1. It doesn’t compete
Monetizing your web assets with an affiliate program is smart, can offset your expenses and even bring in big revenues. Just be careful for the ads you allow or risk losing your customers.

2. It gives you more than a few cents
Many initially turn to Google Adwords to monetize their websites and blogs but as you have probably realized you have to send them a ton of business to even make a few dollars. Instead look for an affiliate program that provides a little better payout but is still affordable enough that you can do good volume.

3. Reputable network and affiliate software
Of course it doesn’t matter how awesome the product or service is, or what the commission is supposed to be if you have to battle to get paid on every customer you refer. Look for companies who only use the most reputable affiliate networks like Commission Junction so that you can just plug in, let it play and get paid.

4. Marketing materials
An organization who really believes in their product and is committed to making their affiliate program profitable for their partners will provide you with marketing materials. This should go beyond just image ads and banners to tweets, email copy, blog posts and perhaps even white papers for you to use.

5. Sticky Widgets
Sticky widgets present some of the best tools provided by the highest quality affiliate programs. These enable better interactivity and engagement between consumers and your site or blog. This not only provides them with real value, that doesn’t cost you anything but also keeps them on your pages for longer increasing the chance you can monetize them.

6. Customizable
Look for opportunities for taking advantage of white label partner programs which let you put your own branding on it which makes you look great and rockets your ROI.

7. Something different
If everyone is running the same Google ads, promoting the same old affiliate products from Clickbank, installing eBay plugins and hoping to make a mint without real marketing or providing crooked reviews consumers see through it and you lose your edge, not to mention the effectiveness of what you are doing and how people look at you. Look for something different, something that really benefits your traffic and which can help you both breed more customer loyalty.