Multi-Channel Affiliate Marketing Approach Leads to Over 2,000 Applications per Month

Background

Founded in 1986, AccuQuote helps consumers find the most affordable term life insurance by combining instant online quotes with the personal service of seasoned, experienced professionals. The company has firmly established a leading position in the term life insurance market, increasing revenues an average of 40 percent annually over the past 10 years. Looking to increase sign-ups for their life insurance policy, AccuQuote turned to Direct Agents to help them manage their affiliate program.

Approach

In an effort to grow AccuQuote’s online distribution, Direct Agents implemented an aggressive media buying strategy across its publisher network focusing on email publishers that target the key life insurance demographic- men, age 35+, married, with an income of $75K or more.

Starting in 2008, an affiliate program for AccuQuote was set up by Direct Agents. The program focused on Direct Agents media buyers finding key email and display placements to drive full form applications for AccuQuote. In March 2010, in order to continue to build new channels of consistent quality lead volume, Direct Agents launched the AccuQuote campaign on the CJ Network. By focusing on targeting top tier publishers on the CJ network in the life insurance and financial sectors, Direct Agents was able to grow the number of placements that the AccuQuote campaign received and increase the number of publishers running the offer. AccuQuote has full visibility into the program with the ability to approve or deny any placements that are signed for the campaign.

Direct Agents also launched in November 2010 a short form version of the AccuQuote program titled Your Life Insurance Carrier in order to increase overall short form conversions for the AccuQuote campaign. For the program, the Direct Agents creative design and strategy team designed two different landing pages for the campaign in order to perform an A/B test to determine which creative helped maximize conversion rates. Utilizing a strong call to action, personalized imagery and a simple submit form, the winning landing page was used to secure effective results for the Your Life Insurance Carrier campaign.

Results

As a result of the multi-channel approach to affiliate marketing, the AccuQuote campaign continues to generate over 2000 applications per month. With a 49.3% click through rate on the short form lead offer and a 15.3% conversion rate, Direct Agents continues to deliver very strong lead quality, with a high percentage of the leads consistently converting into new confirmed policies. By recognizing and rewarding high performing affiliates, Direct Agents has been able to help AccuQuote maintain key placements on leading affiliate sites. As a result, AccuQuote and Direct Agents have continued to work together in 2011 to grow the affiliate program. Direct Agents is also testing additional ways to help grow monthly applications for AccuQuote including executing a targeted prospect email campaign.