Jessica Robinson: Founder @Affiliate Marketing Partners (AMP)
Female Power Player
We’re absolutely thrilled to announce the incredible Jessica Robinson as our next featured Female Power Player, a true force in the affiliate marketing world!
Based in Philadelphia and a dedicated mom of two daughters, including a newborn just a few months old, Jessica is the founder of Affiliate Marketing Partners (AMP), bringing a wealth of experience as a top-performing marketing professional specializing in affiliate programs, media buying, and campaign analysis. With deep expertise in building and scaling affiliate marketing programs and known for her sharp analytical skills and ability to drive impactful strategies, Jessica is a collaborative leader with exceptional relationship-building abilities, working closely with affiliates, clients, and teams at every level to unlock new avenues for growth and optimization.
Jessica’s impressive career spans several industry giants, including her role as Head of Affiliates at PayPal, where she spent 7 years leading digital marketing strategies across paid social, video, search, display, and affiliate channels, with a focus on PayPal's Business Financing Solutions division and became Head of Affiliates as a global role across all divisions! Previously, she served as Senior Marketing Manager in Affiliate Marketing at Swift Capital, where she launched and developed their affiliate program, which she later rebranded and expanded following PayPal’s acquisition. At QVC, Jessica excelled as Affiliate Marketing Manager, where she further honed her skills in managing large-scale affiliate partnerships. Additionally, at AWeber, she worked as a Performance Marketing Specialist, where she managed digital strategies to drive engagement and growth for the brand’s diverse marketing channels. And this only scratches the surface of her journey.
From launching and scaling programs to building successful partnerships, Jessica has continuously fueled growth year after year. Always looking for the best and brightest partners—could you be the next to soar to success with Affiliate Marketing Partners? Keep reading to discover Jessica’s insights and strategies for scaling in today’s competitive market.
Jessica, your impressive background leading affiliate strategies for powerhouse brands like PayPal and QVC has undoubtedly shaped your approach at AMP. With such an extensive foundation in managing diverse digital channels, what unique edge do you and your team bring to clients who partner with Affiliate Marketing Partners, and how do you drive growth in ways they may not find elsewhere?
Well thank you for such a flattering introduction! At AMP, we are super hands on with our clients. We tend to specialize more in the Finance/Fintech space, but have been expanding to other verticals. With each client, we consider ourselves an extension of their team. Partnerships and education are at the heart of everything we do. This whole industry is based on connections and we really focus our energy into making and nurturing partnerships on our clients’ behalf. I say education is also at the heart of what we do too because affiliate marketing is ever evolving. Most of our clients have no background in the space, so it’s our job to guide them and encourage leveraging the affiliate channel and rails to be open to testing new initiatives outside of traditional partners.
AMP offers a comprehensive suite of services to help clients make the most of their affiliate programs. Can you walk us through how AMP approaches program management, partner recruiting, traffic monetization, and analytics to create a high-impact affiliate strategy that boosts sales, maximizes ROI, and provides actionable insights for ongoing success?
Before we ever take on a client, we work together to outline an affiliate marketing strategy for them. This helps level set expectations ahead of signing a contract. Once we onboard a client, we make sure that tracking is properly set-up which can be a challenge depending on the client’s martech stack! Once we’re confident in tracking, we’ll reach out to our trusted partners, starting with the ones discussed during our initial strategy meeting.
We have a project plan that we update and share weekly along with reporting dashboards to provide full transparency into the work we are doing to manage programs. For clients that rely on us to assist with revenue monetization, we honestly take a very similar approach, but our partners are brands in this case instead of affiliates. We’re easy to reach (fast on email) and always available in our shared Slack channels. Our team has been expanding over the last 12 months, so we have folks focusing on certain areas of program management from strategy to recruiting to program management. Honestly, we just have a great team of professionals that take pride in managing these programs!
With your reputation for driving impactful strategies, many clients seek out AMP to level up their campaigns. Can you go a bit deeper into your onboarding process for new clients, and how does your team assess their current strategy to build an optimized roadmap tailored to achieving their specific business objectives?
Sure! As I mentioned, before we ever sign a contract, we create a strategy for each prospective client. That strategy includes information on competitive programs, a list of potential partners, a copy of our program management roadmap and any other info that we think is relevant. Once signed, we get access to platforms, set up a Slack channel and schedule our weekly meetings during the first of which we’ll run down everything our team needs to get started. We’ll create a customized performance dashboard, targeted recruitment list and a list of quick optimization wins. From there, our team gets to work on creating a program 1-sheeter to send to partners, we announce the partnership and start immediately reaching out to prospective affiliates.
Our team is extremely hands on, so while each client is unique in their needs, they will each get individualized attention from our team.
As a skilled campaign manager known for your analytical abilities, you’ve mastered the art of optimizing strategies to maximize ROI. How do you and your team at AMP identify the right optimization opportunities for each client, and what methods do you use to ensure their campaigns hit top performance benchmarks consistently?
We test! We are incredibly open to testing wherever it makes sense and are quick to move on if the test doesn’t work out. That’s why I say education is at the heart of what we do because there are so many opportunities outside of traditional affiliate sites. Client’s need to be informed of those opportunities and sold on the potential, so it’s important for us to ask the right questions and get our clients comfortable with thinking outside the box.
We’ve also been really lucky to have awesome clients that trust our recommendations, so that helps :-)
At PayPal, you led the execution of a full suite of digital channels, from paid social to affiliate marketing. Now, with AMP, you specialize in affiliate programs. How do you decide which channels will be the most effective for each client’s goals, and does your team deliver a cohesive, multi-channel strategy that drives real results?
Though we focus on managing affiliate programs only, as you know, affiliate marketing encompasses a lot of media strategies. We partner with experts in lots of areas including media buying, paid search, app marketing, influencer, content, email, etc. Since we work with a lot of Finance clients, we need to approach each partnership with compliance in mind, so that lens is always a driving force behind our strategy. Outside of that, we start with proven partners that we trust and have worked with in the past and we often cap those we are testing into to better control for quality.
Jessica, your work with AMP has helped numerous clients achieve impressive growth and optimization. Could you provide an example or case study of a client your team has worked with, showcasing how your strategies made a measurable impact on their reach and revenue? Additionally, could you share the names of other clients you’ve collaborated with who have benefited from your expertise?
Our partnership with FloatMe is a testament to the measurable impact of our strategies. By implementing a customized affiliate marketing program, we helped FloatMe achieve a 153% year-over-year revenue increase, along with an 84% increase in active affiliates and a 92% increase in active partnerships. These results demonstrate how a tailored, data-driven approach can unlock significant growth. For more details, you can explore the FloatMe case study on our website: FloatMe Case Study.
We are also developing a case study for Ryder Toys, showcasing another successful collaboration. In addition to FloatMe and Ryder Toys, we manage programs for esteemed clients such as Western Union, Optimal Debt Solutions, Arro Finance, and Frich, further highlighting our ability to deliver impactful results across various industries.
Jessica, your accomplishments in the affiliate marketing world are truly impressive. Did you have any mentors or individuals you looked up to who taught you valuable lessons along the way? We’d love to hear about who they were and how they influenced your journey.
I knew nothing about affiliate marketing before starting in this space - I literally googled “affiliate marketing” before an interview for an internal position at the company I was at during that time. My first manager had me shadow him on all of his affiliate calls, so it was a true “learn on the job” moment. From there, I tried to soak up everything I could about the space and had conversations with other experts. One of the first experts I met was Sarah Bundy and while we never got the chance to truly work together, I’ve followed her career on LinkedIn and learned from all of the knowledge she shared.
Jessica, congratulations on Affiliate Marketing Partners being recognized as a Top 30 Affiliate Agency by Hello Partner! This is such an impressive achievement and speaks volumes about the impact you and your team are making in the industry. With this recognition under your belt, if you could see your team nominated for or win any specific category at the coveted AFFY Awards—the premier honor in performance marketing—which award would you most like to bring home next, and why?
Of course, we’d love to win the AFFY Award for Agency of the Year! We are a small, but mighty and growing team, so getting that recognition from the industry would be just amazing.
Jessica, balancing a thriving career in affiliate marketing with being a dedicated mom to two daughters, including a newborn, is no small feat. What does it mean to you to set an example for your girls about what’s possible for women in business, and how has being a mother influenced the way you approach your work and leadership?
I’ve thought about this a lot because let me tell you, mom guilt is REAL. I started AMP on my maternity leave with my oldest daughter and thought that I was doing the wrong thing by taking even a second away from spending time with her. Welcoming my 2nd daughter this year was a whirlwind filled with guilt as a mom and business owner because it’s hard to feel like you are doing a great job at both so soon post partum. However, I was the daughter of a homemaker, who always told me to try to keep a foot in your career if possible. I saw her struggle when we were older and didn’t need as much constant attention.
For me, I’ve always been passionate about female empowerment and especially now that I have 2 daughters, I want them to see their mom as more than just a mom and know that their opportunities are limitless. It’s a balance for sure, but it’s been so worth it.
Also, this may be corny, but I really love the saying “Fortune favors the bold.” Sure, I’m not doing anything groundbreaking as a working mom, but leaving my very comfortable position at PayPal to start this business at the same time I was transitioning to being a mom was not an easy decision. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and believe in yourself, which I think it’s another great example for my girls to see.
Jessica, outside of being a powerhouse in affiliate marketing, we’re curious—what’s something people might be surprised to learn about you? Whether it’s a hidden talent, a quirky hobby, or something unique about your personality, we’d love to hear what makes “off-the-clock Jessica” tick! And if you have any favorite ways to unwind or recharge in your free time, do tell!
I usually avoid this question because my husband is the one with all of the interesting hobbies! Outside of work, I’m typically making too many plans with family and friends or doing one of a million house projects we seem to always be taking on. I also manage a small memorial foundation that does a lot of work to support local and national organizations that help children or families in need.
Jessica, your advice on finding one’s voice in the professional world is truly inspiring, especially for women aiming to assert their expertise and make a meaningful impact. What are some of the key strategies or mindset shifts you recommend for women to confidently embrace their strengths, advocate for themselves, and drive positive change in their careers? And if you have any links to videos or resources on this topic, we’d love to share them with our audience!
My biggest piece of advice (and one that I constantly need to remind myself of) is to recognize your value. You do belong in the room! Imposter Syndrome is a big issue for a lot of people, but especially women. We need to consistently work on our mindset to make sure that we keep our voices and ideas heard.
Plus, finding your voice in your career is essential for women, empowering them to assert their expertise, perspectives, and contributions in the professional sphere. By embracing their unique strengths and advocating for themselves, women can not only excel in their careers but also inspire others and drive positive change in the workplace.
Tune in to Jessica Robinson as she offers her tailored advice for women in the industry. Let her words inspire you to find your voice, speak up confidently, and pursue your goals fearlessly.
Jessica, your webinar with Phonexa’s CMO, Talar Malakian, provided valuable insights into the inner workings of affiliate marketing, especially on how to effectively sell these initiatives within an organization. Could you share some of the key takeaways from this discussion, particularly around overcoming misconceptions, avoiding common pitfalls, and effectively managing affiliate channels alongside other paid channels?
Education is such a big component of affiliate marketing. In the past, I’ve actually hosted “road shows” within large organizations to explain the channel, partner types, strategies, etc. to gain buy-in across an org. The common misconception is that affiliate marketing is just coupon/deal/loyalty partners. That is simply not true for our partner set since a lot of finance products aren’t able to offer discounts or incentives. Each partner has their time and place in the conversion funnel though, so it’s important to articulate their impact when testing new partners, placements, paid opportunities, etc. I also like to partner closely with paid media teams to make sure that we aren’t cannibalizing existing efforts. Transparency is absolutely crucial and the partners that we work with have been excellent at sharing information on traffic sources and strategies.
Jessica, with AMP working across primary affiliate networks like Affiliate, Partnerize, Impact, Tune, and our friends at Everflow, you’ve likely gained valuable insights into different industries and verticals. Are there particular verticals where you’ve seen significant success or that you especially enjoy working with? What unique opportunities do these verticals present for driving growth through affiliate marketing?
We work with a lot of clients in the Financial space. Finance programs are unique in the affiliate space because of their more complex compliance requirements and they often include a different partner set. I think affiliate marketing is the perfect channel for a lot of finance companies especially when it comes to content and comparison sites because the conversion point is often a more considered one. Having the space to really explain the product and value adds in long form content helps to answer the audience’s questions and reduce friction in the conversion path - often a lot better than traditional media buying.
Another win for financial companies interested in affiliate marketing is speed to market. Because of internal compliance requirements, the new vendor onboarding process at these companies can sometimes be prohibitive to testing new initiatives. We’ve been able to quickly test new channels and initiatives leveraging the affiliate rails in a pay per performance or hybrid payment model, invoicing through the networks and utilizing affiliate T&Cs for contracting in most cases. This has been a HUGE value add for some of our larger clients.
You have a proven track record of helping clients optimize and grow through affiliate marketing. For those considering working with you, who would be the ideal fit? Should anyone with a product, service, or offer reach out for a complimentary consultation, or is there a specific type of business or goal that benefits most from your team’s expertise? Additionally, who are your favorite types of people to work with, and what qualities make for a great client relationship in your view?
Our team has a diverse background in verticals, so we are open to all opportunities! Finance/fintech has definitely been our sweet spot just because of my background at PayPal, but we’ve seen great success with other verticals including the great work we did on the Ryder Toys program in Q4.
We love clients that are open to testing! I will say that our team is our greatest asset. We have a “no jerks allowed” policy and that includes both team members and clients. AMP is focused on creating a collaborative and respectful environment - that is of the utmost importance to us!
Want to connect? Schedule your complimentary 30-minute consultation here: https://www.affiliatemarketingpartners.co/consultation