Introducing Sean Ryan
Sean Ryan is the Head of Affiliate at Robinhood, a number one fintech funding platform. With over 20 years of expertise, Sean has managed affiliate applications at Sling TV and DISH Community, along with working his personal digital advertising company. Specializing in performance-driven methods, Sean excels at driving acquisition progress and scaling affiliate applications by revolutionary techniques, serving to manufacturers obtain measurable success.
Please assist us welcome November’s Affiliate Rockstar and prepare to shred with Sean!
Rockstar Q&A with Sean
What are your day-to-day duties?
My duties change primarily based on priorities, however typically embody the next: create affiliate technique, present administration and oversight, implement product campaigns, onboard new companions, analyze outcomes, and execute media plans.
How did you get into the affiliate trade?
I had a number of years of enterprise growth and advertising expertise, so I made a decision to arrange my very own boutique digital advertising company. I created a toolkit for companies and other people aspiring to monetize their web sites. These toolkit packages included internet dev, distinctive content material, search engine optimization, internet affiliate marketing, and paid adverts. I actually liked serving to individuals getting began on their very own path to success.
What are your most essential KPIs?
I’m very centered on lower-funnel efficiency. New clients or subscribers is all the time a very powerful KPI. After that, LTV (buyer high quality) is the subsequent most essential. Clicks are good and I by no means care about impressions.
What have you ever executed within the final 6–12 months to enhance your affiliate efforts?
Earlier than taking on the Robinhood program, my workforce and I grew Sling TV’s associates program by over 150% YoY. I consider in steady enchancment, so I’m all the time in search of methods to enhance myself and my program. Having the ability to reduce by the litter and deal with what brings significant outcomes has been my most significant achievement. Optimizing current companions actually helped us determine untapped pockets of alternative to develop.
How do you suppose your technique differs from different verticals?
I’ve labored in a number of completely different verticals together with streaming, finance and investing, and e-commerce. A very powerful factor is to determine key learnings that may be utilized throughout verticals. Nevertheless, it’s additionally good to appreciate that not the whole lot goes to work throughout the board and that completely different industries can require completely different methods or techniques. It is advisable to be humble and method it from a spot of openness to new concepts and approaches.
Do you could have a selected technique in place for influencers?
Sure, I positively consider influencers have a strategic place, but it surely actually is dependent upon your goals. I feel they’re incredible for upper-funnel model consciousness. I’ve by no means seen them carry out for acquisition, but when I used to be with a vogue, magnificence, or attire firm then they’d be one in all my major techniques.
“Affiliate” or “companion,” and why?
I actually lean into companion, however typically I’ll use the time period “affiliate companion.” To drive substantial progress, it is advisable to have a partnership with these round you. Frequent and two-way communication is the one method to make an affect. Sharing key learnings, product messaging, upcoming occasions, and different essential particulars is the way in which to make one thing nice … collectively.
What’s the most important problem you’ve come throughout in internet affiliate marketing?
There are such a lot of completely different potential companions. Having the ability to determine and vet all the doable associates is the most important problem I’ve confronted. It’s useful to have a workforce or company to assist weed them out, ignore the overlap, and onboard high quality companions.
What’s the most important mistake you’ve made in internet affiliate marketing?
My greatest mistake in internet affiliate marketing is considering I could possibly be a lone wolf. Nobody can construct something substantial and sustainable by themselves. You actually need a full workforce of people that praise your expertise and experience. I’m all the time in search of methods to collaborate with inner stakeholders and new companions who may also help me develop.
What are 2–3 developments you’re seeing within the trade?
Card-linked presents have made a major affect and might present significant outcomes. One other development is the necessity to validate incrementality — manufacturers are beginning to actually perceive how a lot quantity associates can carry, so the necessity to show incremental outcomes is one thing that everybody must be centered on.
What’s the subsequent massive factor in internet affiliate marketing?
MMM and MTA. Lots of the massive manufacturers are exploring or already on the trail to implementing methods to determine multi-touch attribution. General, I consider internet affiliate marketing has been under-appreciated and these new initiatives will actually spotlight how a lot worth associates carry to efficiency advertising.
