We are pleased to welcome our newest Affiliate Manager, Marc Samouihan, to the MGECOM Team. Marc joins us from South Africa and has many years of experience in the affiliate industry as an affiliate and affiliate manager throughout his career.
How and when did you first get started in affiliate marketing?
In early 2005 I moved to London and managed to get a job as an affiliate advisor at PartyPoker.com. Not knowing anything about affiliates or affiliate marketing, online gaming was the best industry to learn it as it is highly competitive with CPA’s being some of the highest in any sector (excluding perhaps finance). I quickly progressed to become one of the senior affiliate managers, managing a portfolio of affiliates generating millions per month in commissions. Since then I have been involved in affiliate marketing in one way or another and view it as the most effective channel for merchants to use for customer acquisition.
What do you most like about the industry?
Affiliate marketing is the online equalizer. Any merchant, no matter the size of their budget, can have a well run and performing affiliate program. The other great aspect for affiliate marketing, is that even though it is typically a purely online channel, personal relationships are paramount.
What improvements you would like to see in the industry?
The improvements basically come down to a change in perception. The industry still has naysayers who are operating under false information (or misinformation) and it is still trying to “shake off” it’s poor reputation. As affiliates operate more and more brands of their own, the change is inevitable.
Do you see affiliates embracing mobile and social?
Yes, affiliates will always migrate to where the traffic and conversions are (typically well before the merchants or larger brands), and social can drive extremely large amounts of traffic. Converting that traffic is the “trick”.
What other jobs have you had outside of affiliate marketing?
I’ve done a few part time jobs, typically during University breaks. These included selling gas door to door, cleaning pots & pans as a kitchen porter, working at Pepsi packing their boxes and working for British Airways, packing their duty free trolleys. You can see I have done quite a lot of packing jobs…which is why when I travel I’m able to pack my bags quite quickly.
What are a few of your hobbies?
I enjoy brewing and sampling craft beers, hiking and trail running, and practicing magic (I still can’t do any tricks worth showing anyone yet).
What activities/sports did you do in high school or college?
I played hockey for the provincial team (State), soccer for provincial (State), and ran 100m and 200m. I managed to go to South African champs (which is the race you need to win in order to qualify for our Olympic team), but ended up coming stone last. I was the only person running barefoot though. 🙂
What is your favorite vacation location?
Rome. I’ve been there 4 times and every time I go I enjoy it more.
If you won a lottery, what would be the first thing you’d buy?
I’d probably pay my house off, pay my parents house off, and then get myself a Mini Cooper Roadster JCW convertible. This is such a silly and impractical car, but it is like driving a go-kart on steroids.
Your favorite band to see live?
Mumford & Sons
What is your “must see” TV?
Modern Family
Coke or Pepsi?
I try and stay away from both…but Coke (In South Africa we only got Pepsi for a few years and then it disappeared).