Affiliate marketing service provider Rakuten Marketing has been named the world’s top network for the sixth year in a row in mThink’s annual network ranking.
Competing with 400 other networks in the survey – which takes into account the survey reputation, influence, clientele and popularity, among other attributes – Rakuten Marketing was chosen for its service, technology and proven performance, as well as its work strengthening the US and global networks.
“It is an honour to receive this award that is based on a survey of advertisers, publishers and fellow industry experts,” commented the network’s GM and SVP, Adam Weiss.
Weiss cited Rakuten Marketing’s forward-facing strategy and experience as the assets most valued by its clients, adding that the network’s aims lie within innovation and setting industry standards, but also to ‘remain true’ to affiliate marketing basics.
Within the study, mThink evaluated responses from over 20,000 online advertisers, publishers and agencies across the affiliate industry. Aside from its own research, mThink also took into account the opinions of industry experts at Blue Ribbon Panel.
‘World’s favourite network’
According to mThink’s CEO, Chris Trayhorn, the network’s popularity among advertisers caused the amount of ‘favourite network’ votes to be almost double the number compared to their nearest competitor networks, as Rakuten Marketing has carried on building “enthusiastic support” from the companies it works with.
Trayhorn also added that the network garnered the support of publishers for “service levels and the reliability of their technology and tracking”.
“These are areas the Blue Book has found a consistent advantage for Rakuten Affiliate Network over the last six years. The gap does not appear to be closing, and in fact, has widened during that period – an indication of how Rakuten’s sustained investment in technology has built customer loyalty over time,” he said.
