Affiliate program audit: find out what your program is really producing
An independent, data-led review of your partners, payouts, traffic quality and tracking. You get a clear picture of what's working, what's leaking money and what to do next — whether or not you hire us afterwards.
- Fixed scope and fee
- Delivered in a few weeks
- Prioritized, practical actions
You suspect the program could do more — but can't see where
Affiliate platforms report clicks and conversions. They don't tell you whether you're paying partners who add no incremental customers, whether your commission tiers reward the right behavior, or which partners would grow with better support.
An audit answers those questions with your own data, reviewed by people who have run programs like yours.
Typical triggers for an audit
- Revenue has plateaued or declined
- Commission costs are rising faster than revenue
- A new head of marketing wants a baseline
- You're about to change platform, agency or manager
- Suspected brand bidding, cookie stuffing or fake leads
What we review
Each area ends with findings and specific recommendations, ranked by impact and effort.
Affiliate portfolio
- Active vs. inactive partners
- Revenue concentration and dependency
- Partner mix by type and GEO
- Gaps compared with your market
Traffic quality
- Conversion and approval patterns
- Brand bidding and trademark misuse
- Incentivized or suspicious traffic
- Customer quality by partner
Commission structure
- Rates vs. customer value
- Tier and bonus effectiveness
- Payout process and controls
- Competitive positioning of your offer
Tracking & operations
- Tracking accuracy and attribution rules
- Partner terms and enforcement
- Onboarding and communication
- Reporting and ownership
How the audit works
Kick-off
Read-only platform access, data exports and a call with your team about goals and concerns.
Analysis
We review partners, traffic, commissions and tracking, and sample partner placements.
Findings
A written report with evidence, quantified where your data allows.
Action plan
A walkthrough call and a prioritized 90-day plan you can run with or without us.
What you receive
- Executive summary for leadership
- Detailed findings for each audit area
- Partner segmentation (keep, grow, fix, remove)
- Commission and terms recommendations
- Prioritized 90-day action plan
- Walkthrough call with Q&A
What an audit gives you
An honest baseline
An independent view of where the program stands, without internal assumptions.
Recovered margin
Commission paid for low-quality or non-incremental traffic becomes visible and fixable.
A clear roadmap
A short list of high-impact actions instead of a long list of possibilities.
What access do you need?
Read-only access to your affiliate platform, plus exports from analytics or your CRM if we're assessing customer quality. We sign an NDA before receiving any data.
How long does an audit take?
Usually two to four weeks from receiving access, depending on program size and data availability.
Do we have to hire you after the audit?
No. The action plan is written so your team or another partner can implement it. If you'd like our help, we'll propose a scope based on the findings.
Can you audit a program run by another agency or network?
Yes. Independent reviews of agency-managed programs are a common reason to audit.
Related services & solutions
Get an independent view of your program
Tell us about your program and we'll confirm the audit scope and fee before any work starts.