headline: MaxBounty CEO: Affiliate marketing ia Alice and well

After 21 years in the game, Matt McEvoy explains how the performance marketing veteran is leveraging mrge acquisition resources, combating fraud with two decades of data, and why recession fears shouldn’t deter newcomers from affiliate marketing.

Q: Now it has settled in, how has MaxBounty’s acquisition by mrge affected your service and growth roadmap?

We are primarily the same network that our partners have come to expect, we just have more resources and offerings than ever before.

If an advertiser comes to us looking for a very specific type of publisher or channel, it’s now not only just our network that we can utilize. We’re able to connect with the other platforms within mrge to find them the exact solution they’re looking for. This works inversely, being a part of mrge means there’s a wider range of inbound publishers and advertisers, many who can benefit from MaxBounty’s CPA model.

It’s our belief that this is the exact blueprint for accelerating our growth and our presence within the performance marketing space. We strive to be that all encompassing “one-stop shop” and the benefits we’ve reaped since the acquisition put us in an even better position to accomplish this objective.

Q: You launched your education center, MaxBounty+ in October. What’s the thinking behind that?

We wanted to provide our partners and potential partners with more valuable, insightful content.

I don’t think company blogs are going anywhere, but I do think the term itself has become a little antiquated. We felt that an update was needed in both name and our overall approach to content creation. We wanted to focus on providing content that not only educates and informs, but allows us to showcase MaxBounty’s powerful results to new clients. To accomplish this goal we need to offer real value. This means creating case studies that pull back the curtain, guides that provide proven strategies, and industry updates that help our partners adapt. This type of content may take more time to create, but we feel it’s more beneficial to both the reader and our network.

Q: Performance marketing is constantly evolving and we currently are seeing lots of movement with Google, Meta and TikTok. How are you handling compliance these days?

We’ve had a steadfast approach to compliance for over 20 years. Our technology and practices may have evolved, but our philosophy remains unchanged.

Our priority has always been to protect the brand integrity of every MaxBounty advertiser. That’s only accomplished through multiple layers of protection. In 2025, that consists of our 24/7 proprietary FraudBlock technology, our experienced Compliance Team as well as our Affiliate Managers who are vetting each application.

“We also now have over two decades of affiliate data to cross-reference with every application. This allows us to eliminate potential threats forever. This is something many other networks just don’t have at their disposal.”

We also now have over two decades of affiliate data to cross-reference with every application. This allows us to eliminate potential threats forever. This is something many other networks just don’t have at their disposal, so it’s something that differentiates us while being attractive to potential advertisers.

Q: Can you share insights on how MaxBounty leverages data analytics to optimize affiliate performance and advertiser ROI?

We’ve always understood how valuable it is for affiliates to have as much insight as possible into their campaign performance. This understanding is what led us to create our owned and operated campaigns. Since these are exclusive campaigns solely operated by us, we can provide affiliates with important analytics on things like user demographics and locations that can be a difference maker when it comes time for them to optimize and scale. This never stops either, our Affiliate Managers will continually update affiliates promoting these campaigns with the data they need to make better, informed decisions.

For our advertisers, our proprietary Advertising Tracking Platform continues to be a valuable analytical tool. This platform helps advertisers optimize campaign performance while also providing that next-level transparency that every brand craves.

They can inspect the granular data of every conversion that’s generated, including the affiliate responsible for that lead, while also seeing exactly how their campaigns are presented to both our affiliate base and to users online. Having the ability to monitor every click, lead and sale goes a long way in helping them manage their budget and improve their ROAS.

Q: Many people are expecting the USA to enter recession soon, with other countries potentially to follow. Downturns often lead to many newbie affiliates entering the industry. Do you think there are still opportunities for newbies and if so, should they seek out training courses, or learn by trial and error?

Absolutely. That’s not to say it’s quick or easy, however the opportunity is still there for anyone who’s willing to put in the time to build the foundation of knowledge needed to be successful. You can make the argument that it’s become more difficult than it once was to make money in affiliate marketing due to increased restrictions and competition but our affiliates are collectively generating more earnings right now than they ever have in the last 21 years. Affiliate marketing is alive and well.

In regard to which approach beginners should take, I think you have to find the balance that works best for you. It’s unlikely that a beginner affiliate would take a training course, even a great one, and immediately have all the tools and knowledge required to generate a substantial ROI. There’s always going to be a learning curve that follows that involves some trial and error. My suggestion would be to learn as much as you can through courses, resources like MaxBounty+ and forums and consider that as phase one of your learning process. Phase two is where you take that knowledge and put it into practice. That’s where you’re going to learn to pivot from things that aren’t working, optimize campaigns, and recognize trends that will save you time and money. I’d consider that more valuable, but the first phase is important in getting you to that point.

About
For nearly 20 years, MaxBounty CEO Matt McEvoy has enjoyed being part of the growth and change in the affiliate marketing space. Matt became part of the industry in 2006, when he was brought on board at MaxBounty to increase the network’s roster of advertisers. He quickly moved into the position of Director of Business Development, leading the sales team and becoming an integral part of the network’s day-to-day business as it increased. Today as CEO, Matt guides the ever expanding MaxBounty team as they continue to provide opportunities for affiliates and advertisers to grow and evolve their businesses.