Industry Leaders Respond to New PMA Study
FollowNow that everyone has had a bit of time to read our recent 2025 U.S. Performance Marketing Industry Study, industry leaders are weighing in with their thoughts.
“The latest PMA Industry Study confirms what many of us on the frontlines of affiliate marketing have been saying for years: this channel isn’t a “nice to have” anymore—it’s the performance backbone of modern digital commerce. This study validates a shift we’ve been writing about all year: affiliate marketing is no longer the caboose in the conversion train—it’s woven throughout the consumer journey. From early discovery via influencer and content partnerships to decision-stage nudges from cashback, loyalty, and BNPL tools, affiliate is increasingly full-funnel.” Jake Fuller, JEBCommerce
“The PMA 2025 Industry Study is foundational to sizing of our dynamic industry. Understanding the footprint of partnership marketing – beyond anecdotal evidence – is not only invaluable to understanding the category presently, but also to quantify the channel’s potential.” Maura Smith, CMO, Partnerize
“We read through the survey and it validated a lot of what we are seeing with our clients. AMP has been focused on the Finance and Fintech verticals, which as the survey points out, is one of the largest growing sector in affiliate marketing. A lot of our pubs have said it’s been one of their top performing verticals over the past few years.
Our clients typically see affiliate marketing as one of their best performing channels – second only to branded paid search – which is completely in line with the study. We’ve also been heavily reliant on mobile tracking solutions for our fintech clients. This is definitely an area that needs some work with the existing affiliate platforms.
Lastly, I think that revenue for the Finance sector is likely underreported here. Most finance programs pay out on a pre-revenue action (i.e. lead, application approved, free trial started, bank account connected, etc.). When we look at the down funnel metrics for users coming in through affiliates, the CLV is much higher than what revenue (if any) is reported back into the platform.” Jessica Robinson, Affiliate Marketing Partners (AMP)
“In an industry where data leads to success, having access to stats and marketplace reports offer you the chance to benchmark yourself to the competition. You can also better understand your total addressable opportunity and plan your strategies more efficiently. Without it – you have no contextual insight on how to grow your affiliate program across your sector. Guess work doesn’t cut it anymore. So, In a competitive landscape that is fast changing – any competitive intelligence backed by trusted data sources ultimately helps your affiliate program strategy evolve and that leads to sales growth!” Lee-Ann Johnstone, Affiverse
“The most fascinating stat I observed was “69% said they are concerned about how recent Google actions, including algorithm changes and the advent of AI Overviews, are reducing site traffic and affiliate revenue.” We have seen publications that have relied heavily on free SEO traffic lose their businesses overnight. They have been forced to pivot their model by relying more on email lists, selling off their websites to highest bidders, or even abandon their sites altogether. I think publishers are right to be scared of the trend, but are being rash with their decisions on one Google update. The Google algorithm will adjust again in the future to favor these publications, but they will have to weather the storm. Meanwhile, Reddit is having a golden age, owning so much organic real estate right now; it is a great place to invest time and effort right now.” Dustin Howes, Affiliate Marketing Concierge at DustinHowes.com
“At LQ Digital, we’ve always thrived in the fast-paced world of digital marketing. But today, with the rise of AI agents and AI-driven search reshaping Google’s ecosystem, we’re witnessing a transformation as significant as the launch of Google Ads—only this time, it’s happening faster. Affiliate marketing has seen rapid growth in the past few years, but AI is set to redefine how we approach the channel. To stay ahead, affiliate marketers must not only understand these shifts but also develop smart, adaptive strategies to lead in this new era.” Monica Niblack, LQ Digital
“It’s very informative to see that most of the trends I am observing in the programs we manage are reflected industry-wide, and which are outliers.” David Pricco, PerspectivePMA Agency
“The PMA Industry Study highlights a critical shift in how performance marketing is perceived — not just as a channel for customer acquisition, but as a strategic driver of long-term brand partnerships. The data proves what many of us have been sensing: affiliate and partner marketing is no longer a niche—it’s becoming central to scalable, sustainable growth.” Denys Babaiev, CEO & Co-founder at ScaleYourWeb
“I’ve been in the affiliate marketing industry for 20 years now, and I’ve never seen a shift like this. For the first time, brands aren’t just experimenting with affiliate marketing. They’re putting real time, staff, and money behind it. It’s not a just side hustle anymore. It’s a core growth strategy for large and small businesses alike. This report confirms what those of us in the trenches have known for a while: the companies that lean into partnerships, treat affiliates like partners, and move fast will be the ones who stand out and dominate long-term.” Matt McWilliams, XPAffiliate
Download your free copy of the Study now!
