September was a busy month for our Reacheffect team! Just after wrapping up SIGMA Euro-Med in Malta and AW Europe in Budapest our team, including our CEO, COO, CMO, Partneship manager and Campaign managers headed to Bucharest for AWSummit and Prague for TES Affiliate Conference.
These conferences provided different but complementary perspectives on the current state of affiliate marketing and performance marketing.
Here’s what they learned from a week of industry immersion across Central and Eastern Europe.
Reacheffect’s Eastern European Conference Tour
Attending both conferences gave us a comprehensive view of how different segments of the affiliate marketing industry are evolving. AWSummit’s focus on crypto, adult, and diverse verticals contrasted nicely with TES’s emphasis on traditional affiliate marketing, e-commerce, and networking fundamentals.
This back-to-back experience reinforced our commitment to understanding the full spectrum of performance marketing approaches and building relationships across different industry segments.
AWSummit Bucharest: Where Crypto Meets Performance Marketing
The first stop was Bucharest’s Face Convention Center, where over 2,500 professionals gathered for three days of panels, vertical dinners, parties and one of the most diverse expo floors in the space.
AWSummit positioned itself as the fast-paced epicenter of performance marketing in Central and Eastern Europe, and the diverse vertical focus was immediately apparent. Covering affiliate marketing, crypto, e-commerce, finance, content creation, and fintech, the conference attracted a unique mix of attendees.
Crypto Integration in Performance Marketing
One of the most interesting aspects of AWSummit was the integration of cryptocurrency discussions with traditional performance marketing topics. The conference showed how crypto payments, blockchain-based affiliate tracking, and digital asset monetization are becoming part of mainstream affiliate strategies.
Several sessions focused on regulatory compliance in crypto affiliate marketing, payment processing solutions for high-risk verticals, and how traditional affiliates are diversifying into crypto-related offers.
Adult Industry Insights
AWSummit’s inclusion of adult entertainment marketing provided insights into advanced retention strategies, subscription model optimization, and creator economy monetization that apply across industries.
The sessions on content creator affiliate programs and model revenue sharing demonstrated sophisticated approaches to influencer partnerships and performance-based compensation structures.
TikTok Native Content Strategies
One case study explored how a Cash on Delivery offer can go viral using TikTok-native creatives and a performance-driven content strategy. By focusing on relatable hooks, fast-paced testing, and creator-led videos, the team turned a simple product into a trending offer.
This practical example showed how understanding platform-specific content styles can dramatically improve campaign performance, even for traditional e-commerce products.
Networking and Vertical Dinners
The conference format emphasized targeted networking through vertical-specific dinners and focused meetups. This approach allowed attendees to connect with others working in similar niches while still providing opportunities for cross-vertical learning.
The party and social events were well-integrated into the business programming, creating natural opportunities for relationship building beyond formal sessions.
TES Affiliate Conference Prague: Create, Collaborate, Convert
Four days after Bucharest, our team was in Prague for TES Affiliate Conference, which ran from September 12-15. With the main motto “Create, Collaborate, Convert”, TES 2025 PRG focused on hands-on learning, networking, and implementing strategies that increase conversions and revenue.
TES offered a different perspective, focusing more on traditional affiliate marketing fundamentals, e-commerce strategies, and sustainable business building approaches.
Practical Workshop Approach
The conference program included workshops, practical sessions, and panel discussions that emphasized actionable takeaways. Rather than high-level strategy discussions, many sessions focused on specific tactics and implementation details.
The workshop format allowed for more interactive learning and direct Q&A with presenters, making it easier to clarify specific techniques and get personalized advice.
Networking Infrastructure
TES described itself as a 3-day networking event with professionals from the online entertainment industry, e-commerce, gaming, and more. The conference structure was designed around relationship building, with extensive networking time built into the schedule.
The meet market tables and exhibition spaces were configured to facilitate longer conversations and relationship development, rather than quick handshakes and business card exchanges.
Conversion Optimization Focus
True to its “Convert” motto, many TES sessions focused specifically on improving affiliate campaign performance through better landing pages, offer selection, traffic source optimization, and conversion tracking.
The practical approach included live demonstrations of optimization techniques, A/B testing methodologies, and attribution modeling strategies that attendees could implement immediately.
Comparing Conference Approaches
Content Depth vs. Breadth
AWSummit offered broader vertical coverage with sessions spanning crypto, adult, e-commerce, fintech, and traditional affiliate marketing. TES focused more deeply on core affiliate marketing principles with detailed workshops and practical implementations.
Both approaches had value. AWSummit exposed attendees to opportunities they might not have considered, while TES provided deeper expertise in fundamental affiliate marketing skills.
Networking Styles
AWSummit’s vertical dinners and party-focused networking created informal relationship-building opportunities. TES’s structured meet market and workshop environment facilitated more business-focused connections.
The different approaches attracted different types of attendees and conversation styles, giving our team exposure to various networking approaches and relationship-building strategies.
Geographic and Cultural Differences
Bucharest and Prague offered different perspectives on the Eastern European affiliate marketing scene. Bucharest’s event reflected the region’s growing importance in crypto and alternative finance, while Prague’s conference emphasized traditional e-commerce and performance marketing approaches.
Both cities provided excellent conference infrastructure and hospitality, making them attractive destinations for future industry events.
Key Insights Across Both Conferences
Regulatory Awareness
Both conferences emphasized the increasing importance of compliance and regulatory awareness across all affiliate marketing verticals. Whether dealing with crypto regulations, data privacy requirements, or platform policy changes, successful affiliates are those who stay ahead of regulatory developments.
Platform Diversification
A consistent theme was the need for traffic source diversification. Successful affiliates are spreading campaigns across multiple platforms, testing emerging channels, and building sustainable businesses that aren’t dependent on single traffic sources.
Technology Integration
Both events showed how technology is becoming more central to affiliate marketing success. From AI-powered optimization tools to advanced attribution tracking, the most successful affiliates are those embracing technological solutions.
Community and Relationships
Despite the different formats, both conferences reinforced that affiliate marketing remains a relationship-driven industry. The most valuable insights often came from informal conversations and relationship building rather than formal presentations.
Regional Market Insights
Attending conferences in Bucharest and Prague provided valuable perspective on Central and Eastern European affiliate marketing trends. The region is becoming increasingly important for performance marketing, with growing advertiser demand, sophisticated affiliate networks, and strong technical infrastructure.
The regulatory environment in these markets is evolving in ways that could influence global affiliate marketing practices, particularly around crypto integration and data privacy compliance.
Looking Forward
These back-to-back conferences provided comprehensive insight into the current state and future direction of affiliate marketing across different segments and regions.
AWSummit showed how the industry is expanding into new verticals and payment methods, while TES demonstrated the continued importance of fundamental affiliate marketing skills and systematic optimization approaches.
Both perspectives are valuable for building a comprehensive affiliate marketing strategy that combines innovation with proven fundamentals, regulatory compliance with growth ambitions, and relationship building with performance optimization.
The investment in attending both conferences paid dividends in market knowledge, relationship development, and strategic insights that will influence our approach throughout the rest of 2025!
