What service providers don’t know, hurts them

Did you know most people only change internet providers (ISPs) when they move? It makes sense—it can be a hassle to switch, and many people don’t have real options. But during a move, they’re forced to research what service is available at their new home, and they're statistically more likely to switch. That makes movers a critical marketing target for ISPs. They want to capture customers precisely when they’re ready to buy, and they’ll pay a commission if you can help.

What are affiliate partnerships?

Affiliate partnerships arise when one party leverages its unique access or insights to help another—ideally, creating a win-win for all involved.

Traditionally, customer acquisition costs for ISPs can exceed $300 per customer. They throw the kitchen sink, investing in direct mail, billboards, TV ads, digital marketing, and events hoping to reach people at the right time but lacking certainty. 

If you’re a business that knows when people move, you present a compelling partnership target:

• You add value for your users—it’s convenient, timely, and entirely optional.
• ISPs only pay for results (no sign-up, no cost to them).
• You have the audience—they need internet, so why not get paid for connecting the dots?

You’ve likely seen affiliate marketing before

A common example of this model is in search engine results. If you Google “internet in my area,” the top results are often companies built around affiliate commissions. These businesses have fine-tuned their SEO strategies to rank high on Google. When you click through to an ISP’s website and make a purchase, the content creator earns a commission.

You may be familiar with influencers on TikTok or Instagram talking about products found on Amazon and then linking the product in the video description. In this case, they’re not helping uncover / capture purchase intent – they’re helping create demand and close the sale.

The Money Math

Let’s break it down. Say your business has:

• 1,000 users in a “moving window” per month
• 10% of them convert (sign up for internet)
• $100 commission per conversion (a middle-of-the-road rate)

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That’s $120,000 per year—without creating a new product or changing your core business.

So why not? Execution.

OK—so you know something that the ISPs don’t, ISPs are likely willing to pay you for it (but right now you’re just taking my word for it), and your users are certainly going to set up internet service at some point during their move. BUT—to take advantage of this opportunity, you might say you need to figure out:

• Which providers are available where
• What they offer and how much they charge
• Who to contact for commission agreements
• How to track referrals and ensure you get paid

And you might say none of these things make my beer taste better. And you’d be right. To that, I’d say – Hum fixes this.