Affiliate marketing is one of the most familiar types of partnerships strategies — resonating with business pros in both the B2B and B2C worlds. Affiliate partnerships work, warranting the industry’s predicted growth of $15.7B from 2023 to 2024, suggests Influencer Marketing Hub. We don’t need to look too far from our own backyard to see the incredible impact of affiliate marketing on brands and partners alike — the PartnerStack Network is evidence of affiliate success too.
Partners across our network earned a collective $45M in commission last year according to a Research Lab report, with countless partners earning in affiliate or link-based partnerships. Continuing to grow and drive revenue through affiliates and other partner programs in B2B SaaS remains a top priority for PartnerStack.
The PartnerStack team found great value attending Affiliate Summit East 2023 as professionals within our ecosystem connected with affiliate experts to discover and share deeper insights on affiliate marketing growth around the world. The event provided the perfect setting to network with new and familiar faces across the industry and discuss the latest trends and innovations.
Here are our three key takeaways from the event that will continue to empower PartnerStack in creating strong connections with affiliate marketers into the last half of 2023.
See more: Take our quiz to discover how much you know about affiliate marketing.
The appetite for B2B affiliate marketing and partnerships continues to grow
One of our favorite insights from Affiliate Summit East was that B2B affiliate commerce continues to excite affiliates and publishers. B2B affiliate commerce is becoming increasingly profitable and more mainstream as interest in high-ticket affiliate marketing grows, according to SimilarWeb.
When we connected with new leads at the event, the resounding sentiment was excitement about the quality of B2B SaaS brands within our network and the revenue opportunities that PartnerStack provides. This invaluable feedback helps us gain deeper understanding into the problems that the PartnerStack Network solves for partners engaged in affiliate marketing.
Action: Leverage the passion of the industry to connect with other partner managers specializing in affiliates to deepen knowledge in the SaaS space to find the best fits for your affiliate programs.
Getting face time with publishing companies and affiliates professionals is a game changer
This is of no surprise — after all, we reported on how to maximize revenue potential at in-person events just earlier this year — emphasizing the value of this authentic human connection. As a remote-first company, we also understand how important remote work is for maintaining our relationships with our partners and clients around the world. Getting together in person is always an outstanding opportunity to connect, chat with and get to know the individuals that work hard to enrich our ecosystem.
The value of a Network like ours adds up to the value of the relationships and professional connections that it produces. This makes us all the more grateful to spend face-to-face time with the folks advancing partnerships in our Network in a setting like Affiliate Summit East. We took our conversations off of the screen and into the Big Apple as we met with partners located all across the United States in one beautiful location — what could be better?
The exposure to new partners, new ideas and business development opportunities has proved that industry events are critical for any business or individual involved in the affiliate marketing industry to attend. Across both days of the event, the message was clear: let’s continue to gather and make the most of conferences together!
Action: When possible, make the effort to connect with other partner professionals at in-person events, if the budget allows.
Related: B2B affiliate marketing 101: A beginner’s checklist to making money.
Affiliate Summit East is all about networking — and it creates a space to do just that
Ultimately, the purpose of Affiliate Summit East is to network with industry professionals in affiliate marketing. The event provides the unique backdrop for connection and collaboration with folks across an industry that is increasingly reliant on the publishing and creator economies. This avenue for one-on-one connection at scale is invaluable in an industry with such diverse players that may range from successful YouTubers, to global publishing companies, to niche bloggers and beyond. With so many types of professional audiences engaged in affiliate marketing, the focus on networking was key to the overall success of this event and had attendees leaving with new tactics and perspectives to layer into their affiliate strategies.
Action: Identify how we can leverage more networking events and opportunities to connect across diverse audiences engaged in affiliate marketing.
Thank you to Affiliate Summit East for having us and for bringing people together for such a remarkable event. Until next time, NYC.
