Affiliates FAQ
Got questions about setting up or managing your affiliate program? Here are answers to the most common questions we get about Mantle Affiliates.
Getting started
How long does it take to set up an affiliate program?
You can create your affiliate program in just a few minutes. Once you've set your commission rates and payout settings, you're ready to start inviting affiliates.
Do I need technical knowledge to run an affiliate program?
Nope! Mantle handles all the technical stuff. You just need to set your rates, customize your signup page, and manage your affiliates through the dashboard.
Can I have multiple affiliate programs?
You can have one affiliate program per app, but you can create multiple affiliate groups within that program. Groups let you set different commission rates and rules for different types of partners or products. Learn more about setting up affiliate groups.
What's the attribution window for affiliate referrals?
Affiliate referrals are tracked for 30 days. If someone clicks an affiliate's link and signs up within 30 days, the referral gets credited to that affiliate.
Managing affiliates
How do I find good affiliates for my program?
Start with your existing network - happy customers, industry contacts, or complementary apps. You can also share your signup link on social media or reach out to potential partners directly. Plus, check out the Mantle affiliate marketplace where you can connect with other app developers looking for partnership opportunities.
Should I approve affiliates manually or automatically?
It depends on your comfort level. Manual approval lets you vet partners, while automatic approval gets affiliates started faster. You can change this setting anytime.
Can I organize affiliates into different groups?
Yes! You can create affiliate groups with different commission rates and rules. This is great for VIP partners, different product lines, or regional programs.
What happens if I need to remove an affiliate?
You can deactivate affiliates anytime from your dashboard. They'll lose access to their affiliate portal, but their historical data stays for your records.
Payouts and commissions
How do affiliate payouts work?
Payouts are automatically generated when an affiliate's commissions exceed your minimum payout threshold. You can pay through Mantle Payouts, PayPal, or handle payments manually.
What's the minimum payout amount I can set?
You can set any minimum payout amount that works for your business. Common amounts are $50-$100, but you have full control.
Can I offer different commission rates to different affiliates?
Absolutely! Use affiliate groups to set different commission rates for different types of partners or performance tiers.
How often should I pay out commissions?
That's up to you! Many programs pay monthly or when affiliates hit their minimum threshold. The key is being consistent and communicating your schedule clearly.
Technical questions
How does affiliate tracking work?
Mantle uses tracking links and cookies to attribute referrals to affiliates. When someone clicks an affiliate's link, they're tagged for 30 days. If they sign up during that time, the affiliate gets credit.
Do I need to set up Google Analytics for affiliate tracking?
Yes, BigQuery setup is required for automatic affiliate tracking. Without it, affiliate links won't work and you'll need to manually attribute all referrals. Follow our Google Analytics and BigQuery setup guide to enable automatic attribution.
What can affiliates see in their portal?
Affiliates can log into their portal to see their referrals, commission earnings, and payout status. They get a clear view of their performance and earnings from your program.
What if an affiliate's link isn't working?
If affiliate links aren't working, it's very likely that BigQuery isn't set up correctly. Follow our Google Analytics and BigQuery setup guide to fix tracking. You can also check that their affiliate account is active and approved.
Why isn't my affiliate code populating?
Affiliate codes don't populate until BigQuery is properly set up. Once you've completed the BigQuery setup, affiliate codes will start working. Without BigQuery, you can still manually attribute affiliates to customers, but you won't need affiliate links for that process.