Building a £2.5M Affiliate Channel for TravelSupermarket

BUSINESS

TravelSupermarket

SERVICES

Strategy, Affiliates

YEAR

2018 – 2020

TravelSupermarket are a UK travel comparison website that specialise in comparing the travel market for products such as holidays, car hire, flights, hotels and travel insurance.

In the competitive landscape of online travel comparison, maintaining a strong online presence and diversifying revenue streams is crucial for sustained success. TravelSupermarket, a leading name in the industry, faced a significant challenge when their SEO performance declined, impacting their primary source of website traffic and revenue. This case study delves into how, as Head of Performance Marketing, I spearheaded the launch and rapid growth of a new affiliate channel that generated £2.5 million in annual revenue within just two years. By strategically identifying and managing partnerships, optimising campaigns, and leveraging the power of the affiliate model, I helped TravelSupermarket not only recover from a revenue downturn but also establish a high-performing, sustainable income stream.

The Challenge

TravelSupermarket, a household name in online travel comparison, heavily relied on organic search traffic to drive customers to their site. However, a decline in their SEO rankings led to a significant drop in website traffic and, consequently, revenue. With the SEO recovery taking longer than anticipated, the company needed to quickly find new ways to attract users and generate revenue to offset these losses.

The Solution

As Head of Performance Marketing, I saw an opportunity to diversify TravelSupermarket’s marketing mix and reduce their reliance on SEO. Launching an affiliate programme would allow the business to leverage partnerships with other websites and businesses to drive targeted traffic to TravelSupermarket.

Partnering with AWIN, a leading affiliate network, I took a proactive approach to building the programme from the ground up. This involved:

Identifying high-potential partners: I focused on websites and businesses with audiences that aligned with TravelSupermarket’s target customer profiles, such as travel bloggers, deal sites, and cashback websites.

Negotiating attractive offers: I worked directly with affiliates to create compelling offers and incentives that would drive conversions, ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership.

Continuous optimisation: I closely monitored the performance of each affiliate, identifying top performers and optimising campaigns to maximise revenue and ROI.

The Results

The affiliate channel proved to be a resounding success for TravelSupermarket.

Year 1: Within the first year, the affiliate programme generated £500,000 in revenue, demonstrating its potential as a valuable new income stream.

Year 2: Through continued optimisation and expansion of the affiliate network, revenue grew five-fold to £2.5 million in the second year, with an impressive 60% profit margin.

Team Growth: The success of the channel led to the expansion of the affiliate team, with two new members hired to manage and further develop the programme.

Key Takeaways

The TravelSupermarket case study highlights several key takeaways:

Diversification is Key: Relying solely on one marketing channel can leave businesses vulnerable to unforeseen circumstances. Diversifying your marketing mix mitigates risk and creates new opportunities for growth.

Affiliates Drive Rapid Results: Affiliate marketing can be a highly effective way to quickly generate revenue and reach new audiences, especially when launching new products or entering new markets.

Strategic Partnerships are Crucial: Identifying the right partners and building strong relationships are essential for affiliate marketing success.

Conclusion

By successfully launching and scaling a high-performing affiliate channel, I helped TravelSupermarket not only recover from a revenue downturn but also establish a sustainable and profitable new income stream. This case study demonstrates my expertise in performance marketing, strategic partnerships, and driving rapid revenue growth.