The clauses that actually decide whether you get paid

The clauses that actually decide whether you get paid
Everyone reads the rate. Almost nobody reads the parts that determine whether the rate is real.
Look for these:
— Payment terms: when the period closes, how long after that payment is due, and what "due" means in practice.
— Adjustment rights. Who can reduce your reported numbers, on what grounds, and within what window? Unlimited retroactive adjustment is a blank cheque you signed.
— Traffic quality definitions. If "fraudulent" is undefined, it means whatever they need it to mean during a dispute.
— Holdback and reserve. How much, for how long, released when.
— Termination and final settlement. If they can terminate immediately and pay the tail slowly, your last period is the one at risk.
— Governing law and venue. If it is somewhere you would never realistically pursue a claim, the contract is decorative.
— Whose numbers count, and what the reconciliation process is.
Negotiate the adjustment window before you negotiate the rate.