The process of learning who an advertiser is, and cutting out the middlemen in the value chain.
For instance, if you are working with an advertiser at an affiliate network and ‘go direct,’ you would cut out the affiliate network and work directly with the advertiser. Typically comes with higher payouts and increased profit margins, but also carries more payables risk. Most upstanding affiliate networks pay their affiliates even if the advertiser doesn’t pay their invoice. If you go direct to an advertiser, you do not have an affiliate network in the middle guaranteeing your payout. Affiliate networks usually always pay faster than advertisers do, bearing some of the financial risks in the transaction. By ‘going direct’ you will most likely have to wait longer for your payment.
