Pioneering Affiliate Transparency for a Global Design Platform Leader

CHALLENGE

The client faced a critical transparency problem that plagues the affiliate industry: subnetworks (CPA networks) were driving significant traffic and actions while keeping their sub-affiliate publishers completely hidden from view. This "black box" approach created multiple risks for brand safety, compliance, and program optimization.

The complexity was amplified by the program's management structure. While Hamster Garage typically maintains strict selectivity when working with subnetworks, this program was co-managed with internal stakeholders who had previously onboarded numerous subnetwork partners without implementing proper transparency controls. Rather than starting fresh, the client specifically requested that Hamster Garage develop a solution to achieve compliance and transparency with the existing partner base.

Subnetworks traditionally resist transparency because they fear advertisers will circumvent them by recruiting their top-performing sub-affiliates directly. However, this opacity creates serious problems: fraudulent publishers can hide behind subnetwork anonymity, low-quality traffic sources remain undetected, and brands cannot ensure their promotional standards are being followed by actual publishers.

The client's program included 11 major subnetworks generating over 74,000 actions quarterly, yet they had zero visibility into which individual publishers were driving this performance. Without transparency, they couldn't identify compliance violations, optimize underperforming segments, or ensure brand-safe promotional environments.

The client needed Hamster Garage's expertise to break through industry resistance and establish unprecedented transparency standards that would become a model for affiliate program management.

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STRATEGY

Hamster Garage developed an industry-first systematic approach to achieve subnetwork transparency through multi-source data analysis and strategic partner negotiations:

Strategic Partner Negotiation & Compliance Requirements

• Negotiated transparency agreements with 11 major subnetworks including signed non-compete clauses protecting their affiliate relationships
• Established quarterly transparency reporting as mandatory requirement for continued partnership
• Required all subnetworks to provide SharedID data identifying individual sub-affiliates driving meaningful traffic
• Implemented strict compliance standards with penalties for networks failing to provide required transparency data

Multi-Source Data Analysis & Verification

• Combined SharedID tracking data with SimilarWeb traffic analysis to verify publisher quality and scale
• Cross-referenced Impact Protect attribution risk data to identify potential fraud or compliance violations
• Analyzed promotional methods and website quality for each identified sub-affiliate
• Created comprehensive database tracking publisher types, domains, traffic volumes, and compliance status

Quality Control & Risk Assessment Framework

• Developed systematic evaluation criteria for sub-affiliate quality including traffic verification and promotional method compliance
• Identified suspicious traffic patterns and attribution risks across the publisher network
• Created standardized reporting template providing visibility into previously hidden traffic sources
• Established ongoing monitoring processes to maintain transparency and compliance standards

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RESULTS

Hamster Garage's transparency initiative delivered unprecedented visibility into subnetwork operations while establishing new industry standards for affiliate program compliance.

Transparency Achievement:

• Successfully audited 11 major subnetworks generating 74,275+ quarterly actions
• Identified and tracked 165+ individual sub-affiliates previously hidden from advertiser view
• Achieved 61.1% overall transparency rate across subnetwork traffic through systematic SharedID implementation
• Created comprehensive quarterly transparency reports providing detailed publisher-level insights

Quality Control & Compliance:

• Discovered 2 major compliance violations requiring immediate partner removal and action reversal
• Identified significant variance in network quality (transparency rates ranging from 2.5% to 98.9%)
• Exposed low-quality traffic sources with minimal website presence despite driving thousands of actions
• Established systematic verification process combining multiple data sources for comprehensive risk assessment

Industry Innovation & Process Development:

• Created first-of-its-kind quarterly transparency reporting framework adopted by multiple networks
• Developed replicable audit methodology combining SharedID tracking, traffic verification, and compliance monitoring
• Established new industry standards for subnetwork accountability and transparency
• Built scalable processes for ongoing quality control and partner management across complex network relationships

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GROWTH SUMMARY

Hamster Garage was able to to pioneer industry innovations that solved critical compliance and transparency challenges affecting the entire affiliate marketing ecosystem for this brand. By successfully negotiating transparency agreements with 11 major subnetworks and auditing 165+ hidden publishers, the team established new standards for affiliate program quality control.

The systematic approach combining strategic negotiation, multi-source data analysis, and comprehensive reporting created unprecedented visibility into subnetwork operations while maintaining partner relationships through carefully structured non-compete agreements. For enterprise brands requiring robust compliance frameworks and brand safety protections, this transparency initiative provides a blueprint for achieving accountability in traditionally opaque affiliate channels.

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