Scaling an affiliate program is one of the most common ambitions in iGaming — and one of the most common pain points. Many operators launch with enthusiasm, only to discover that finding the right partners, tracking performance accurately, and sustaining growth requires far more structure than expected. In this episode, Leanna Klyne, Head of Agency at KonverJ (previously Affiverse), broke down what actually drives affiliate performance and why so many programs plateau.

Before any outreach, negotiation, or scaling can happen, the program itself must be solid. Leanna emphasises that most issues originate from weak foundations: unclear terms, confusing net gaming revenue calculations, outdated admin fees, or a platform setup that doesn’t support transparency.

Brands often skip this step because they’re eager to start recruiting affiliates. But without a trustworthy structure, partners hesitate — and growth stalls. A well‑built foundation makes the program credible, predictable, and attractive.

A surprising number of operators rely solely on direct outreach, forgetting that affiliates also discover programs through directories, content, and industry resources. Visibility is part of the strategy. When a program is easy to find, clearly positioned, and well‑explained, affiliates approach the brand instead of the other way around.

Awareness reduces friction. It also signals professionalism — something affiliates value highly when choosing long‑term partners.

Even mature programs eventually slow down. According to Leanna, this usually happens when the strategy hasn’t evolved, the partner mix is too narrow, or the team focuses only on top affiliates while ignoring emerging ones.

Her solution is to revisit the fundamentals: reassess positioning, review the offer, analyse partner performance, and test new traffic sources. Growth rarely comes from one big change — it comes from continuous refinement.

Leanna is clear: transparency and communication are the real engines of affiliate success. If tracking breaks, affiliates should hear it from the operator immediately. If terms change, the update must be clear and timely. If performance dips, both sides should investigate together.

She also encourages managers to invest time in smaller partners. Today’s small affiliate may be tomorrow’s top performer — and they remember who supported them early.

Platforms may look similar at first glance, but the affiliate experience inside them varies dramatically. Leanna recommends choosing a platform based on where the program should be in five years, not where it is today. Future product expansions, additional brands, VIP tiers, and deeper reporting needs should all influence the decision.

The platform must support both the operator’s workflow and the affiliate’s journey. If either side struggles, performance suffers.

Dashboards show the basics, but meaningful optimisation requires deeper analysis. Leanna encourages teams to break down performance by GEO, affiliate type, landing page, and campaign. Comparing similar partners often reveals why one converts better than another — and what can be improved.

Sometimes the fix is a landing page. Sometimes it’s an offer. Sometimes it’s simply a mismatch between audience and product. Data‑driven decisions separate scalable programs from stagnant ones.

Not every brand has the budget for high listing fees or paid placements. Leanna recommends using internal strengths: strong conversion rates, fast design support for landing pages, content swaps, backlinks, testimonials, and co‑marketing. Affiliates care about earnings, not just upfront fees. If the product converts, they will work with you.

Leanna sees affiliate marketing becoming increasingly diversified. New traffic sources, new partnership models, and new content formats will reshape how programs grow. Google algorithm changes in 2024 and 2025 already forced affiliates to rethink their strategies — and brands must adapt too.

A diverse partner mix is no longer optional. It’s resilience.

“Always be learning,” Leanna said. Affiliate marketing evolves constantly, and the programs that thrive are the ones built by teams who stay curious, adapt quickly, and refine continuously.