For twenty years, the “click” was the undisputed proof of life for digital media. If a user clicked, the publisher got paid. If they didn’t, that influence—no matter how vital—remained invisible.
But we have entered the machine-mediated market. Today, research shows nearly 80% of searches end without a single click because AI agents and Large Language Models (LLMs) synthesize answers directly for the consumer. This has created a massive attribution gap—an “economic heist” where publishers provide the authority that fuels AI recommendations, but legacy tracking systems see $0 in return.
The Industry’s New Gold Standard
On the main stage at Affiliate Summit West, Partnerize officially unveiled VantagePoint™ for Publishers. This isn’t just a new feature; it is the industry’s first independent “authority layer” designed to quantify and monetize influence in an AI-first, zero-click world.
The industry is already taking note. Partnerize was honored with two 2026 Partnership Week Awards for:
- Best New Partnership Technology
- Best Use of AI Implementation
These accolades only reinforce Partnerize’s position as the leader of the AI-native era, providing the “indisputable truth” that the market has been missing.
From “Traffic Economy” to “Trust Economy”
Partnerize research shows that premium publishers are often driving nearly double the value (1.87x) than what traditional attribution captures. VantagePoint™ turns this “invisible influence” into economic truth through:
- Journey Reconstruction: Reverse-engineering the customer path to prove exactly where a publisher’s content informed an AI’s recommendation.
- Next-Gen Commissioning: Enabling a cost-per-influence model that allows brands to pay based on verified authority, moving partners beyond the “affiliate silo”.
- AAM Certification: The VantagePoint Fractional Commission Standard™ (VPFCS) is the first to be officially certified by the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM), providing an auditable link between contextual influence and advertising dollars.
The Industry Responds
Charter participants including Vox Media and BuzzFeed are already using VantagePoint™ to defend their value. As Camilla Cho, SVP at Vox Media, notes, influence hasn’t disappeared; it has simply become harder to see.
By restoring visibility, Partnerize isn’t just adding a tool; but building the infrastructure for a market where trust and payment finally happen at machine speed.
Learn more by checking out the full release here or request early access right here.
