Affiliation Marketing for online pharma: the compliant playbook
Networks, attribution, AIFA compliance, traffic quality. Four years of mistakes summarized in an operating framework.
Online pharma + affiliation is one of the few sectors where a marketing mistake can become a regulatory problem. Four years working with pharmacy clients taught us how to build a playbook that works and doesn't upset AIFA (the Italian medicines agency).
Networks: fewer and selected is better. We closed more than twenty partnerships where traffic quality was lower than the commission cost. 'Open' networks generate noise, not revenue.
Attribution: data-driven model, 30-day window, post-view excluded. The reality is that many 'affiliation' conversions would have arrived anyway. Measuring well is more important than paying less.
AIFA compliance: every creative goes through internal legal review before going live. No therapeutic claims, no before/after, no unverified testimonials. The network must sign a specific addendum.
Traffic quality: we monitor bounce, time on cart, return rate. A publisher who brings 1,000 clicks with 80% bounce is worth less than one who brings 100 at 12%. We cut without nostalgia.
Every signal comes from a real project.