growth playbook · Oct 23, 2026

Acceleration Partners growth playbook

Acceleration Partners is a leading affiliate and partnership agency with strong proof ($8.6 billion client revenue driven in 2025, 200+ clients) and its hiring shows where it is going: a new LATAM territory team, Growth Managers pushed beyond traditional affiliate models, enterprise hunters for $500K+ deals with large retailers, and a measurement leader to make AP the authority on incrementality.

The website lags those bets: its publisher directory is English-only and almost entirely North American, program pages and LATAM guides are dated, and the homepage fails Google's interaction test.

This playbook opens a LATAM publisher hub first, refreshes the directory and proof, then uses audits, AI visibility snapshots, benchmarks and client-to-client partnerships to win enterprise deals.

Growth Score

Biggest Opportunity

Turn the new LATAM team and the measurement hire into visible, sellable offers: a LATAM publisher hub and launch package, and measurement audits and benchmarks no rival agency publishes.

Biggest Risk

Gen3 Marketing, PartnerCentric and other agencies sell similar programs, and networks and in-house teams keep improving; without public proof of incrementality, enterprise buyers compare agencies on fees.

Start here

The three moves to make first. Each one is written up in full below.

Give Latin American publishers a way in: a Spanish and Portuguese program hub for the new LATAM team
List the client programs that already accept LATAM traffic.
High impact First result in 1 month
Refresh the program directory: dated pages and a "new programs" list for publishers
Assign each program page to its Growth Manager for review.
Medium impact First result in 1 month
Fix the homepage interaction delay: real visitors fail Google's INP test
Record a performance trace of the homepage.
Medium impact First result in 1 month

Your idea portfolio

20 ideas, grouped by when to run them. Open any idea for how to run it: the steps, who to approach, copy you can use, and how to measure it.

7 ideas are marked Unexpected: plays you are unlikely to have tried.

This week 6

Quick wins with a clear first action.

AP is opening a Strategic Territory Growth department and hiring Spanish-speaking Partner Growth Managers, one in Mexico City, to recruit LATAM publishers. But a publisher in Mexico or Brazil who finds AP's program directory sees 63 programs, 56 tagged North America and just one tagged LATAM, all in English, and AP's LATAM market guides date from 2022. Today every LATAM publisher has to be found by cold email.
High impactMedium effort First result in 1 month Partner Growth Manager
First action
List the client programs that already accept LATAM traffic.
How to measure it
Monthly LATAM publisher applications
Now
–
Target
50
By
90 days
Steps
Audit programs
Which client programs accept LATAM traffic, and on which networks.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 1 week
Ask clients
Get approval to list more programs for LATAM.
Senior Growth Manager 2 weeks
Write the hub
Spanish first, then Portuguese, by native speakers.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 2 weeks
Build the form
One application routed to the LATAM managers.
Web team 3 days
Use in outreach
Every LATAM recruitment email links the hub.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) ongoing
Report
Applications, approvals and first sales by country.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) monthly
First result
1 month
Cost
Translation and staff time
Owner
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM)
Smallest test
Publish a one-page Spanish list of the programs open to LATAM.
Why it works
Ready to use
ChecklistLATAM publisher hub launch list
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
Program pages are AP's storefront to publishers, but their sitemap dates are all 2024 and some descriptions are older (Lindt's cites 2022 sales). Growth Managers are measured on recruiting high-quality partners; publishers judge a program by how current it looks.
Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 month Growth Manager
First action
Assign each program page to its Growth Manager for review.
How to measure it
Applications from the directory
Now
–
Target
+30%
By
90 days
Steps
Assign
One owner per page.
Senior Growth Manager 1 day
Review terms
Commission, cookie, types.
Growth Manager 1 week
Rewrite
Descriptions with current facts.
Marketing team 2 weeks
Remove and add
Ended and new programs.
Web team 1 week
Show dates
Updated stamp on every page.
Web team 1 day
Repeat
Quarterly review.
Senior Growth Manager quarterly
First result
1 month
Cost
Staff time only
Owner
Growth Manager
Smallest test
Update the ten most-visited program pages.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
Real Chrome visitors fail Core Web Vitals on AP's homepage because of slow interaction (287 ms against a 200 ms target), and layout shift across the site is 0.23. For an agency selling measurable performance to $500K+ buyers, a slow-to-respond homepage is a poor first proof point.
Medium impactMedium effort First result in 1 month Web team
First action
Record a performance trace of the homepage.
How to measure it
Real-visitor INP
Now
–
Target
under 200 ms
By
60 days
Steps
Trace
Long tasks on load and click.
Web team 1 day
Cut scripts
Defer or remove.
Web team 1 week
Reserve space
Banners and images.
Web team 2 days
Accessibility
Four issues.
Web team 2 days
Test
Lab and field.
Web team 1 week
Monitor
Chrome UX Report monthly.
Web team monthly
First result
1 month
Cost
Developer time
Owner
Web team
Smallest test
Remove one heavy script and measure.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
Enterprise AEs are hired as hunters for $500K+ deals, ideally with large retailers, and "Our marketing team generates inbound leads". The homepage promotes a seasonal guide; many downloaders are researchers, but some are senior people at exactly the target brands.
High impactLow effort First result in 1 month Enterprise Account Executive
First action
Pull the last 90 days of guide downloads by company size.
How to measure it
Enterprise meetings from downloads
Now
–
Target
10 a quarter
By
2 quarters
Steps
Score
Company size and title.
Marketing Operations 1 week
Route
Top band to AEs in a day.
Marketing Operations 2 days
Note template
Category landscape.
Enterprise Account Executive 2 days
Nurture
The rest.
Marketing team 1 week
Review
Meetings booked.
Enterprise Account Executive weekly
Tune
Scoring rules.
Marketing Operations monthly
First result
1 month
Cost
Staff time only
Owner
Enterprise Account Executive
Smallest test
Route this month's top 20 downloads by hand.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
Brands considering a LATAM launch will read AP's Mexico and Brazil spotlights, which date from 2022 with 2021 data; ten case studies were last updated in 2023. They undercut the new LATAM department and the "$8.6 billion in 2025" claim.
Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 month Marketing team
First action
List the ten oldest case studies and their status.
How to measure it
Traffic to refreshed pages
Now
–
Target
+40%
By
90 days
Steps
Pull data
2026 market figures.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 1 week
Rewrite spotlights
Mexico and Brazil.
Marketing team 2 weeks
Spanish version
Native review.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 1 week
Case studies
Update or retire ten.
Marketing team 2 weeks
Promote
LinkedIn and newsletter.
Marketing team 1 week
Repeat
Yearly.
Marketing team yearly
First result
1 month
Cost
Writing time
Owner
Marketing team
Smallest test
Refresh the Mexico spotlight first.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
The homepage carries strong, dated proof ($8.6 billion client revenue, 110M+ conversions, $430M+ media spend in 2025; 4 of the Fortune 500's top 10). Service pages lead with descriptions instead, and buyers often land there first from search.
Medium impactLow effort First result in 2 weeks Enterprise Account Executive
First action
Add the proof bar to the affiliate service page.
How to measure it
Contact rate on service pages
Now
–
Target
+15%
By
60 days
Steps
Design
Proof bar.
Web team 1 day
Pick results
One per service.
Marketing team 2 days
Add
All service and vertical pages.
Web team 2 days
Test
Before and after.
Marketing Operations 3 weeks
Update
Yearly with new numbers.
Marketing team yearly
Extend
To case studies.
Web team 1 week
First result
2 weeks
Cost
$0
Owner
Enterprise Account Executive
Smallest test
Add it to two pages this week.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence

This quarter 9

The core plays for the next three months.

The new data director is asked to make AP "a leading authority on affiliate, influencer and partnership measurement" and to build "benchmarking products". APVision already connects reporting across 200+ clients, networks and partner types.
High impactHigh effort First result in 2 quarters Director
First action
Pick five measures that can be shared in aggregate.
How to measure it
Downloads
Now
–
Target
3,000
By
2 quarters
Steps
Pick measures
Five shareable ones.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 2 weeks
Client consent
Aggregate use.
Client Services 1 month
Analyze
From APVision.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 1 month
Write
Report.
Marketing team 1 month
Launch
Webinar and press.
Marketing team 1 month
Client views
Private comparisons.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement quarterly
First result
2 quarters
Cost
Analyst time
Owner
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement
Smallest test
Publish one chart on new-customer share by partner type.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
The data director will lead "programme audits and strategic reviews" and enterprise AEs need reasons to open doors at large brands. Most large affiliate programs cannot say how much of their revenue is incremental.
High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Director
First action
Write the audit scope and deliverable template.
How to measure it
Audit-to-proposal rate
Now
–
Target
50%
By
2 quarters
Steps
Scope
Two-week audit.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 2 weeks
Template
Report and readout.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 1 week
Tooling
APVision import.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 2 weeks
Train AEs
How to offer it.
Enterprise Account Executive 1 week
Run
Ten audits.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 1 quarter
Measure
Proposals and wins.
Sales Operations monthly
First result
1 quarter
Cost
Analyst time
Owner
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement
Smallest test
Run one audit for a target account.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
Growth Managers must activate "non-traditional partner types", and AP already has a brand-to-brand practice page. With 200+ active clients across verticals, many natural pairs (a meal kit and a fitness app, a mattress brand and a home brand) are already under one roof.
High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Senior Growth Manager
First action
Ask ten clients if they are open to brand partnerships.
How to measure it
Live pairings
Now
–
Target
15
By
2 quarters
Steps
Opt-in list
Clients open to pairs.
Senior Growth Manager 1 month
Score pairs
Audience overlap.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 2 weeks
Propose
Quarterly pair ideas.
Senior Growth Manager quarterly
Set terms
Offers and tracking.
Growth Manager 2 weeks
Launch
Pilot pairs.
Growth Manager 1 month
Publish
Case study.
Marketing team 1 quarter
First result
1 quarter
Cost
Staff time only
Owner
Senior Growth Manager
Smallest test
Pitch one pair this month.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
AP sells AI Visibility and says "Review sites, comparison articles, and best-of guides are the publisher content AI systems often use to form answers". Every brand CMO is asking how they show up in AI answers.
High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Enterprise Account Executive
First action
Build the snapshot for three target retailers.
How to measure it
Snapshot-to-meeting rate
Now
–
Target
20%
By
2 quarters
Steps
Question sets
By vertical.
Strategy team 2 weeks
Run snapshots
Repeatable process.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 2 weeks
Template
One-page output.
Marketing team 1 week
Send
To target accounts.
Enterprise Account Executive ongoing
Follow up
Offer the full audit.
Enterprise Account Executive ongoing
Measure
Meetings.
Sales Operations monthly
First result
1 quarter
Cost
Staff time only
Owner
Enterprise Account Executive
Smallest test
Send five snapshots this month.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
Publishers only see new client programs if they visit the directory or receive a cold email. Growth and LATAM managers spend time finding publishers who would sign up gladly.
Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Publisher Development team
First action
Add the sign-up box to the directory.
How to measure it
Subscribers
Now
–
Target
2,000
By
2 quarters
Steps
Form
Region and vertical choices.
Web team 1 week
Template
Monthly alert.
Publisher Development team 1 week
Promote
Recruitment emails and networks.
Growth Manager ongoing
Send
Monthly.
Publisher Development team monthly
Segment
LATAM in Spanish.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) monthly
Measure
Applications per alert.
Publisher Development team monthly
First result
1 quarter
Cost
$0
Owner
Publisher Development team
Smallest test
Send the first alert to 200 known publishers.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Builds on
Evidence
Enterprise AEs need to "prospect credibly" at large retailers without owning the strategy pitch. Growth Managers already research partners with SimilarWeb. A short brief per retailer (who their affiliates are, gaps against peers) gives AEs a specific opening.
High impactMedium effort First result in 2 quarters Enterprise Account Executive
First action
Agree the 50 target retailers with sales leadership.
How to measure it
Accounts engaged
Now
–
Target
15 of 50
By
2 quarters
Steps
Pick targets
50 retailers.
Enterprise Account Executive 1 week
Template
One-page brief.
Strategy team 1 week
Research
Partner landscape.
Growth Manager 1 month
Sequence
Three touches.
Enterprise Account Executive 1 month
Hand off
Strategy pitch.
Strategy team ongoing
Review
Engagement.
Sales Operations monthly
First result
2 quarters
Cost
Data tools
Owner
Enterprise Account Executive
Smallest test
Send briefs to five retailers.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
AP's affiliate program pays $1 per lead and up to $150 for qualified opportunities, while its enterprise deals are $500K+ a year. Consultants, network reps and tech partners who could refer a large brand have little reason to.
High impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter CEO
First action
Set a referral fee as a share of first-year fees.
How to measure it
Referred opportunities
Now
–
Target
8 a year
By
4 quarters
Steps
Set terms
Fee on signed contracts.
CEO 2 weeks
Legal
Agreement.
Legal 2 weeks
Recruit
Tech partners and consultants.
Partnerships lead 1 quarter
Page
Referral program.
Web team 1 week
Track
In the CRM.
Sales Operations 1 week
Pay fast
On signature.
Finance ongoing
First result
1 quarter
Cost
Referral fees on wins
Owner
CEO
Smallest test
Offer the new terms to five technology partners.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
The LATAM team will pitch "high value opportunities" to clients, and brands deciding whether to expand need current market and publisher data, which AP's 2022 spotlights do not give.
High impactMedium effort First result in 2 quarters Partner Growth Manager
First action
Collect results from programs already running in LATAM.
How to measure it
Client LATAM launches
Now
–
Target
6
By
3 quarters
Steps
Collect results
Existing LATAM programs.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 1 month
Market data
Mexico and Brazil.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 1 month
Write
Brief and launch plan.
Marketing team 1 month
Review
Compliance and payments.
Legal 2 weeks
Use
Client reviews and pitches.
Senior Growth Manager ongoing
Measure
Launches.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) quarterly
First result
2 quarters
Cost
Writing time
Owner
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM)
Smallest test
Present a draft to three clients.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
AP is hiring Growth Managers, Senior Growth Managers and LATAM managers at once, and the talent partner is asked to strengthen the employer brand. Candidates from media and publishing often do not know the role exists.
Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Senior Talent Acquisition Par…
First action
Record two short interviews.
How to measure it
Qualified applicants
Now
–
Target
+30%
By
2 quarters
Steps
Pick voices
Four managers.
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner 1 week
Record
Short videos.
Marketing team 2 weeks
Publish
LinkedIn and careers page.
Marketing team 1 week
Link
From job posts.
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner 1 day
Spanish
For LATAM roles.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 2 weeks
Measure
Applicants and time to hire.
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner monthly
First result
1 quarter
Cost
Staff time only
Owner
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner
Smallest test
Post one video this month.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence

Big bets 3

Larger plays that can change the trajectory.

APVision and APVision GPT are used by AP client teams. The data director is asked to launch "at least one new analytical product". Giving clients direct access, with peer benchmarks, makes AP harder to replace.
High impactHigh effort First result in 4 quarters Director
First action
Pick three dashboards clients ask for most.
How to measure it
Monthly active client users
Now
–
Target
60% of clients
By
4 quarters
Steps
Pick views
Three dashboards.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 1 month
Security
Client data separation.
Engineering 1 quarter
Build
Portal.
Engineering 2 quarters
Pilot
Ten clients.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 1 quarter
Roll out
All clients.
Client Services 1 quarter
Sell
In pitches.
Enterprise Account Executive ongoing
First result
4 quarters
Cost
Engineering budget
Owner
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement
Smallest test
Give five clients read-only dashboards.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
AP wants to be "a leading authority" on partnership measurement, and the data director must raise data literacy internally with training and playbooks. The same material, opened up, becomes industry education.
High impactMedium effort First result in 3 quarters Director
First action
Outline six modules from the internal training.
How to measure it
Certificates issued
Now
–
Target
1,000
By
4 quarters
Steps
Outline
Six modules.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 1 month
Record
Lessons.
Marketing team 2 months
Platform
Course host.
Web team 1 month
Launch
Industry events and LinkedIn.
Marketing team 1 month
Nurture
Graduates.
Marketing Operations ongoing
Update
Yearly.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement yearly
First result
3 quarters
Cost
Production time
Owner
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement
Smallest test
Publish one module.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
With a new Strategic Territory Growth department and Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking managers, AP can sell LATAM expansion as a defined product rather than a custom scope.
High impactHigh effort First result in 4 quarters Partner Growth Manager
First action
Price the package from the first two launches.
How to measure it
Packages sold
Now
–
Target
8
By
4 quarters
Steps
Define
Scope and price.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 1 month
Pilot
Two clients.
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM) 1 quarter
Results
Case study.
Marketing team 1 month
Sell
To existing clients.
Senior Growth Manager ongoing
New business
In pitches.
Enterprise Account Executive ongoing
Review
Margins.
Finance quarterly
First result
4 quarters
Cost
Team time
Owner
Partner Growth Manager (LATAM)
Smallest test
Offer the package to three clients.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Builds on
Evidence

Wildcards 2

Unexpected experiments, each with a cheap way to test it.

AP's AI visibility work uses citation data to guide publisher recruitment. A public list of the publishers AI answers cite most in each vertical would be widely shared by brands and publishers alike.
Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 quarter Director
First action
Run the questions for one vertical.
How to measure it
Referring domains
Now
–
Target
50
By
2 quarters
Steps
Questions
Per vertical.
Strategy team 2 weeks
Run
Multiple assistants.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 2 weeks
Rank
Cited publishers.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 1 week
Publish
Top 20 and method.
Marketing team 1 week
Share
With listed publishers.
Publisher Development team 1 week
Repeat
Quarterly.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement quarterly
First result
1 quarter
Cost
Staff time only
Owner
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement
Smallest test
Publish one vertical.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence
AP's directory already publishes commission, cookie length, payout model and AOV for 63 programs. Aggregated by vertical, it is a commission benchmark brands and publishers search for.
Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 month Marketing team
First action
Export the directory terms into a spreadsheet.
How to measure it
Monthly visits
Now
–
Target
2,000
By
2 quarters
Steps
Export
Directory terms.
Marketing team 1 day
Aggregate
By vertical.
Director, Data Strategy & Measurement 2 days
Write
Page and method.
Marketing team 1 week
Publish
With a call to action.
Web team 1 day
Promote
LinkedIn and newsletters.
Marketing team 1 week
Update
Quarterly.
Marketing team quarterly
First result
1 month
Cost
$0
Owner
Marketing team
Smallest test
Publish the first table.
Why it works
Risks and how to handle them
Evidence

Other companies we have researched, each read from what they are hiring for.

See every playbook and website review

30/60/90 roadmap

What to focus on in each month, and the ideas that carry it.

Days 1 to 306 ideas
LATAM publisher hub, directory refresh, homepage INP, routing downloads to AEs, dated content and proof on service pages.
Days 31 to 6011 ideas
Benchmark, measurement audits, brand-to-brand matching, AI visibility snapshots, publisher alerts, retailer briefs, referral program, LATAM brief and employer brand; AI citation ranking and the commission benchmark.
Days 61 to 903 ideas
Commit to the big bets: APVision for clients, a measurement course and a packaged LATAM launch.

Acceleration Partners growth playbook

Diagnosis

Give Latin American publishers a way in: a Spanish and Portuguese program hub for the new LATAM team

Refresh the program directory: dated pages and a "new programs" list for publishers

Fix the homepage interaction delay: real visitors fail Google's INP test

This week 6

How to run it: Give Latin American publishers a way in: a Spanish and Portuguese program hub for the new LATAM team

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Ready to use

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

How to run it: Refresh the program directory: dated pages and a "new programs" list for publishers

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

How to run it: Fix the homepage interaction delay: real visitors fail Google's INP test

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

How to run it: Route guide downloads from large retailers straight to the enterprise sales team

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

How to run it: Update the 2022 LATAM spotlights and the 2023 case studies with current numbers

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

How to run it: Put the 2025 results on every service page, next to the "Let's Talk" button

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

This quarter 9

How to run it: An annual partnership incrementality benchmark from APVision data

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

How to run it: Offer a free measurement audit as the enterprise team's door-opener

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence

How to run it: Match AP's own clients with each other for brand-to-brand partnerships

Steps

Why it works

Why it works

Risks and how to handle them

Risks and how to handle them

Evidence

Evidence