Customer advocate

Noun

[ko-mish-un struk-tchur]

A commission structure is how a company compensates partners based on the revenue they generate for the business. Partner programs pay partners based on the sales they close, the traffic they drive, or the qualified leads they send to the program. The commission structure defines how much a partner is paid for those actions and how much that pay increases with increased revenue generated.

Partner programs should strive to develop a commission structure that is compelling and progressive. A compelling structure with appealing rewards can help drive interest and signups for your program, and a progressive commission structure continues to adequately reward high-performing partners for their share of revenue driven. Note that commission structure usually varies between partner types; affiliates who drive leads may earn less commission per lead, whereas resellers who have more hands-on involvement in the whole sales process usually would earn more.

Example: Reid's partner program paid affiliates 15% of the value of their leads generated and resellers 35%. His commission structure then increased the share paid for high-performing partners sending many leads and closing many sales.

Noun

[con-tent mar-kit-ing part-nur-ship]

Content marketing partnerships are facets of strategic partnerships wherein a company works with a partner to promote through content marketing. Content marketing partnerships work to expand your reach (by exposing your brand to your partner's audience) and boost your SEO performance, both of which can positively affect brand recognition and sales. Content marketing partnerships require alignment on content strategy and should incorporate the best of each company's brand to create compelling content.

Content marketing partnerships can include sponsored content and posts or co-created content. Whether or not the content is sponsored or co-created, it should fit into the wider editorial look and feel of the company posting it.

Example: To see a real-world example of content marketing partnership, check out the collaboration between Intel and Uproxx. Intel wanted to position itself as a top choice for creatives, so they created a co-branded event with Uproxx (a culture and lifestyle magazine) wherein creators presented work they made through Intel. Both brands got to benefit from exposure to each other's audiences.