What was our solution?
Silverbean developed and delivered a multi-layered solution, centred around the activation and optimisation of Comparison Shopping Services (CSS) partners – a relatively untapped opportunity within Sage’s EU affiliate strategy.
Partner Diversification Through CSS Activation
Silverbean identified CSS as a strategic channel to diversify the programme beyond traditional voucher and cashback partners. Two CSS partners were brought into focus:
- CSS partner 1 – a new addition to the programme in 2024
- CSS partner 2 – previously active but underperforming
Both partners offered strong presence across EU Shopping results, and the potential to drive qualified traffic at scale. CSS partners were selected based on their ability to:
- Support high-AOV products in competitive search spaces
- Run flexible CPA-based activity
- Leverage Google Merchant Promotions for tactical sales pushes
The Silverbean team wasted no time. They began onboarding, negotiating of commercial terms, and overall the integration of both partners into the programme – including ensuring tracking readiness and feed compatibility.
Feed Optimisation for Shopping Success
The success of any CSS campaign relies heavily on the quality of the product feed. Silverbean first engaged with the priority CSS partners to gauge their feedback on what could be added and what needed amending. The team then worked closely with Sage’s internal teams to audit, restructure, and optimise their Google Shopping feed, ensuring both partners had everything they needed to run effective campaigns.
Key optimisations included:
- Enriching product data with GTINs, colour, material and localised descriptions
- Categorising products to align with Google’s taxonomy
- Flagging promotional pricing and stock availability in real time
- Ensuring feed integrity across all relevant EU markets
This groundwork enabled CSS partners to surface Sage’s listings accurately and competitively, improving visibility across Shopping ads.
Tactical Use of Google Merchant Promotions
During a promotional period where Sage Appliances ran a 25% discount campaign, Silverbean advised activating Google Merchant Promotions via CSS partner 1. This allowed promotional messaging to be shown directly on Shopping listings – ensuring Sage stood out against competitors and resellers.
To ensure the success of this optimisation, the team:
- Collaborated with the client to shape compelling promotional messaging that would drive urgency and align with brand tone.
- Audited the product feed to confirm it met Google’s eligibility criteria for promotions, making adjustments as necessary.
- Coordinated closely with the CSS partner to implement the promotion across all relevant listings in the Shopping feed.
- Monitored live campaign performance to assess early traction, adjusting bids and targeting to maximise visibility and return during the promotional window.
This tactic helped to elevate the brand’s presence in Shopping results during a high-intent window, resulting in a substantial uplift in clicks, conversions and revenue.
Data-Driven Commission Optimisation
To ensure the channel remained profitable, the Silverbean team tested various CPA levels for each CSS partner – both during and outside of promotional periods. These rates were tiered by product category and adjusted based on:
- ROI performance by market
- Average order value (AOV)
- Revenue vs. action count trends
CSS partner 1, for example, was allocated a temporarily increased CPA during key campaigns to support additional media investment and maximise Shopping real estate.
Ongoing Performance Management & Optimisation
The team also worked closely with the CSS partners to:
- Optimise bidding strategies in real time
- Monitor impression share, traffic quality, and conversion rates
- Align CSS tactics with broader affiliate and eComm plans
The team also carried out post-campaign analysis to assess long-term lift in traffic and brand engagement – ensuring each campaign left a lasting impact beyond short-term gains.
