Vetting affiliate publishers before they join your programme

Traffic: where does it really come from?

• Ask for analytics screenshots by country and channel, not only a media kit.
• Check that the domain, social handles and contact details belong to the same business.
• Compare their claimed audience with a third-party estimate and ask about big gaps.

Rules that protect your brand

• Do they bid on your brand name in search? Put the answer in your terms.
• How do they disclose paid placements and affiliate links?
• Can you approve creative and coupon codes before they go live?

Fraud and validation

• How do they detect and reverse fraudulent or incentivised conversions?
• Who owns tracking, and do you see the same data they do?
• What is the validation window, and how are disputed conversions settled?

A short trial before a long contract

Start with a defined test: one market, one offer, a fixed period and an agreed success measure. Decide from your own numbers, not the publisher’s report.