How to Choose the Right Affiliate Program: A Beginner's Checklist

Not all affiliate programs are worth your time. The wrong one pays late, converts badly, or pays so little it isn’t worth the effort. Here’s the checklist I use to pick programs actually worth promoting.

What to check before you join

1. Is the product genuinely good? You’re lending it your reputation. If you wouldn’t recommend it to a friend, skip it.

2. How much does it pay — and does it recur? A recurring commission on a SaaS tool beats a one-off on a cheap product. Prioritise recurring and high-ticket.

3. What’s the cookie window? Longer is better. 24 hours is tough; 30–90 days gives buyers time to decide.

4. Does the merchant’s page convert? You can send perfect traffic to a bad landing page and earn nothing. Check it first.

5. Is the payout reliable and reachable? Look at the payout threshold and how and when they actually pay.

6. Is it relevant to your audience? The best-paying program is useless if your audience won’t buy it.

Red flags to avoid

• Sky-high commissions on a product nobody actually wants.

• No disclosure allowed, or shady, confusing terms.

• A merchant with a broken or clunky checkout.

• Payout thresholds so high you’ll realistically never reach them.

FAQs

How many affiliate programs should I join?

Start with 2–3 in one niche. Focus beats spreading thin — you can add more once you know what actually converts.

Are high-commission programs always better?

No. A high commission on a product that doesn’t sell earns you nothing. Conversion and relevance matter more than the headline rate.

Key takeaways

• Only promote products you’d genuinely recommend.

• Prioritise recurring and high-ticket over one-off, low-value payouts.

• Check the cookie window and that the merchant’s page converts.

• Relevance to your audience beats the headline commission rate.

Related reading: the full affiliate marketing guide and how to start affiliate marketing without a website.