The balance of power is shifting in affiliate marketing, creating a new generation of affiliate marketers that will further change the industry, said PartnerCentric President Linda Woods during a panel discussion today as part of the eComXpo virtual conference that runs today through Thursday. Registration is free at www.ecomxpo.com.

As the industry has matured, Woods says that a large number of affiliates have become so adept at marketing that they are now larger than the brands they promote. This means affiliates are calling the shots and getting more selective about the programs they promote.

“What we need to see is the cooperation,” Woods said. “Merchants need to see that these are their marketing partners, the extension of their marketing arm. That’s a very big shift over the past six, seven years that I’ve been involved in the industry.”

Woods joined Pepperjam’s Kris Jones, Digital River’s Todd Crawford and Chris Henger of Performics for a live panel discussion today called “Next Generation Affiliate Marketing: Taking Affiliate Marketing to the Next Level.”

More than 7,000 e-commerce marketers, including new affiliates, are expected to attend eComXpo, which runs today through Thursday. Registration for the event is free at www.ecomxpo.com, and a recording of Woods’ panel discussion will be archived on the site for future reference.

One of the key purposes of the virtual conference is to give new affiliates and e-commerce marketers access and exposure to industry experts who can shed light on key issues of the day.

At the conclusion of the panel discussion regarding the next generation of affiliate marketing, the panelists were asked to share their thoughts about the future of affiliate marketing.

“I think that one of the key things is the explosion of social networking and how affiliates can drive that traffic to merchants,” Woods said. “I think there’s lots of room for innovation. It does mean a little less brand control, but by throwing it out there and letting others communicate with you about your brand, you’re going to get a lot more bang for your buck.”

Content provided by Wade Sisson from PartnerCentric