Affiliate Marketing Tool Development

Technology Stack

Python
Django
MySQL
Bootstrap
CKEditor
Formsite
AWS

The Client

The Credit Builder Card is an online tool, owned by a US-based company, that helps people get their credit cards, build their credit ratings, and meet financial goals. The company encourages people in the USA to earn good credit scores to easily apply for car loans, home loans, mortgages, etc.

The Challenge

This US-based company had a community of around 5000 to 7000 registered affiliates. However, the company did not have any strategic plan to monitor these affiliates and track their activities. So, they wanted a solution that would help them better manage affiliates and streamline tasks. They turned to Capital Numbers to deploy a centralized control panel that would help them accomplish the goal.

Our primary challenge was to create a feature-rich admin dashboard that would enable the client to efficiently manage, configure, and restructure all its affiliate web pages.
It had to be a user-friendly dashboard so that the client can easily add, delete, or customize web page elements (e.g., icons, forms, templates, and URLs).
We had to create smart and interactive online forms with conditional logic for each affiliate web page.
Since the timeline was short, we had to implement a quick solution that spares the developers from writing tons of codes from scratch.

The Solution

We held several meetings with the client to evaluate the scope. After compiling all details, we set out to upgrade the client website with best-in-class technologies, while ensuring cost advantage.

Firstly, to make the website scalable and high-performing, we used Python. This high-level programming language contains user-friendly data structures and libraries that make it extensible. Moreover, it is embeddable and perfect for dynamic sites. Therefore, we went ahead with this interactive language.

To speed up the web development process, we used Django. It comes with stellar documentation that makes development easy and quick. Plus, its high-end security features protect sites from CSRF attacks and SQL injections. Besides, Django comes with a built-in admin interface that helps authenticate users, display forms, and validate inputs, automatically, requiring minimum code. Therefore, this framework was the preferred choice for this project.

As for the database management system (DBMS), we used MySQL. We chose this DBMS because it’s highly configurable and scalable. Moreover, it has an unmatched capacity to handle large warehouses that stack terabytes of data. Plus, it promises 24*7 uptime. Naturally, this DBMS was a top pick.

Our experts chose Bootstrap to make the website responsive and multi-device compatible. Bootstrap also comes with built-in templates for forms, buttons, typography, and navigation, that assure clean page layouts. We further fine-tuned blocks, patterns, images, and texts in the pages through CKEditor.

We had to make each affiliate website interactive and user-oriented. So, we embedded online forms using Formsite. This third-party solution helps craft professional-grade web forms with zero coding or HTML requirements.

Since we had a short timeline, we deployed the web app in AWS Elastic Beanstalk that automates server setup and quickens the process. It seamlessly configures servers, networks, databases, and firewalls. Moreover, this deployment solution helps with auto-scaling and load-balancing during traffic peaks, without disrupting app speed or performance.

Results

Although we faced several challenges while implementing the technologies, the team spirit we demonstrated in handling those challenges was exceptional.

With Capital Numbers’ help, the client now manages all its affiliate websites under a single admin dashboard in a consistent way.

By applying the relevant tech stack, we helped our client with the following:

Single Admin Interface

We successfully created a powerful admin interface that lets the client have full control over its affiliate websites, page components, design patterns, etc.

Modular Web Design

We broke down entire web pages into smaller blocks or modules so that the client can reuse/replace these modules, as and when required.

Component-driven Development

We worked on individual modules or components to ensure fast development, incremental upgrades, and rapid releases.

Dynamic Page Layout

We added a feature in the admin panel to help the client add/edit page elements (i.e., headers, footers, texts, buttons, icons, and images) in the dynamic sites.

Automatic Data Population

We also incorporated a functionality that allows the client to populate thousands of data across affiliate sites by uploading a single CSV file or a spreadsheet.

Template Designs

To help the client change templates for each affiliate website, we added a separate section in the dashboard.

Slug Fields

Our developers used slug fields to create niche and clean URLs that acted as unique identifiers for each affiliate web page.

Form Creation

We used conditional logic for each web form to help the client drive user interaction and convert leads into customers.

Extensive R&D

Our efforts to split web pages into smaller, reusable pieces offered this Django project the kind of flexibility that the client needed. Our extensive research and deep focus helped us accomplish this.

Process Innovation

As a trusted partner to the client, we successfully delivered process innovation within the strict timeline while ensuring cost-benefits.

Efficiency Gains

Capital Numbers’ workplan and Django development services have helped the client with massive business efficiencies in terms of: