How Is AI Impacting Affiliate Publishers?
Artificial intelligence is reshaping how affiliate publishers attract traffic, with AI‑driven search engines cutting click‑through rates and threatening traditional revenue streams. The Affiliate and Partner Marketing Association (APMA) responded by launching its first AI and large‑language‑model (LLM) survey in May 2026 to quantify visibility, traffic, and earnings changes across the sector. The study also probes how affiliates are deploying AI tools to engage audiences directly. Early insights suggest the affiliate ecosystem may face challenges similar to those reported by news publishers, prompting a strategic reassessment.
Under the Microscope: Content in the Age of AI
On June 17, OpenAttribution.org convened a “Content in the Age of AI” forum at Drum Labs in Shoreditch, bringing together marketers, publishers, and platform leaders to address ownership and value of AI‑generated content. The event opened with MMC Ventures Head...
The Sidemen Changed the Creator Economy. Can It Survive Without KSI?
The Sidemen, formed in 2013, transformed the creator economy from solo personalities to a collaborative brand powerhouse. By leveraging community‑driven content, diversified merch, gaming, and live events, they set a template for multi‑channel revenue streams. Their influence reshaped sponsorship models...
Tradedoubler Launches Emna.ai to Boost Brands’ Visibility in AI Search
Tradedoubler unveiled Emna.ai, a platform that measures and boosts brand presence in large‑language‑model (LLM) generated answers. The tool aggregates share‑of‑voice data across major AI search interfaces, identifies cited content, and recommends activation tactics. In a pilot with a skincare brand,...
A Reality Check: 10 Hard Truths Creators Took Away From SocialDay
At SocialDay 2026, top creators Stevie Yessaian, Omobolaji Ajibare and Quincy Washington revealed the gritty realities of the creator economy. They emphasized that viral moments are fleeting, consistency is draining, and building a sustainable business takes years. The panel highlighted...
Personalised Rewards Can Incentivise Financial Loyalty, New Research Suggests
Cardlytics’ 2026 Banking Index, based on a survey of 4,000 UK adults, shows that loyalty is increasingly conditional, with financial value driving retention. Only 16% of respondents plan to change banks within a year, but the hassle of switching motivates...
Affiliates Face Financial Shock as Amazon’s Associates Programme Cuts Commission Rates
Amazon has quietly restructured its Associates affiliate program, slashing commission rates by as much as 50% and trimming premium category rates from 10% to 4‑5%. The change also eliminates most milestone‑based bonuses, cutting a key revenue stream for top publishers....
Offer Search Is Becoming Standard Shopping Practice, New Research Shows
New research from Reward Gateway | Edenred shows that offer searching has become a baseline behavior for UK shoppers. Sixty‑two percent of the 10,111 employees surveyed actively look for discounts, and four in ten examine offers on every purchase. Offers are not...
Why Brands Are Still Undervaluing YouTube Creator Partnerships
Brands continue to undervalue YouTube creator partnerships despite the platform’s proven ability to drive deep audience trust and higher purchase intent. Short‑form platforms like TikTok and Instagram dominate marketing dashboards, leaving YouTube sponsorships perceived as opaque and hard to benchmark....
PI LIVE Europe and AAB Launch the Agency Ecosystem Map
PI LIVE Europe and the Agency Advisory Board (AAB) have released the inaugural Agency Ecosystem Map, a free, searchable database of agencies operating in the affiliate, partnership, influencer and creator economies. The map, refreshed every six months, categorises agencies by...
How Do You Turn Creator Commerce Into a Performance Channel?
The PI LIVE Europe Influencer & Commerce Summit will examine how creator‑driven affiliate marketing can evolve into a performance‑focused channel. Influencer spend reached $32 bn last year, a 35% jump, while research shows a 46% lift in affiliate sales when creators...
Omnicom’s Creo Unveils Agentic AI Tool for Brand-Influencer Content Compliance
Omnicom Media Group's specialist unit Creo has launched an agentic AI tool that automatically edits influencer‑generated content to meet brand compliance before publishing. Built with Google Cloud, the solution leverages Gemini and Veo generative models to identify and resolve issues...
Exclusive: Rakuten and impact.com Form Strategic Alliance to Scale Connected Performance Ecosystem
Rakuten and impact.com announced a strategic alliance that makes impact.com the exclusive technology platform for Rakuten’s advertising and rewards businesses. Over time, Rakuten will migrate all of its customers onto impact.com’s infrastructure, creating a unified, global affiliate‑marketing ecosystem. The partnership...
“As a Channel, We Are Incredibly Resilient”: Kirsten Black Talks Shifts, Shocks and Untapped Potential
Kirsten Black, Affiliate Director at EssenceMediacom, highlighted the affiliate channel’s surprising durability despite recent market shocks. She emphasized the rapid rise of micro‑influencers, who are capturing niche audiences with engagement rates that surpass macro and mega creators. Black noted that...
Ranking The Devil Wears Prada 2’s Brand Collabs: Who Is Runway's It Girl?
The sequel to *The Devil Wears Prada* is using a slate of brand collaborations to turn a classic fashion narrative into interactive, share‑ready experiences. Unlike the 2006 film’s passive product placements, the new tie‑ins feature gamified drops, creator‑focused content, and...