European performance marketing network, affilinet, revealed today that it is not overly concerned with the current crop of technology providers, which are enabling advertisers to create their own affiliate offering.
Speaking at a4uexpo Europe, Jessica Haagmans, managing director at affilinet Netherlands, advised against brands going down the route of approaching publishers directly for reasons of resource and knowledge.
“You have one person responsible for it. What happens if he is sick or goes out?” she surmised. “Look at the knowledge, which we have built over the years. If you see the databases we have with all the information where we can help advertisers.”
Return Customers
Haagmens also discussed how affilinet is witnessing advertisers trialling this trend for going it alone, but then reverting back to the network because they feel it’s the better option for both their business and marketing requirements.
“Some of them come back because it is a different ball game and when you have a company you have to decide for yourself what the priority is going forward.” Haagmens said.
While affilinet’s lackadaisical views of technology companies might be well placed, the recent PerformanceIN European Landscape Report showed that there is still a fairly significant portion (27%) of publishers doing business with advertisers directly.