Do you sometimes feel like your affiliate program is running on autopilot? With standard commission plans that don’t appeal to your affiliates and don’t deliver meaningful results?
Then, it’s time for a change.
Customized commission plans are key for iGaming operators who want to attract top-quality affiliates, reward performance, and align payouts with their business goals.
How can you create a plan that is both simple and effective?
This guide is here to help. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a complete beginner, we’ll walk you through all the key steps to develop custom commission plans tailored specifically to your iGaming affiliate program.
Let’s get started!
Key Elements of a Good Commission Plan
Creating a good commission plan is key to strong affiliate relationships. Start with clear, competitive commission rates. This encourages affiliates to work hard while keeping your business profitable.
Being flexible is a big plus. It lets you use different payment models like flat fees, CPA, or RevShare. This attracts many affiliates, meeting their varied needs.
Don’t forget about tracking performance clearly. This lets affiliates see their earnings and performance in real-time. Showing how commissions are figured, like from traffic sources, builds trust.
Think about making compensation packages for each affiliate. A custom plan boosts motivation and loyalty to your brand.
Factors to Consider
- Competitive commission rates
- Variety of affiliate payment models
- Real-time performance tracking
- Clear information on commission calculations
- Personalized compensation packages
RevShare plans are a popular choice among affiliates in the iGaming industry. With these plans, your earnings are directly linked to the net revenue generated by the players you refer. You receive a percentage of the net gaming revenue (NGR). This model encourages you to recruit good players who remain active and thus increase your earnings.
With NGR-based revenue sharing, both you and the operators benefit. Your goal is to keep players returning, rather than simply securing one-time deals. This strategy enables your income to grow alongside the success of the operator, leading to long-term financial gains.
Here’s a comparison of different commission types:
| Commission Type | Overview | Best For |
| RevShare | Percentage of revenue earned from referred players. | Long-term earnings with continuous player activity. |
| CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) | One-time payment for each new player referred. | Quick returns from new player sign-ups. |
| Hybrid | Combination of RevShare and CPA. | Flexibility and better balanced income streams. |
Leveraging Hybrid Plans for Balanced Affiliate Rewards
Hybrid commission structures mix two great things. They use the CPA model and revenue sharing. This way, affiliates get upfront payments for new customers. They also earn more as players stay active.
This method draws in affiliates and makes them work hard. They aim to bring in the best traffic.
Using a hybrid plan gives you a lot of flexibility. You can adjust to how each affiliate works. This makes sure both sides know what to expect and how to succeed.
In practice, a hybrid model can include:
- Initial CPA payouts for each registered player
- Continued RevShare earnings based on the revenue generated from those players
- Performance bonuses for exceeding certain thresholds
This setup works well with your affiliates’ strengths. If they’re good at getting new players, they get paid upfront. If they keep players engaged, they earn more over time. This helps everyone grow their revenue.
Advanced Options to Optimize Traffic Quality
Maximizing your custom commission plans is key. Traffic quality optimization is a crucial part of this. By setting strict FTD (First Time Deposit) criteria, you attract only the best traffic. This traffic turns into paying players, boosting your revenue and affiliate program performance.
Using advanced settings helps you target specific regions. This approach can lead to better conversion rates. It makes your player acquisition models more effective. To get even better results, track both traffic sources and player behavior. This helps you fine-tune your commission structures for future success.
- Set stringent FTD qualification criteria to filter traffic quality.
- Target specific countries to enhance conversion rates.
- Analyze metrics related to traffic sources for refined strategies.
- Monitor player behavior to optimize engagement and retention.
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a Commission Plan with Scaleo
The commission plans section in Scaleo is your control hub. Here, you can manage, optimize, and track every plan you introduce. Whether you’re adding something new, duplicating an existing winner or retiring an outdated plan, it’s all in one place.
Here’s your setup guide:
First things first, head to the Commission Plans section in the Scaleo dashboard. Here’s what you can do:
- Add new plans
- Duplicate existing ones
- Delete outdated plans
To create a new plan:
- Click + Add Commission Plan.
- Fill out these basic fields:
- Title: Name of the plan (visible to affiliates).
- Status: Options include active, paused, or inactive.
- Exclusive Toggle: Mark it as “exclusive” for visibility in the affiliate portal.
- Brand or Product: Defaults to the primary brand unless you have multiple options.
- Assigned Affiliates: Assign the plan to specific affiliates or keep the default one. Need a different default? Scaleo’s support team can help.
Advanced targeting is also possible:
- Allowed/Denied Countries: Specify which traffic qualifies for commissions.
- Internal Notes: Jot down anything managers need to remember (internal use only).
Ready? Let’s move on to the juicy details of each plan type.
CPA Commission Plan
CPA stands for Cost Per Acquisition. Affiliates get paid when players complete specific actions like registration or a first deposit. It’s a win-win for operators and affiliates because payouts are tied to measurable results.
Why It’s Great for iGaming Operators:
- You pay only for real, active players.
- Affiliates are motivated to drive high-quality traffic.
Configuring CPA Plans:
Choose from options like:
- Flat: A fixed payout per action.
- Flat by Countries: Different rates per country.
- Progressive: Tiered commissions that increase with performance milestones (e.g., higher deposit volumes).
- Range by FTD Amount: Tiers based on total first-time deposits (FTD) value.
- Monthly FTD Count: Reward based on the number of first-time deposits in a month.
- Range by Total Deposits: Commissions are based on all deposits combined, not just the first.
Fine-tune with qualifications like:
- Minimum FTD or deposit amounts.
- Player activity thresholds, such as minimum bets or trades.
Revenue Share (RevShare) models give affiliates a cut of the revenue their referred players generate. This is a long-term strategy, rewarding affiliates as their players keep playing.
Example:
- Player generates $1,000 in net gaming revenue (NGR).
- Affiliate earns 30%, or $300.
- Base commissions on GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue), NGR, or total revenue.
- Handle negative balances with options like:
- Discard: Reset to zero monthly.
- Deduct from Balance: Carry over the deficit.
Progressive options include:
- Monthly FTD count
- Monthly Revenue
- Total deposits, categorized by count or amount
CPL Commission Plan
CPL (Cost Per Lead) pays affiliates to generate leads. Leads are typically users who register but haven’t yet made a deposit.
Why CPL Works:
- Low barrier to entry for affiliates.
- Great for brand exposure and user acquisition.
Available Configurations:
- Flat: Fixed payout.
- Progressive: Scale commissions based on total deposits or FTD amounts.
This is perfect for new affiliates or those focusing on registration-driven campaigns.
CPC Commission Plan
CPC (Cost Per Click) rewards affiliates for every click your platform generates. It’s all about traffic volume, not necessarily conversions.
Key Features:
- Affiliates earn a fixed rate per click.
- Lower-risk option for affiliates.
- Great for boosting brand visibility.
Flat Commission Plan
Simple. Predictable. Flat commission plans offer fixed payouts, either as one-time payments or recurring (monthly/annually).
Use this for campaigns where a steady, reliable incentive structure is key.
Hybrid Commission Plan
Why choose one when you can combine them? Hybrid plans merge CPA and RevShare, offering:
- Upfront payments (CPA) for registrations.
- Ongoing revenue share from player activity.
Benefits:
- Affiliates get immediate and long-term rewards.
- Operators manage risks better by balancing payouts.
You can configure hybrid plans with or without additional qualifications. This is a flexible way to align goals between you and your affiliates.
How to Customize Commission Plans for Your Affiliates?
Customizing commission plans for your affiliates lets you tailor strategies to boost engagement and performance. Use a platform like Scaleo to design exclusive plans for each affiliate’s strengths and needs. You can adjust commission rates based on their performance.
Consider a multi-brand commission setup. This diversifies revenue streams and rewards affiliates for their efforts across brands. It attracts more affiliates, making your network more effective.
Introduce tiered affiliate payouts to motivate higher performance. Set up thresholds that increase commission rates after reaching certain sales figures. This builds loyalty and drives consistent growth in affiliate-driven revenue.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Commission Structures
Creating effective commission structures can be tricky. One big mistake is not being clear about how commissions are calculated. Without clear communication, affiliates might get confused, leading to unhappy partners.
Another error is making commission plans too complicated. Affiliates like simple, easy-to-get plans. The more complex, the less appealing it is to them.
Not updating your commission plans regularly is another mistake. Failing to adapt to market changes can hurt your program’s success over time.
To make your program better, follow these affiliate management tips:
- Always be clear about how commissions work.
- Choose simple, easy-to-understand commission plans.
- Keep updating and improving your commission plans to match market changes.
Conclusion
Creating effective igaming commission plans is key to building strong affiliate relationships and increasing revenue. You can find the best fit for your goals by comparing different commission types. Understanding various strategies will help you boost engagement and performance.
Tailoring your affiliate strategies to your business’s unique needs is important. Also, be ready to adjust these plans as the market changes. Regularly check if your commission structures are still working well. This proactive approach will help you maximize your affiliate marketing efforts.
Ready to Get Started with Scaleo?
Scaleo is your top choice for boosting your iGaming affiliate program. It offers a powerful platform for automating your commission plans. This makes it easy to set up and manage your affiliate program settings.
With Scaleo, you can create custom commission structures for each affiliate. This customization is key to improving performance and increasing revenue. Plus, you can try it for free to see how it works.
Don’t wait to explore Scaleo’s features. It’s a great way to give your affiliates better incentives. Start now and see how it can help you earn more in the competitive iGaming market.
