Affiliate Marketing Hub

Overview

The Affiliate Marketing Hub is a core component of AltSportsLeagues.ai that intelligently routes users to optimal sportsbooks based on location, sport preferences, and revenue optimization. Modeled after proven systems like nxtbets.com, this hub aims to generate $5K/month in MVP revenue, scaling to $500K/month through white-label partnerships.

Key Objectives:

Maximize conversion rates through location-based sportsbook filtering
Optimize revenue through intelligent ranking algorithms
Enable white-label deployments for sports leagues and partners
Track and attribute conversions for performance optimization
Ensure compliance with gambling regulations (GDPR, CCPA)

Features

1. Geolocation State Detection

Automatically detects user location and filters sportsbooks to legal options by state (NY, NJ, CO, etc.).

Technical Implementation:

Uses ipapi.co for IP-based geolocation (free tier, upgrade to ipstack for production)
Caches results with TTL to respect rate limits
Provides manual state override for testing and edge cases
Integrates with GDPR/CCPA consent framework

Code Example:

// lib/geolocation.ts
export async function detectUserState(ip: string): Promise<StateInfo> {
  try {
    const response = await fetch(`https://ipapi.co/${ip}/json/`);
    const data = await response.json();
    
    return {
      state: data.region_code,
      country: data.country_code,
      legal_sportsbooks: await getLegalBooksForState(data.region_code),
      is_overridden: false,
      confidence: 0.95
    };
  } catch (error) {
    console.error('Geolocation failed:', error);
    return {
      state: 'unknown',
      country: 'US',
      legal_sportsbooks: [],
      is_overridden: false,
      confidence: 0.0
    };
  }
}

2. Sport Filter UI

Allows users to filter sportsbooks by sport category (NFL, NBA, Combat Sports, etc.).

User Experience:

Intuitive dropdown or chip selection
Real-time filtering with smooth transitions
Saves user preferences for future visits
Highlights best opportunities for selected sport

Technical Implementation:

React component with state management
API endpoint for sport-specific rankings
Client-side caching for fast filtering
Accessibility compliant (ARIA labels, keyboard navigation)

3. Intelligent Sportsbook Ranking

Ranks sportsbooks using a proprietary algorithm combining:

Commission rates (15-25% per partner)
Historical conversion rates
Lifetime value (LTV) estimates
Sport-specific performance
Regulatory compliance status

Ranking Formula:

Score = (Commission × Conversion Rate × LTV × Sport Specialty) × Availability Weight

Code Example:

// lib/affiliate-intelligence.ts
export interface SportsbookScore {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  score: number;
  factors: {
    commission: number;
    conversionRate: number;
    ltv: number;
    sportSpecialty: number;
    availability: number;
  };
}
 
export async function rankSportsbooks(
  sportsbooks: Sportsbook[],
  state: string,
  sport: string
): Promise<SportsbookScore[]> {
  const legalBooks = sportsbooks.filter(book => 
    book.legalStates.includes(state)
  );
 
  return legalBooks.map(book => {
    const score = (
      book.commissionRate * book.conversionRate * 
      book.ltvEstimate * book.sportSpecialty[sport] * 
      (book.isActive ? 1 : 0)
    );
 
    return {
      ...book,
      score: score,
      factors: {
        commission: book.commissionRate,
        conversionRate: book.conversionRate,
        ltv: book.ltvEstimate,
        sportSpecialty: book.sportSpecialty[sport],
        availability: book.isActive ? 1 : 0
      }
    };
  }).sort((a, b) => b.score - a.score);
}

4. Conversion Tracking

Comprehensive tracking of user journeys from click to conversion.

Tracking Points:

Initial page load and UTM parameters
State detection and filtering
Sport selection and ranking view
Sportsbook click and redirect
Conversion confirmation (server-side preferred)

Analytics Integration:

Google Analytics 4 Measurement Protocol
Facebook Pixel for conversion tracking
Server-side event tracking to prevent ad blockers
Custom Firestore collection for detailed attribution

5. White-Label Partnership System

Enables leagues and partners to deploy branded versions of the affiliate hub.

Customization Options:

Custom domain (betting.ufc.com)
Brand colors, logos, and typography
Partner-specific sportsbook prioritization
Isolated analytics and reporting
Revenue share configuration (15-25%)

Deployment Architecture:

Vercel Edge Network for global CDN
Firestore collection for partner configuration
Dynamic CSS injection for branding
Separate GA4 property for partner analytics

6. Campaign Attribution

Tracks marketing campaign performance through UTM parameters.

Supported Parameters:

utm_source (google, facebook, email, seo)
utm_medium (cpc, banner, organic)
utm_campaign (summer-promo, nfl-launch)
utm_term (keyword targeting)
utm_content (banner-a, banner-b)

Attribution Model:

First-click attribution for simplicity
Server-side tracking for accuracy
30-day cookie for session continuity
Cross-device tracking via user ID

Workflows

User Conversion Workflow

User Arrival
- User lands on affiliate hub via marketing campaign
- UTM parameters captured and stored in Firestore
- Session started with anonymous user ID
Geolocation Detection
- IP-based state detection (500ms)
- Legal sportsbook filtering applied
- Manual override option displayed if needed
Sport Selection
- User selects preferred sport category
- Sportsbooks re-ranked in real-time (50ms)
- UI updates with filtered, scored results
Sportsbook Selection
- User reviews ranked sportsbooks
- Click "Claim Bonus" on preferred option
- Conversion tracking initiated
Redirection & Tracking
- User redirected to sportsbook affiliate link
- Server-side conversion event fired
- Analytics parameters appended to URL
Conversion Monitoring
- Sportsbook conversion tracked (30-60 days)
- Revenue attributed to original UTM campaign
- Performance data stored for optimization

Expected Conversion Funnel:

Visitors → State Detected → Sport Filtered → Sportsbook Clicked → Conversion
10,000   → 9,800 (98%)     → 8,000 (80%)   → 500 (6.25%)      → 50 (10% of clicks)

White-Label Deployment Workflow

Partner Onboarding
- League/partner submits interest form
- Sales team collects requirements (audience, branding, revenue share)
- Technical assessment of integration needs
Configuration Setup
- Firestore partner_config collection created
- Custom domain configured in Vercel
- Branding assets uploaded and processed
Deployment
- White-label instance deployed (4 hours)
- Custom CSS and assets injected
- Analytics property configured
- Test conversion flow validated
Launch & Monitoring
- Partner reviews and approves deployment
- Live monitoring dashboard activated
- Revenue tracking enabled
- Support and optimization ongoing

Technical Implementation

Frontend (Next.js 14)

Key Components:

pages/affiliate-hub.tsx: Main hub page with state detection and ranking
components/SportsbookCard.tsx: Individual sportsbook display and CTA
lib/geolocation.ts: IP-based state detection
lib/affiliate-intelligence.ts: Ranking algorithm and scoring
lib/tracking.ts: UTM and conversion tracking

State Management:

React hooks for local state (sport filter, selected book)
No global state needed for MVP
LocalStorage for user preferences

API Endpoints:

/api/affiliate/rank: GET sportsbooks with ranking
/api/affiliate/track: POST conversion events
/api/affiliate/config: GET partner configuration
/api/geolocation/detect: POST IP for state detection

Backend (Next.js API Routes)

Core Services:

lib/sportsbook-manager.ts: Sportsbook data and scoring
lib/geolocation-service.ts: IP geolocation and filtering
lib/analytics-tracker.ts: Event tracking and attribution
lib/partner-config.ts: White-label configuration

Firestore Collections:

sportsbooks: Master list of sportsbook data
partners: White-label configurations
conversions: Tracking events and attribution
campaigns: Marketing campaign metadata

Data Models:

// types/affiliate.ts
export interface Sportsbook {
  id: string;
  name: string;
  legalStates: string[];
  commissionRate: number;
  conversionRate: number;
  ltvEstimate: number;
  sportSpecialty: Record<string, number>;
  affiliateUrl: string;
  isActive: boolean;
  logoUrl: string;
}
 
export interface ConversionEvent {
  id: string;
  userId: string;
  campaignId: string;
  state: string;
  sport: string;
  sportsbookId: string;
  timestamp: Timestamp;
  status: 'click' | 'conversion' | 'revenue';
  revenue: number;
  utm: UTMParams;
}

Analytics Integration

Google Analytics 4:

Measurement Protocol for server-side events
Custom dimensions for state, sport, sportsbook
Enhanced e-commerce tracking for conversions

Facebook Pixel:

Server-side event sending via API
Custom events for click and conversion
Audience matching with hashed user data

Custom Tracking:

Firestore for detailed attribution
Daily aggregation for performance metrics
Revenue calculation and partner payouts

Security & Compliance

GDPR/CCPA Compliance:

Cookie consent banner on first visit
IP anonymization for EU users
Clear opt-out options
Data retention policies documented

Age Verification:

18+ age gate on entry
"Gamble responsibly" disclaimers
Links to responsible gaming resources
Session-based verification

Data Protection:

No personal data stored without consent
Server-side tracking preferred
Secure API endpoints with authentication
Regular security audits

Deployment & Scaling

Vercel Deployment

Environment Variables:

# Affiliate Hub
AFFILIATE_API_KEY=your_affiliate_api_key
GOOGLE_ANALYTICS_ID=GA4_PROPERTY_ID
FACEBOOK_PIXEL_ID=PIXEL_ID
IPAPI_KEY=your_ipapi_key

Scaling Strategy:

Vercel Edge Network for global CDN
Automatic scaling based on load
Image optimization and caching
Edge middleware for geolocation

Performance Targets

Page Load:

P95 ≤ 2.5 seconds
Largest Contentful Paint ≤ 2.0s
Cumulative Layout Shift ≤ 0.1
First Input Delay ≤ 100ms

API Response:

Sportsbook ranking ≤ 100ms
Conversion tracking ≤ 50ms
Geolocation detection ≤ 500ms

Monitoring & Observability

Metrics Tracked:

Page load times and Core Web Vitals
Conversion funnel drop-off rates
API response times and error rates
Revenue per visitor and ROI
User engagement (time on page, bounce rate)

Alerting:

Conversion rate drops below 8%
Page load P95 > 3.0s
API error rate > 1%
Revenue anomalies detected

Revenue Model

Direct Affiliate Revenue

Commission: 15-25% per conversion
Target: $5K/month (MVP) → $500K/month (Scale)
Calculation: Visitors × CTR × Conversion Rate × Avg Commission

Example Metrics:

10,000 visitors/month
5% CTR = 500 clicks
10% conversion = 50 conversions
$50 avg commission = $2,500/month

White-Label Partnerships

Revenue share: 15-25% of partner revenue
Target: 5+ partners, $100K+/month total
Deployment: 2-4 hours per partner
Customization: Full branding and analytics

Partner Benefits:

Custom domain and branding
Dedicated analytics dashboard
Optimized conversion algorithms
Joint marketing opportunities
Technical support and updates

Testing Strategy

Unit Tests (Jest/Vitest)

Geolocation service accuracy
Ranking algorithm correctness
Tracking event validation
State filtering logic

Integration Tests

End-to-end conversion flow
API endpoint validation
Database interaction tests
Analytics event verification

E2E Tests (Playwright)

User journey from landing to conversion
State detection and filtering
Click tracking and redirection
Mobile responsiveness

Performance Tests

Load testing with 1,000 concurrent users
API response time validation
CDN and caching effectiveness
Browser compatibility (Chrome, Safari, Firefox)

Implementation Tasks

Geolocation State Detection (T001)
- Integrate ipapi.co API
- Implement caching layer
- Add manual override UI
- Unit tests for accuracy
Sport Filter UI Component (T002)
- React component with filtering
- Real-time re-ranking on selection
- Preference storage in localStorage
- Accessibility compliance
Affiliate Click Tracking (T003)
- Server-side event tracking
- UTM parameter extraction
- Analytics integration (GA4, Facebook)
- Conversion attribution logic
Revenue Optimization Ranking (T004)
- Implement scoring algorithm
- Weight factors by sport and state
- A/B testing framework
- Performance optimization
Marketing Campaign Attribution (T005)
- UTM parameter parsing
- Session tracking implementation
- Revenue attribution model
- Reporting dashboard
Analytics Dashboard (T006)
- Admin interface for metrics
- Real-time conversion tracking
- Campaign performance visualization
- Export capabilities
White-Label Configuration (T007)
- Partner configuration system
- Dynamic branding injection
- Multi-tenant analytics
- Deployment automation
Manual State Override (T008)
- UI component for state selection
- Override persistence
- Compliance validation
- User experience testing
A/B Testing Framework (T009)
- Experiment configuration
- Variant assignment logic
- Results analysis tools
- Statistical significance testing
GDPR/CCPA Compliance (T010)
- Cookie consent implementation
- Privacy policy integration
- Data protection measures
- Legal compliance audit

Success Metrics

Product Metrics

Page Load P95: ≤2.5 seconds
State Detection Accuracy: ≥95%
Conversion Tracking Error Rate: ≤0.1%
WCAG 2.1 Level AA Compliance: ≥95%

Business Metrics

Click-Through Rate (CTR): ≥5%
Conversion Rate: ≥10%
Revenue Per Visitor: $1+ (Platform Scale)
Campaign ROI: ≥3.0

Operational Metrics

Uptime: 99.9% (≤43 minutes downtime/month)
Error Rate: ≤0.5%
Zero Data Breaches
GDPR/CCPA Compliance: 100%

Deployment Checklist

Environment Setup
- Configure Vercel project
- Set up Firestore collections
- Integrate analytics (GA4, Facebook Pixel)
- Configure geolocation API key
Code Deployment
- Deploy frontend (Next.js 14)
- Deploy API routes
- Set up environment variables
- Verify all endpoints
Testing Validation
- Run unit tests (Jest/Vitest)
- Execute E2E tests (Playwright)
- Validate performance metrics
- Test cross-browser compatibility
Monitoring Setup
- Configure Vercel Analytics
- Set up error tracking (Sentry)
- Enable performance monitoring
- Configure alerting thresholds
Launch Preparation
- Test conversion flow end-to-end
- Verify partner configurations
- Review legal compliance
- Prepare support documentation

This Affiliate Marketing Hub documentation provides a complete guide to implementing and operating the intelligent sportsbook routing system. The implementation follows proven patterns from successful affiliate platforms while incorporating advanced features for revenue optimization and compliance.

Resources Documentation Summary