Today’s episode focuses on the major issues we’ll be addressing—and in some cases, will have to address—in 2022. Our guest, Sebastian Menken, honed his skills at Affilinet and CJ before taking the plunge in 2009 and founding his own online marketing agency: M2L Agency. From affiliate marketing to performance marketing, he has built a full team and helped his clients achieve sustainable growth.
PM23 – Partner Marketing 2022: What can we expect, Sebastian Menken?
This episode is about:
- Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2022 (02:35)
- The big winner: E-commerce / Online retail (6:00 a.m.)
- Changes in brick-and-mortar retail (1:47 PM)
- Direct-to-Consumer Market: Online Retailers vs. Brands
- New Work – Is the Future of Work Remote? (21:17)
- Transparency – Why It Matters and How to Achieve It (27:57)
- Tracking and Data Quality: Where Does the Truth Lie? (32:55)
- Partner Compensation in the Future (38:00)
- (New) Marketing Models (46:22)
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2022 (02:35)
The C-word—the one no one wants to hear anymore—will still be on our minds in 2022. In this episode, the two hosts examine the latest developments from different perspectives and ask themselves: What lies ahead that might not be so obvious?
The big winner: E-commerce / Online retail (6:00 a.m.)
Last year, online retail in Germany alone generated 110 billion euros in revenue. Forecasts for 2022 put revenue at a full 120 billion euros. Sebastian and Tobias reflect on their personal and professional lives and agree: consumer behavior has changed fundamentally, and this shift will continue unchecked in the future.
Changes in brick-and-mortar retail (1:47 PM)
Although brick-and-mortar retail has been—and continues to be—particularly hard hit by crisis-related restrictions, it has lost significant ground in customers’ minds.
The fact is, the major players in the e-commerce market have already made digitalization a top priority. The digital transformation is in full swing; the pandemic simply served as a catalyst.
Direct-to-Consumer Market: Online Retailers vs. Brands
More and more brands are venturing into the direct-to-consumer (D2C) market. The strategy of reaching their own customers directly is becoming increasingly attractive to major brands.
Online retailers are generally closer to their customers and therefore have a better understanding of their target audience. Manufacturers have some catching up to do in this regard, which also applies to a complete overhaul of their existing strategies and internal resources.
Can online retailers leverage the D2C strategies of the brands whose products they sell? How will this evolve in the future?
New Work – Is the Future of Work Remote? (21:17)
What challenges do companies face when it comes to remote work? Sebastian and Tobias discuss topics such as employee retention, location-independent talent, trust, and efficiency in a remote work culture.
Numerous studies on the topic of “New Work” have concluded that working from home helps reduce CO2 emissions. The main reason for this is the decrease in commuting between home and the workplace. Just how sustainable is working from home, really?
Transparency – Why It Matters and How to Achieve It (27:57)
Transparency should be ensured at multiple levels. On the one hand, there is, of course, the formal level—that is, communication about new products (e.g., in the form of release notes) or the exchange and reconciliation of data. Equally important, however, is the substantive and qualitative level: What projects are underway, and what results are being achieved?
Transparency builds trust, and this is a particularly important factor for success when it comes to partnerships.
Tracking and Data Quality: Where Does the Truth Lie? (32:55)
The issue of data and tracking quality will also remain a key concern throughout 2022. The digital economy is facing ongoing and increasingly stringent regulations and restrictions.
Unfortunately, it is all the more alarming how many large companies today still collect their data using structures that are, in some cases, outdated and have not yet switched to first-party tracking.
As the discrepancy between our own data collection and that of third-party providers grows, the question arises: Where does the truth lie? How do I reconcile different data sources, and how do I evaluate them?
Partner Compensation in the Future (38:00)
Tobias and Sebastian ask themselves: How should we approach the issue of partner compensation in the future? How can we ensure that the ecosystem survives and continues to grow? It is important to think long-term and not be blinded by short-term savings on commissions.
(New) Marketing Models (46:22)
Sebastian has been exploring marketing models for quite some time now, and he’s certain that there’s a lot in store for us! He sees opportunities for new marketing avenues particularly in the metaverse and on NFT marketplaces.
The metaverse is like a kind of digital parallel world. But no one really knows yet exactly what this metaverse is supposed to be or what it will look like. Digital currency will also play an increasingly important role here and find its place in this digital parallel world.
