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Happy New Year!
We've made it to 2026. I hope you had a restful break.
In the Chinese zodiac, it will be the Year of the Fire Horse, which signifies optimism, fast movement, ambitions reached, and expansion. Apparently, it bodes well for digital services and tech, too – so that sounds promising.
In affiliate marketing, it might also be the Year of the Firewall.
Over the holiday period, new videos from MegaLag (love 'em or hate 'em) have re-ignited discussions around compliance and security in the industry.
Ishtvan Torpoi has contributed an opinion on this, which you can read below. If you also have an opinion on this matter, we'd love to hear it.
Here's to kicking off another year of success, growth, and golden partnerships. Last year set new records, and with the momentum in the space right now, this year looks set to surpass them.
Now, on with the news.
In today's newsletter:
- Pick of the day: The key to testing browser extensions
- Trending: Former New Engen SVP launches flat-fee media platform
- Top Tip of the Week: Bold predictions for 2026
Built to help businesses optimize and scale their call and lead acquisition workflows, Phonexa delivers real-time analytics, tracking, distribution, lead scoring, and integrated fraud and compliance tools that improve lead quality and strengthen conversions.
The Phonexa suite includes:
- LMS Sync – Lead Tracking & Distribution
- Call Logic – Call Attribution, Routing & AI Agents
- iClear – User Verification & Fraud Prevention
- iClaim – Compliance & Consent Management
- E-Delivery – Email & SMS Marketing
- Lynx – Click Tracking
- HitMetrix – Conversion Rate Optimisation
- Books360 – Automated Accounting
- CloudPBX – Cloud Phone System
- Opt-Intel – Suppression List Management
Missed Phonexa at PI Live Europe 2025? Check out the fireside chat they recorded on-site with financeAds.
Pick of the day
How to Test Coupon Extensions Without Getting Played
As the Honey Saga continues, Ishtvan Torpoi offers a take on how to best work with coupon browser extensions. He writes:
"MegaLag’s videos didn’t just make allegations against Honey. They exposed a bigger problem: the myth that coupon browser extensions are automatically incremental."
Trending
What's hot on Hello Partner right now
Former New Engen SVP Launches Flat-Fee Media Platform MediaPact
Lacie Thompson’s new venture helps brands, agencies, and publishers manage flat-fee media placements with analytics and performance insights.
Omnicom Moves TPN Under Flywheel as It Doubles Down on Retail Media
The move combines decades of shopper marketing experience with data-driven commerce capabilities.
Affiliate Marketing Delivers ÂŁ19bn, But Still Struggles for CMO Recognition
The APMA’s Voice of the Nation reveals that while affiliate continues to break records with performance, there remains a perception gap that pulls it back.
impact.com Partners with Evertune to Strengthen AI Search Visibility for Affiliates
impact.com has partnered with Evertune to give brands visibility into how they appear in AI-generated search results, and the ability to activate creator and publisher partnerships based on those insights.
Tip of the Week
Stay at the top of your game
Dreamday Founder Lauren Kleinman listed 2026 predictions for Affiliate, PR, and Influencer.
It's a perceptive forecast. Kleinman sees affiliate evolving from a purely conversion-based channel into a distribution channel this year.
We've all been banging the full-funnel drum for a while. But the rising prominence of affiliate content in AI search engines has opened a new media strategy for affiliate marketing. The development of clickless attribution and analytics by both impact.com and Partnerize signals this.
Kleinman also predicts that brands will unify affiliate, influencer, and PR under a single distribution strategy and that Substack will become a more influential platform in this field.
Amusing Affiliates
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Until next time,
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Sol Wilkinson Journalist Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn |
