Danylo Diachenko on partner selection for sustainable growth
Choosing the right partner defines long-term success. Bigger doesn’t always mean better – large scale doesn’t always guarantee process stability, adherence to agreements, or reliable performance. Practical cooperation depends on process stability and the partner’s ability to achieve predictable growth.
Danylo Diachenko, CBDO of global media-buying company DEVILS, shared with SiGMA News practical ways to assess partners and metrics to predict their eagerness for long-term cooperation.
What defines a reliable partner
Successful cooperation requires evaluating partners based on key criteria such as product stability, compliance with agreements, team reliability, and the ability to handle growing traffic volumes. DEVILS uses dashboards to evaluate partners, tracking specific metrics, including traffic quality, average cheque, number of deposits, minimum deposits, timeliness of financial obligations, and application processing efficiency. ‘When choosing a partner, we assess the stability of their product, adherence to agreements, and the quality of fulfilling all obligations. The partner’s scale is less important if their processes are not stable,’ noted Danylo.
Danylo also mentions some not-obvious criteria: ‘We always look at a partner’s potential and their reputation in the market. It’s also important to assess how the team operates internally – managers and the lead-handling process directly impact the quality of the partnership.’
GEOs, verticals, and traffic types are all considered during analysis – results are evaluated based on company revenue. Metrics are built around traffic volume, number of active campaigns, budgets, and historical data. Additionally, previous campaigns and the quality of collaboration are analysed.
Testing campaigns and identifying weak spots
Test campaigns help assess a partner’s ability to process leads, retain conversions, and identify weaknesses, as well as understand their readiness for scaling.
Danilo gave an example: the brand was testing new GEOs and products. When launching the offer, it turned out that the partner’s product was not functioning properly within the DEVILS app – bonuses and user flow were displayed incorrectly. Thanks to test campaigns and close cooperation with the advertiser, the team fixes issues promptly, which helps to increase ROI and improve the partner’s performance metrics.
Monitoring and analytics
When the team takes on a large block of analytics and control, it can structure the process. The team can see the whole picture: analyse calls, issued caps, operational launches and traffic behaviour. This approach enables complete control at all stages, quickly identifies weaknesses and adjusts strategy in collaboration with partners. As a result, the quality and effectiveness of campaigns can be maintained at every stage.
Source: Devils.
Secure partnership scaling
Traffic growth is controlled step by step: starting with a small volume and then gradually increasing. At DEVILS, this begins with the first 50-100 leads to ensure that the traffic is working, the partner’s team is involved, and the process is under control. Real-time dashboards help identify risks such as payment delays, decreases in average check size and deposits. If deviations occur, campaigns are optimised or temporarily suspended to maintain quality and avoid losses.
Danylo put the example of micro-analysis: a significant partner was not prepared to scale up due to a lack of budget for high-quality traffic management. Analysis enabled us to adjust our strategy promptly and avoid losses.‘In long-term partnerships, it is essential that companies share common values and approaches,’ added Danylo.
Source: Devils.
Predictable results nurture growth
The leading indicator of a successful partnership is predictable results, believes the DEVILS team. Analysing a partner’s ability to handle traffic, maintain conversions, and honour agreements helps them to make informed decisions and allocate resources effectively. Analytics helps identify partners’ weak points and improve their ROI through campaign and product adjustments.
‘Reliable processes, transparent communication, and aligned corporate values form the foundation for long-term collaboration, risk minimisation, and scalable growth, ‘ concludes Danylo.
This article was first published in Russian on 27 October 2025.
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