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Affiliate Nerd Out

Dustin Howes

Partnership marketing enthusiasts and affiliate marketing gurus are sharing their best strategies for affiliate program growth. New guests every week will come to discuss hot topics in the industry and what latest growth hacks working right now.

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Friday · 14 min
Alfie Just Found 50 Perfect Affiliate Partners in 10 Minutes
Not leads. Not "maybe" contacts. Full profiles: contact info, why Alfie thinks they're a fit, fit score, traffic type, reach, and even soft signals like age and gender skew. Stuff that used to take me hours of manual prospecting just... populated itself. In this episode of Affiliate Nerd Out I gave a live look at Alfie's new Advanced Campaigns feature, built directly from user feedback. You can now: 1/ Target by influencer type, traffic source, and category 2/ Adjust age/gender demographics 3/ Filter by country I've been in affiliate marketing for a long time, and I genuinely don't know why it took the industry this long to build something like this. It's not just faster; it's finding the right partners, not just more partners. Christen Evans (she/her) and I also dug into Q4 prep, the Rakuten → Impact migration chatter, and a fine jewelry program that's been an absolute rocket ship (30/60/90 numbers included). Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
September 10 · 12 min
Affiliate Marketing Is Changing: Honey, ShopMy & the AI Revolution
This week's episode got a little spicy. We're talking about the newest MegaLag video calling out people in our own industry, the ShopMy drama nobody's fully unpacked yet, and why I ditched TikTok for an app that teaches me Claude instead. Plus, I recorded something with one of the smartest AI guys I know, the same guy who helped build out my Claude agents, and it turned into a two-part series. Part one breaks down what AI tools actually matter right now. Part two, we're doing a live build so you can watch exactly how it's done. If you're in affiliate or partner marketing, some of this is going to hit close to home. #AffiliateMarketing #PartnerMarketing #AffiliateNerdOut #AI #Claude #MarketingPodcast Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
September 8 · 14 min
How FirstPromoter's New AI Assistant Automates Your Affiliate Program with Tautvydas Vasiliauskas
Ever set a commission rate for your affiliate program, only to watch a partner send you customers who buy the cheapest plan, cancel after one payment, and pocket the payout? You're not alone. I've been there myself, and it's one of the fastest ways to torch your margins without ever knowing it happened. My FirstPromoter review started when I recently sat down with Tautvydas Vasiliauska, Head of Marketing at FirstPromoter, on Affiliate Nerd Out to dig into why subscription businesses need a completely different approach to affiliate tracking than the ecommerce world does. FirstPromoter has spent around a decade building affiliate, referral, and influencer tracking specifically for SaaS and other subscription companies, and Tautvydas laid out exactly where the standard ecommerce playbook falls apart. Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
September 2 · 15 min
From Affiliate Manager to CMO: How She got $4 million a month and Helped Build a $500M Company
"Here's $4 million a month. Go figure out what you wanna do with it." That's the only brief Colleen Butterfield got. No roadmap. No strategy doc. Just a number and a deadline. She went from affiliate coordinator to CMO with no MBA and no traditional path. Built a solar company that sold to ADT for half a billion dollars along the way. In this episode, we got into: 1. What it actually takes to go from affiliate manager to CMO 2. Why being good at your job is not a good enough reason to stay 3. What affiliate managers need to start doing now to lead marketing by 2030 She also says something about the affiliate manager role that most people in marketing completely overlook. Worth staying for that alone. Watch the full episode to see why. If you've ever been great at a job you hated, drop a comment. Curious how you handled it. #AffiliateMarketing #CMO #PerformanceMarketing #MarketingLeadership #GrowthMarketing Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
September 2 · 13 min
Navigating change: Reflections on career growth and role transition
"Letting go of a role that gave me anxiety every day took longer than it should have." But when it finally happens, you feel the pressure drop in real time. In today's episode, Christen Evans (she/her) and I talked about: - Stepping away from sales and into the work that actually fits - Pinterest acquired TVSci and there's a beta opening for brands doing less than 100K in ad buys - Why being good at something is not the same as being built for it We also get into what happens when the podcast stops getting no's. Watch the full episode to see why. If you've ever stayed in a role longer than you should have, drop a comment. Curious what finally made you move. #AffiliateMarketing #CareerGrowth #ContentCreator #PerformanceMarketing #AffiliateNerdOut Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
August 25 · 13 min
Stop Playing Small: How Affiliate Managers Can Become Industry Leaders with Lee Ann
Waited until her mid-40s to start her own business. Now she's telling every affiliate manager to stop waiting. Lee-Ann Johnstone built KonverJ from 22 years in affiliate, starting back when it wasn't even called affiliate marketing. 1. Commercial negotiation is half the battle. Learn it early and everything else gets easier. 2. When you stop learning every day, you start falling behind. She's treating AI like a brand new skill despite two decades in the industry. 3. Planning and strategy should lead the program forward, not be the afterthought after the execution. She also dropped the two questions she asks herself about everything she reads. They change how you process information entirely. Watch the full episode to see why. #AffiliateMarketing #AffiliateManager #DigitalMarketing #CareerGrowth #AffiliateNerdOut Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
August 21 · 13 min
The Affiliate Fraud Scandal Everyone Is Talking About
The networks know who the bad actors are. They make money off of them. Christen Evans (she/her) is back for Real Talk Friday. She's a rule follower, and she wants to know why the industry keeps gatekeeping in 2026. Here's what we got into: 1. The networks kinda wanna sweep it under the rug and stay quiet. 2. At my first job, publishers had hundreds of fraud tickets against them. Still in the network. Because they were making CJ too much money. 3. Nobody has the balls to do it. Or legally, they're terrified. We also get into who should be housing all of this and why it's not a 15-minute flash. 👇 Watch the full episode to see why. Ever dealt with a fraudulent partner? Drop it in the comments. #affiliatemarketing #affiliatefraud #performancemarketing #affiliatenerdout #digitalmarketing Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
August 11 · 13 min
The AI Ranking Strategy Brands Are Using to Dominate with Farzad Rashidi
ChatGPT is scraping sources to build its answers. The question is whether your brand is one of them. Sat down with Farzad Rashidi, CEO of Respona, to break down how brands are getting cited by LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google AI Overviews. Systematically. Here's what we covered: 1. How Respona builds high-authority citations through targeted listicles, comparison guides, and product reviews 2. Why human editors review every piece of content. No AI filler, guaranteed placements. 3. How agencies are using bulk discounts to resell this as a service at a profit We also get into pay-per-article pricing, API access, and why waiting around for organic mentions is not a strategy anymore. Watch the full episode and drop a comment: is AI visibility part of your 2026 plan? Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
August 10 · 53 min
DEEP DIVE: Affiliate Management 2.0: The Innovations Winning in 2026
Want to know what is actually working in the affiliate industry right now? I hosted a live panel with Fred Jean-Barrel from Performance Partners, Mark Goco from All Inclusive Marketing, and Josh Kennedy from Imagine Marketing to break down how to scale programs without relying on tired tactics. We talked about smarter outreach, AI research, and what it takes to win in performance marketing today. If you are trying to figure out how to recruit affiliates who actually move the needle, this conversation is packed with real examples. Forget generic email pitches and spamming coupon sites. We dug into how to soft-pitch premium publishers like Wire Cutter, why paid search is wildly underrated, and how to use data-backed insights to build trust. Watch the full chat to get the exact strategies these agency founders use to scale eight and nine-figure brands. If you want to speed up your process, check out Alfie (https://www.alfie.io/) to automate your outreach and find niche content partners in minutes. Connect with me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhowes) and let's keep the conversation going. Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month Go to https://dustinhowes.com/alfie to set up your account with a 30-day money-back guarantee For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
August 6 · 15 min
The Secret Marketing Skill That Takes You From AM to CMO with David Vogelpohl
My all-time favorite boss told me something once that changed my entire career. "Dustin, you're the best network marketer I've ever met." That's David Vogelpohl. He started by cold-calling computer shops in the late '90s to set up referral agreements. That was his first accidental entry into affiliate marketing. His take on where most affiliate managers go wrong: 1. You're running a business within a business. Most just don't see it that way. 2. The fastest path to leadership is to volunteer. 3. If you're pigeonholed, it's because you're not asking enough questions. This one's for every affiliate manager who's ever wondered where this career can actually take them. We also get into why David calls affiliate marketing the E=MC² of marketing and why you should never be ashamed of what you do for a living. Watch the full episode to see why, and drop a comment if this resonates. Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Connect with Dustin Howes on LinkedIn: /dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #CareerGrowth #AffiliateManager #DigitalMarketing #MarketingLeadership Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
August 3 · 15 min
The Future of AI Search: How Brands Can Dominate ChatGPT & Reddit with Ewen Finser
Someone sees your ad on Meta. They Google your brand. They find a Reddit post from Joey323 saying your brand sucks. That's your entire paid spend strategy gone. Ewen Finser, CEO of ScaleVisible, calls this the villain archetype. And it's more common than most brands want to admit. On this episode of Affiliate Nerd Out, Ewen joins me in to break down how brands can win in the age of AI search, Reddit, and ChatGPT. One of his clients has 2% market share against QuickBooks. They now have 50% parity in AI search. It's becoming one of their top customer acquisition channels. The play? Reddit, YouTube, and tier-two media. Three legs. Build clusters. Build consensus. Get AI to say nice things about you across multiple surfaces. For brands still coasting on old KPIs, watch out. It's death by a thousand paper cuts. You may not even know it's happening yet. If you're running an affiliate program or managing a brand's online presence, this one is worth your time. Watch the full episode and let me know where your brand falls: ghost, villain, challenger, or defender? #AffiliateMarketing #AISearch #RedditMarketing #B2BMarketing #DigitalMarketing #ScaleVisible Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
July 30 · 1 hr
How to Build a B2B Affiliate Program from Scratch
Dustin Howes hosts a panel with Nancy Harnett (Instantly.ai, ex-HubSpot), Victor Moen (Affilial.com), and Ed Ceballos (EverFlow) on scaling B2B SaaS affiliate programs. Nancy emphasizes auditing existing partners and analyzing funnel data before expanding recruitment. Victor shares strategies for removing low-quality affiliates, reactivating dormant partners, and scaling targeted outreach. Ed highlights building referral programs around loyal customers, using meaningful rewards, and tracking influence beyond last-click revenue. The panel also explores commission structures, ecosystem partnerships, creator payments, and effective affiliate activation strategies. Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Want to recruit more affiliates? https://affistash.com Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: / dustinhowes #B2BAffiliateMarketing #SaaSAffiliateMarketing #AffiliateMarketing #PartnerMarketing #AffiliateProgram #B2BMarketing #GrowthPartnerships #AffiliateRecruitment #SaaSGrowth #ReferralMarketing #AffiliateStrategy #PerformanceMarketing #AffiliateNerdOut Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month Go to https://dustinhowes.com/alfie to set up your account with a 30-day money-back guarantee For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
July 16 · 15 min
Affiliate Marketing Drama: Cookie Stuffing, Budget Cuts & Industry Chaos
In this Real Talk Friday episode of Affiliate Nerd Out, Dustin Howes and Cristen Evans break down the latest affiliate marketing trends, including industry drama over fraud accusations, the impact of cutting affiliate commissions, and why protecting partner relationships matters. They also share updates on Alfie, AI automation, affiliate program migrations, and an upcoming webinar on modern affiliate strategies. The episode wraps up with a reminder that building relationships starts by saying yes to the conversation. 00:00 Loyalty App Warning Shot 00:44 Show Intro And Banter 01:55 Top Hat Giveaway Stories 03:36 Affiliate Drama And Tattling 05:54 Budget Cuts Hurt Partners 08:54 Alfie Updates And Webinars 11:00 Cristen Work And Automation 12:49 Always Take The Call 14:46 Wrap Up And Sign Off Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #AffiliateNerdOut #RealTalkFriday #AffiliateProgram #PartnerMarketing #DigitalMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #AffiliateStrategy #AIAutomation #MarketingPodcast #CookieStuffing #ImpactDotCom #ChristenEvans Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
July 16 · 13 min
AM to C-Suite EP2: Navigating the Path to Executive Leadership with Viktorija Ratomskė
In this episode of Affiliate Nerd Out, Dustin Howes sits down with Viktorija “Vik” Ratomske, CEO of Partner Gap, to discuss her journey from business intelligence analyst to executive leadership in affiliate marketing. Vik shares how she entered the industry, the mentors who shaped her career, and why affiliate managers develop powerful skills in negotiation, relationship management, adaptability, and cross-channel marketing. She explains the challenge of being labeled “just affiliate,” the importance of speaking the language of the C-suite, and how to prove the value of relationship-driven work through data. Vik also reflects on what she would do differently and offers advice for aspiring leaders looking to build a broad, modern affiliate marketing perspective. 00:00 Affiliate Ceiling Question 01:01 Meet Vik Ratomske 01:49 How Affiliate Found Her 02:33 From Data To Deals 03:08 Mentors And Mindset 04:01 Avoiding The Plateau 05:10 Executive Skills From AM 05:53 Underrated AM Superpower 07:00 Breaking The Pigeonhole 07:44 Speaking C Suite 08:29 Proving Intangibles 09:20 Be Bolder Lessons 10:38 Choosing Battles With Data 11:24 Sponsor Alfie Break 11:49 CMO By 2030 Advice 12:49 Final Thanks And Outro Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Want to recruit more affiliates? https://affistash.com Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #AffiliateNerdOut #PartnerMarketing #AffiliateManagement #MarketingLeadership #BusinessLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership #DigitalMarketing #CareerGrowth #NegotiationSkills #MarketingPodcast #WomenInBusiness Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
July 16 · 14 min
AM to C-Suite EP3: Navigating the Path to CMO: Insights from Michael Cole
In this episode of Affiliate Nerd Out (AM to C-Suite Edition), host Dustin Howes welcomes Michael Cole, CMO of Everflow, to discuss how affiliate marketers can grow from affiliate manager to executive leadership. Michael shares how he got started in affiliate marketing, why many affiliate managers hit a career plateau, and how skills like partner relationship management, fraud prevention, and strategic communication translate into leadership roles. He also explains why affiliate marketing is more than a single channel and how to report results in terms of revenue, pipeline, and business growth. Whether you're an affiliate manager, partner marketer, or performance marketer, this episode offers practical insights to help you grow your career. 00:00 Affiliate to CMO Mindset 00:39 Welcome to Nerditorium 01:05 Meet Michael Cole 01:31 Accidental Affiliate Start 02:31 Mentors and Relationships 03:14 Breaking the Plateau 04:38 Fraud and Deescalation 06:16 Affiliate Beyond a Channel 07:18 From AM to C Suite 08:56 Learning All Disciplines 10:11 Speaking Executive Metrics 11:15 Career Regrets and Lessons 12:10 CMO by 2030 Playbook 13:10 Closing and Signoff Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #AffiliateManager #PartnerMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #AffiliateProgram #AffiliateNerdOut #csuite #Everflow #SaaSMarketing #MarketingLeadership #DigitalMarketing #MarketingCareers #MichaelCole Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
July 3 · 28 min
Inside the 2026 Impact.com IPX: A Review of Highlights and Insights
Dustin Howes is joined by Dan Sweeney and creator Lauren Eckert to recap their experience at the Impact.com IPX Conference in Austin. They share what made the event stand out, including valuable networking, a strong creator community, and insightful sessions on AI and affiliate marketing. Lauren explains how IPX helped accelerate her transition into affiliate partnerships by connecting with top brands and creators. They also discuss areas for improvement, including speed networking, meeting logistics, and scheduling issues, while exploring Impact’s AI roadmap, retail media opportunities, and the future of affiliate partnerships. 00:00 Event Fixes Feedback 00:15 Impact App AI Buzz 00:48 Show Intro Panel 01:17 Austin Venue First Impressions 01:38 Tex Mex Debate 02:19 Creator Community Wins 04:30 Discovering Impact Creators 05:20 Affiliate Mindset Shift 05:59 Venue Meetings App Review 08:06 Speed Dating Fiasco 10:11 Scheduling Tips Noobs 13:32 Networking Like Paresh 14:25 Roast Plans Brewing 15:06 Food Drinks Verdict 15:55 Coffee Water Food Trucks 17:24 Best Sessions Highlights 18:14 AI Takeaways In Practice 19:48 Impact Roadmap Debate 20:52 MCP Data Transparency 22:34 Event Fixes Retail Media 24:13 Single Use Coupons AEO 24:50 Final Thanks And Plugs Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Want to recruit more affiliates? https://affistash.com Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #ImpactIPX #Impactcom #AffiliateNerdOut #CreatorEconomy #PartnershipMarketing #InfluencerMarketing #AIMarketing #B2BMarketing #RetailMedia #AffiliateManager #DigitalMarketing #MarketingPodcast #ContentCreators #PerformanceMarketing Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month Go to https://dustinhowes.com/alfie to set up your account with a 30-day money-back guarantee For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
July 1 · 15 min
AM to C-Suite EP1: Climbing the Ladder: Affiliate Marketing to CEO with Jenny Gonzalez
She moved to Barcelona in 2006 as a glorified executive assistant. 10 years later, she was a CEO. Jenny Gonzalez had no mentor. No roadmap. No one in her corner. She spotted one guy in the office. Nobody knew what he did. But he traveled the world, made 4x her salary, and had crazy respect from everyone. That was the affiliate manager. "I don't know what affiliates are, but clearly it is what I want to do." The rest is a story worth hearing. Junior affiliate manager to CEO in 10 years. Opened her first affiliate network. Spun out three more businesses since. All starting from a peanut salary and a maternity leave cover. What was her secret? Watch the full conversation to hear how she made it happen. #AffiliateMarketing #PerformanceMarketing #AffiliateManager #CareerGrowth #AMtoCMO #AffiliateNerdOut Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
June 15 · 14 min
Why Relationships Matter More Than Ever in Affiliate Marketing
Success in affiliate marketing depends on strong relationships and a solid reputation. In this episode, Dustin Howes and Christen Evans share real-world insights on networking, professional boundaries, and long-term career growth in the affiliate industry. Dustin explains how reconnecting with his network helped turn a slow week into a major win, proving that warm relationships often outperform cold outreach. Christen discusses the importance of setting boundaries to protect your mental health and maintain productive working relationships. They also cover networking strategies, handling difficult professional situations, early technology adoption, affiliate marketing trends, and balancing work with family life. Plus, Dustin gives a shout-out to ClickGo for its innovative tracking solution. If you're looking for affiliate marketing tips, networking advice, and honest industry insights, this conversation delivers valuable lessons for marketers, managers, and entrepreneurs alike. 0:00 When professional relationships turn sour 0:25 Welcome to Affiliate Nerd Out 1:03 Humanizing the affiliate marketing process 1:44 Balancing summer schedules with parenthood 2:30 Turning a bad week around with friends 3:40 Getting feedback on the Alfie tool 4:56 The legend of the Affiliate Summit tattoo 7:45 Standing up for your mental health 10:18 How to spot a burnt bridge 12:55 Managing multiple platform migrations 13:34 Exploring the ClickGo tracking solution Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Want to recruit more affiliates? https://affistash.com Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: / dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #AffiliateNerdOut #RealTalkFriday #AffiliateManagement #PerformanceMarketing #MarketingPodcast #BusinessRelationships #NetworkingTips #AffiliateIndustry #PartnershipMarketing #MarketingLeadership #AffiliateManagers #MarketingInsights #BusinessGrowth #Alfie #ChristenEvans Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
June 2 · 15 min
Embracing AI and Mind Resets: A Real Talk Friday Special
Can AI really save affiliate marketers hours every week? 🚀 In this episode of Affiliate Nerd Out, Dustin Howes and Cristen Evans dive into how Claude AI, ClickUp, and automation tools are transforming affiliate marketing workflows. From speeding up complex commission reporting and automating documentation to building ICP decks and streamlining daily operations, they share practical ways AI is helping marketers work smarter and scale faster. They also discuss AI usage limits, productivity hacks, sales mindset shifts, stress management, and how tools like Alfie are changing the future of affiliate program management. 00:00 Usage Credits Panic 00:49 Show Intro and Catch Up 01:05 Busy Week and Mind Reset 03:02 AI Workflows with Claude 05:32 Reporting Automation Wins 07:47 Credits and Sleep Talk 10:57 Mindset Shift for Sales 14:12 Quick Calls of the Week 15:11 AI for Workflows Not Content 16:22 Wrap Up and Alfie Plug Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Start your 7-day free trial and see how Alfie can transform your affiliate recruitment process today! https://www.alfie.io/ Want to recruit more affiliates? https://affistash.com Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #ClaudeAI #AIAutomation #AffiliateMarketingTips #ClickUp #MarketingAutomation #AIWorkflows #DigitalMarketing #BusinessAutomation #AffiliateManager #ProductivityHacks #Alfie #MarketingStrategy #Entrepreneurship #AIForBusiness Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com
May 30 · 22 min
Rakuten and Impact Shakeup: What This Means for Your Affiliate Program
Dustin Howes and co-host Cristen Evans recap Dustin’s experience at Optimism, praising it as a selective, high-quality networking event with strong meeting scheduling, useful gifts, and standout activities, but criticizing the lack of concrete information about Rakuten’s new integration and strategic alliance with Impact. Dustin describes the CEO keynote as offering only vague, high-level remarks, frustrating attendees who came seeking clarity, and notes backlash over a private brands-only meeting that excluded agencies. They compare the situation to the ShareASale/AWIN acquisition timeline and discuss concerns about moving brands quickly without clear communication. Cristen shares updates from her week negotiating aggressive CPA placements for a pet food brand focused on LLM visibility, including challenges with newer partners demanding high rates. 00:00 Nothing Burger Tease 00:47 Show Intro and Welcome 01:01 Optimism Conference Highlights 02:35 Gifts and Engagement 03:07 Impact Integration Disappointment 05:03 Brands Only Meeting Backlash 05:51 Tight Lipped Industry Speculation 08:08 Optimism Next Year and Logistics 09:34 Cristen Week Pet Food Wars 10:34 Negotiating CPAs and Visibility 13:07 Conference Buddy Networking 14:06 Wrap Up and Sign Off Subscribe to this channel for more affiliate program growth tactics. Want to recruit more affiliates? https://affistash.com Connect with Dustin Howes on Linkedin: / dustinhowes #AffiliateMarketing #Rakuten #Impact #AffiliateNerdOut #DigitalMarketing #AffiliateConference #PerformanceMarketing #MarketingNews #AgencyLife #AffiliateManagers #RakutenOptimism #MarketingStrategy Alfie: https://dustinhowes.com/alfie and use code DUSTIN30 for 30% off your first month For more tips on how to scale your affiliate program, check out https://performancemarketingmanager.com

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