Outsourced affiliate management (OPM): an experienced affiliate department, without the hire
Get a senior affiliate team working on your program in weeks rather than months — on a monthly engagement you can scale with results, and without adding headcount.
- No recruitment or ramp-up delay
- One monthly fee
- Your program, your data
Outsourcing vs. hiring in-house vs. doing it yourself
There's no single right answer. This is how the three common options usually compare.
| Hire in-house | Do it internally (no specialist) | Outsource to Dynamicsquares | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time until partners are contacted | After hiring, notice period and onboarding | Whenever someone finds time | Typically within the first month |
| Experience on day one | Depends on the hire | Usually limited | Senior affiliate specialists |
| Cost | Salary, benefits, tools, recruiter fees | Hidden cost of time taken from other roles | One predictable monthly fee |
| Coverage during holidays or turnover | Gaps when the person is away or leaves | Program goes quiet | Shared coverage and documented processes |
| Scalability | Add headcount | Not realistic | Adjust scope month to month |
| Best when | Affiliates are already a large, stable channel | Very small, low-priority programs | You need results and expertise now |
Many clients use us first, then hire in-house once the channel is proven — we help recruit and hand over to that person.
We plug into your team like an internal department
An outsourced affiliate department only works if it behaves like part of your company. We use your brand guidelines, join your Slack or Teams channels, work in your tracking platform and report to the person who owns acquisition.
Partners see a consistent, responsive affiliate team representing your brand. You see what we do, why, and what it produced.
What the engagement includes
- Named senior affiliate manager and backup coverage
- Recruitment, activation and partner management
- Commission, payout and quality control
- Weekly updates and monthly reporting
- Quarterly planning with your leadership team
What the first quarter looks like
A predictable ramp-up, so you know what to expect before you sign.
Timelines depend on platform access, approvals and how many markets are in scope.
- Weeks 1–2
Onboarding & audit
Platform access, product and compliance training, and a quick audit of current partners, terms and tracking.
- Weeks 3–4
Plan & quick wins
90-day plan agreed. Dormant partners contacted, obvious commission or tracking issues fixed.
- Month 2
Recruitment in motion
Targeted outreach to new partners, negotiations and onboarding of the first new affiliates.
- Month 3
Review & scale
First full performance review, partner tiering, and a plan for the next quarter.
Companies that choose outsourced affiliate management
Growth-stage companies
You need a working affiliate channel this year, but a full in-house team isn't justified yet.
Operators entering new GEOs
Your team knows your home market; we add publisher relationships and research for the new ones.
Teams with a vacancy
Your affiliate manager has left and partners need continuity while you decide what's next.
Marketing teams at capacity
Affiliates are on someone's list of responsibilities, but never at the top of it.
What is an OPM agency?
OPM stands for outsourced program management: an agency that runs your affiliate program on your behalf — recruitment, partner management, payouts, compliance and reporting — inside your own tracking platform. Dynamicsquares works as an OPM for operators, software companies and brands.
What does outsourced affiliate management cost?
It depends on the number of markets, partners and tasks in scope. We quote a fixed monthly fee after an initial call, so you can compare it directly with the full cost of an in-house hire.
Will partners know they are dealing with an agency?
That's your choice. Most clients prefer us to represent the brand directly using a company email address; some prefer us to introduce ourselves as their affiliate partner team.
Can you work alongside our in-house marketing team?
Yes, that's the normal set-up. We coordinate with paid media, SEO, product and finance so affiliate activity fits the rest of your acquisition plan.
What happens if we decide to bring the program in-house later?
We document partners, terms and processes throughout, can help you recruit the in-house hire, and run a structured handover.
How do you protect our brand with partners?
We agree brand, compliance and promotional rules before outreach starts, include them in partner terms, and monitor partner activity against them.
Related services
See whether outsourcing makes sense for you
We'll compare the options honestly for your situation — including when hiring in-house is the better choice.