsCon 2022 is a promising venture for performance marketers, lead generators, and SaaS companies alike to once again showcase to marketers how to increase leads across new industries. This year we’re marking our return to LeadsCon for the sixth consecutive year as an exhibitor at booth #101 at the Paris Ballroom. LeadsCon is especially exciting for Phonexa, as our team heads back to Las Vegas equipped and ready to position front and center the groundbreaking product feature Ping Post Calls 2.0, a live transfer call product feature available as part of our all-in-one marketing automation solution. Call Logic: Call tracking and distribution LMS Sync: Lead tracking and distribution E-Delivery: Email and SMS marketing Cloud PBX: Cloud phone system Lynx: Click tracking Opt-Intel: Suppression list management Books360: Automated accounting Additionally, Phonexa Chief Strategy Officer Amanda Farris will take the stage with Brian Brown, the President of Jupiter Auto Insurance, and Ethan Ewing, the CEO of ProPair, on March 22 at 11 a.m. at the Versailles 4 hall to headline a session titled “AI & Machine Learning: What Tech is Really Making a Difference in LeadGen?” The trio will tackle how AI shapes the lead generation industry. The session will teach attendees how to leverage AI in marketing to action acquisition campaigns, unlock new testing channels, accelerate revenue, and increase customer lifetime value. Phonexa will later carry the conversation by hosting a private dinner for speakers. As a continued effort to expand the company’s Partnership Program, Farris will focus on forming strategic partnerships around LinkUnite, the Phonexa-powered inaugural forum for female leaders in digital marketing. Connect with Farris on LinkedIn to learn more about Partnership opportunities, LinkUnite, or other marketing community-building initiatives. Applying Ping Post Calls 2.0 To Your Lead Gen Campaigns Front and center during some of our conversations at LeadsCon will be Ping Post Calls 2.0, a fully-optimizable product feature in Call Logic. Designed to optimize and improve the lead journey, this unrivaled new tier has reinvented the Ping Post process by changing the publisher-buyer interface and allowing publishers, buyers, direct advertisers, and affiliate networks to benefit from the way it operates. Since its launch, Ping Post Calls 2.0 has benefitted the most complex and dynamic lead gen business models across all industries. Ping Post Calls 2.0 supports all five lead flows and customer touchpoints to ensure a successful lead distribution journey. Lead Flow #1: Data collected by IVR Lead Flow #2: Data is pinged before the call, with the caller’s phone number Lead Flow #3: Data is pinged before the call, without the caller’s phone number Lead Flow #4: Call with applications and no bidding Lead Flow #5: Pinging based on agent availability Join the crowd of industry-leading early adopters of this groundbreaking technology and get an in-depth look at how Ping Post Calls 2.0 works. Learn more about how to start using all five call lead flows for your business ahead of LeadsCon by downloading our e-book on Ping Post Calls 2.0. Live Transfer Calls aren’t the only way Phonexa has helped affiliate networks and lead gen businesses maximize the power and potential of their campaigns through the use of the technology. A recent case study with a financial services lead gen network found that LMS Sync, Phonexa’s comprehensive lead management system, has helped increase lead processing volume by 18% — resulting in a 25% increase in revenue and a 15% bump in conversions. Read this case study to learn more about how Phonexa helped this lead generation network master seamless end-to-end lead journeys. 5 Workshops Phonexa Will Be Monitoring At LeadsCon Achieving Compliance in the Rapidly Evolving Higher Education Regulatory Landscape by Marcelo Parravicini (CEO & Principal, Cygnus Education) March 22, from 11:35 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Innovative Strategies and Solutions for Outbound Dialing Success by Chris Clark (Account Executive, Neustar) March 22 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Compliance and Omni-Channel Marketing Strategies for Growing Brands by Bastian Cowsart (Performance Marketing Leader, Lixil) and Arvell Craig (Director of Compliance Services, Contact Center Compliance) March 22, 1:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. The Home Services Landscape Reboot: What’s Changed and What to Expect in 2023 and Beyond by Colleen Butterfield (Vice President of Customer Acquisition, Sunpro Solar Inc.), Matt Curtis (Director of Business Development, ADT), Keving Geiger (Vice President, Business Development, EverCommerce), and Ruben Ugarte, National Director of Home Services and Clean Tech, ActiveProspect, Inc) March 22, from 2:10 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. How is Lead Fraud Performed and How Does it Create TCPA Violations? By Daniel Delnero (Principal, Squire Patton Boggs), Rich Kahn (CEO & Co-Founder, Anura.io), and Rob Seaver (Executive Director, Consumer Consent Council) March 23 from 11:10 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Reimagining the Call Experience by Establishing Your Brand’s Credibility by Justin Marks (Vice President of Marketing, Quantum Assurance) March 23, from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Feasting In Vegas, Paris-Style In addition to our conference-centered activities, you’ll likely find the phenoms of Phonexa feasting on the flavors of the Paris Hotel in the following spots – you should join, too! The Eiffel Tower Restaurant If you ever want to show your business partners and dining guests that you can rise above the hype in Las Vegas, there’s no better spot than dining in the elegance of the Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel. Cafe Belle Madeleine Want to dive deeper into the feeling of being in Paris? Stop by Cafe Belle Madeleine to be transported to the French capital with a selection of pastries and quick bites, hot beverages, and drinks. Beer Park This is the perfect location for that non-caffeinated afternoon pick-me-up between conference speaker sessions and meetings. Have a cold beer, cocktails, and reimagined stadium favorites with incredible views of Las Vegas. Gordon Ramsay Steak Enjoy American and French fusion in Gordon Ramsay’s contemporary steakhouse, where you have the option to choose from a selection of prime beef aged to perfection in a chic European atmosphere. Mon Ami Gabi French Restaurant Elevate your dining experience in an open-air setting overlooking The Strip with an extensive list of French wines and other classics like steak frites and fruits de mer. 5 Ways To Loosen Up In Las Vegas Consider a thrill ride at the SpeedVegas & Hollywood Cars Museum Stop by The Mob Museum and get a provocative and contemporary outlook on crime-related topics Indulge in your most extreme, heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping experiences at STRAT SkyPod Sit back and watch a vibrant Cirque du Soleil show hosted nearly every night Extend your stay and watch an NHL game featuring the Golden Knights taking on the Nashville Predators at the T-Mobile Arena on March 24. Schedule a meeting with our team ahead of LeadsCon 2022 to learn more about our presence at the conference.
Starting on Jan. 1, 2023, the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) will replace the legacy California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) with an added layer of consumer protection regulations that will limit the processing, deletion, and access of the sensitive personal information of any California consumer, employee, job applicant, and contractor. But the closer we get to 2023, the more questions arise from stakeholders and companies about what compliance changes await us next year, along with what will remain of the landmark CCPA regulation. Setting the Stage: CCPA vs. CPRA As evident in the graph below, CPRA will include limitations and regulations originally enforced by the CCPA. In addition, it will add specific types of new amendments to each category covered by the CCPA, enabling a more comprehensive overview of grey areas in data privacy. These new amendments can mean different things for different organisations, but if you operate in the lead generation and distribution industry — as a publisher, advertiser, or as part of an affiliate network — now is the right time to start preparing for 2023. But before we get to the “why,” let’s dive deeper into the current state of CCPA compliance across industries. The State of CCPA Compliance: A Dire Need for a Change A recent CYTRIO study found that of the 6,745 U.S. companies reviewed for compliance, an overwhelming 90% were unprepared to meet CCPA and CPRA requirements as of March 31 of this year. With penalties on the horizon for non-compliance, companies should be scrambling in search of strategic and technological solutions to ensure CCPA compliance. Here’s a breakdown of how businesses can avoid penalties by preparing for these new regulations, set to take effect in just under seven months. Issues Related to Non-compliance The most glaring issue related to CCPA regulations is companies not complying with Data Subject Asset Requests (DSAR). A DSAR gives data subjects the right to ask companies what personal information of theirs has been collected and stored, as well as how that information will be used or is currently being used. CCPA requires that companies respond to a DSAR within 45 days from the date the request is received. Companies that fail to respond to a DSAR request within the 45-day timeframe are subject to penalties. However, the CYTRIO research found that less than 10% of companies — some 9.76% — had deployed a CCPA DSAR management automation solution during the first quarter of 2022. Even more concerning is that this represents a drop from the 11% of companies that automated their DSAR processes during the previous quarter. Does this mean that companies have de-prioritised consumer compliance? Studies suggest just that. Further compounding the issue of failing to comply with DSAR management is that many companies do not provide a system for consumers to exercise their data privacy rights, despite these same companies stating within their privacy policies that they are entirely CCPA compliant. Considering that DSAR requests coming from data aggregators are increasing in frequency and volume — with most requests being Right to Delete (erasure of data) — challenges facing non-compliant companies are only getting worse. The Journey Towards Compliance Issues related to non-compliance represent only half of the uphill battle facing the above companies. The other half of the battle is for these companies to make progress toward becoming compliant. The CYTRIO research revealed that deploying an automated solution was another obstacle facing non-compliant companies. According to a poll cited within the research, 63% of respondents said cost was the primary factor holding them back from deploying an automated privacy rights management solution; deployment complexity followed at 22%. However, companies can become compliant with CCPA regulations by implementing white label solutions such as Phonexa’s Opt-Intel, designed to help marketers with suppression list management and email compliance. Compliance Solutions Within Opt-Intel So, how does Phonexa come into the big picture of compliance? Offering software solutions that provide peace of mind to those looking to strengthen their data security infrastructure conducts better data hygiene. The following are just some of the comprehensive features within Opt-Intel that securely streamline consumer data transfers and preferences when it comes to email and SMS communication, thus ensuring CCPA compliance: Compliance notifications: Keeps users in the loop on all of their compliance concerns with constant notifications and other tools that identify inconsistencies while keeping users aware of any CAN-SPAM violations Opt-out domain white-labelling: This feature allows users to maintain email hygiene using tools and customisable options for opt-out Secure, automated data transfers: This functionality lets users send critical data to partners (networks, publishers, and advertisers) without compromising consumer information The Timeline Going Forward A considerable part of implementing new CCPA tactics comes with the need to be up-to-date with transition timelines. Here are some datelines you should know: July of 2022: All companies should satisfy risk assessment requirements January of 2023: CPRA takes effect January of 2023 and onwards: The CPRA will be enforced with a 12-month lookback on consumer requests back to January 1, 2022 Final Thoughts Ultimately, the new CPRA will apply to startups and other companies making at least 50% of their annual revenue from selling or sharing California-based consumers’ PI or personal information. Companies that don’t comply with amended regulations will be fined. Adapting digital software tools like Opt-Intel will secure consumer protection compliance for lead generators and marketers. It will do so by streamlining automated data transfers, providing error checkpoints, and communicating compliance messages and tips. With Opt-Intel by Phonexa, the days of data vulnerability and fear of non-compliance are gone. Schedule a consultation to learn more about how Opt-Intel can be paired with your tech stack and other marketing automation tools to ensure better data compliance for your business.
The United Kingdom is home to one of the world’s most dynamic economies and call centres that support entire businesses making up that economy. As Chief Executive Officer of Phonexa in the U.K., I’ve seen firsthand how the local market value for call centres has rocketed to be amongst the numbers of £2 billion, dubbing the U.K. as the country with the third-largest Cloud PBX market size in Europe. Is there increased competition for the ordinary business owner? Yes — with a growing PBX market comes the great need for businesses to keep up. So, if you own a business or agency specialising in insurance, home services, debt, or financial services, you’re in luck because Phonexa can help you with exactly that. I say this because a burgeoning PBX market indicates that through phone calls, consumers are dictating a shift back to a more connected human-to-human relationship with the businesses they partner with. But a shift back to telephone communication shouldn’t be considered bad practice or an outdated one at all. When you back your business with a dynamic Cloud PBX system like the one offered by Phonexa, you’re setting yourself up to achieve a whole new level of customer satisfaction. Are you excited about Cloud PBX but aren’t sure where to start? Here are three questions you should ask yourself before choosing your next Cloud PBX system to support your inbound and outbound call strategy. Earlier, we wrote about the ins and outs of Cloud PBX, highlighting everything businesses need to know to dial up effective call marketing strategies. Read more here. Do I Know What I Need In A Cloud-Based Telephony System? Imagine the convenience of storing all of your call data in one place and accessing it at any given time. That may just be the flashiest offering of a good Cloud PBX system — an excellent means of streamlined communication — that widens the horizons for improvement based on real call data. Let’s get granular. What’s the cloud? How can a business owner or marketer benefit from using a cloud-based PBX system? The convenience of cloud-based calls has many hefty benefits. For instance, current-day Cloud PBX replaces the old, stocky hardware that once took up office space and drained businesses of revenue due to its massive maintenance costs, extended downtimes, and increased labour. Nowadays, all of it lives in the cloud and can be accessed with login credentials and an internet connection from any geographical point. What used to be a painful reality is now a game-changer for call centres, with increased connectivity and no disruptions to internal processes or productivity. The following are some general conditions to look out for: Flexible Customisations That Supply Your PBX Needs: the key players include everything from creating an effective, multi-tiered IVR or setting specific call filters or guidelines for your PBX operation for startups. Responsive Capabilities To Add Or Remove Users: A seasoned Cloud PBX system allows administrators to add, remove, or replace end-users or call agents within minutes. Some companies will go the extra mile to charge for additional users and data; however, a good cloud communication platform shouldn’t have to rely on that to earn additional revenue. The following are some product features you need: Interactive Voice Response: These guided call menus allow client interaction through several pre-set questions and response actions. The IVR is essential because it shortens the caller’s time on hold and shortens the entire process. A good IVR collects caller information through a series of questions and sends the responses to call agents ahead of time. Call Agent Scoring: This feature tracks and scores keyword usage in conversations with clients so that your company can measure the productivity of customer representatives. It also connects keyword usage to conversions, allowing companies to score their agents fairly. Outbound Calling Functionalities: This function increases conversion opportunities by dialling web lead prospects and putting them in immediate contact with an agent. Personalised And Smart Call Routing: Paired with an IVR, this functionality will allow you to use your agents’ scores and agent queue to connect callers to the team member best suited to serve the lead’s specific needs. Is It Scalable? Do you have larger plans for your business for the coming months and years? Keep that in mind when choosing your next Cloud PBX technology. Experience shows that ill-informed decisions regarding a long-term commitment to SaaS platforms can be a punch to your pockets. That’s why you must choose a service that can grow alongside your business. Instead of focusing on affordability, narrow your scope on what you want your business to look like down the road. Identify your goals to understand whether the system you’re considering can be scaled to your future needs. To decide whether a system is scalable for your business, determine if they offer new AI integrations, signs of voice recognition, or ringless message capabilities. If the company doesn’t yet offer these functionalities, ask whether they are on the horizon for this company. If the answer is insufficient or unbelievable — you should know to go the other way. The truth is that PBX 2.0 is on its way to revolutionising entire industries, and whether your business will get to bear its first fruits is entirely up to your provider’s ability to keep up and scale. Will It Give Me The ROI I’m Seeking? Cloud PBX phone systems open up a world of financial gain and returns on your investment, regardless of the size of your company or the vertical you’re in. Your ROI can come in actual dollars or incremental improvements in efficiency and productivity. With Cloud PBX, you can quickly achieve both, as cloud-based systems will give you the following benefits: No more hardware costs Easy scalability with small investments Customer and employee satisfaction Shorter call length with the ability to handle higher call volumes Less interruption to your business When factoring in some or all of these details, you get cumulative value from your investment, and you’ll begin to see an increased inflow of productivity and profits. How Phonexa Can Help Your U.K. Business Scale What you get with Phonexa’s Cloud PBX system is everything you need to achieve a smooth and quick customer-caller exchange and experience. Its unique, multi-dimensional features and sought-after capabilities are etched with tools that give a positive growth rate and revenue. Phonexa’s Cloud PBX works seamlessly with the rest of our all-in-one platforms for call and lead generation, tracking and distribution, and more as an integrated software solution. With impressive market growth, I look forward to helping U.K. based companies scale to their business potential with the use of Cloud PBX bundled with Call Logic for call analytics and tracking, as well as other products within Phonexa’s all-in-one suite for marketing automation. Connect with David Pickard on LinkedIn to learn about partnership or sales opportunities Phonexa UK. Schedule a consultation with our team in the United Kingdom to learn more about how Phonexa can be the one-stop shop for your call centre’s Cloud PBX needs.