Background
I've been at Dr. Max for over 2 years and I coordinate the digital performance area, covering channels such as PPC, affiliate marketing and retargeting. My role is to constantly optimize the traffic mix and identify opportunities for profitable growth.

How would you describe Dr. Max's progress in BusinessLeague?
With ups and downs, but in a constant evolution. We've had a partnership with 2Performant for almost 5 years and we're still learning from each other how to optimize every click in the network. We constantly test new promotion ideas and innovative ways to activate different communities. It's a dynamic ecosystem where we clearly haven't reached our limits yet.

What are the ingredients of a successful partnership with affiliates?
I believe there are 3 essential ingredients:

• Understanding the affiliate's perspective — each one comes with a different business model
• Clarity in objectives and rules — commissions, expectations, traffic types
• Continuous test & learn — affiliate marketing doesn't work statically, you need to constantly adjust the mix

In the end, it's about finding that "Pareto" that works for your business, but without ignoring the potential of new areas.

Speaking of which, tell us about Bing traffic. What were your expectations, how did it come to perform and with which affiliates alongside you?

Bing traffic appeared naturally as we observed the growing relevance of this channel for us. At the moment we work with a single affiliate, and the beginning is still tentative, but we see good signals in terms of costs and purchase intent. We're confident it's just the beginning and that it can become a scalable channel.

How does affiliate marketing deliver for you compared to other channels?
I don't think a direct comparison is relevant. Affiliate marketing doesn't replace other channels, it complements them. For example, after we stopped using Google CSS, we knew we would lose volume, but the new way of approaching affiliate marketing helped us reach new audiences. It's a channel with very good ROAS that efficiently complements the performance mix.

How would you describe BusinessLeague in one sentence?
The poetry in the performance story of every online business.

What is your favorite Challenge in BusinessLeague and why?
We prefer challenges that stimulate competition between affiliates on volumes or conversions, because they quickly generate traction and visibility in the network. At the same time, we like those that encourage testing new traffic sources.

There is still reluctance from shops to try affiliate marketing. In your opinion, why does this happen?
I think the reluctance comes from a perceived lack of control and the difficulty of understanding exactly how the channel works. Affiliate marketing is not as "predictable" as PPC, and results depend a lot on the relationship with affiliates. In reality, it's a very efficient channel, but it requires patience and continuous optimization.

How do you see affiliate marketing long-term?
Affiliate marketing will remain an important complementary channel for us. I wouldn't make rigid long-term predictions because the digital environment changes very rapidly. What is certain, however, is the need for adaptability — and affiliate marketing is a channel that gives you the flexibility to test and react quickly.