⛏️ Minecraft Launches First-Ever Affiliate Programme

Welcome to another Affiliate Pulse!

This week, we’ve got a newsletter packed with launches, industry upheavals, top tips and insight into the creator economy revolution. 

We’ve got Minecraft, which announced its first-ever affiliate programme, powered by impact.com.

We hear from Tradedoubler’s Director of AI on its recent Emna.ai launch. Speaking to Corin Ward, we delved into how it works and why it matters in this new landscape. 

We’ve got San Sareen on the rise of creator partnerships and the important questions that come next, including how to build sustainable creator strategies that combine trust, measurement, and long-term customer value.

Our Market Movers series walks through all the biggest shakeups across affiliate, performance, and the creator economy in May.

Plus, we’ve got a session on the alternative affiliate programme and industry insight on winning TikTok with affiliates.

Now, let’s dive in.

In today's newsletter:

• Pick of the day: Minecraft Launches First-Ever Affiliate Programme with impact.com.
• Trending: Tradedoubler Launches Emna.ai to Boost Brands’ Visibility in AI Search.
• Industry Insight: Trust Affiliates to Sell.

Pick of the day

Minecraft Launches First-Ever Affiliate Programme with impact.com

​This week, Minecraft announced its first-ever affiliate programme to manage creator relationships, track affiliate performance, and reward partners.

​The programme will utilise impact.com’s Performance and Creator partnership solutions, the latter enabling Minecraft to discover, recruit, and manage creator partnerships at scale, while the former provides tracking, attribution, and payout capabilities.

Speaking about the news, David A. Yovanno, CEO at impact.com, said: “Minecraft has one of the most passionate creator communities in the world, and this program gives those creators a way to turn their influence into real business results.”

Trending

What's hot on Hello Partner right now

The Creator Economy Revolution is Alive, Kicking, and Reshaping Modern Marketing

For marketing leaders, it's no longer about whether creator marketing deserves investment, says San Sareen.

Tradedoubler Launches Emna.ai to Boost Brands’ Visibility in AI Search

As AI transforms the way consumers search, Tradedoubler is building the tools to enhance how brands show up.

Market Movers - May 2026

Who’s been appointed, who’s been promoted, who’s acquired who, and who’s launched what — we’ve got it all here.

At the Intersection of Innovation and Impact: The 2026 USPA Shortlist Spotlight

From tech that has transformed the industry to full-funnel strategies that rewrote the rulebook, this year’s shortlist is a who’s who of trailblazers and changemakers.

The Alternative Affiliate Programme

In this session, Ian Drayner, Head of Global Partnerships at Wise, a UK fintech company, delves into a transformative approach to affiliate marketing.

Industry Insight

Stay at the top of your game

This week’s industry insight comes from Oli Hills, who says, to win on TikTok, trust the affiliates to sell. 

According to Oli, although affiliates drive between 65 and 85% of all sales on TikTok Shop, brands that fail to recognise their potential are in for a rough ride.

Oli says that affiliates require a different approach to reach their potential, but for those trained in brand marketing, it can be a big challenge — especially when content goes… ‘off-brand.’

But TikTok Shop and affiliates have changed the game when it comes to the content that sells. It’s no longer glossy, perfect ads that sell.

The brands that are winning on TikTok Shop with affiliates are switching it up.

This means choosing creators who are connected with their audiences and whose audiences buy what they’re selling — it’s not about how the content looks. On that note, Oli says to trust the creator’s instinct for their own format and leave the script to the person whose audience already trusts them.

Oli also recommends doing away with a detailed brief — sub-in a non-negotiable line and a strong offer.

“To really succeed and scale on TikTok Shop, you have to leave everything you learned about brand marketing at the door and trust the affiliates to sell!”

Is there anything you’d add to the list?

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Until next time,

Madaline Dunn Community Editor Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn