If you are looking to work with one of the leading UK affiliate networks, Affiliate Window (to be found at affiliatewindow.com) might just be the answer. They claim to be the UK’s leading independent affiliate marketing network, and with more than 70,000 active affiliates and a host of awards (such as “Most Innovative Network 2007″ and “Ernest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year”) – who are we to argue?

The first thing that strikes you about Affiliate Window is the impressive range of merchants on offer. There are nearly 700 different programs available to an affiliate, stretching across a dazzling array of categories; ranging from clothing and electronics to web hosting and online dating. The site also boasts some very well known brands, including Marks and Spencer, PC World and Woolworths. The programs are easy to search and browse, with the site allowing you to specify product categories and keywords relevant to your subject focus.

Merchant details are summarised on to one page per program; with detailed information from the merchant themselves, comprehensive commission rate and cookie information, and advertising material all displayed very clearly. Some merchants also provide specified information on their performance, with statistics for average earnings per click, approval rates and conversion rates all being presented concisely in graph and table format. It is worth noting however that not all merchants provide this information in such detail, with many simply offering basic statistics on conversion rates and validation times.

Merchant news is maintained by use of the websites “offers blog”, which posts regular news from merchants regarding promotions, changes to product lines or seasonal events. New advertising creative and changes to commission rates are also displayed there. For simple navigation of articles relevant to your programs, there is a searchable “latest article” section, whereby you can look for any areas that are relevant to you.

In addition to banners and text links provided by the merchants, Affiliate Window also offer a good range of marketing tools and materials for use with their programs. Most notably, there is a deep-link builder, access to CSV and XML data feeds and also their new voucher code system. In addition to this, Affiliate Window is widely held to be the most active of the networks when it comes to voucher codes and offers, with regular emails in addition to the on-site material.

Arguably Affiliate Window’s greatest offering, however, is the “Shop Window Toolset”, which allows you to create content widgets or even entire websites in order to promote your merchant programs. Their widget creation tool is very easy to use and is handled entirely online. You can choose from a wide ranging selection of templates in varying sizes. You may also select from an array of themed designs (for instance, widgets designed to promote electrical goods) and branded designs (for instance, Woolworth branded widgets). After choosing your initial design, you can then add products from any merchant and customise your template further to fit more seamlessly into your site design. When you have finished creating your widget, you are presented with a simple piece of code for you to easily integrate into your website.

In order to create entire websites to showcase merchant products, Affiliate Window offers a PHP template with an integrated search feature for you to use. If you have experience of PHP, then this allows you a great deal of flexibility and the opportunity to entirely customise your design. However, there is little support offered for those who have no experience of coding, and so this may not be an option for everyone.

Affiliate Window also runs special incentive programs for affiliates. In the run up to Christmas, they have launched a “Raffle Bonanza”, whereby each sale for specified merchants equates to a ticket in a prize raffle. They run a variety of similar events throughout the year and your progress within them is easily monitored by clicking on the promotion’s link in the navigation bar.

Should it be necessary, a support ticket system is provided for all affiliates who have queries or problems. The staff at Affiliate Window endeavour to resolve any queries within 4 hours, and there is a relatively comprehensive “Frequently Asked Questions” page for — well — frequently asked questions!

Functionality comes at a cost and some would argue that the Affiliate Window interface is a little intimidating. Since there is no standard layout for affiliate network interfaces it can take a little while to get used to the nuances of each. That said, the Affiliate Window interface is arguably the most feature rich of all of them, and most important information is readily accessible.

Affiliate Window is certainly a viable option for any UK affiliate. The “Shop Window Toolset” is impressive, allowing the creation of aesthetic and practical content widgets. Also, if you have some knowledge of PHP, you can use the template to create entire websites showcasing merchant products, with a level of customisation not offered with the online tools found at most other competitors. Most super affiliates use Affiliate Window to some degree.

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