Looking for ways to grow your sales via word-of-mouth?
Teachable offers a couple of great network marketing features. But many Teachable school owners struggle to understand the difference between referral programs and affiliate marketing, leading to missed opportunities for growth.
In this post, you'll learn the differences between referrals and affiliates on Teachable, how each program works, and which one is right for your school.
Let's jump in!
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What are referrals on Teachable?
A referral program allows your existing students to refer your courses to their friends and community using a unique referral link.
When a student refers a friend, both the student and the friend receive a reward. The friend gets a discount on their purchase, while the student gets a discount they can redeem against future purchases on your school.
Benefits of setting up a referral system
- Word-of-mouth marketing - Referrals rely on the trust and existing relationships your students have with their friends and community.
- Higher conversion rates - Referred friends are more likely to buy because they trust the recommendation. The “persuasion legwork” has been done for you.
- A “win win win” situation - All parties benefit (you get more sales, the student gets a reward, and the friend gets a discount).
Example of a Teachable referral program
Imagine you offer a gardening course on Teachable. Your student, Jane, refers her friend, Mark, using her referral link. Mark gets a 10% discount on the course, and Jane receives a 20% credit towards her next purchase.
What are affiliates on Teachable?
Affiliate marketing involves partnering with individuals or businesses (affiliates) who promote your courses in exchange for a commission on sales they generate.
On the Teachable Pro plan or higher, you can set up an affiliate program where affiliates receive a percentage of revenue from sales they generate for your school.
Benefits of setting up an affiliate program
- Extended reach - Affiliates can promote your courses to audiences you might not otherwise have access to.
- Performance-based incentives - Affiliates are motivated to promote effectively because they earn commissions based on sales.
- Cost-effective strategy - You only pay affiliates when they make sales, which means it’s guarantee to be a cost-effective marketing strategy provided you set the right commission rates.
Example of a Teachable affiliate program
Consider your gardening course again. You partner with a gardening blogger, Sarah, who promotes your course on her blog. Each time someone buys the course through Sarah’s affiliate link, she earns a 15% commission.
Key Differences: Referrals vs. Affiliates on Teachable
| Question | Referrals | Affiliates |
|---|---|---|
| Who is it aimed at? | Targeted at existing students who refer their friends. | Targeted at external marketers who promote your courses. |
| Who gets rewarded? | Both referrer and referred friend receive discounts or rewards. | Affiliates receive a percentage of revenue from sales. |
| How are rewards redeemed? | Discounts can be redeemed against future purchases on your school. | Commissions are typically paid out in cash to the affiliate’s PayPal. |
| How does the marketing work? | Leverage personal connections and trust in your customers’ networks. | Often professional marketing tactics to reach wider audiences. |
| Which Teachable plan would you need? | Available on Teachable’s free plan. | Available on the Pro plan or higher. |
When to Use Referrals vs. Affiliates on Teachable
Referral programs work best when you want to engage current students and encourage organic growth.
By rewarding students for bringing in new members, you leverage their personal connections. This approach builds community and loyalty among your students. If you have an active student community, referrals can be a great way to encourage growth.
Affiliate programs are ideal for reaching new audiences and scaling your marketing efforts.
Affiliates (who are often external marketers or influencers) promote your courses to their network. This helps you reach people you might not reach on your own. If you’re looking to grow your school quickly and you’re comfortable building relationships with external partners, an affiliate program can be a great way to build momentum fast.
Pro tip: Using both strategies together can maximize their impact! You don’t need to choose between referrals and affiliates on Teachable—you can use both to grow your school at the same time.
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Additional Resources
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Upgrade to a Pro Teachable plan [10% off]
You'll need to upgrade to at least a Pro Teachable plan to use the features mentioned in this post. Use the link above for 10% off if you're a new customer. - How to offer discounts on online courses (without devaluing your content)
Article
If you offer a discount for referrals or affiliates on Teachable, you'll want to make sure you're not devaluing your course content. This article will help you understand how to offer discounts effectively. - The 14 Best Influencer Marketing Courses
Article
If you're considering setting up an affiliate program on Teachable, you might want to learn more about influencer marketing. This article lists the best courses to help you get started.
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Conclusion
In this post, we've explored the difference between Teachable's referral system and their affiliate program, so that you can choose the best marketing approach for your business.
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