The Affiliate Marketing Podcast

Why Your Affiliate Program Might Be Losing Traffic Without You Realising ItWhen 62% of AI citations reference affiliate sources but only 20% link to direct providers, something fundamental has shifted in how consumers discover financial products. Jon Ostler, CEO of finder.com and digital marketing veteran since 1997, reveals research that should worry every affiliate program manager: AI is scraping content from publishers, summarising their expert analysis, then sending consumers directly to providers while cutting out the affiliates who created that value. Lee-Ann and Jon discuss what this means for content publishers who've invested millions in editorial teams, how the performance model needs to evolve beyond last-click attribution, and why the publishers who survive will be those who understand their true value isn't just traffic anymore.Talking Points Include:The research findings that sparked this conversation - Jon analysed best-for-finance product searches across AI engines and discovered AI overwhelmingly cites affiliate content while bypassing affiliate links, fundamentally disrupting how publishers monetise their expertiseWhy this isn't plagiarism in the traditional sense - AI doesn't reason from first principles but delivers consensus answers by absorbing content investment from publishers, raising urgent questions about compensation models when your editorial work powers AI responses but generates zero clicksListen to Find Out More About:Jon's LinkedIn research that quantified exactly how AI citations reference affiliate content while bypassing affiliate monetisationWhy branded search and direct traffic increases often mask AI influence you're not being compensated for under current attribution modelsThe specific vulnerability AI systems share with early search engines and why chasing short-term exploitation breaks long-term brand buildingHow Google's antitrust position creates pressure to maintain ad revenue growth even as AI overviews reduce organic click-through ratesWhy Reddit strategies and multimedia affiliate approaches create the consensus signals AI relies on when formulating answersThe exact metrics Jon tracks beyond sales figures to understand genuine community health and identify which publishers drive sustainable valueReady to Master the Next Evolution of Performance Marketing?If this conversation with Jon Ostler revealed gaps in your current affiliate strategy, Affiverse Agency can help you navigate this transition with confidence. Our team specialises in helping affiliate program managers rebuild their partner ecosystems for an AI-influenced world, from identifying which publishers bring genuine value beyond last-click attribution to structuring commercial models that reward upstream influence. Whether you need strategic partner segmentation, innovative attribution frameworks, or simply expert guidance on what deserves your budget investment right now, we've worked with programs at every stage of this evolution. Visit Affiverse Agency to explore how our consulting services can transform uncertainty into competitive advantage, or reach out directly to discuss your specific program challenges. The publishers and program managers who thrive won't be those who mastered yesterday's best practices but those who understood tomorrow's fundamentals before their competitors did.Send me a text with your questions

Why Auto-Approving Affiliates in 2026 Is Like Leaving Your Front Door Wide OpenIf you're still auto-approving affiliate applications or letting every partner type into your program without a clear strategy, this episode explains exactly why that approach will cost you this year. Ishtvan Torpoi, known industry-wide as "that affiliate guy," joins Lee-Ann to unpack the MegaLag controversy, distinguish between coupon browser extensions and cashback models, and reveal why the vast majority of affiliate management work happens after launch, not before. This conversation delivers the strategic framework you need to build programs that actually drive incremental value rather than just revenue on paper.Talking Points Include:The browser extension distinction that most managers miss including why cashback browser extensions operate fundamentally differently than coupon extensions and how to set different commission structures for eachWhy more affiliates doesn't equal more conversions and how one wellness brand caught an 800-install fraud farm within 24 hours by watching data like a hawk during new partner launchesThe three non-negotiables for 2026 from monitoring performance data properly to changing default payout models based on customer lifetime value to implementing compliance monitoring before problems emergeListen to Find Out More About:Why European brands lag behind US brands in customer lifetime value thinking and how that affects willingness to pay higher initial commissions for quality partnersThe exact process for testing whether browser extensions actually improve cart abandonment rates or any other claimed metric before committing to partnershipsHow to structure commission differences between browser extension triggers and website-initiated traffic to reward genuine customer journey startsWhy reading affiliate sales pitches isn't enough and how to test partners as actual users to understand their real impact on your funnelThe data infrastructure investments that separate £30 million brands still doing manual analysis from brands with five data scientists building proper warehousesHow to spot bot farms and fraud attempts within 24 hours of new partner launches by monitoring specific conversion ratio patternsKey Segments of This Podcast and Where You Can Tune In to Go Direct:[12:10] How to determine which of the 18-19 affiliate types make sense for new program launches based on internal marketing capabilities and desired speed to revenue[22:00] Why brands at every size from startups to £30 million operations struggle with data aggregation and proper tooling investments[27:45] The three non-negotiables for 2026: watching data like a hawk, changing default payout models, and implementing compliance monitoring[30:50] Quality control processes that prevent fraud, including conversion validation checks and why auto-approval creates cleanup work rather than preventing problemsCall to ActionHuge thanks to Ishtvan Torpoi for sharing the frameworks he implements across diverse client programs at every stage of maturity. If this episode clarified where your program strategy needs adjustment, subscribe to the Affiliate Marketing Podcast so you catch every tactical insight that helps you build programs delivering genuine incremental value. Join us at the ELEVATE Summit in July 2026 in London, where strategic conversations happen between sessions and partnerships form that transform programs. Early bird tickets launch in January.Send me a text with your questions

The Year Affiliate Marketing Proved Its Power While Rewriting All the RulesIf you thought affiliate marketing was mature, predictable, or figured out, this year proved you spectacularly wrong. Lee-Ann Johnstone takes you inside the most transformative year our industry has ever experienced, where UK brands delivered £16 for every £1 invested while simultaneously watching 60% of searches end without a single click. This isn't just a recap of what happened. It's a master class in how the smartest operators adapted when zero-click search, AI integration, and algorithm chaos threatened to upend everything we thought we knew about performance marketing.Talking Points Include:The shocking numbers that prove affiliate marketing dominates digital marketing with £19 billion in UK basket revenue, $113 billion in US e-commerce sales, and ROI figures that make other channels look obsoleteWhy 60% of searches now end without clicks and what the smartest publishers did differently when AI Overviews decimated traffic by up to 89%The three business lessons that changed how Lee-Ann runs Affiverse including why saying no to clients actually increased demand and how community building became the antidote to algorithm dependency.Listen to Find Out More About:Why independent bloggers overtook major media outlets in content affiliate spend for the first time, and what this shift reveals about authentic voices versus corporate content farmsThe exact community building strategies that made some programs resilient when algorithm changes devastated others, and why owning your audience relationships transcends platform dependencyHow Affiverse reached nearly a million podcast downloads, trained over 3,000 practitioners globally, and launched the ELEVATE Summit and RAV Awards while doubling agency clientsThe innovation that genuinely worked this year, from community-led programs building true partnerships to video-first publishers seeing engagement rates that dwarfed traditional contentWhy data privacy will define winners and losers, and what first-party data strategies look like for brands that excel at collection and leverageThe specific metrics proving affiliate marketing delivers ROI other channels can't match, with sector-by-sector breakdowns showing 11:1 to 21:1 returnsKey Segments of This Podcast and Where You Can Tune In to Go Direct:[10:30] The UK and US industry numbers that prove affiliate marketing delivers ROI other channels can't match, with specific sector breakdowns[35:45] The three business lessons that changed how Lee-Ann approaches agency work, event planning, and community building[56:00] What's coming in 2026 and 2027, including specialized roles, attribution evolution, and data privacy defining winners[1:02:15] Affiverse milestones across media, agency, and community impact, plus what's launching in 2026Call to ActionThis episode captures the year that separated operators who adapt from those who wait for best practices to emerge. If these insights sparked ideas for how you'll approach affiliate marketing differently in 2026, subscribe to the Affiliate Marketing Podcast so you never miss the strategic frameworks that help you stay ahead. Join us at the ELEVATE Summit in July 2026 in London, where the industry comes together not just to learn, but to actually move forward. Early bird tickets launch in January.Send me a text with your questions

A Christmas Day Special Celebrating the Insights, Breakthroughs, and Bold Conversations That Defined Our SeasonWelcome to this very special Christmas Day edition of the Affiliate Marketing Podcast. Throughout Season 23, we dug deep into the engines behind impactful content, questioned the role of SEO and AI algorithms in a world that still craves human connection, and spotlighted the evolution of affiliate marketing from community-driven growth to loyalty-first strategies and consumer discovery beyond the usual channels. Today's episode is a moment to look back on all we shared this season, appreciate how far we've come together, and celebrate the insights we gathered along the way. Grab a cup of something warm, settle in, and enjoy this Christmas Day Special as we wind up the season that's past and get ready for an even bigger one ahead.What You'll Hear in This Episode:The 6:1 content ratio that's reshaping digital marketing as Saurabh Singh reveals why educational content consistently outperforms promotional posts and how trust has become the new currency in affiliate marketingWhy most affiliate programs stall before they ever hit momentum with Florin Simovici's operational insights from 15 years of hands-on experience building scalable, sustainable programsThe harsh reality of building a content-first publisher from scratch as George Sullivan opens up about facing rejection after rejection and what affiliate managers misunderstand about the publisher's journeyWhy user-generated content is now the most powerful lever in affiliate growth from Dennis Yu's billion-dollar ad spend experience with brands like Nike and StarbucksHow AI-powered answer engines are capturing a quarter of global queries and what Colin Jeavons says this disruption really means for affiliate managers navigating an uncertain futureThe loyalty-building principles that turn silent affiliates into thriving communities as Alex Hitt shares why genuine connection, not higher commissions, truly drives retentionWhy most organisations stall on AI adoption with Katie King's roadmap for building strategic frameworks and embedding responsible governance before regulation arrivesHow daily payouts became the most powerful micro trust signal as the Exness team reveals their journey scaling from 18 to more than 100 countries with human-centric logicWhy platforms like Reddit are suddenly outranking traditional reviews and how Ewen Finser steered more than 100 websites through Google's volatility into the AI-driven landscapeHow to run your affiliate program ethically in the age of AI as Leanna Klyne and Lee-Ann discuss automation that stays human and what regulation might mean for your partner management.Call to ActionSeason 23 gave you the frameworks, now it's time to implement them. Whether you're rebuilding your onboarding process using Alex's white-glove approach, restructuring your content strategy around Saurabh's 6:1 ratio, or preparing your team for AI adoption using Katie's governance roadmap, the insights from this season only create value when you put them into action. Subscribe to the Affiliate Marketing Podcast so you're ready when Season 24 launches on New Year's Day with bold predictions for 2026 and conversations that push the boundaries of where affiliate and performance marketing are headed. DM Lee-Ann on LinkedIn and share what you're struggling with or want to know more about, and she'll find the right expert to get on the mic and talk us through it.Send me a text with your questions

When Automation Becomes Dehumanisation (And How to Stop It Before You Lose Your Best Partners)If you're using AI to manage your affiliate program but wondering why engagement keeps dropping, this episode explains exactly what's going wrong. Leanna Klyne, Affiverse's Agency Director with 18 years in the trenches, joins Lee-Ann to dissect the hidden cost of over-automation. They explore why AI-approved partners sometimes include your competitors, how content creators are being misrepresented by tools that don't understand context, and why the human touch still drives the partnerships that actually convert. This conversation offers practical guardrails for using AI responsibly without sacrificing the relationships that make affiliate marketing work.Talking Points Include:The approval automation trap that declined a top publisher because AI couldn't distinguish between a media buyer and a content site, costing the program a valuable winter sports partner during summer dormancyWhy segmented outreach beats mass emails every time and how investing four extra hours monthly to tailor content by partner type builds the micro-trust relationships that drive long-term revenueThe compliance blind spot that could make you legally liable when faceless accounts and user-generated content creators slip through automated vetting without legitimate contact detailsListen to Find Out More About:Why being transparent about AI use in outreach emails actually increases response rates and adds humor that builds rapport instead of destroying trustThe specific data you should never put into public AI tools like ChatGPT because it becomes open source and violates client confidentialityHow to write program terms that clearly define acceptable AI usage for partners while protecting your brand from deepfakes and unauthorised voice replicationThe exact compliance risks that emerge when automated approvals let unverifiable partners into regulated verticals without legitimate contact informationWhy boring consistency often outperforms fancy AI implementation, and how simple calendar reminders maintain partner relationships better than sophisticated automationLee-Ann's personal policy on LinkedIn messages and why every response comes from her, not a chatbot pretending to be herKey Segments of This Podcast and Where You Can Tune In to Go Direct:[18:08] The segmentation strategy that achieves industry-leading open rates by speaking directly to six or seven partner types instead of mass-blasting generic content[27:00] How to use AI for trend spotting within partner data to identify optimal booking windows that increase performance 7% above industry mean while cutting wasted spend[37:09] The essential ethical guardrails that preserve humanity while enabling innovation, including the perspective shift that changes how you evaluate every AI decisionCall to ActionHuge thanks to Leanna Klyne for sharing the real-world AI frameworks she implements daily across Affiverse's agency clients. If this episode helped you see where automation enhances relationships versus where it destroys them, subscribe to the Affiliate Marketing Podcast so you catch every practical insight that helps you build programs partners actually want to join. Share this with another affiliate manager wrestling with AI adoption, and let's raise the standard for ethical partnership management across the entire industry.Send me a text with your questions