Webinar Replay: Rewarding Publisher Influence in LLMs
FollowThe PMA Measurements and Insights Council recently hosted a webinar entitled “Rewarding Publisher Influence in LLMs: Redefining Publisher Value in a Generative AI World.” The webinar came from the results of our recent AI and affiliate marketing study, which is now available for free download. The webinar video is also now available for replay (Linkedin and YouTube).
Key Takeaways:
- The Shift to a “Zero-Click” User Journey AI answer engines (like ChatGPT and Gemini) frequently provide complete answers directly in the interface, meaning users often do not click through to a website. While publisher content is heavily leveraged to generate these responses, the publishers are not directly tracked or compensated for this contribution. This creates a “zero-click” environment that challenges the traditional traffic-based revenue model.
- LLM Citations Function as the New SEO “LLM citations” act like footnotes that show where an AI sourced its information. If a brand does not appear in these AI-generated answers, they are effectively removed from the customer’s consideration set. Consequently, affiliate marketing is evolving from a purely performance-based channel into a critical driver of brand awareness and discovery.
- New Compensation Models are Necessary Because clicks are decreasing while “influence” is increasing, the industry must adopt new payment structures. Flat fees, upfront bonuses, or “citation bounties” are becoming necessary to reward publishers for their visibility in LLMs, rather than relying solely on last-click commissions.
- Content Accuracy is a Brand Safety Issue AI models often pull from older content, which can lead to users receiving outdated information, such as incorrect pricing or products that are out of stock. Brands should incentivize publishers to refresh legacy content to ensure accuracy, as negative or outdated sentiment in an AI response can directly harm the brand.
- Budget Silos Must Break Down Budgets need to become “fluid” across affiliate, SEO, and brand teams. Since affiliate content now feeds directly into search results and AI answers, the costs for updating and optimizing this content may need to be shared or pulled from SEO and innovation budgets rather than just the affiliate line item.
- Video and Image Content is Gaining Importance As models like Gemini grow, they are increasingly pulling YouTube videos and images directly into their responses. Publishers who do not heavily utilize video or index their images may miss opportunities to appear in these visual-heavy AI results.
Panelists:
- Michael Cole, Everflow
- Jade Mayberry, Dentsu
- Amanda Karr, Tailored Brands
- Erez Nahom, Partnerize
- Tricia Meyer, PMA (Moderator)
Thank you to everyone who participated–our panelists and our viewers who interacted live.
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Tricia Meyer is an attorney and affiliate marketer. She is the founder and owner of Helping Moms Connect as well as the current Executive Director of the Performance Marketing Association. She is the co-owner and primary white wine drinker of the Wine Club Group.
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