Compare affiliate work by role
Partners refer visitors or agreed outcomes to an offer. Businesses establish programmes; publishers recommend offers through their content. These roles need different services. Commissions do not replace preparation, validation or care.
Distinguish advertiser and publisher
Advertisers need programmes, rules, partners, assets, attribution and settlement. Publishers need suitable programmes, content, links and remuneration reporting. Advice can first define the engagement.
Specify setup, assessment or management. A licence is not a complete agency service; a partner list is not partner care.
| Role | Important scope |
|---|---|
| Advertiser | Programme, rules, partners and settlement |
| Publisher | Programmes, content, links and reporting |
| Technical | Integration and verifiable attribution |
| Advice | Assessment, recommendations and owners |
Choose partners and environments
Check whether content and audiences suit the offer. Define channels, statements, brand terms, vouchers and prohibited methods. Many partners do not establish suitability.
Publishers should compare relevance, assets, terms and maintenance. Headline commission alone is insufficient: valid outcomes and approval matter.
Define remuneration and validity
Specify payable outcomes and calculation basis. Sales need returns, cancellations and partial refunds; leads need quality and duplicate rules. No general success rate replaces this agreement.
Assign validation, deadlines and disputes. Some programmes automatically approve untreated transactions. Check actual terms instead of leaving cases open.
Test attribution and explain differences
Agree how links and actions are matched. Shops, apps and sites may need different integration. Check attribution, duplicate recording and corrections before expansion.
Web analytics and networks may differ by rules, periods and counting. A tracked outcome alone does not prove an additional customer. Assess privacy and consent for the audience and method.
Assign assets and daily tasks
Links, banners, copy and any product data should stay current. Assign broken links, expired offers and changed data. Not every programme needs a feed.
Management may include partner checks, communication, validation, analysis and terms. Specify tasks and issue handling. Automatic payment does not mean a maintenance-free programme.
Compare complete operating costs
Separate setup, integration, management, platform and commissions. Placements, content and data may be extras. Payment per result does not mean no other charges.
Specify basis, tasks and period. Check extras, term, cancellation and handover. No invented average rates; equal percentages may use different bases.
| Item | Question |
|---|---|
| Setup | Which rules and preparation? |
| Management | Which partners and checks? |
| Platform | Which charges and term? |
| Commission | Which basis and validation? |
| Extras | Which content, data and placements? |
Start with bounded scope
Describe role, task, sites, languages, outcomes and existing partners. Zero partners is possible. Put offers, systems and markets in one short brief; no customer files or credentials.
Agree rules, owners, technical checks, initial partners and reporting. Handover includes terms, assets and open transactions. Returns remain unguaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
Only for online shops?
No. Agreed leads or other actions are possible; assess suitability and remuneration.
Do I need existing partners?
No. Recruitment may be included; zero is possible.
Are costs only incurred on sales?
Not generally. Setup, management, platforms and content can be separate.
Why do reports differ?
Attribution, periods, counting and corrections may differ.
Who checks returns and invalid leads?
The agreed owner under actual validation rules.
Same quote for publisher and advertiser?
Their tasks differ. Specify role and engagement first.
