Affiliate Leaders Summit 2026 to Analyze the Future of SEO and Search in Lisbon

The Affiliate Leaders Summit 2026 will provide a comprehensive analysis of search and visibility strategies in the affiliate sector. The event, scheduled from September 29 to October 1 at the Lisbon International Fair (FIL) and the MEO Arena, will see the participation of 10,000 industry professionals discussing how affiliates can adapt in an increasingly challenging and changing discovery environment.

Central Themes of Content and Discovery

On October 1, the thematic track "Content & Discovery" will spotlight the need to evolve SEO tactics and traffic acquisition. Within this track, SEO specialists, affiliate experts, and performance marketing professionals will address the future of organic search, content, and paid advertising.

Rasmus Sojmark, founder and CEO of SBC, emphasizes the challenge:

"When you’ve spent years building an audience, it’s frustrating to see the strategies you’ve used start to lose effectiveness. The challenge is no longer content generation, but getting audiences to find you."

The conference structure begins on September 29 with the "Platforms & Performance" day, continues on the 30th with "Future of Affiliate Strategy," and concludes on October 1 with a focus on content and search.

How Affiliates Can Protect Their Visibility Against Restrictions and Claims

The event opens with "Trapped by the System: How DMCA Stacking Creates an Endless Loop," where SEO consultant Ivana Flynn will analyze the effects of DMCA claim stacking on legitimate affiliate sites. Concrete guidelines will be presented for managing copyright claims and recovering removed pages from Google results when restrictions are lifted.

SEO Strategies That Still Work: Where Are the Opportunities?

The presentation "Gaming the Algorithm: The SEO Loopholes Still Working" will provide insights into gaps still present in search engine algorithms. Stewart Vickers (known as SEO Jesus), SEO expert and YouTube creator, will explore the methods that SEO teams continue to use for positioning, as well as the relevance of these opportunities in an increasingly restrictive context.

SEO vs Paid Advertising at the Affiliate Leaders Summit 2026

The rise of advertising on results pages raises the question of whether affiliates can maintain traffic without paying for visibility. The panel "SEO vs Paid: The 2026 Power Shift. Can Affiliates Survive Without Paying to Play?" will confront this issue. Participants will include Sander Delabie (CEO and founder of Clovio), Heitor Fonseca (Marketing Director of F5 Media), Julia Logan (Head of SEO of AICT Media), and Jonathan Olsson (CMO of Match2One), moderated by Russell Yershon (Connectingbrands).

The focus will be on when to invest in SEO, when to opt for paid strategies, and how a hybrid approach can help attract customers while maintaining profitability. The rising advertising costs and the growing difficulty in achieving organic visibility are forcing affiliates to rethink their budget priorities.

Preparing for Search and SEO in 2027

Closing the track, "What to Expect and How to Prepare for SEO in 2027: The Good, the Bad and the Crazy" will bring together Udit Bali (founder of AdHook Media), Ivana Flynn, and Stewart Vickers to discuss the impact of artificial intelligence and new discovery habits beyond Google. Key topics will include automated response tools and emerging search patterns that could shift traditional industry tactics.

Access and Audience Profile

The Affiliate Leaders Summit is aimed at leading affiliate professionals, regulators, and entrepreneurs in the iGaming and affiliate sector. Access to the "Content & Discovery" track is reserved for VIP pass holders, although affiliates and regulators may be eligible for free passes, subject to prior application.

The agenda aims for attendees to leave Lisbon with clear criteria on which visibility strategies to maintain, adapt, or abandon according to industry evolution and search algorithm changes.