Revenue Optimization with StatsDrone

How do modern affiliate platforms actually scale? In this episode of Revenue Optimization, John Wright sits down with Oleksandr Kulyk, VP of Affiliate & Business Development at Makeberry, to discuss how affiliate technology is evolving, where AI is changing the industry, and what operators and affiliates should expect over the next few years. Topics include: • How Makeberry approaches affiliate growth • Building stronger operator and affiliate relationships • AI opportunities inside affiliate technology • Product development lessons • What successful partnerships look like • The biggest challenges facing affiliate businesses today • Predictions for the future of affiliate marketing Whether you're an affiliate, operator, SaaS founder or technology builder, this conversation explores practical lessons from someone helping shape the next generation of affiliate platforms. Thanks again to our supporters at StatsDrone, NousViz, Affilka and Odys iGaming.

6/29/26 • 30:02

John Wright welcomes Artem Butov, founder of Marxel, for an in-depth conversation about the future of affiliate marketing technology and the rise of API-based performance marketing systems. Artem shares his journey from traditional advertising into affiliate marketing, eventually building both an affiliate network and a SaaS platform focused on helping businesses manage traffic, leads, and tracking more efficiently. Together, they discuss how the affiliate industry is shifting away from outdated pixel tracking toward API-driven infrastructures that allow advertisers and affiliates to better manage data, automate workflows, and optimize traffic performance. The discussion also touches on AI-powered campaign management, smart links, affiliate ecosystems, and how smaller teams can now launch sophisticated affiliate operations without massive development resources. The episode also explores major industry trends, including shrinking margins, rising competition, traffic volatility, fraud prevention, and the increasing importance of analytics and conversion optimization. Artem explains why successful affiliate businesses must become more data-driven and operationally efficient in order to survive in today’s rapidly changing environment. If you’re interested in affiliate marketing, media buying, SaaS tools, API tracking, or the future of performance marketing infrastructure, this episode is packed with valuable insights and real-world experience from two industry veterans. Artem is the founder of Marksel.io. Thanks for our podcast sponsors Odys iGaming, StatsDrone, NousViz and Affilka.

5/15/26 • 24:02

In this episode, John sits down with Kyle Roof, the mind behind Page Optimizer Pro, to unpack what’s really happening in SEO as AI reshapes the landscape. While many claim SEO is dying, Kyle argues the opposite: it’s evolving and those who understand the fundamentals are winning more than ever. They dive deep into why AI-generated content often fails to rank, what Google is actually rewarding in 2026, and why “term richness” and contextual relevance still matter more than hype. Kyle shares insights from ongoing case studies analyzing AI content, revealing where it falls short and how to fix it. The conversation also explores programmatic SEO, building content systems that scale, and how SaaS companies and affiliates can rethink their strategy to stay competitive. If you’ve been feeling lost in the noise around AI and SEO, this episode brings clarity and a practical roadmap forward. Shoutout to podcast sponsors Odys iGaming and StatsDrone! Special mention to our affiliate software sponsors iGsuite, Affilka and Intelitics.

4/30/26 • 36:39

In this episode, we sit down with Zak Ali, General Manager (US) at Finder, to unpack how AI is fundamentally reshaping companies, workflows, and entire industries. Zak shares a candid look at how large organizations are navigating the shift, from early experimentation to a world where AI is operating at the level of full-fledged employees. We dive into the internal challenges companies face: balancing innovation across teams, managing fear around job displacement, and transitioning employees from task-based execution to higher-level orchestration. Zak explains why the most valuable skill in the AI era isn’t doing the work, it’s designing systems that do the work for you. The conversation also explores the collapse of traditional SEO and the rise of brand, data, and distribution as the new competitive moats. Finder’s approach highlights a major shift: SEO is no longer a top-of-funnel channel, but connective tissue that reinforces brand authority across platforms like YouTube, social media, and AI-driven search. We also get into the future of SaaS, why many tools may not survive in an AI-first world, and how first-party data, influencer marketing, and authentic brand presence are becoming the true differentiators. If you’re building in affiliate, SaaS, or digital media, this episode is a roadmap for what’s coming next. Shoutout to our main sponsors NousViz, StatsDrone and Odys iGaming. Also thanks for the affiliate platforms supporters in iGsuite, Affilka and Intelitics.

4/16/26 • 27:17

In this episode, John sits down with Travis Jamison (Capital Pad, SEO entrepreneur, investor) to unpack how building, investing, and scaling businesses is changing in the AI era. They dive into one of the biggest founder dilemmas: should you focus on one thing or juggle multiple projects? Travis shares why his biggest wins actually came from overlapping skills, not pure focus. The conversation then shifts into how AI is reshaping everything from SaaS and service businesses to investing and hiring. While AI makes building easier than ever, it also raises the bar across the board. They also challenge popular narratives: Is SaaS actually dying? Is venture capital still worth it? Why are “boring businesses” suddenly so attractive? One of the biggest takeaways: distribution, not product, is becoming the real moat.

4/7/26 • 29:56

In this episode, John Wright speaks with Andrew Ansley, an AI consultant focused on building agentic systems and autonomous AI workflows. The conversation explores how AI agents are changing the way companies build products, run operations, and scale teams. Andrew explains how the latest generation of AI tools allows developers and entrepreneurs to create systems that can analyze information, research problems, generate solutions, and execute tasks with minimal human oversight. Rather than focusing purely on models, Andrew believes the real breakthrough is happening in agent harnesses — the systems that orchestrate AI tools, commands, and workflows. Together they explore: The shift from vibe coding to AI agents How AI systems can automate complex workflows Why smaller teams may outperform larger organizations The growing importance of clear thinking and structured communication What skills will matter most in the next decade Andrew also shares practical advice for founders and operators looking to experiment with AI in their own businesses. This episode is a deep dive into how AI agents may reshape work, startups, and software development over the next few years. Guest Andrew Ansley AI consultant specializing in agentic systems and AI automation. Shoutout to StatsDrone and Odys iGaming as our partners. Also to the affiliate software companies like iGsuite, Affilka and Intelitics where you can launch your next affiliate program or affiliate network.

3/17/26 • 46:26

In this episode, John Wright sits down with Lazar Petrov, founder of iGsuite, to unpack one of the most overlooked problems in iGaming — the massive gap between the data operators have and the data they actually need to make profitable decisions. Lazar shares his firsthand experience building affiliate software and working with operators across Europe, explaining why most affiliate platforms still lack real BI capabilities, why only ~10% of operators connect their affiliate data to any form of business intelligence, and why that's costing the industry millions. They also dive into the shifting landscape of white labels vs. turnkey solutions, why legacy software providers are stuck in a painful upgrade cycle, and where the real opportunities lie for new technology entering the market. Topics covered: Why affiliate managers lack the tools to evaluate performance properly · The real cost of not understanding your data at the player, traffic source, and country level · Why dashboards built "for the sake of it" don't deliver insights · AI in reporting — is it actually faster than ready-made reports? · The collapse of easy PPC and cheap SEO in iGaming · White label vs. turnkey — why the model is shifting · Legacy platforms and the "Software V2" moment the industry is entering · Why new platform suppliers and tech tools represent the biggest opportunity right now Shoutout to our premier partners Odys iGaming and StatsDrone. Another shoutout to our affiliate software partners that includes iGsuite. Guest: Lazar Petrov — Founder, iGSuite Host: John Wright

3/3/26 • 30:53

I recorded this episode because I think a lot of affiliates are about to discover something uncomfortable in their data. I was speaking with one of our customers who noticed something strange. An FTD showed up in tracking, deposits were happening, wagering was happening, net revenue was positive… but revenue share commission was zero. Zero. That should never happen unless you explicitly agreed to a 0 percent deal. In this episode, I walk through a very simple analysis you can run yourself to detect this. It takes minutes. Export your campaign data as a CSV and look for campaigns where net revenue is positive but rev share commission is zero. That’s it. If you find it, you either have a 0 percent deal attached or no deal assigned at all. Either way, you are losing money. I am currently looking at accounts where there are tens of thousands in deposits generating no rev share commission. That is not a rounding error. That is a structural issue. Some programs will blame software. Some will blame you. Some will say a deal was never signed. None of that changes the fact that if you are approved, sending traffic, and generating revenue, there should be a deal attached. Stop assuming it is set up correctly. Audit your campaigns. Sort by highest net revenue. Check your rev share column. If it is zero and it should not be, you have a problem. If you are not measuring it, you are guessing. Shout to supporters of the show StatsDrone and Odys iGaming. Our affiliate software supporters include iGsuite.

2/24/26 • 06:45

AI tools have changed the game. In this episode, I break down why “vibe coding” your own CRM is not only possible, but easier than most people think. With modern cloud tools, you can replicate core CRM features in hours, not months. I share why SaaS giants like Salesforce may be more vulnerable than they appear, how on-premise data ownership is becoming critical, and why companies that don’t start building their own internal tools could get left behind. 2026 is going to be disruptive and most aren’t ready. Shoutout to our sponsors at StatsDrone. Affiliate software supporters including iGsuite. Affiliate programs like Royal Partners, RevDuck Affiliates and Master Affiliates. Learn more at RevenueOptimization.io

2/13/26 • 07:33

n this episode of Revenue Optimization with StatsDrone, John Wright sits down with Alessandro Gherardi, co-founder of Fomento Agency, to unpack what it really takes to build and scale a modern affiliate network in today’s iGaming landscape. With thousands of affiliate networks competing for attention, Alessandro explains why payouts alone are no longer enough. Instead, Fomento focuses on high-value services—like access to iGaming conferences, sports events, education, and advertising tools—to create long-term loyalty and genuine human relationships with affiliates. It’s a shift toward what John calls “Affiliate Network 2.0.” The conversation dives deep into the operational reality behind affiliate networks, including postback tracking, sub-IDs, campaign structure, and why better data transparency benefits everyone involved. Alessandro also shares hard-earned lessons from launching a network from scratch—facing rejection, landing the first conversion, and earning trust one relationship at a time. Fraud detection and traffic quality are another major focus, with real-world insights into how fraudulent waves form, how networks and operators should collaborate, and why many operators still fail at basics like bonus abuse prevention. The episode wraps with a candid discussion on why human connection beats transactional thinking, especially in an industry obsessed with FTDs and conversion rates. If you’re an affiliate, operator, or network owner looking to understand where affiliate marketing is heading next—this episode delivers practical insights you won’t hear in sales decks.

2/10/26 • 24:14

In this episode, John Wright sits down with Koray Tugberk GÜBÜR, one of the most respected voices in semantic SEO, to unpack how Google actually understands, ranks, and retrieves content in the age of AI. The conversation goes far beyond traditional keyword-based SEO and dives into vector search, entity relationships, topical authority, and how large language models are reshaping search as we know it. Koray explains why semantic SEO is not a “new trend,” but a system Google has been building toward for years and why many websites fail when they treat AI as a shortcut instead of an infrastructure shift. From vectorizing your own content and reducing dimensionality in SEO data, to understanding momentum, crawl behavior, and layout-based ranking signals, this episode breaks down what actually matters if you want to rank sustainably. The discussion also explores real-world use cases for affiliates, SaaS companies, and publishers, including how AI-generated content can be used safely, why user-generated signals are becoming increasingly important, and how Google Search Console is evolving into a topic and entity-driven analytics tool. Koray shares practical insights on personalization, content repurposing, podcast-to-SEO workflows, and how creators can influence both traditional search results and AI-generated answers. If you’re building content for Google, YouTube, or AI-powered search experiences or trying to understand why semantic search, vector databases, and entities are now foundational, this episode offers a deep, practical look at where search is headed and how to adapt without chasing hype. Timestamp 00:00 Introduction and Industry Overview 00:12 Welcome to Revenue Optimization with Stats Drone 00:34 Building an Affiliate Product 01:05 Vectorizing Data for SEO 01:24 Search Beat: Analyzing Search Engine Results 04:18 Semantic SEO and Content Management 09:36 AI Tools and Content Generation 20:28 Google Search Console and Future Trends 31:41 Identifying User Clicks and Tracking 32:05 Permission-Based Tracking and Revenue Matching 32:20 Keyword Hero and Google Analytics Partnership 32:51 Implementing Click ID Level Tracking 33:55 Personalization in Newsletters and Websites 36:11 SEO Strategies and Personalization Challenges 39:42 Optimizing Content for Search Engines 45:53 Future of SEO and Personalization 48:27 Podcast Content Strategy and Repurposing 51:53 Improving Affiliate Program Rankings 55:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

1/14/26 • 58:24

Design has moved far beyond visuals and affiliate businesses that don’t adapt will fall behind. In this episode, Jason Attard (Head of CX at Game Lounge) joins John Wright to discuss the evolution from UX to CX and the rise of agentic experience (AX) designing digital products not just for users, but for AI agents that increasingly control discovery, decision-making, and navigation. They cover why great-looking sites still fail to convert, how AI is changing the role of designers, and what affiliate businesses should be building today to stay visible, trusted, and competitive in a post-search world. This conversation connects design, product, and revenue optimization in a way every affiliate, operator, and product leader should understand.

1/12/26 • 25:40

What is a PAM? PAM stands for Player Account Management. These PAM tools are normally understood to be for operators as in casinos or bookmakers but affiliates can now build these for themselves. The tools of the trade are turning your newsletter from a 1 to many link solution to a 1 to 1 using dynamic variables. It is the combination of first party data and dynamic variables that gives affiliates the ability to track revenue across individual emails and players. Of course all done with permission. This could be a complete game changer for iGaming affiliates in 2026 and I'm looking forward to sharing more as we build out these tools.

12/31/25 • 04:36

Is replacing Tableau a good thing and is it easy? As someone who's been working with Tableau for 3 years, I can confidently say there is a good chance I may never use their tools again. Unless of course it is to convert Tableau files into custom data viz and reports. Since September of this year, I've been working with tools like Lovable and Claude and I can say I'm not turning back and I'm not the only one. I've seen threads in Reddit about people saying they've replaced Tableau. For recommended tools, I love Lovable! https://lovable.dev/?via=john-wright

12/12/25 • 05:26

I'm here to officially say that tools like Claude.ai and all other AI tools are here to eat data viz tools like Tableau, Power BI, Looker Studio and more. If I were at any of these companies, I would be concerned to see if the revenue from these giants is starting to drop. Likewise, I think people working with these tools need to be spending a lot more time on the AI side of things for better analysis. You need to be using these tools so you can double your output rather than be on the wrong side of employment.

11/24/25 • 07:22

I found a LinkedIn post of someone taking an account of Steve Toth's presentation recently at Chiang Mai SEO that focuses on LLM and how these new AI tools like Claude, Chat GPT and Perplexity are changing search from clicks to conversations.

11/16/25 • 06:35

This past week, I presented a keynote on why online casinos close. I did share some data that shows what is behind the scenes that would lead a casino to close at all in the first place. In this short solo cast, I share a few more insights but my work in analyzing closed casinos isn't done yet!

11/7/25 • 08:36

If you haven't made a serious start in AI tools today in running and optimizing your affiliate business, you might be getting left behind. My personal take, the transformation we see today will be more profound than the internet itself. I think this is a new era of affiliate marketing beyond the new world of Google. Google isn't the dominant player it used to be and likely will continue to lose marketshare to other AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and many others. So how am I using AI for our business? Listen and tune in.

10/31/25 • 09:48

We are on the look out for a revenue architect for StatsDrone and someone who knows what it is like to negotiate deals with affiliate programs. We don't fun your standard affiliate business as we are a SaaS for affiliates, but the revenue potential could help us grow. This is something I learned from one of our customers that told me, hiring a revenue officer was one of the best decisions they made as a company that grew revenue. Are these people account managers or affiliate managers? No matter what you call them, they are important people that will be sought out as time goes on.

10/24/25 • 03:35

Why do online casinos close? There are many reasons but what should be the bigger concern is that these casinos close taking down their recurring revenue with it. How can you avoid casinos that might close beyond just asking for listing fees?

10/14/25 • 03:37

I've been to a lot of affiliate conferences in the last 15+ years and not all the speakers and panels are great. Some are terrible and a complete waste of time but we always hope for the best. I remember when content got so bad that I stopped going to the panels and speaker keynotes. The networking was good enough but I felt that in iGaming and affiliate marketing that things could be another level up. So what conferences are worth attending that you get great value from the content? Is it Affiliate World, Affiliate Summit, iGB Affiliate events, NEXT.io events, SiGMA World, Affpapa, SEO IRL in Toronto, CM SEO, SEO Estonia, SEO Mastery Summit, SEO Spring Training? Let me know what you think are the best events for content and why?

10/5/25 • 03:13

I used to wonder what ever happened to binary options as in 2017 to 2019, binary options was making a lot of noise but for all the wrong reasons. Many people have been arrested for fraud related to binary options but the product never disappeared. Some sites got bigger and appear to be running a legit operation getting various banking or finance licenses. With that said, it seems binary options is on the rise again as a product as it is closely associated with trading, CFDs, options, options trading and investing. Now I'll share our list of binary options affiliate programs with you at StatsDrone.

9/26/25 • 02:45

What is revenue leak and how is it affecting your affiliate business? In this solocast, I talk about 2 core ways in which revenue leak is hitting your bottom line if you're an iGaming affiliate. First is through data being deleted or manipulated and the 2nd is by analyzing winning players towards the end of the month. That is, winning players that consistently wipe out your commissions as suspicious behaviour.

9/16/25 • 03:20

Affiliate SEO isn’t what it used to be—and Kasra Dash knows why. In this episode, Kasra breaks down how the game has shifted from quick hacks and article farms to building real brands that earn trust, attention, and long-term growth. His stories from masterminds and conferences reveal the hidden places where knowledge and deals truly happen. We dig into what Google really wants now: authentic brands, better user experience, and a clear focus on products that people actually use. Kasra explains how affiliates who adapt can thrive, while those chasing shortcuts are destined for short-lived wins. He also pulls back the curtain on NavBoost, user signals, and why “lazy SEO” has no future. Beyond SEO, Kasra shares why conversion rate optimization, brand building, and smarter affiliate partnerships matter more than ever. Whether you’re an affiliate, a brand, or somewhere in between, this conversation is packed with insights on where the industry is heading and how to stay ahead.

9/9/25 • 43:02

So we have a new tool called Affiliate Track which you can get at AffiliateTrack.io and it has a lot of research power. It can help us find affiliates linking to closed brands which is revenue leak. It can also help us identify tracking signatures of how affiliates organize their links. It will tell us of trending brands and everything else in between. Try the app out in beta and let us know what you thin.

9/2/25 • 08:24

In this episode, we take a closer look at the concept of revenue leak and why it resonates more than traditional business intelligence (BI) when it comes to helping affiliates and online businesses. The discussion starts with the origins of StatsDrone and the realization that affiliates often lose money because they lack visibility into their data. By reframing the conversation around revenue leak rather than BI, the goal is to make the problem—and solution—more relatable and urgent . The episode also explores the challenges of selling BI tools in the affiliate industry. While solutions like Tableau or Looker are powerful, many affiliates don’t see the immediate value in “business intelligence.” Instead, the pain point they understand best is lost revenue—campaigns not tracking clicks, affiliate programs not reporting correctly, or data gaps that quietly drain performance. By speaking the language of pain, the idea of revenue leak becomes not just clearer but also more emotional and motivating for action . Finally, the podcast broadens the scope, suggesting that revenue leak is not just an affiliate issue but a problem across industries such as e-commerce and beyond. With inspiration drawn from shows like Revenue Vitals, the host shares plans to evolve the podcast, bring in new guests, and open up conversations about the uncomfortable but necessary truths hidden in data. The aim is to help businesses of all kinds see their revenue clearly, plug the leaks, and unlock untapped potential.

8/26/25 • 05:43

If you're looking for a book on affiliate marketing to get started, this is the only book you need. It is called The Payout Mafia by Niels Zee and James Dooley. It has some standout contributions from Matt Diggity, Jenny Gonzalez, Jamie I.F., James Oliver and many more.

8/19/25 • 04:45

In this episode of the Affiliate BI Podcast, host John Wright sits down with Vlad Ghilien, a strategic communications consultant with a sharp eye for brand positioning and content strategy. While Vlad’s background isn’t in affiliate marketing directly, his expertise in communications and branding offers a powerful perspective for affiliates looking to stand out. Vlad shares why so many affiliate sites miss the mark—not because of SEO basics, but because they fail to build a trusted brand. He explains how mindful positioning, quality content, and a clear value proposition can transform an affiliate site from a churn-and-burn project into a long-term business asset. We discuss the importance of case studies, video content, and digital PR as tools for credibility and social proof. Vlad also outlines why E-E-A-T still matters in the AI era, and how affiliates can adapt to survive and thrive in today’s search landscape. Whether you’re managing a large portfolio of sites or focused on building one standout brand, this conversation is packed with practical insights on how communications strategy can drive affiliate growth.

8/12/25 • 28:44

In this episode of Affiliate BI, John Wright sits down with Joe Hatch, Head of Product at StatsDrone, to pull back the curtain on the complexities of affiliate marketing infrastructure, automation, and data reliability. From building in-house stats tools to integrating dynamic variables, Joe gives a deeply informed take on what it really takes to run a successful affiliate operation at scale. They kick off by discussing the illusion that building your own stats platform is easy. Joe details the real challenges — from managing over 1,900 affiliate programs across 90+ software types to maintaining reliable data through inconsistent APIs, scraping, and authentication hurdles. He challenges the belief that AI agents alone can solve these problems, pointing out the edge cases and standardization issues that AI still struggles with. The episode explores practical tools and innovations Joe has been building, including WordPress plugins for Pretty Links and Thirsty Affiliates that simplify dynamic variable tracking. Joe explains how proper click ID management enables deeper analytics and real attribution, turning affiliate sites into powerful CRMs — capable of identifying individual users, tracking their behaviour post-click, and even retaining or reactivating them with targeted offers. The conversation also dives into hot-button issues like shaving and data transparency. Joe explains the importance of change detection and communication between affiliates and operators, while emphasizing that not all data changes are nefarious. For tech-savvy affiliates, Joe lays out integration possibilities using tools like Airtable, Looker Studio, Tableau, and the versatile n8n automation platform. They wrap with a discussion on the future of affiliate marketing as it converges with business intelligence — plus a fun mention of Joe’s satirical project, the iGaming Bullshit Generator.

8/5/25 • 27:35

I hear often that people think that rather than using StatsDrone, they can just build an in-house affiliate stats tracker. This is a short podcast to explain the nuances of running this type of business. The short answer is this, do you want to be a marketing company, a tech company or both? Let us be the tech company and you do what you do best.

7/29/25 • 05:22