WebProNews

An entire segment of the economy would do well to take a look at performance marketing, according to E-consultancy. Business to consumer relationships through affiliate marketing have been beneficial to both sides. Consumers find connections to businesses through affiliates, while the business has a risk-free nature of gaining a measurable connection.

Linus Gregoriadis of E-consultancy said the business to business segment hasn't participated in performance marketing in the same way. He cited the nature associated with business processes and purchasing as being a hindrance.

That doesn't have to leave business to business endeavors out in the cold when it comes to affiliate marketing. They certainly understand how people compare and research purchases online these days, as Gregoriadis noted.

He said the business to business segment can look at actions that bring customers "into the funnel." Not every action through performance marketing has to end in a purchase, an approach that probably would not work due to the processes businesses tend to use to submit and track orders and payment.

By encouraging other actions through affiliate marketing, the B2B firm can build a relationship that leads naturally to a purchase. It could be as simple as obtaining an email address for direct marketing efforts.

Since performance marketing would appear on affiliates of interest to the viewer, the marketing business likely receives a conversion from someone with a similar interest. That makes for a more valuable lead than one picked up in a less targeted way.