One of the most important strategies for the holiday season involves strategically using cookies. Unfortunately, I don’t mean the freshly baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies you strategically make for your best friend when you want her to do something for you. I mean cookies of the digital variety, the ones that no one actually sees but everyone relies on.
What is a (digital) cookie anyway?
Cookies are used by websites to store information and track a user’s actions. So, for example, when your readers click on an affiliate link, they are “cookied” and that cookie includes tracking data from your affiliate account as a referral partner, retailer information, the date of the click, and product information.
Cookies are also how retailers keep your shopping cart full (even after leaving the retailer’s site), how Facebook knows who you are so you don’t have to keep logging in between meetings, and how retargeting ads repeatedly show you those shoes you were eyeing earlier this week (they always get me).
How long do cookies last?
It depends; the length of time a user is tracked or “cookied” is called a cookie window and in regards to affiliate marketing, retailers can have different cookie windows. A typical cookie window can range anywhere from 7-30 days.
Why should I care?
BECAUSE it’s the technology behind how you make money!! It’s how we know that you drove traffic AND sales and which affiliate links had better conversion than others. Knowing how to use cookies correctly can also help you maximize your earning potential — especially during sale season.
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Here are 3 tips for using cookies effectively this holiday season:
- The experts know how to drop it like it’s hot — i.e. drop cookies early and frequently, especially for top retailers.
For example, if you know a sale is coming up at one of your top-performing retailers, you should actually include that retailer’s links organically in content before the sale. If the sale is public knowledge and the retailer has been teasing it or promoting it before launch, you could even do a roundup of your favorite pieces you hope will be on sale. Including the retailer’s links/cookies early on will help ensure you get credit for any purchases afterwards.
- Everyone loves cookies delivered on the go — make sure you are reaching your audience on mobile. This means using affiliate links in email newsletters and social platforms (like Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest) to make your cookies mobile.
Looks and Collections is the perfect way to drop cookies on the go. It helps you monetize Instagram AND drives traffic back to your blog! Not only that, but your looks have a chance to be featured across POPSUGAR and ShopStyle in regular features on inspirational content!
Emoticode is a great way to monetize Snapchat and cookie the elusive Snapchat audience. Use your affiliate links in an Emoticode or use Emoticode to link back to content on your blog. Emoticode is a GREAT way to access data on what content your Snapchat audience prefers to engage with!
Pinterest is often an underutilized tool by content creators, but during the holidays it makes sense to make it a major part of your affiliate strategy. Use your ShopStyle affiliate links in pins to drive traffic to your blog and to monetize your beautiful, original photography. Take imagery from your outfit posts and include an affiliate link to a featured product. Make sure you use search terms and keywords in the descriptions. You can find more on Pinterest strategy here.
- Always remember the last cookie wins! So the more you use links and engage with your audience on multiple platforms, the more likely you are to get credit for any purchases.
xo,
Nat
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