How to Choose the Right Affiliates – A Brand’s Blueprint for Success

Introduction: Why Most Brands Choose the Wrong Affiliates

 

One of the biggest mistakes brands make in affiliate marketing is assuming that bigger is better when it comes to affiliates.

Many brands:

• Chase influencers with massive audiences but low buying intent.
• Partner with coupon sites without a clear strategy.
• Work with affiliates who generate clicks, not sales.

The result? Wasted time, budget, and low ROI.

 

The right affiliates can accelerate growth, drive conversions, and increase brand trust. The wrong ones will drain resources with little return.

 

This guide will show you exactly how to choose affiliates that drive real revenue—so you don’t waste time on the wrong partnerships.

 

1. The 3 Core Affiliate Types – And When to Use Them

Different affiliates drive different types of traffic. To build a high-performing program, you need a mix of these affiliate types.

• Content Affiliates (SEO Sites, Review Platforms, Bloggers)
• Drive high-intent traffic through long-form content.
• Provide SEO value that ranks on Google.
• Work well for niche brands and high-ticket items.

Example: How a SaaS Brand Used Content Affiliates for Growth

A CRM software company partners with industry blogs and review platforms.

• Bloggers create in-depth tutorials, case studies, and comparisons.
• Their articles rank on Google, generating evergreen traffic.
• Affiliates earn commissions long after the post is published.

Results: Steady customer acquisition without paid ads.

Best For: Brands with complex products, long sales cycles, or high-ticket items.

 

2. Influencers & Social Affiliates (YouTubers, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn Creators)

• Build brand trust and awareness.
• Can drive quick spikes in traffic and conversions.
• Best for e-commerce, beauty, fitness, and lifestyle brands.

Example: Why Followers Don’t Equal Sales

A skincare brand partners with a TikTok influencer with 1 million followers.

• The influencer posts a video that goes viral—but the brand sees only a 2% conversion rate.
• Another affiliate with 50,000 highly engaged followers converts at 12%.

Why? Engagement and niche relevance matter more than follower count.

 Best For: Brands looking for quick brand exposure and social proof.

 

3. Deal & Coupon Affiliates (Cashback Sites, Discount Aggregators, Loyalty Programs)

• Great for high-volume sales.
• Attract price-sensitive buyers who wouldn’t purchase otherwise.
• Risk: Can cannibalize organic sales if not managed correctly.

Example: How a Travel Brand Used Coupons Without Killing Margins

A hotel booking company partners with a deal site offering $50 off first-time bookings.

• At first, customers only used the discount.
• The brand adjusted its structure to require a second booking before unlocking the reward.
• This increased repeat purchases and protected margins.

Best For: Brands that can handle high-volume, lower-margin sales (travel, subscriptions, retail).

 

2. The 3 Most Overrated Affiliate Metrics (And What to Look at Instead)

Too many brands focus on the wrong metrics when selecting affiliates.

 Vanity Metrics:

• Follower count – Doesn’t matter if the audience doesn’t buy.
• Total traffic – Worthless if it doesn’t convert.
• Engagement rate – Comments and likes don’t mean purchases.

 What Actually Matters:

• Conversion rate – How many visitors actually buy?
• Earnings per click (EPC) – Are affiliates generating profitable traffic?
• Traffic quality – Where is the traffic coming from?

Example: How a Tech Brand Identified Low-Quality Traffic

 

An electronics brand partners with an affiliate who sends 5,000 clicks per day.

• They check conversion rates—only 0.2% convert.
• They analyze traffic—mostly unqualified international visitors.

Fix: The brand cuts the partnership and focuses on affiliates with lower traffic but higher conversion rates.

 

3. The Affiliate Vetting Checklist – How to Pick the Right Partners

Before onboarding an affiliate, run them through this checklist:

• Does their audience match your customer profile?
• Have they successfully promoted similar products?
• Where does their traffic come from (organic, paid, referral)?
• Do they have experience with affiliate marketing, or will they need extra guidance?

Example: The Right vs. Wrong Way to Vet Affiliates

• Wrong Approach: Accepting any affiliate that applies without research.
• Right Approach: Looking at an affiliate’s past promotions, audience engagement, and conversion potential before approval.

4. Commission Structures That Keep the Best Affiliates Engaged

Once you’ve found the right affiliates, you need a commission structure that keeps them engaged.

• High-ticket products: Higher fixed payouts work better than percentage-based.
• Subscription services: Offer recurring commissions for long-term value.
• E-commerce brands: Test different tiered commission levels.

Example: A Subscription Box Brand That Increased Affiliate Retention by 40%

A monthly snack box brand originally paid a $10 flat commission.

 

• Top affiliates started dropping off because they needed higher payouts.
• The brand switched to:
  • $15 per sale for new affiliates.
  • $25 per sale for those generating 50+ per month.

Result: Affiliates stayed longer, drove more sales, and increased retention.

5. Common Affiliate Recruiting Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

• Mass messaging hundreds of potential affiliates.
  • Personalized outreach works better.

• Only looking at influencer followers.
  • Evaluate past conversion performance.

• Setting commissions too low at the start.
  • Make the program competitive or affiliates will leave.

Example: How a Fashion Brand Missed Out on a $1M Affiliate

 

A luxury handbag brand gets an application from a YouTuber who reviews designer accessories.

• They decline the affiliate because her audience is “too small” (50K subscribers).
• A competitor accepts her.
• Within a year, she drives over $1M in sales for the competitor.

Lesson Learned: Smaller affiliates with niche, highly engaged audiences often outperform “big names.”

 

Final Thoughts: How to Set Up for Long-Term Success

Affiliate marketing is only as strong as your partners.

To succeed:

• Choose affiliates based on conversion potential, not vanity metrics.
• Diversify with a mix of content creators, influencers, and deal sites.
• Vet carefully before onboarding new affiliates.
• Structure commissions to keep high-performers engaged.

Brands that get this right scale faster and more profitably. Those that ignore these steps end up stuck in a cycle of wasted spend and low ROI.

Want expert help identifying the best affiliates for your brand? The AGM team has you covered.