Some data suggests publisher revenue hasn’t yet collapsed, according to Bryce Widelitz, vice president of agency and strategic partnerships at Impact.com, which connects brands to affiliate partners. Between May and July 2025, clicks from Impact’s more than 500 media publishers declined slightly year over year, while revenue grew 22%. But that growth could stem from a variety of factors, including improved conversion rates, new brand partners, or the increased cost of goods, Widelitz said.
Some publishers are adapting by leaning into newsletters, Hamerly, the Levanta marketplace director, said, citing Vox Media and TheSkimm, and by leveraging social reach through recognizable editors acting as influencers for their brands.
Creators are becoming performance marketers
While publishers navigate platform headwinds, creators have matured into viable performance partners.
“Creators are the modern publishers,” said David A. Yovanno, CEO of Impact.com. “They’ve become performance marketers, just with different distribution channels.”
Creators are less dependent on SEO. Their audiences arrive by choice, not by search, putting them closer to purchase decisions. This has made them valuable to brands, especially as tracking tools improve.
Historically, influencer marketing was top-of-funnel, according to Tiffany Lopinsky, founder of ShopMy.
But improved tracking has made it measurable, attracting more budget and CMO attention. Affiliate is now table stakes for many creators, with platforms like ShopMy showing brands who is driving sales before committing to larger deals, according to Lopinsky.
Creators often command higher commission rates, according to Usaid Khan, vice president of strategy at Later. He said they earn, on average, 25% more than publishers, driven by stronger engagement and higher conversion rates.
Cost structures also factor in, Hamerly said. With a $50,000 budget, a brand might work with one publisher or 10 creators, each with different timelines and goals. For brands, creators offer diversification.
“They’re accessing new eyes,” she said.
Incremental spend, not replacement—yet
Marketers say creator affiliate growth is mostly additive.
“We’re not moving out of the traditional content space,” said Andrea Chong, senior director at 3Z Brands. Instead, the company is layering influencer affiliate on top of publisher partnerships, especially in categories where editorial coverage is scarce.
