The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More

Every affiliate program runs into problems. Some show up before you ever recruit your first affiliate, like choosing the right tracking software, fixing website issues, dialing in conversions, setting commissions, and getting your program policies clear. Others hit once the program is live, like finding the right affiliates, activating them, keeping them engaged, communicating well, and giving them the right promotional materials. In this episode, I'm walking through the common problems every affiliate program faces, including the later-stage issues too: changing technology, fraud, brand reputation, compliance, and the need to keep testing new ideas. You'll learn what usually goes...

Affiliate fraud is rare, but when it happens, it can cost you real money, damage your program, and create a mess you wish you'd caught sooner. The good news is, you don't have to spend hours every week hunting for problems. You just need to know which red flags to watch. In this episode, I'm walking through the signs every affiliate program should pay attention to, including conversion rates that are way too high or way too low, strange click patterns, high refund rates, spam complaints, fake discount codes, cookie stuffing, trademark bidding, and more. You'll learn how to...

Affiliate webinars can bring in a flood of leads and still leave a lot of sales on the table. The difference usually comes down to what happens before, during, and after the webinar. In this episode, I'm showing you how to make affiliate webinars convert better, including how to promote an offer that doesn't perfectly match your niche, what to ask affiliate managers and partners for before you promote, and how encore webinars can double or even triple sales. These are practical lessons we've learned from real promotions, including what worked, what didn't, and how to get more value...

You started an affiliate program, but it's not growing the way you expected. Before you recruit more partners, raise commissions, or start changing everything at once, you need to figure out what's actually broken. In this episode, I'm showing you how to find what's wrong with your affiliate program and fix it by walking through the 14 problems I've seen come up again and again over nearly two decades of working with affiliate programs. Most struggling programs have three, four, or five of these issues, and once you identify yours, you can stop guessing and start fixing the problems that...

Affiliates can't promote well if they're guessing. They need more than a link and a login. They need the right tools, the right direction, and the right kind of support from you as the affiliate manager. In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 things affiliates need to succeed, based on nearly 17 years of running and studying great affiliate programs. You'll learn what to provide so your partners know what to say, when to promote, how to get better results, and why they should keep showing up for your program again and again.

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An affiliate program gets fragile when all the sales come from one or two big partners. The goal is to build a deep bench of loyal promoters who believe in what you sell, know how to talk about it, and keep coming back to promote again. In this episode, I'm showing you how to grow an affiliate program without relying on a few affiliates, including how to attract the right partners, turn customers and fans into evangelists, and create the kind of experience that makes affiliates want to stick around for the long haul.

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Your best affiliate prospects are usually hiding in plain sight... on other people's leaderboards. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to recruit affiliates from competitor leaderboards, including exactly where to find the lists, how to choose the right prospects, and how to reach out in a way that starts real relationships instead of sounding like a spammy pitch.

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Your Affiliate Launch Coach

Affiliates promote more when you stop asking them to "just send something" and start giving them a clear plan. In this episode, I'm showing you how to create promotion plans for affiliates so they know exactly when to promote, what to say, who to send it to, and how to pace it without burning out their list. I'll share the two types of affiliate mailing plans we use, plus how to use them to move affiliates from two emails to five, from five to twelve, and in some cases up to 15 or 16 emails, without feeling spammy or chaotic.
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Affiliate programs are everywhere now, so if you want the right partners, you can't just be "another program with a link." In this episode, I'm breaking down how to make your affiliate program stand out to affiliates, so you attract quality partners without relying on nonstop cold outreach forever. We'll talk about what affiliates actually look for before they join, what makes a program feel easy to promote, and the simple upgrades that turn your program into one affiliates want to be part of.

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How to Determine the Right Affiliate...

Expanding your affiliate program internationally can unlock growth you'll never get if you only recruit in one country, but it also comes with a few practical wrinkles that catch people off guard. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to expand your affiliate program internationally, including where to find overseas partners, what to think through with tracking and payments, and the small adjustments that make it easy for international affiliates to promote and get results.

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2023 FTC Endorsement Guide Updates: What Affiliates and Affiliate Programs Need to Know

Affiliate...

Most affiliate programs don't lose affiliates because the product is bad... they lose them because it's harder to promote your offer than someone else's. In this final episode of the 6 C's series, we're covering the last three C's: Competitive Commissions, Customization, and a Centralized Hub. I'll show you how to set commissions that attract the right partners, how to create custom assets like landing pages, swipe copy, and graphics without drowning in requests, and how to build one simple place affiliates can grab everything they need and start promoting fast.

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One of our clients did about a $5 million affiliate launch and he estimated roughly 40% of that came from one thing... coaching the affiliates. Not "here's your link, good luck" coaching, but real training: what to say, what to send, how to position the offer, and how to avoid the little mistakes that kill conversions. In this episode of the 6 C's series, we're talking about the third C: COACHING, and I'm going to get practical with how to run trainings, what to put in cheat sheets, and how to teach affiliates in a way that actually changes their results.

Most affiliate programs communicate in a way that makes affiliates tune out... or walk away. Too many emails, not enough clarity, missing details, last-second requests, and "helpful" messages that don't actually help anyone promote. In this episode of the 6 C's series, we're talking about the second C: COMMUNICATE. I'll show you what great communication looks like from an affiliate's point of view, what to send (and what to stop sending), and how to make it easier for affiliates to say yes and promote.

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Affiliate Communication Calendar

Affiliate Commitment...

Most affiliate programs look different on the outside... but the ones that win year after year all have a few fundamentals in common. This episode kicks off my 6 C's series, and we're starting with the first C: CONTESTS. I'm going to show you how to run an affiliate contest that gets affiliates engaged, drives real sales, and doesn't turn into a messy spreadsheet nightmare.

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Your First 100 Affiliates

Your Affiliate Launch Coach

George W. Bush Announces Affiliate Prizes

John Morgan's site

Choosing an affiliate manager can feel like a guessing game... until you know what to look for. In this episode, I'm breaking down the traits and skills that actually matter, where great affiliate managers tend to come from, and how to tell the difference between someone who "knows affiliates" and someone who can build, grow, and manage a real program. If you're about to make a hire, this will help you choose with confidence and avoid an expensive mismatch.

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Your Affiliate Launch Coach

Interested in Working with Us?<...

Got a promotion coming up soon? In this episode, I'm breaking down how to get affiliates excited to promote and keep that energy building right up to launch day... using the exact pre-promo strategy we use with clients to turn "I might promote" into planned emails, scheduled posts, and a strong first day.

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Free Masterclass - How I Built a $12.6 Million A Year Affiliate Program In Only Two Years Without Any Connections or Credentials

Affiliate Warm Up Plan and Promo Plan

Over the years, I've made enough affiliate-program mistakes to fill a small handbook... and a few of them were the kind you don't forget because they come with real consequences. In this episode, I'm continuing the "killer mistakes" series with the stuff that can get you in trouble fast, including one lesson that involved the FTC. I'll break down what went wrong, what I should've done instead, and how you can protect your program while still growing it aggressively.

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Find Affiliates Now Program

PDF Report (Top Affiliate Program...

Most affiliate programs don't blow up overnight... they bleed out slowly from a handful of preventable mistakes. In this episode, I'm breaking down the "killer" errors that quietly wreck tracking, relationships, motivation, and momentum, and I'll show you the simple fixes that get you back on solid ground fast.

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Top 20 Affiliate Program Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Find Affiliates Now Program

My #1 Affiliate Recruiting Email

How to Determine Commission Structure

Facebook Live: The BIGGEST Lie You've Been Told About Finding...

Most people make this decision backwards... they pick "in-house" or "agency" based on budget, then hope it works out. In this episode, I'll show you how to decide between an in-house affiliate manager and an agency based on what your program actually needs right now. We'll walk through the real tradeoffs, the questions that make the answer obvious, and a few common scenarios so you can choose the model that gets results without creating a management mess.

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Your Affiliate Launch Coach

Find Your First 100 Affiliates

Most affiliate programs leave email performance up to chance... and then wonder why some promos flop. In this episode, I'm sharing how to help affiliates write emails that convert without turning into their copywriter. You'll get a simple framework you can teach, the few elements every high-performing affiliate email needs, and the feedback process that improves emails fast while keeping the affiliate's voice intact.

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Video - How to Use Swipe Copy as an Affiliate

Video - How to SERVE Your Audience by Promoting Affiliate Offers

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Most affiliate programs don't fail because of tactics... they fail because the person running them believes the wrong things. In this episode, I'm breaking down 7 common beliefs that quietly kill affiliate programs, from what you think affiliates want, to how you think motivation works, to what you think "good management" looks like. I'll show you what each belief costs you, what to do instead, and how to fix the foundations so your program stops leaking sales and starts building momentum.

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How to Hear YES from More Affiliates (Recruiting Tips)
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Affiliate management is one of those careers people stumble into... and then wonder why nobody told them about it sooner. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to become an affiliate manager. What the job actually is day to day, the core skills you need to build, and the fastest ways to get real experience even if you're starting from zero. If you want a clear path into affiliate management without guessing your way there, this is your roadmap.

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Apply for Our Affiliate Manager Training

If affiliates are promoting your webinar and you're seeing plenty of registrations but not enough sales, this episode is for you. Today I'm sharing the exact strategies we use to triple webinar sales when affiliate traffic is in the mix. Not theory... the specific levers that have worked across dozens of clients: what to adjust before the webinar, what to change during the presentation, and what to do after so more attendees turn into buyers. If you want affiliate-promoted webinars to convert like your best internal traffic... you're going to get a clear plan here.

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A seven-figure affiliate launch isn't luck. It's planning, sequencing, and a few leverage points most people skip. In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact launch plan we use to turn affiliate promos into a coordinated push, not a scattered shout into the void. We'll cover what happens before the launch, what you give affiliates so they can promote fast, how you keep momentum during the window, and the handful of moves that separate a decent launch from a monster one. If you've ever wondered what a real seven-figure plan looks like... you're about to get it.

Every affiliate application is a tiny fork in the road. Approve the right people and your program gets stronger. Approve the wrong ones and you get refunds, brand headaches, and a whole lot of noise. In today's episode, I'm sharing my approval criteria for screening affiliate applications, plus the exact process we use to make decisions quickly and consistently. You'll learn what to look for, what to ignore, and how to handle the "maybe" applicants without turning your program into the Wild West.

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Your Affiliate Launch Coach

You've got affiliates raising their hand. Now the real question is: what do they get in the first few days after they say yes? In this episode, I'm giving you my affiliate onboarding checklist. The exact pieces that help new affiliates feel confident, find what they need fast, and start promoting without a bunch of back-and-forth. If your current onboarding is "here's the link, good luck"... this will fix that.

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Weekend Email Template

Sample Affiliate Promo Plan

How to Write Swipe Copy for Your A...

Most affiliate programs grow by inches. This one grew by miles. In today's episode, I'm breaking down how we grew affiliate revenue 20X in 48 months. No fluff. No "one weird trick". Just the exact moves that changed everything: what we focused on first, what we stopped doing, the leverage points that mattered most, and a few bets that didn't pay off. If you want a clear playbook for scaling an affiliate program without burning trust, relationships, or your sanity... this is it.

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Affiliate Training Templates and Scripts

If affiliate marketing feels harder than it should, chances are you're making a few mistakes you don't even realize are mistakes. And the frustrating part? Most affiliates repeat the same ones over and over. In this episode, I'm breaking down the most common affiliate marketing mistakes I see every day and what to do instead. This episode will show you how to fix the small things that make a big difference.

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Avatar Creation Guide

Affiliate Promo Plan

Review Post Guide

Pretty Link

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Trust is what separates good affiliate programs from great ones. It's the reason someone says yes to your offer... and keeps showing up promo after promo. If your affiliates don't trust you, or don't believe you've got their back, they'll disappear, fast. In today's episode, I'm sharing exactly how to build that trust. The kind that gets affiliates excited to promote, confident in your offer, and loyal for the long haul. These are the same strategies we've used to keep top affiliates engaged for years.

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Affiliate Email Template

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If you want affiliates to actually promote, it's on YOU to make it happen. Because the truth is… most affiliates don't wake up thinking about your program, your product or your launch. They need a spark—and if you don't light the fire, no one will. In this episode, I'll show you how to activate affiliates early, keep them engaged, and turn passive partners into top promoters.

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Affiliate Promo Plan Template

Rethink Dieting Webinar with Matt and Alan

Get ALL of our Affiliate Activation Templates

When it's time to sell, do you suddenly sound… different? A lot of people do. Their tone changes. Their words change. Their confidence changes. And without realizing it, they stop sounding like themselves. They stop sounding confident and start sounding desperate. That shift kills trust, hurts conversions, and slowly damages your brand. In this episode, I'm sharing how to sell in a way that feels natural, confident, and completely on brand… without sounding desperate, awkward, or fake. If selling ever feels uncomfortable or forced, this episode will help you fix that.

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What if the biggest threat to affiliate marketing right now… is also its biggest opportunity? There's been a lot of noise lately about AI replacing content creators… killing SEO… making affiliates obsolete. But is that actually true? In today's episode, I'm discussing the real impact of AI on affiliate marketing… what's changing, what isn't, and how the smartest affiliates are using AI to grow faster than ever. If you're worried AI is going to ruin everything… or just trying to figure out how to adapt, this one's for you.

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Review Post Pro

If you're looking to grow your audience, boost your credibility, and build your email list in a big way, podcast interviews might just be your secret weapon. In this episode, I'm sharing exactly how I've landed more than 600 podcast interviews… and how I turned those into affiliates who became a huge driver of our company's growth.

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ListenNotes

MeetEdgar

Your First 100 Affiliates

Pretty Link

Let me ask you something… what if 2026 is the year you stop hoping affiliate marketing works and start treating it like it actually matters? Not more random promos. Not more last‑minute emails. Real commitments that change how you show up, how you promote, and how you get paid. In this episode, I'm sharing the affiliate resolutions that actually move the needle… from building systems and tracking results to selling with confidence and creating bonuses that stand out. If you want this year to be different, this is where it starts.

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What if 2026 was the year your affiliate program finally took off? Today, I'm sharing the resolutions smart affiliate managers are making this year. These are the type of resolutions that lead to bigger launches, more evergreen sales, and stronger affiliate relationships. If you want this to be your best year ever, listen up.

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Affiliate Email Pro

Affiliate Training Templates

The Book on Affiliate Management 

Affiliate Terms Wizard

Affiliate Activation Templates

What does 2026 look like for affiliate marketers? Let's just say… it's not business as usual. From AI taking over the grunt work to virtual influencers and voice-driven SEO, the landscape is changing fast. In this episode, I'm sharing 13 bold, research-backed predictions for where affiliate marketing is headed, and what you can do now to be ready. Spoiler: the future favors the prepared.

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Affiliate Email Pro

Affiliate Terms Wizard

Review Post Pro

What if you could turn the busiest shopping season of the year into your biggest affiliate payday? Today, I'm sharing the strategies top affiliates use to make more money in December without burning out, posting nonstop, or guessing what might work. If you want a simple plan to increase your holiday commissions, this episode is for you.

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Affiliate Promo Warm Up Guide

The holidays are here… which means chaos for most affiliate managers. There are promos flying everywhere, inboxes are packed, and your affiliates? Half of them are over-promoting, and the other half have gone silent. So how do you stay sane and strategic when the whole season is moving at lightning speed? Today, I'm sharing the practical guide to not just surviving December, but actually thriving as an affiliate manager during the busiest season of the year.

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The Book on Affiliate Management

Writing a book is hard. Making real money from it is harder. In this episode, I'll show you how to add affiliate offers to your book so it drives more revenue and creates long-term passive income.

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The Book on Affiliate Management

Affiliate Marketing for Authors Training

Resources Page Guide

My Recommended Books Page

If you're serious about affiliate marketing, you'll love this conversation. Today I'm talking with someone who's written for top publications, built affiliate programs from scratch, and approaches every campaign with strategy and intention. We'll break down his process... what actually works... and how you can think more like a strategic affiliate marketer too.

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Success is a Numbers Game Book