Brands Must Own Affiliate Compliance, Says Rachel Said

Rachel Said, Head of Affiliates at Genie Goals, argues that brands must take primary responsibility for compliance in affiliate marketing. Drawing on years of auditing affiliate programmes, she warns that large revenue from unclear partners often masks non‑compliant activity and that relying solely on networks or agencies is insufficient. Successful companies, she says, proactively question topline data, investigate traffic sources, and conduct programme-level governance. Said recommends brands at minimum audit their top ten revenue-driving partners, inspect how they promote the brand (including voucher searches), and review transaction-level details. The piece promotes self-governance, education, and tighter scrutiny to protect valid partners and reinvest in trustworthy publishers.