Affiliate Starter Guide & FAQ
We appreciate you joining!
We appreciate you joining!
To contact the Backblaze Affiliate Marketing team, email us at affiliatehelp@backblaze.com.
As a Backblaze Affiliate, you can earn 10% commission on referrals and renewals. Sign up only takes a few minutes. Join now and start earning!
To start, you should have received an email welcoming you to the program and giving you your Backblaze affiliate ID and affiliate links. These links are unique to you and all of your Backblaze affiliate activities. Please note that affiliate commissions are only earned on Backblaze Personal Backup and Backblaze Business Backup, and are not earned on Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage sales.
Graphics and Banners: We've created a collection of ads for you to promote Backblaze. We also provide logos and graphics if you want to create your own ad. You can view the Promotional Resources page to download these files.
Content and Stories: From time to time, Backblaze distributes content to our affiliates which you can use as you see fit. You can also republish any content on the Backblaze website or the Backblaze Blog that you find useful.
Here are several different ways you can sell Backblaze and earn affiliate commission credit for the sale. Each method shows how to properly link your affiliate ID to a Backblaze account so you receive credit. Once a Backblaze account is created for a trial or purchase, we cannot add an affiliate ID to that account after the fact, so it is critical that your audience uses your affiliate link prior to installing Backblaze!
Please note that affiliate sales are only earned on Backblaze Personal Backup and Backblaze Business Backup, and are not earned on Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage sales.
As part of our Affiliate Program, we require that affiliates adhere to certain guidelines to ensure that our brand and reputation are protected.
Our affiliates are not permitted to bid on any Backblaze branded trademarks or keywords, at any time and on any search engine. This includes using any portion, variations or misspellings of our trademarks, brand name or products, including but not limited to “Backblaze”, “Backblaze.com”, “blaze back”, “blaze”, “B2”. We also ask our affiliates to include “Backblaze” as a negative keyword in all campaigns. In the event these terms are violated, it may result in consequences such as deactivation from the program, loss of commissions, and/or legal action. We understand that mistakes can happen, and we will always strive to work with our affiliates to resolve any issues and maintain a positive partnership.
We ask that all affiliates review and agree to these terms before joining our program. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain the integrity of our brand.
This is the most common way to refer a customer. You can use your affiliate link directly or as part of a click-through link or graphic. For example, if your affiliate ID is afxxxx, then your affiliate link is as follows:
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup.html#afxxxx
Please note that afxxxx is just an example and not a real affiliate ID. Be sure to replace it with your own affiliate ID, which you can find in your welcome email.
When someone clicks on or types in your affiliate link, their browser is "cookied" with your affiliate ID for 30 days. If that person creates an account while cookied and purchases Backblaze, you receive commission credit. The cookie file name is: bz_billing_partner_id and its contents would be similar to: afxxxx_845972984572
You can place affiliate links in newsletters, on your website, and on social media. Once reaching the payout threshold ($100 USD, see below), you will get paid for any new Backblaze accounts, as well as renewals created from your links, so long as the account is paid for and in good standing. The following are the top performing links:
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal#afxxxx
Use this when talking about personal backup.
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/business#afxxxx
Use this when talking about business backup.
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal/windows-online-backup#afxxxx
Use this when discussing Windows/PC backup.
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal/mac-online-backup#afxxxx
Use this when discussing Mac backup.
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal/compare/backup-services#afxxxx
Use this when comparing backup services.
Please note that afxxxx is not a real affiliate ID. Be sure to replace it with your own affiliate ID, which you can find in your welcome email.
You are welcome to use URL shorteners such as bit.ly, but please make sure to redirect the bit.ly link to one of the affiliate links above.
You can maximize your earnings by encouraging your clients to sign up for Extended Version History. By default, Backblaze saves old versions or deleted files for 30 days and one year. Your clients can extend to Forever Version History for an additional fee, which contributes to your total commission.
An additional way to earn money is to sell Backblaze Business Backup to your business clients! When a business uses your affiliate link to create a Group, you can also earn a 10% commission for each license that is created within that Group. Just use your business backup affiliate link (https://www.backblaze.com/business-backup.html#afID) and start selling to businesses today!
Backblaze sells gift codes on its website. You can direct your users to the gift webpage and receive commission credit for gift codes they purchase. Here's the example for affiliate ID afxxxx:
https://secure.backblaze.com/partner/afxxxx?redirect=gift.htm
The gift code generated will be marked with your affiliate ID so you receive credit for the sale when the code is purchased. Note: This technique can be used for any secure (.htm) page on the Backblaze website, such as https://secure.backblaze.com/buy.htm.
Not sure what to say to clients? Need some help promoting Backblaze? Click here to download a PDF with key points to cover with your audience! We also have a fact sheet that you can distribute to your audience to help them better understand our Computer Backup service.
If you want us to take a look at your ad, please send us an email at affiliatehelp@backblaze.com with a link to your ad, and we’d be happy to provide constructive feedback.
We track and record landings, downloads, account creations, and sales associated with your affiliate ID. At the time of a payout, you will be provided with a summary report of your sales to date or you can request one by emailing us.
Once you reach or exceed $100 in commission, you are eligible to receive a payout. Our Accounting team will reach out to you for a PayPal email address and W8 / W9 form. This email will come from affiliates@backblaze.com. Once, and only when, you provide the requested information, our Accounting team will process your commission in the next batch of payouts.
Once a payout threshold is reached, your entitlement to a commission is further conditioned upon our receipt of the requested information from you. The payment of commissions cannot be processed unless and until both PayPal email address and W8 / W9 form are provided to our Accounting team. If you do not provide us the requested information within 60 days from the date of eligibility for us to initiate payment or upon termination of your Backblaze Account, whichever occurs earlier, you will not be eligible for any commission(s). For the avoidance of doubt, until such payment information is received, you will not have fully performed under these terms as an affiliate to entitle you to any commission(s) that would otherwise require payment by us. Commissions have no exchange value, and are not transferable.
Affiliates earn 10% commission on each new referral sale and 10% on any renewal revenue from their referred customers.
Subject to our receipt of the requested information, we will process the pay out by sending funds to your PayPal account.
We pay out by sending funds to your PayPal account.
The first time you have a payout ready, you will be contacted regarding payout and tax information. If you live in the United States, you will be required to complete a W-9. If you live outside of the United States, you will be required to complete a W-8 and provide your mailing address. We will withhold payment until the requested information is provided.
Thanks for your interest in becoming an affiliate with Backblaze! Please visit our Partner Page and select Affiliate in the drop-down to register with us as an affiliate partner. After you do, you'll receive an email with your affiliate links and all the information you'll need to get started.
Once you sign up to become an affiliate, you will receive a welcome email from the Backblaze affiliate program. You can find your affiliate ID in that welcome email.
Our Affiliate Starter Guide shows you how to create an affiliate link using your affiliate ID. You need to incorporate your affiliate ID into the affiliate link in order to make a commission.
Format:
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal#{affiliate-id}
Example for an affiliate ID that is af9999:
https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal#af9999
But your affiliate ID most likely is not af9999, so please be sure to use your affiliate ID or you won't get credit for any sales.
When someone clicks on or types in your affiliate link, their browser is "cookied" with your affiliate ID for 30 days. If that person creates an account and purchases Backblaze using that browser during the next 30 days, you will receive a commission for that sale. The cookie file name is: bz_billing_partner_id and its contents would be similar to: af9999_845972984572
Over 70% of visitors who install our free 15 day trial convert to paying customers, so we recommend using our free trial link: https://www.backblaze.com/cloud-backup/personal/free-trial#(affiliate-id)
For help with creating your affiliate link, please refer to the above question "How can I create an affiliate link?"
Yes, for most of the pages on the Backblaze web site you can do the following:
Format: https://secure.backblaze.com/partner/{affiliate id}?redirect={web page}
Example: Affiliate af9999 wants to link to www.backblaze.com/gift.htm
https://secure.backblaze.com/partner/af9999?redirect=gift.htm
No, you can only redirect to pages on the Backblaze website.
We reserve the option to provide a co-branded web page on our website for our best affiliates. If this is something you are interested in, please email us.
Here are a couple of suggestions:
No, you do not receive commissions on Backblaze B2 Cloud Storage.
Yes, you will receive a 10% commission on each new renewal revenue from your referred customers.
The minimum threshold is $100.
When you have accrued over $100 in commissions, our Accounting team will reach out to you for a PayPal email address and W8 / W9 form. This email will come from affiliates@backblaze.com. Once you provide the requested information, our Accounting team will process your commission in the next batch of payouts.
No, we cannot pay by check or any other way other than PayPal.
You can maximize your earnings by encouraging your clients to sign up for Extended Version History. By default, Backblaze saves old versions or deleted files for 30 days. With Extended Version History, your clients can extend that to One Year or Forever for an additional fee which will contribute to your commission.
No, it's critical that your customer uses your link prior to creating their account. Sorry but there is no way we can give you credit retroactively.
Unfortunately, we do not have a portal for affiliates to log into. You can wait for us to send your monthly report or email us periodically for a report.
Unfortunately, at the moment, we do not send out monthly reports automatically. When our Accounting team sends you a payment, they will include your monthly report. In the meantime, you are welcome to either email us for your report or wait until you receive a payment.
You will get the number of landings, downloads, accounts created, and sales for your affiliate ID. You will also see the amount of sales credited to your affiliate ID and your current commission.
Send us an email and we'd be happy to discuss!
Our advertising budget is limited, so we don't typically do this, but you can always ask us through email.
You can find datasheets, logos, icons, screenshots, and banners here: https://www.backblaze.com/partners/resources
Probably, but please ask us first by emailing us. Sometimes we license a photo or graphic to use on our website, and you do not have the rights to use it.
From time-to-time, we do offer these types of promotions. The Affiliate e-newsletter will provide notice and details of such programs.
When you signed up to become a Backblaze Affiliate, you agreed to accept email from us, including the Affiliate e-newsletter. If you unsubscribe from receiving our emails, you will no longer receive the e-newsletter.
Unfortunately, no. When a user signs up, they are contracting with Backblaze for the service. Our privacy policies prohibit us from sharing personal user information, such as email addresses.
Please send us the email addresses for the accounts you believe signed up using your affiliate link. We can verify, but we cannot give you credit retroactively.
Yes, the terms are the same as those of an affiliate.
Not currently.
Not at this time. We reserve the option to provide a co-branded web page on our website for our best affiliates. If this is something you are interested in, please email us.
Our customer support team would be happy to help your customer. Please ask your customer to submit a ticket to our support team here: https://help.backblaze.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
You get sales credit for Backblaze for Business sales, but currently these sales are recorded separately from your affiliate sales.
No, customers need to visit and install Backblaze through the link in order for them to be counted towards your affiliate total.
