Several newly introduced applications promise to help affiliate marketers analyze their leads, track their site performance and close more deals.

The tools - which incorporate more stepped-up technology and measurement than the industry uses now -  should provide a boost to this niche, which has been stymied by a lack of tech savvy and potentially helpful online ad strategies, writes MarketingCharts.

According to a survey by AffiliateBenchmarks, many affiliates are missing the chance to accurately measure their website performance, collect data on their audiences and use more tactics such as pay-per-click (PPC) search, video widgets and flash ads to promote their sites. Nearly four in 10 (38.5%) do not read any blogs for up-to-date information and helpful tips, nearly half (46.9%) do not collect data on their websites’ audiences, and 14.4% of those did not even know where this information comes from.

Making it Easy

One answer - at least for affiliates and merchants part of larger networks - is being provided by the networks themselves. Increasingly, they are rolling out new tools to help merchants to track and follow up on leads. ShareASale.com, for example, recently introduced ShareASale Pay-Per-Call Center to its entire network of more than 2,500 merchants. Powered by RingRevenue, the tool has more than 30 pay-per-call campaigns available to affiliates, with commissions as high as $50 per call. With it, users can get credit for sales that start online but are completed over the phone. Moreover, merchants can keep phone numbers on their landing pages and avoid creating multiple  pages for affiliate traffic.

Integration for Sales Leads

In a similar move, Affmeter recently integrated RevenueWire into its platform to give RevenueWire affiliates a better view of their sales tracking statistics from all their affiliate networks PPC ad campaigns. RevenueWire affiliates will be able to analyze which merchants are their biggest income generators and which ones are costing the most. It also analyzes net revenue by comparing earnings and cost per campaign.

High-Tech Commissions

Despite these newer tech-assisted options, the AffiliateBenchmarks survey found that affiliates still choose their networks based on commission amount, (69%), followed by the product being sold (53.8%), and the brand (33%).

But while commission amount is a business - not a tech - factor, technology can nonetheless aid both the affiliate and the marketer. TicketNetwork.com, for instance, raised the commission in its Commission Junction Affiliate Marketing Program for ticket sellers to 15% from 12.5%, from October 2009 until the end of the year - the busiest season for event-ticket purchases.

At the same time, the network also introduced an Affiliate Marketing coupon program for the month of October. Marketers were able to offer their ticket-buying customers the use of coupon code "OCTOBERDEAL09" which provided a $15 discount on all final orders above $100. Marketers could then advertise this discount to ticket buyers  using banner ads or email templates provided by TicketNetwork.