In a digital landscape saturated with hype and hard sells, Anastasia Braitsik, a renowned expert in SEO, content marketing, and data analytics, champions a refreshingly counterintuitive approach: deinfluencing. She argues that the path to sustainable affiliate success isn’t paved with aggressive persuasion but with honest evaluation and radical transparency. We sat down with Anastasia to explore how this strategy transforms affiliates from mere promoters into trusted evaluators, improving everything from conversion quality to audience loyalty. She delves into the practical application of deinfluencing, from crafting content that intelligently filters traffic to navigating difficult conversations with advertisers, revealing why trading short-term clicks for long-term credibility is the smartest play in today’s market.
The article contrasts traditional influencing with deinfluencing, framing it as a shift from “promoter” to “evaluator.” Can you share a specific example of how you reframed a campaign this way and what impact it had on metrics like refund rates or user satisfaction?
Absolutely. We were working with a fairly complex project management software that was getting a lot of sign-ups but also had a painfully high churn rate after the first month. The traditional approach was to shout about its endless features, which overwhelmed new users. We completely flipped the script. Instead of a “buy now” message, we built our campaign around a long-form guide titled, “Is This a Smarter Choice Than Your Current Tool? An Honest Look.” We were upfront about its steep learning curve and higher price point, explicitly stating it was overkill for solo freelancers or small teams. The shift was immediate. Our click-through rate dipped slightly, but the quality of the leads skyrocketed. The most telling metric was the 30-day refund rate, which dropped by over 40%. It felt like we were finally speaking to the right people, and the feedback from post-purchase surveys confirmed it—users felt informed, not sold to, and their expectations perfectly matched the reality of the product.
You mention that deinfluencing improves funnel efficiency by pre-informing users. Could you walk us through a content format, like a “who should/shouldn’t buy” article, and describe the specific elements you include to filter traffic and improve conversion quality?
The “who should/shouldn’t buy” format is one of my favorites because it’s a masterclass in pre-qualification. We structure it very deliberately. The piece opens by defining two clear user personas right away: “This product is a game-changer for you if…” and “You should probably skip this if…” For example, for a high-end camera, we’d say it’s for professional photographers who need robust weather sealing, but that hobbyists would be better served by a more affordable alternative. We then include a starkly honest pros-and-cons table—not the fluffy kind, but one that genuinely highlights weaknesses like battery life or weight. Another crucial element is a section on “Top Alternatives,” where we link to reviews of competing products. It seems counterintuitive, but showing you’re not afraid of the competition builds immense credibility. This whole process acts as a filter, ensuring that only the most aligned, high-intent users even make it to the offer page, which dramatically improves conversion quality.
The text suggests trading a lower CTR for higher-quality traffic in paid campaigns. Can you share an anecdote about a time this worked? What engagement metrics, like time on page or post-click engagement, proved the strategy’s long-term value?
I have the perfect story for this. We were running a native ad campaign for a premium online course. The client’s original ads used aggressive, benefit-driven headlines like “Unlock Your Six-Figure Career Today!” The CTR was decent, but the bounce rate was astronomical. We proposed an A/B test with a deinfluencing headline: “What They Don’t Tell You About This Coding Bootcamp.” As expected, our CTR was about 15% lower. But when we looked at the post-click data, it was a completely different world. The average time on our review page for our ad was over four minutes, compared to just 30 seconds for the aggressive ad. The scroll depth was nearly 90%, and the engagement on the advertiser’s checkout page was significantly higher. It proved our thesis: we were trading a smaller volume of low-quality, curious clicks for a highly engaged audience that was genuinely considering the investment. The long-term value was undeniable; the cost per acquisition from our campaign was lower because the conversions were so much more efficient.
The article highlights the risk of misaligned advertiser expectations. How do you approach conversations with brands that prefer aggressive promotion? Could you outline your process for explaining the long-term benefits of a deinfluencing strategy to get their buy-in?
That conversation is always a delicate one, and it’s all about reframing the goal from short-term volume to long-term value. I never start by criticizing their aggressive approach. Instead, I begin by acknowledging their desire for sales and then ask questions about their business health, specifically around refund rates and customer lifetime value. This opens the door to introduce deinfluencing not as a way to sell less, but as a way to build a healthier, more sustainable customer base. I present case studies and data showing how lower refund rates and higher retention can drastically improve net revenue, even if gross sales dip initially. Often, the best way to get buy-in is to propose a small-scale, data-driven pilot. We’ll agree to run our balanced content on a platform like MGID, which allows for deep performance tracking, alongside their existing campaigns. When they see the side-by-side comparison—our traffic leading to more satisfied, loyal customers—the numbers almost always win the argument for us.
What is your forecast for the future of deinfluencing in affiliate marketing?
I believe deinfluencing is not just a fleeting trend but the very future of sophisticated affiliate marketing. As audiences become more ad-savvy and skeptical, the old playbook of hype and urgency is losing its power. Authenticity has become the most valuable currency, and deinfluencing is the most effective way to earn it. We’re going to see a major shift where the most successful affiliates are those who build communities based on trust and expert guidance, not just those who can drive the most clicks. It’s an evolution from being a simple traffic source to becoming a trusted partner in the consumer’s decision-making journey. This approach builds a defensible moat around your business that can’t be easily replicated, ensuring long-term, sustainable growth in an increasingly competitive landscape.
