Choose the referral you can explain
A useful programme shortlist starts with a reader’s task, not a commission percentage. Write one sentence describing the decision your content will help someone make. For example: “This guide helps a small team assess whether it needs a dedicated sales pipeline.” A programme belongs on that shortlist only if its product and referral route fit that task. A high advertised payment does not repair a mismatch between the reader and the offer.
This guide provides a repeatable way to inspect terms. It does not rank programmes or claim that WAM has tested the products. Use the programme directory to find recorded facts, then open the official documents for the exact offer you intend to promote.
Build a one-page evidence record
| Question | Record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| What action earns commission? | Eligible sale, lead, upgrade or subscription | A free registration may not qualify. |
| What spending is eligible? | Product, plan, currency and exclusions | Total customer spend may exceed commissionable spend. |
| Who receives credit? | Attribution rule and timing | A click does not guarantee credit. |
| When is cash available? | Clearance, threshold and payment schedule | An accrued balance is not a withdrawal. |
| Can you use your intended channel? | Application and promotion restrictions | A profitable-looking campaign may be ineligible. |
Alongside each answer, keep the official URL, document title and access date. Mark the relevant product scope explicitly. If a term is missing, write “unknown” and the question you need answered. Do not translate silence into “no restriction”, “instant payment” or “unlimited duration”.
Separate three different clocks
The attribution window describes when a referral can receive credit. The commission period describes how long qualifying customer activity can generate payments. The settlement delay describes when an approved balance becomes payable. These clocks can start at different events. Combining them into a single “duration” column makes comparisons unreliable.
For example, a hypothetical offer could allow 30 days from click to signup, pay on eligible purchases for one year, and settle commissions after a refund hold. Those figures are an illustration, not the terms of any listed merchant. An earnings model needs the commission period; a cash-flow plan also needs the hold and withdrawal conditions.
Read scope before comparing rates
The official Webflow affiliate page distinguishes audience referrals from one-to-one client work. This is a practical example of why a programme label is insufficient: the route appropriate for public tutorials may differ from the route for services sold to clients. Our Webflow and Framer comparison examines that scope question without declaring a product winner.
Also check whether a rate is an entry tier, an upper bound, a temporary launch offer or a negotiated amount. Record conditions next to the number. A maximum without its qualification criteria is unsuitable as a default forecast input.
Handle a disagreement without inventing certainty
If a marketing page and an agreement disagree, retain both URLs and describe the difference. Do not average rates or silently choose the larger one. Seek clarification through the merchant’s official route before publishing a definitive claim. In WAM’s research model, unresolved material conflicts keep a programme out of public profiles and comparisons.
Where only an optional field is unknown, a carefully scoped profile can still be useful. Its limitations must remain visible. Decide whether the missing detail is essential to your intended campaign: an unknown payment schedule may be manageable for early research but unacceptable for a campaign funded from a small cash balance.
Turn the shortlist into a decision
- Write the reader’s task and the promotion channel.
- Inspect eligibility and restrictions before calculating revenue.
- Record the official evidence and unresolved questions.
- Estimate conversion and eligible spend independently from the merchant’s advertising.
- Use the Decision Engine for a labelled scenario, including costs.
- Set a review date before publishing or updating promotional material.
Your next step is to complete one evidence record for one programme. A short, reliable shortlist is more useful than a long list whose most important conditions are unknown.