From clicks to clarity: Media Mix Modelling Q&A with the AAB & T.A.M.A
As affiliate marketing continues to expand beyond traditional last-click models, the conversation is shifting towards greater transparency, richer insights, and a clearer understanding of the channel’s role across the entire customer journey. From the growing importance of full-funnel visibility to the need to better communicate affiliate’s impact in the language of senior marketers, the industry is increasingly focused on proving value in ways that resonate beyond performance teams.
In this fourth instalment of our Q&A series, taken from our latest ebook From Clicks to Clarity: How Media Mix Modelling is Redefining Measurement in Affiliate Marketing, we hear from Jessica Smith, Co-Founder of the Agency Advisory Board, and affiliate marketing consultant Elliot Myers. Together, they share their perspectives on evolving measurement practices, the importance of transparency and human insight, and what affiliate marketing must do to earn greater credibility in senior-level marketing and budget discussions.
Q&A: Jessica Smith
Co-Founder of Agency Advisory Board
How is the way your agency members measure marketing performance evolving beyond last-click attribution?
“AAB Agency members are starting to blur the lines of how the CPA model can operate across the full customer journey – from influencer content, CSS, and CLO discovery, to traditional affiliates, including brand partnerships, re-marketing, retail media, and beyond.
“The visibility of the full funnel and what part each publisher type plays will become an essential part of how agencies and their clients strategically work on a CPA model going forward.”
Where does affiliate marketing currently sit within your member’s wider marketing measurement framework?
“Having met with a wide range of agencies, from micro-consultants to large global media partners, we know where affiliate marketing sits can vary in terms of channel measurement, whether in a wider paid context, PR and performance grouping, or standalone where the agency specialises solely in affiliate.
“The effectiveness of affiliate measurement can also depend on whether an agency is logging into and using affiliate platforms as a source of truth or comparing how affiliate fairs in the likes of GA4, TripleWhale or custom CRM agency systems.”
What data or insights would help you and your members better understand affiliate’s true influence and incremental impact across the shopper journey?
“The most requested AAB response to this question from our agency members is better transparency from affiliate partners. Which links are driving sales and where are they coming from? The lack of transparency, particularly from sub-networks, is an issue and if we can report on a more granular level the agencies will be able to sign-off on greater budgets and align with the transparency that wider paid channels share (i.e. Meta and Google). “
“This comes up without fail at every AAB meeting and is something that we want to work with publishers to overcome. The APMA has shared some great resources for sub-networks in their code of conduct.”
How are privacy changes, AI search, and zero-click behaviour affecting the ability to measure marketing performance?
“Listening to agency feedback, we know it is essential that traditional tracking platforms evolve to include full-funnel visibility for our AAB agency partners. Tracking platforms are racing to include AEO solutions, publisher tagging integrations and CDN tracking to increase AI visibility and offer multi-touch attribution tools as standard.”
What would make affiliate marketing more credible in senior-level marketing budget discussions?
“A key focus of the AAB is to make affiliate budget discussions easier for agencies to have with their CMOs, clients and wider competition from paid performance departments. To do that we need a collective industry voice and credible, proven performance results in the form of joint case studies, advanced reporting and partner diversity testing – and to celebrate the channel more widely outside of the affiliate bubble.
“Including affiliate in wider marketing events, awards and publications as well as telling a positive story of the power of a performance-based CPA model is going to be the next step.”
Q&A: Elliot Myers
Affiliate Marketing Consultant at The Affiliate Marketing Advisor
How is the way your clients measure marketing performance evolving beyond last-click attribution?
“Last-click attribution was always limited because it showed only the end of the story, not the whole thing. AI overlays and the emergence of zero-click journeys should place greater emphasis on measuring early consumer intentions that eventually build up to a purchase.”
What data or insights would help you and your clients better understand affiliate’s true influence and incremental impact across the shopper journey?
“1st party insight through consumer interviews to understand the human factor behind online behaviour. Affiliates can learn from offline channels that use such insights to get a fuller picture of added value.”
How are privacy changes, AI search, and zero-click behaviour affecting the ability to measure marketing performance?
“Negatively. Hence, human insights should be utilised. Online tracking can show how, but it can’t show why.”
What would make affiliate marketing more credible in senior-level marketing budget discussions?
“Speaking their language. Often, these people have an offline, PPC, Social or Display background and may harbour negative sentiment toward affiliates. Discussing the channel’s ability to influence every stage of the consumer journey, from discovery to lifetime value can help to disarm misconceptions and build trust.”
Patience is intent.ly’s marketing executive, with a passion for creative content marketing and social media strategies.
