Is affiliate marketing still worth it in 2025?

In this episode of The Search Session, host Gianluca Fiorelli sits down with Gareth Hoyle and Rishi Lakhani to explore the realities of affiliate marketing—how it works, how it’s evolving, and what these changes mean for marketers. The conversation covers why LLM SEO remains uncertain and why marketers should be cautious about so-called optimization services, the importance of strong brand signals and diverse traffic sources, and the continuing role of links in competitive rankings. They also discuss how affiliates are expanding beyond Google through platforms like Discord, Telegram, and creator partnerships, and how different approaches to visibility—conversions versus impressions—can shape success. Packed with insights and candid opinions, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at affiliate marketing today.

This is the 26th episode of: The Search Session YouTube Playlist

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:

• (00:06) Meet Our Guests: Gareth Hoyle and Rishi Lakhani
• (01:40) How SEO Has Been Lately
• (06:10) Gaming LLM Visibility: Experiments and Tactics
• (09:24) Affiliate Marketing: AI, Scale, Myths, and Realities
• (14:38) Omnichannel Strategies & Community Building for Affiliate Websites
• (21:28) Link Building vs. Brand Mentions in the LLM Age
• (34:34) Translating the Shift from Clicks to Visibility Metrics to Clients
• (40:57) Personalization Challenges in AI and LLM Search
• (47:56) Life Beyond Marketing: Passions, Travel & Role Models

👉 Read the full article and explore additional insights: https://www.advancedwebranking.com/blog/affiliate-marketing-in-ai-search-era

Where to find Gareth Hoyle

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garethhoyle
• X: https://x.com/search_magician
• Website: https://garethhoyle.com/

Where to find Rishi Lakhani

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishilakhani
• X: https://x.com/rishil
• Website: https://pwani.co.uk/

Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianlucafiorelli/
• X: https://x.com/gfiorelli1
• Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gfiorelli1.bsky.social
• Website: https://iloveseo.net/

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