Vlad Bondarenko: “If you don’t evolve, you’re out of the market”

Maciej Akimow: Our company has a background in affiliation, so I’d like to ask how you see the current affiliate landscape worldwide? Is anything changing, or is it the same as always?

Vlad Bondarenko: On one hand, the market is very mature and has been around for a long time, but on the other hand, it’s still evolving and constantly developing, which I really like. Affiliates have reached a point where they know their price. When we talk about typical affiliates who generate a lot of traffic, everyone is trying to get them on board. Because of this, affiliates are starting to raise their rates and their terms of cooperation.

I was discussing this with a colleague, and we concluded that it’s a bit like the stock market—you don’t buy shares because of the technology, but because of the hype surrounding them. Currently, it seems the market is evolving, but it’s largely driven by hype, perhaps because other traffic sources are lacking. Still, you can see a lot is happening; even here at the conference, there are numerous zones dedicated to affiliation. The market is mature, but it’s still growing.

Let’s move on to the topic of AI, since everyone is talking about it. You’ll also be giving a speech on its impact. How is AI influencing the affiliate landscape today? Is it changing it, developing it?

I try not to give in to the hype and the narrative that AI will change our entire future. Of course, it will bring changes, but for now, in most cases, we’re talking about smart chatbots, labels on dashboards, or content creation tools. However, this is all quite superficial.

When I think about AI, I think about the future in the context of data – this is the area where artificial intelligence can have a real impact. We’re talking about huge datasets here. I believe that in the affiliate industry, only the largest operators, the true “whales,” can afford to implement AI in a way that brings real value. For now, AI is mainly about chatbots, content generation, and, let’s be honest, “silly pictures.” That’s how I see it at the moment.

And don’t you think that Google’s algorithm has, in a way, forced affiliates to diversify their traffic sources? It seems to me that the biggest problem today is for those who relied solely on a simple WordPress site with casino reviews, building backlinks, and nothing more.

Yes, I absolutely agree with that. We’re seeing this change very clearly, and it was forced by Google; it didn’t happen organically. I think this trend will become even more visible in the future. An affiliate who has only one source of traffic will simply die out. You have to find new channels: PPC, Facebook, whatever. It’s a universal rule—if you don’t evolve, develop your product, and look for new ways to monetize, you’re out of the market.

Do you have any advice for new affiliates who want to enter the iGaming world? Or is it perhaps too late to create something from a scratch?

It’s never too late. But again, right now there’s more hype in it than real value. My only sensible advice is this: don’t try to ride the wave of popularity, because you will lose. If you’re entering this niche just because it’s trendy and you’re hoping for quick money, it won’t work that way. But if you are genuinely interested in this industry and you’re creative, then go for it, give it a try, and do your best.

So, do you agree with the statement that “smarter affiliates will win the future,” or will old techniques still be crucial?

You have to find a balance. It’s not just about the clever solutions that affiliates use; it’s about the cooperation of both sides. It’s a bit like Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs – they came from different worlds, but they complemented each other. It’s also about collaboration, organic growth, and sometimes just being lucky – being in the right place at the right time.

What role does Referon want to play in this landscape? Do you want to be a kind of bridge between affiliates and operators, and how do you support both sides?

We are already a bridge between affiliates and operators, but I see our role more from a technical and monetization perspective rather than a networking one. While our clients are typically operators, I see great potential in making life easier for affiliates as well. For example, we’re looking into creating a “unified affiliate profile” to reduce the fragmentation of their data across different platforms.

Speaking of being a bridge, I meant something like being a certificate of quality for operators. As an affiliate, I see a lack of credibility with many operators – for example, data delays are a common frustration. What does Referon do better than its competitors?

I always say that Referon has almost the same functionality as anyone else, but the difference is in the user experience. It’s like the Android versus iPhone debate – people buy an iPhone because it’s much easier to navigate. We focus on creating a habit of using Referon. For example, our reporting engine allows you to combine different reports with just a few clicks, without needing third-party tools like Excel. Another example is our simple implementation of dynamic variables, which affiliates can use without needing to ask their manager for help. It’s these small, basic things that, when combined, make a huge difference in the user experience.

And the last question: I see that many operators are afraid of changing their affiliate program because of the migration process. How do you convince them that it can be smooth and easy?

We tell them not to be afraid because we do everything for them. We don’t just provide data templates; we handle the entire process. The migration itself can be done in just a few days. The most time-consuming part isn’t the technical migration, but the business logic discussions that happen beforehand.

The most important point I always make is that they won’t feel any delay in traffic. We ensure that old tracking links are redirected to the new ones, so nothing gets broken. We make sure that 99.9% of all traffic is redirected properly, and we handle the remaining 0.1% manually. Honestly, I don’t understand why everyone is so afraid of migration. It’s not like migrating an entire customer base with a huge amount of data. It’s just affiliate data, which is much simpler.