Affiliate Marketing — The committee is a platform for all market participants.

About the Focus group

The Affiliate Marketing Focus Group is the information and exchange platform for all market participants. Performance marketing agencies, technology providers, public networks, advertisers and publishers work together here. 

Mission 

The basic idea of the members of this committee is based on fairness and the goal of strengthening and further developing the industry through the cooperation of advertisers, publishers and networks. 

Scope

Affiliate marketing has always been characterized by innovation, diversity and flexibility and is ideally equipped for the future as an attractive and profitable online sales channel. Top priority for the industry is given to data protection regulations such as GDPR (DSGVO), TTDSG (Telecommunications-Telemedia Data Protection Act) and the ePrivacy Regulation, as well as browser restrictions such as ITP, ETP and Google’s sandbox.  

WHAT WE DO  

Exchange: Relevant and current topics are discussed here.   

Educational and public relations work: Strengthening the understanding and perception of affiliate marketing. To this end, we appear at “non-affiliate” events and position ourselves in the relevant specialist media. This will bring the joint voice of the focus group even more to the fore.  

Standardization: Setting standards within the affiliate marketing channel with the help of voluntary commitments, certifications, training and educational opportunities. 

Labs

Technology Lab Affiliate Marketing

Due to technical and legal changes, the business model in affiliate marketing is at risk. Since there are often changes in relation to browsers and consent managers, the basis of an affiliate partner program often has to be changed both organizationally and technically: performance measurement (aka tracking). The lab is active in this area and provides, among other things, whitepapers and instructions.

Since changes in performance measurement for each software (network, agency, advertiser, publisher, etc.) generate dedicated effort due to a lack of standards, the lab should represent a working group that clarifies and informs as well as develops standards.

By providing more information within the industry and better training for employees at agencies, networks, advertisers, publishers and tech providers, revenue losses can be minimized and the affiliate industry strengthened.

Lab Manager

  • Markus Wigbels
    easy Marketing

Deputy Lab Manager

  • Thomas Becker
    Awin
  • Armin Auber
    lead-alliance
Link Decoration working group (located in the Data Economy department)

The working group was set up to address the challenges associated with the threat of blocking URL parameters by browsers and to develop innovative solutions. Similar to the elimination of third-party cookies, blocking important information in the URL threatens a significant loss in digital marketing. In performance measurement, such as in affiliate marketing, URL parameters are currently an absolutely necessary procedure without which immense losses would be recorded. The working group is to develop alternative methods.

Group leader:

  • Markus Wigbels
    easy Marketing
Round Table of Affiliate Networks & SaaS Providers

Current topics being discussed in the group:

  • Joint development of a new tracking standard in the face of the impending loss of link decoration
  • Coordination of market data surveys
  • Regular exchange of information on cases of fraud
  • New edition of the networks’ code of conduct
  • Shortage of skilled workers and training measures

Group leader:

  • Andreas Sasnovskis
    Webgains
  • Ingo Kamps
    Axel Springer Teaser Ad
Affiliate Marketing Image Working Group

The goals of this group are of great importance for the future of our industry and for improving the image of affiliate marketing:

  • strengthening trust in our reach
  • eliminating misunderstandings and myths
  • Tackling the skills shortage
  • Higher prioritization of the topic among advertisers

Together, we want to develop ways and strategies to sustainably improve the reputation of affiliate marketing and to highlight the many possibilities and potential of this form of marketing.

Group leader:

  • André Koegler
    Strategic Partnership Development DACH, Impact Germany

Chairmanship

André Koegler
Chairman
Impact Germany GmbH
Ingo Kamps
Deputy chairman
Axel Springer Teaser Ad GmbH
Valentina Piol
Deputy chairwoman
Artefact Germany GmbH
Andreas Sasnovskis
Deputy chairman
Webgains GmbH
Markus Wigbels
Deputy chairman
easy Marketing GmbH
Markus Wigbels
Markus Wigbels
Deputy chairman
easy Marketing GmbH

Born in 1985, Markus Wigbels found his passion in software development and leads easy Marketing GmbH as Managing Director with great commitment. His path led him from studying computer science at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts to taking over the management of the company in 2012, where he dedicated himself to the development of innovative private affiliate network software.

He currently heads a talented 24-person team working on the creation of a comprehensive marketing cloud that covers all areas of online marketing.

In his role as Head of the Technology Lab of the Affiliate Focus Group in the German Digital Economy Association, he advocates first-party tracking and innovative alternatives to third-party cookies. Markus Wigbels attaches great importance to offering his clients tailor-made solutions that guarantee optimal tracking and effective data warehouse processes. His corporate philosophy of creating customer-oriented and high-performance software solutions has become firmly established in the market.

Contact

Ina Franke
Senior Program Manager
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