The Number on the Sales Page

Most people looking for an affiliate offer start with the commission.

I understand why. When you see 50%, $200 per sale, or recurring payments, it's easy to start thinking about what you could earn.

I've written about when the commission becomes the main reason for a recommendation — and why a number that looks good has a way of bending your judgement without you noticing.

But before you get too excited about that number, there's something worth reading.

The affiliate agreement.

I know. It's probably the least interesting part of the whole offer. Most people would rather spend their time figuring out how to promote the product than reading several pages of terms and conditions.

The problem is that those pages can tell you things the sales page doesn't.

For example, you might be promoting a product that pays a generous commission, but how long does someone have to make a purchase after clicking your link?

How long does a click count?

Every affiliate program has its own rules for tracking referrals. Some give you thirty days or longer. Others give you considerably less time.

Now think about how people actually shop.

Someone might click your link on Tuesday, spend a few days thinking about the purchase, and come back after payday. If the tracking period has already expired, you might not receive credit for that sale.

You could be doing everything right with your content and still wonder why the commissions aren't coming in.

It's also worth checking what happens when someone clicks another affiliate's link after yours. Depending on the program, that second click could determine who receives the commission.

That's something you'd want to know before spending weeks promoting an offer.

What happens when someone asks for a refund?

This is another part of the agreement people sometimes overlook.

In many affiliate programs, when a customer receives a refund, the affiliate commission is reversed. Some programs also delay commission payments until the refund period has passed.

There's nothing particularly unusual about that, but it matters when you're evaluating an offer.

A product might generate plenty of sales, but if customers regularly return it, those impressive commission figures won't mean much.

There's also your reputation to consider. When you recommend something, people associate that recommendation with you. If the product disappoints them, they're going to remember who introduced them to it.

That's part of why only recommending what you'd use again yourself matters. The agreement and the product both have to hold up.

When do you actually get paid?

A commission isn't much use if you don't understand when you'll receive it.

Some programs have minimum payout amounts. Others pay on a particular schedule, and there may be fees depending on the payment method.

Let's say a program has a $50 minimum payout and you're earning around $10 a month while getting started. You could be waiting five months before receiving your first payment.

That doesn't necessarily make it a bad program. It's simply something you should know beforehand.

Where are you allowed to promote it?

You might assume that once you're accepted into an affiliate program, you can promote the product wherever you want.

That's not always the case.

Some programs restrict certain types of advertising, email promotions, coupon offers, or the use of their brand names in paid campaigns.

Imagine spending money on advertising only to discover that the method you've been using violates the affiliate agreement.

Depending on the terms, you could lose commissions you've already earned.

A few minutes spent reading the promotional rules could save you a considerable amount of frustration.

What does recurring actually mean?

Recurring commissions are attractive because the idea of getting paid more than once for a single referral sounds pretty good.

But recurring doesn't always mean forever.

Some programs pay commissions only for a fixed period. Others continue paying while the customer remains subscribed. And agreements can change.

Before you start promoting a recurring offer, find out exactly how the payments work and what could cause them to stop.

If something in the agreement isn't clear, ask the company. Most established affiliate programs have someone you can contact with questions.

I'd rather ask a question before promoting a product than discover the answer after I've already invested my time.

When you compare affiliate offers, the commission percentage is only one part of the decision.

There's nothing wrong with being excited about a good offer. Just make sure you understand what you're agreeing to before you put your name behind it.

That extra bit of reading might not be exciting, but it could save you a lot of trouble later.