🪽The Industry Needs to Break Free From The Incrementality Illusion

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another Affiliate Pulse!

This week, we’re taking the microscope to industry illusions, product launches and…AI impacts — that’s right, it’s back (it never really left).

Our Industry Voice columnist, Jack Davies, tells us what the industry needs to focus on in this fast-changing landscape and explores the importance of consistency when it comes to definitions and measurements. 

TikTok rolls out its community-targeted adtech solutions, as it sets its sights on cementing its reputation as a full-funnel marketing solutions.

Meanwhile, Google tells publishers they'll have more control over GenAI features in Search — what that means for the industry, however, is a little more nuanced. 

Plus, we’ve got a jam-packed week of unmissable events …more on that below! 

Now, let’s dig into the news.

In today's newsletter:

• Pick of the day:  The Incrementality Illusion
• Trending: Google to Develop Opt-out AI Controls for Sites
• Industry Insight: Affiliates, LLMs and a Box of Chocolates Have More in Common Than You’d Think

Pick of the day

The Incrementality Illusion

Industry Voice columnist Jack Davies shares his take on where the industry should direct its focus: clearer baselines, not more claims of incrementality.

According to Jack, incrementality is not a slogan, but instead, a counterfactual question. 

“Until we get more consistent about how we define and measure it, we will continue to debate it endlessly, each side confident they are right, while operating from entirely different assumptions.”

Trending

What's hot on Hello Partner right now

TikTok Takes New Audience-Targeted Ad Solutions to Market

The rollout marks the giant’s latest move towards becoming a full-funnel marketing solution.

Google to Develop Opt-out AI Controls for Sites

But where does this leave publishers?

Social Commerce: Everyone’s Talking, Nobody’s Ready

Shopping is no longer a moment, it’s a lifestyle. Gen Z has already shifted discovery to social, and Gen Alpha will supercharge it, blending content, community, and commerce like never before. This session dives into the rise of Lifestyle Commerce and what it means for brands.

As Agencies Weigh AI Benefits, Consumers Distrust GenAI Use

Consumers prefer brands that don’t use GenAI in advertising and content, new research shows.

Industry Insight

Stay at the top of your game

Life is like a box of chocolates…especially when you’re using LLMs to discover niche affiliates.

Julian Roberto Henrichs says that if this is your go-to approach, you might be in for a few surprises — including affiliates in citations that are not quite hitting the mark. 

Why’s that, I hear you ask?

“LLMs will gladly cite websites with almost no traffic,” says Julian.

As an industry, we’re still figuring out what’s going on beneath the bonnet, but what we do know, as Julian explains, is that when you type in an LLM prompt, the answer might feature brands and publishers  — but they could be heavy hitters or small niche websites. 

You are not gonna like every chocolate, as Julian notes. 

And if this is a topic that has whetted your appetite, I’ll be diving into it further in an upcoming Hello Partner piece, so keep your eyes peeled 👀.

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Until next time,

Madaline Dunn Community Editor Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn