The Affiliate Guy with Matt McWilliams: Marketing Tips, Affiliate Management, & More

Hosted by Matt McWilliams, Award-Winning Affiliate Manager

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711

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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About the show

The Affiliate Guy Podcast is your source for affiliate marketing news, tips, and strategies to take your online business to the next level. Learn how to boost your commissions, manage affiliate programs, and so much more. More information at theaffiliateguy.tv and mattmcwilliams.com.

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60 recent

June 15, 202632 min

How to Expand Your Affiliate Program Internationally

Expanding your affiliate program internationally can unlock growth you'll never get if you only recruit in one country, but it also comes with a few practical wrinkles that catch people off guard. In this episode, I'm breaking down how to expand your affiliate program internationally, including where to find overseas partners, what to think through with tracking and payments, and the small adjustments that make it easy for international affiliates to promote and get results. Links Mentioned in this Episode 2023 FTC Endorsement Guide Updates: What Affiliates and Affiliate Programs Need to Know Affiliate Program Terms and Conditions Template Gmass

June 8, 202627 min

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 4)

Most affiliate programs don't lose affiliates because the product is bad... they lose them because it's harder to promote your offer than someone else's. In this final episode of the 6 C's series, we're covering the last three C's: Competitive Commissions, Customization, and a Centralized Hub. I'll show you how to set commissions that attract the right partners, how to create custom assets like landing pages, swipe copy, and graphics without drowning in requests, and how to build one simple place affiliates can grab everything they need and start promoting fast. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach Affiliate Communication Calendar Affiliate Commitment Plan Affiliate Terms and Conditions Template

June 1, 202621 min

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 3)

One of our clients did about a $5 million affiliate launch and he estimated roughly 40% of that came from one thing... coaching the affiliates. Not "here's your link, good luck" coaching, but real training: what to say, what to send, how to position the offer, and how to avoid the little mistakes that kill conversions. In this episode of the 6 C's series, we're talking about the third C: COACHING, and I'm going to get practical with how to run trainings, what to put in cheat sheets, and how to teach affiliates in a way that actually changes their results. Links Mentioned in this Episode Affiliate Commitment Plan Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach

May 25, 202627 min

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 2)

Most affiliate programs communicate in a way that makes affiliates tune out... or walk away. Too many emails, not enough clarity, missing details, last-second requests, and "helpful" messages that don't actually help anyone promote. In this episode of the 6 C's series, we're talking about the second C: COMMUNICATE. I'll show you what great communication looks like from an affiliate's point of view, what to send (and what to stop sending), and how to make it easier for affiliates to say yes and promote. Links Mentioned in this Episode Affiliate Communication Calendar Affiliate Commitment Plan Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach

May 18, 202624 min

The 6 C's of Elite Affiliate Programs (Part 1)

Most affiliate programs look different on the outside... but the ones that win year after year all have a few fundamentals in common. This episode kicks off my 6 C's series, and we're starting with the first C: CONTESTS. I'm going to show you how to run an affiliate contest that gets affiliates engaged, drives real sales, and doesn't turn into a messy spreadsheet nightmare. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your First 100 Affiliates Your Affiliate Launch Coach George W. Bush Announces Affiliate Prizes John Morgan's site

May 11, 202632 min

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Manager

Choosing an affiliate manager can feel like a guessing game... until you know what to look for. In this episode, I'm breaking down the traits and skills that actually matter, where great affiliate managers tend to come from, and how to tell the difference between someone who "knows affiliates" and someone who can build, grow, and manage a real program. If you're about to make a hire, this will help you choose with confidence and avoid an expensive mismatch. Links Mentioned in this Episode Your Affiliate Launch Coach Interested in Working with Us? Get Your First 100 Affiliates

May 4, 202616 min

How to Get Affiliates Excited to Promote

Got a promotion coming up soon? In this episode, I'm breaking down how to get affiliates excited to promote and keep that energy building right up to launch day... using the exact pre-promo strategy we use with clients to turn "I might promote" into planned emails, scheduled posts, and a strong first day. Links Mentioned in this Episode Free Masterclass - How I Built a $12.6 Million A Year Affiliate Program In Only Two Years Without Any Connections or Credentials Affiliate Warm Up Plan and Promo Plan

April 27, 202645 min

How To Avoid The Biggest Affiliate Program Mistakes (Part 2)

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 Find Affiliates Now Program PDF Report (Top Affiliate Program Mistakes and How to Avoid Them) My #1 Affiliate Recruiting Email How to Determine Commission Structure How to Create Swipe Copy for Your Affiliates Affiliate Promo Plan Template Affiliate Activation Templates Facebook Live on Getting Affiliates to Commit

April 20, 202646 min

How To Avoid The Biggest Affiliate Program Mistakes (Part 1)

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 Top 20 Affiliate Program Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them) Find Affiliates Now Program My #1 Affiliate Recruiting Email How to Determine Commission Structure Facebook Live: The BIGGEST Lie You've Been Told About Finding Affiliates

April 13, 202626 min

How to Decide Between an In-House Affiliate Manager and an Agency

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 Your Affiliate Launch Coach Find Your First 100 Affiliates