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Turning Tables

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Written by Brook Schaaf


When I reflect on how much larger non-affiliate digital channels like walled gardens, open-web programmatic advertising, and, now, retail media networks are than affiliate, I sometimes muse whether the tables might be turned. In particular, might it be possible that a CPA or revenue share might someday be the standard, rather than an impression or a click? 

The conclusion I’ve come to, lamentable or not, is that this is something we’re unlikely to see in our time. Advertising as a type of commercial messaging is endemic to human nature and the basic impression-based frequency and reach campaign model, flawed though it may be (yes, it’s not just last-click attribution that has problems), is too well-established and too easy to scale. 

So the tables seem unlikely to be turned but, to reuse most of the same words, tables are always turning. In case you’re not familiar with it, this phrase refers to the number of times a table in an eatery turns over to new customers. If we imagine the diners to be something like online advertising channel budgets, it seems to me a new seating configuration may be soon to come – one that favors affiliates. 

Right now, if Facebook and Google send you traffic that converts to a sale, both will take credit for it and both will be paid, thank you very much. Ditto tracking for most open-web stuff courtesy of dubious “view through” attribution. This is in contrast to the affiliate channel, in which if multiple affiliates should be in the click path, only one can receive credit or, at least, only one commission will be awarded, even if split. This is effectively a double standard – affiliate is tightly controlled but other channels might double dip, taking extra credit and taking extra money.

So what is an advertiser to do? 

Stop using GA4 as your source of truth because it’s biased toward Google.

• Integrate an omnichannel marketing attribution solution like Cometly, Triple Whale, or Hyros. They will assign credit to one channel or another, even if you can’t get your money back. This includes affiliate, Facebook, Meta, open-web programmatic, etc.

Why is this important? While each advertiser and campaign is unique, you’re probably spending past the point of diminishing returns in the non-affiliate channels because they are over-crediting themselves. This means you’ll probably have more money to spend in the affiliate channel after you correct allocations. 

The tables may never flip, but the setting is shifting – and affiliate marketing might just land the right seat at the table.

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