So Many Affiliate Programs! Which One Do I Choose?

Ask questions first before you join an affiliate program. Most affiliate programs being offered today are absolutely free of charge.

When do they issue the commission checks?
Every program is different. Many affiliate programs are setting a minimum earned commission amount that an affiliate must meet or exceed in order for their checks to be issued.

What is the hit per sale ratio?
This is the average number of hits to a banner or text link it takes to generate a sale based on all affiliate statistics. Your choice of affiliate program should be capable of offering detailed stats. Constantly checking your individual stats is important to know how many impressions, hits and sales are already generated from your site.

Does the affiliate program also pay for the hits and impressions besides the commissions on sales? Is the affiliate a one tier or two tier program? A two tier program pays you for the business, plus it also pays you a commission on the on the sales generated by any affiliate you sponsor in your program. Some two-tier programs are even paying small fees on each new affiliate you sponsor. 5% - 20% is the commission paid by most programs. .01% - .05% is the amount paid for each hit. If you find a program that also pays for impressions, the amount paid is not much at all.

Try to ask your affiliate program choices these questions. These can help you select the right program for you site from among the many available.