🤯 Perhaps The Most Important News in Affiliate This Year

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It's been a while since we've seen properly good news in this space. Often it's: 'New update just set fire to this side of the industry', 'New regulations prohibit this affiliate model', or 'Fraud is out of control.'

However, I'm pleased to say, that this past week has brought us not one, not two, but three (read 'em) three great stories that anticipate a positive future for everyone in the space.

Before we get into that though; there are still a few PI LIVE Europe passes available, but they're selling fast. If you've not yet secured your spot, head over to the PI LIVE site now and get yourself booked in.

And don't neglect considering a VIP pass either. When else are you going to get the chance to do it? Browse the glitzy bonuses of the VIP experience here.

On with the news.

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In today's newsletter:

Pick of the day: British regulator defines one type of affiliate tracking as 'strictly necessary'
Trending: New Amazon scheme sees insane commissions for affiliates; and Bing is partnering with publishers
Top tip of the Week: Use AI and SEO tools to scrutinise your tracking

Pick of the day

ICO Defines Cashback Tracking Cookies as ‘Strictly Necessary’

The Information Commissioner's Office has updated its site to clarify that the kind of cookies used in affiliate tracking for services like cashback or rewards sites are 'strictly necessary'.

This is massive. Tracking has perenially been one of the channel's biggest pain points. For affiliate marketing to work, tracking has to work. With stricter laws around user consent, this problem has only got worse.

But now, the ICO has defined cashback cookies as exempt from requiring user consent. This is fantastic news for these kinds of affiliates, but it also has wider implications.

What's hot on Hello Partner right now

New Amazon Referral Scheme Boosts Affiliate Earnings by Over 15% – And Brands Are Flourishing Too
CJ & PartnerBoost have integrated the initiative into the CJ platform so that brands and affiliates can benefit.

Microsoft Announces It Will Pay Publishers for Content in AI Results
The tech giant has declared plans to partner with publishers for content in Copilot Daily.

Ads in AI Overviews: Good or Bad for Performance Marketers?
In a new update, Google once again pulls traffic away from affiliates.

PI LIVE Europe Keynote Speaker Announced
Meet Ben Hanlin, the award-winning speaker and magician who will be teaching us his tricks at PI LIVE this year.

📱 Browser extensions for mobile?

Interesting news: browser extension support may soon arrive on Chrome for Android, which could bring affiliate tools directly to mobile users.

Now, this feature could make it easier for consumers to access cashback and price comparison deals, increasing user engagement and conversions.

However, stricter privacy regulations on mobile devices may limit the effectiveness of these extensions.

With privacy concerns influencing user behaviour and tracking capabilities, it remains to be seen how successful affiliate marketing will be in this new environment.

Still, if the new ICO guidelines are anything to go by, this initiative could be smooth sailing.

Keep an eye on this space. Shout out to James Little for sharing the news.

Tip of the Week

Stay at the top of your game

This week in our Partnerships Lounge Slack group, someone asked whether Shopify’s Collabs partner tracking query string (?dt_id) can be used on deep or product URLs instead of just the homepage.

After some digging, the answer was 'yes.' The tracking works across any valid Shopify URL, ensuring proper attribution no matter where your traffic lands.

ChatGPT was used to confirm the answer and someone else suggested using an SEO tool to identify affiliate backlinks running through the network.

If you’re wondering about your own affiliate tracking, combining AI and SEO tools can help you find a clear solution—sharpening your overall strategy.

By the way, you can join our Slack group by becoming a Partner+ member!