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Every recommendation we publish puts our reputation on the line, with readers, with search engines, and with the networks we work through. So before we apply to an affiliate program, we run it through the same set of questions. The commission rate is on the list, but it’s near the bottom.
1. Would we recommend it without a commission?
This is the first filter, and most programs don’t get past it. If we wouldn’t tell a friend to buy the product, no payout makes it worth writing about. Where possible, we get hands-on with the product through a trial, a demo account, or a purchase before we decide.
2. Does it match real search demand?
A great product with no search interest won’t benefit from what we do. We look for evidence that people are actively researching the product or its category: comparison searches, “alternatives to” searches, pricing questions, and how-to queries. If demand isn’t there, the product may suit a different kind of publisher better.
3. Is the landing page built to convert?
We send readers who have already done their research. If the page they land on is slow, confusing, or doesn’t match what we described, that trust is wasted. We look at load speed, mobile layout, how clearly pricing is shown, and how many steps stand between the click and the sign-up.
4. What do the terms actually say?
We read program terms in full before applying, not after. In particular we check:
- Whether paid search is allowed, and which keywords are restricted
- Rules on coupon codes, deals, and promotions
- Restrictions on email, social, or other channels
- How brand names and logos may be used
- The cookie duration and attribution model
If a program’s rules don’t fit how we work, we don’t apply and then try to bend them. We simply move on.
5. How reliable is the tracking and payment?
A program run through an established network with clear reporting gives both sides confidence. We look at how conversions are tracked, how reversals are handled, how quickly commissions are confirmed, and whether there’s a named affiliate manager we can talk to.
6. What happens after the sale?
High reversal or refund rates are often a sign that customers aren’t happy with what they bought. That’s bad for readers and a warning sign for us. Customer reviews on independent sites, support quality, and cancellation policies all feed into our decision.
7. Finally, the economics
Only once a program passes everything above do we look at payout, average order value, and expected conversion rate, to decide how much content it can justify. A modest commission on a product readers love will almost always outperform a large one on a product they return.
A recommendation is only worth something if we’re willing not to make it.
Running every program through this checklist means we promote fewer products than we could. It also means the ones we do promote tend to stay on our site, and in our readers’ good books, for years.