How to vet a new affiliate program before migrating your traffic

How to vet a new affiliate program before migrating your traffic

Commission rates mean nothing if the cookie window is too short. Check the attribution model and tracking setup. A 24-hour window on high-ticket items is often a trap compared to a 30-day window on a lower payout.

Audit landing pages before moving links. If the checkout is cluttered or not mobile-friendly, your EPC will tank regardless of the commission. Test the flow to ensure no broken elements or intrusive pop-ups disrupt the user journey.

Review payout terms and reliability. Net-30 is standard, but some programs push it to Net-90. Verify payment methods to avoid high transaction fees. High return rates are a red flag, as they lead to reversed commissions long after the sale.

An affiliate manager is vital for data on top-performing creatives and stock alerts. They help you avoid wasting resources by sending traffic to out-of-stock products or landing pages undergoing unscheduled maintenance.

Never move 100% of your traffic at once. Run split tests on high-traffic pages to compare actual earnings per click between the old and new programs. Data-driven migration prevents sudden revenue gaps.