The Shocking Truth About My Affiliate Program
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Release Date: 10/27/2025
How To Avoid The Biggest Affiliate Program Mistakes (Part 2)
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Over the years, I’ve made enough affiliate-program mistakes to fill a small handbook... and a few of them were the kind you don’t forget because they come with real consequences. In this episode, I’m continuing the “killer mistakes” series with the stuff that can get you in trouble fast, including one lesson that involved the FTC. I’ll break down what went wrong, what I should’ve done instead, and how you can protect your program while still growing it aggressively. Links Mentioned in this Episode
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How To Avoid The Biggest Affiliate Program Mistakes (Part 1)
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Most affiliate programs don’t blow up overnight... they bleed out slowly from a handful of preventable mistakes. In this episode, I’m breaking down the “killer” errors that quietly wreck tracking, relationships, motivation, and momentum, and I’ll show you the simple fixes that get you back on solid ground fast. Links Mentioned in this Episode
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How to Decide Between an In-House Affiliate Manager and an Agency
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Most people make this decision backwards... they pick “in-house” or “agency” based on budget, then hope it works out. In this episode, I’ll show you how to decide between an in-house affiliate manager and an agency based on what your program actually needs right now. We’ll walk through the real tradeoffs, the questions that make the answer obvious, and a few common scenarios so you can choose the model that gets results without creating a management mess. Links Mentioned in this Episode
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How to Help Affiliates Write Emails That Convert
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Most affiliate programs leave email performance up to chance... and then wonder why some promos flop. In this episode, I’m sharing how to help affiliates write emails that convert without turning into their copywriter. You’ll get a simple framework you can teach, the few elements every high-performing affiliate email needs, and the feedback process that improves emails fast while keeping the affiliate’s voice intact. Links Mentioned in this Episode
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How to Fix the 7 Beliefs That Kill Affiliate Programs
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Most affiliate programs don’t fail because of tactics... they fail because the person running them believes the wrong things. In this episode, I’m breaking down 7 common beliefs that quietly kill affiliate programs, from what you think affiliates want, to how you think motivation works, to what you think “good management” looks like. I’ll show you what each belief costs you, what to do instead, and how to fix the foundations so your program stops leaking sales and starts building momentum. Links Mentioned in this Episode
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How to Become an Affiliate Manager
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Affiliate management is one of those careers people stumble into... and then wonder why nobody told them about it sooner. In this episode, I’m breaking down how to become an affiliate manager. What the job actually is day to day, the core skills you need to build, and the fastest ways to get real experience even if you’re starting from zero. If you want a clear path into affiliate management without guessing your way there, this is your roadmap. Links Mentioned in this Episode
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How to Build a High-Converting Affiliate Webinar Funnel
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
If affiliates are promoting your webinar and you’re seeing plenty of registrations but not enough sales, this episode is for you. Today I’m sharing the exact strategies we use to triple webinar sales when affiliate traffic is in the mix. Not theory... the specific levers that have worked across dozens of clients: what to adjust before the webinar, what to change during the presentation, and what to do after so more attendees turn into buyers. If you want affiliate-promoted webinars to convert like your best internal traffic... you’re going to get a clear plan here. Links Mentioned in...
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7-Figure Affiliate Launches: The Exact Launch Plan
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
A seven-figure affiliate launch isn’t luck. It’s planning, sequencing, and a few leverage points most people skip. In this episode, I’m walking you through the exact launch plan we use to turn affiliate promos into a coordinated push, not a scattered shout into the void. We’ll cover what happens before the launch, what you give affiliates so they can promote fast, how you keep momentum during the window, and the handful of moves that separate a decent launch from a monster one. If you’ve ever wondered what a real seven-figure plan looks like... you’re about to get it. Links...
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How to Screen Affiliate Applications (My Approval Criteria)
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
Every affiliate application is a tiny fork in the road. Approve the right people and your program gets stronger. Approve the wrong ones and you get refunds, brand headaches, and a whole lot of noise. In today’s episode, I’m sharing my approval criteria for screening affiliate applications, plus the exact process we use to make decisions quickly and consistently. You’ll learn what to look for, what to ignore, and how to handle the “maybe” applicants without turning your program into the Wild West. Links Mentioned in this Episode
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How to Set Up Affiliates to Win (Onboarding Checklist)
The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More
You’ve got affiliates raising their hand. Now the real question is: what do they get in the first few days after they say yes? In this episode, I’m giving you my affiliate onboarding checklist. The exact pieces that help new affiliates feel confident, find what they need fast, and start promoting without a bunch of back-and-forth. If your current onboarding is “here’s the link, good luck”... this will fix that. Links Mentioned in this Episode
info_outlineWhat I’m about to share with you might honestly shock you. It used to be the single worst part of my entire business. Something that held me back for nearly three years. I'm ashamed to admit that the worst part of our company was our affiliate management. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on exactly what went wrong, why even I — The Affiliate Guy — struggled with this, and most importantly... how we finally solved it.
Links Mentioned in this Episode