Everflow’s 2025 Agency Partner Survey

Affiliate Marketing In 2025: Insights From Everflow’s Agency Partners

The affiliate marketing landscape is in constant flux. Predicting its future can feel like gazing into a crystal ball. But, what if you could tap into the collective wisdom of those driving the industry forward? 

At the start of January, we surveyed our valued agency partners – the strategists, innovators, and boots-on-the-ground experts – to get their take on what 2025 holds for affiliate marketing.

We surveyed our agency partners who are helping drive success for some of Everflow's 1,110+ clients around the globe, giving them a chance to share insights on what's next in 2025. All agency partners surveyed currently have clients running affiliate marketing programs.

The results are in, and they paint a fascinating picture of the trends, technologies, and challenges that lie ahead.

Key Industry Trends: Riding The Waves Of Change

Our survey highlighted several key trends that are set to dominate in 2025. A significant 36.4% of our agency partners are most excited about the continued rise of AI adoption, recognizing its transformative potential across various aspects of affiliate marketing.

Closely following at 27.3% each, are “B2B Partnership Growth” and the development of “Better attribution models, tracking, and reporting.” These results underscore the increasing importance of data-driven decision-making and strategic collaborations in the B2B space.

Finally, 9.1% of respondents pointed to publisher education and monetization as a key trend, emphasizing the need to empower publishers with the knowledge and tools to thrive. As Jessica Robinson from AMP Consulting notes, "We love to see a new focus on revisiting attribution models! We see a ton of value working with partners that drive upper funnel activity and want to be sure they are getting the credit they deserve."

The Tech Toolkit: Essential Technologies For 2025

Staying ahead of the curve requires embracing cutting-edge technologies. Our survey revealed that 54.5% of agencies see “Better Tracking & Reporting” as the most crucial technology need for 2025. This reinforces the importance of accurate data and insightful analytics for optimizing campaigns and demonstrating ROI – creating the necessity for data-rich partner marketing platforms like Everflow.

“AI-related products and services” and “AI ad creative for video” each garnered 9.1% of the vote, indicating a growing interest in leveraging AI to streamline processes and enhance creativity.

New Vertical Frontiers: Where Growth Lies

Identifying high-growth verticals is crucial for maximizing returns in affiliate marketing. Our survey pointed to Finance as the leading performance sector, with 40% of agencies predicting its rapid expansion in 2025.

Health & Wellness and eCommerce tied for second place at 20% each, reflecting the continued strength of these sectors. 

The Publisher Powerhouse: Key Players In the Ecosystem

Our survey highlighted Media Buyers and Content publishers as the most significant players in 2025, with each garnering 27.3% of the vote.

Sub-affiliates followed at 18.2%, while Email and Tech publishers each received 9.1%. Influencers also garnered 9.1% of the vote, demonstrating their continued, though perhaps slightly less dominant, role in the affiliate ecosystem.

Google's Grip: Navigating Search Changes

Google's algorithm updates have sent ripples throughout the affiliate marketing world. Our survey revealed a consensus among our agency partners: the impact of Google Search changes will be significant.

"Overall, referred organic search traffic will decrease and the cost of paid will increase. Publishers need to be focused on keeping their audience engaged," says Patrick Lavin from Versa Marketing.

Gideon Maree from Coalition Technologies adds, "Affiliate posts will have to be greatly keyword optimized in order to bring value and capture the attention of search engines."

Nick Cotter from Growann believes that "Google Search changes will fundamentally reshape affiliate marketing in 2025, pushing the industry away from traditional review/comparison content toward more diverse value propositions and communities with first-party data."

Kevin Cairns from New Engen predicts that "With the addition of AI, there's going to be a lot less that's coming in from Google - instead of focusing on keywords, affiliates are going to need to do more of a heavy lift to engage with people to pull them in rather than let them come."

These insights paint a clear picture: adapting to Google's evolving landscape is paramount for affiliate success in 2025.

The AI Revolution: Reshaping The Landscape

Our agency partners recognize the transformative potential of AI.

Charlie Calabrese from All Inclusive Marketing points to the emergence of AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, which are challenging traditional search advertising models.

Jessica Robinson from AMP Consulting highlights the need for vigilance regarding AI-generated content but is also bullish on the tech, particularly in regulated industries: "We think that there will continue to be a rise in AI-generated content so we need to be vigilant, especially in a highly-regulated industry, that the content is accurate and compliant. On a positive note though, I'm looking forward to leveraging AI to help with identifying new opportunities within our programs."

Patrick Lavin from Versa Marketing emphasizes the efficiency of AI-driven automation and content generation: "We believe that publishers utilizing these tools with authenticity will break through."

Nick Cotter from Growann believes that expanding past traditional content types is key to thriving with AI, "As platforms like Google increasingly surface AI-generated answers directly to users, affiliate programs must adapt beyond standard review content to remain relevant and valuable."

These insights underscore the importance of embracing AI while also navigating its potential challenges.

Embracing The Future Of Affiliate Marketing

The insights shared by our agency partners provide a roadmap for navigating the affiliate marketing landscape in 2025. By embracing emerging technologies like AI, adapting to evolving search dynamics, focusing on data-driven strategies, and fostering strong partnerships, affiliate marketers can position themselves for success in the years to come. The future of affiliate marketing is bright, and we at Everflow are excited to be at the forefront of this dynamic industry, empowering our agency partners to thrive with their client programs during this exciting new era.

Want to work with one of our agency partners? Find the best match here.

Become an Everflow agency partner.

Book a demo with Everflow.

‍