In this episode of the Affiliate Marketing Podcast, Lee-Ann is joined by Vana Han, Global Affiliate Head for TikTok Business. Vana discusses TikTok for Business’ affiliate program and how to target small business advertisers. Vana also shares strategies for scaling the affiliate program, including focusing on key partners and expanding existing partners.
Topics include:
- Challenges for the content creator ecosystem
- Balancing AI and human creativity in marketing
- pictureIt provides transparency without compromising security.
Vana will be speaking at the ELEVATE Summit in London this September. Get your tickets now Listen to Vana discuss emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities at the intersection of performance marketing and lead generation. Join this gathering of forward-thinkers for exclusive insights and actionable tactics on how to develop a strategy for 2025.
Listen to this week’s episode here…
Moving the Needle
LeAnne started by asking Vana, “TikTok is a massive brand. It’s grown so quickly in such a short amount of time. It’s top tier, but it almost kind of came out of nowhere. How have you leveraged partnerships to really support that growth? As we’ve discussed, partnerships are an essential part of your business culture. So how do you work with partners and what are you learning by moving into the B2B space?”
Vana responds: “The question is, how do you essentially scale your business in the affiliate world, whether it’s B2B or B2C, right? So I break it down into three segments.
“One is the hardware – the tools. So we partnered with Impact. Impact is an incredible tool. They don’t focus on everything, they specialize in building tools that are global and highly scalable.
“Then there’s the software, which goes back to the relationships piece – finding the right people. This applies to every business – how do you find the right people with the right skill sets, but also having the soft skills that you need. In this business, you need the right hunters and the right gatherers to actually grow your business. That’s the second aspect, and what I call the software.
“Then there’s the strategy, which is a key aspect. But you still need to continually test it to understand what actually works and what doesn’t. As my manager said in a meeting last night: ‘“Do less. Do less, but figure out what’s actually meaningful and focus on doing fewer things that actually get results. That’s the essence of the strategy.”
“There is no ‘one size fits all'”
“95% of the population knows about TikTok,” LeAnn says. “So how do you scale after that? What strategies and efforts have you put in place to really continue to find opportunities for TikTok to continue to grow, especially in the B2B space?”
Vana replies:That’s true. With our consumer products, I think TikTok is a household name. Everyone knows TikTok, but fewer people actually know TikTok for business. People in marketing and advertising probably know us. It’s a household name for them, but for others, like small business advertisers, they’re very busy growing their own businesses. Those are the types of customers that we want to partner with and help.
“The reality is, they don’t know much about our products and the tools they can use to help grow their business, so there’s a lot of education required at the beginning.
“It’s certainly getting more recognition and is now becoming more widely known on the business side. But to answer your question; hI would say that as a way to scale my business, I’ve basically developed a framework of test, learn, and iterate. I think this is true for a lot of businesses. There’s no ‘one size fits all solution.’ We’re constantly testing. We’re testing different commission structures. We’re testing different verticals. We’re looking at data. We’re just writing it out on a whiteboard. I think testing is super important.”
Balancing AI and human creativity in performance marketing
LeeAnne asks Vana, “As we enter a new year with all the changes that are coming, what are some of the issues you think need to be addressed in the content creator ecosystem to allow partnerships to thrive?”
Vana replies:AI is definitely a big topic in this space, especially in the creative space. So I think it’s a question of how to balance human creativity with the efficiency of AI. And then regulation. Technology is always ahead of regulation. So we should all be collectively watching that and navigating the complexities of this space.”
Listen in to find out more about:
- Vana’s career path and transferable skills
- Leveraging partnerships for growth
- Treat affiliates as partners, not suppliers
Key parts of this podcast and where you can listen directly:
[10:24] Stay on top of the latest trends
[25:30] Challenges for the content creator ecosystem
[34:08] Advice for Affiliate Managers
Next week’s episode of the Affiliate Marketing Podcast is “Affiliate Marketing Is Everywhere Now: Why Brands Are Taking It In-House,” and Lee-Ann speaks with Amy Scanlon, GM of the Affiliate Practice at Right Side Up.
Elevate Summit 2024 – London
See Vana at ELEVATE! See you in London on September 16-17th.
Only a few tickets left! Get your tickets here
Your ticket to this unmissable two-day conference at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge includes:
- Two-day conference and keynote speaker lineup (learn from the best in the industry)
- Access to selected masterclasses to help you level up your performance and skill development
- Complimentary lunch and snacks on both days
- Networking and Exhibition Area
- Matchmaking Meetups
- Social Networking Party
Don’t miss your chance to join us for this groundbreaking ELEVATE Summit and take your performance and lead generation marketing efforts to new heights.
Secure your tickets and learn what’s new and trending in the world of affiliate marketing and lead generation from industry veterans. Click and book now. here.
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