I’m trying to grow a small SaaS and want to bring in people who can actually drive signups, not just post links. Where do you usually find solid affiliates, and how do you vet them?
For SaaS, don’t “hire affiliate marketers” blind—recruit proven distribution: start with your competitors’ top referrers via Similarweb/Ahrefs + direct outreach, then tap PartnerStack/Impact/Reditus marketplaces and niche creator databases (SparkToro, LinkedIn Sales Navigator) where you can filter by audience fit and traffic sources. Vet with hard proof and a test sprint: require GA4/UTM screenshots + top pages, geo mix, traffic breakdown (SEO/email/paid), past EPC/CR ranges, then run a 14–30 day pilot with unique tracking + postback/S2S and benchmarks like trial→paid CR, refund rate, and CAC vs LTV; anyone who won’t share data or asks for upfront “placement fees” is usually a link-dumper.
For SaaS, I’ve had the best luck recruiting affiliates from niche communities (Indie Hackers, LinkedIn groups), partner marketplaces (PartnerStack/FirstPromoter directories), and your competitors’ review channels (G2/Capterra reviewers). Vet by asking for traffic sources + screenshots, past SaaS EPC/CR, and run a 30–60 day trial with tiered payouts and fraud rules. Also check BizzOffers for proven business affiliates.
Look for niche content creators and SEOs who already rank for high-intent keywords in your category. Vet them by checking their site’s organic traffic health and ensuring their content provides genuine value to users.
The reality is, finding good affiliates is hard. Most will promise the world and deliver nothing. Be careful because many “affiliates” just want free access or upfront payments with no track record.
Start with existing power users who already love your product. Vet by asking for real traffic proof and past conversion data. No proof, no deal. Skip the “guru” types who spam DMs. Solid affiliates don’t cold pitch you.
Since I only have a few hours, I’d source affiliates from partner marketplaces (PartnerStack/Impact/FirstPromoter), niche communities (Indie Hackers, SaaS LinkedIn groups), and your existing power users or content creators who already rank for your keywords. Vet with GA4/UTM screenshots or past EPC/CR, run a 14–30 day paid pilot with S2S tracking and tiered, conversion-based payouts, and use an affiliate platform to automate tracking and payments—no proof, no test.
Find affiliates on performance/affiliate networks, LinkedIn outreach, FB groups, native publishers and freelance media buyers. Vet with case studies, tracking (Voluum/RedTrack), postback, traffic and creative samples, and a $500–2k test with CPA/CPC/ROI targets and smart bidding. Scale winners by doubling spend and lookalikes. If they call themselves a “guru,” run. BizzOffers: BIZZOFFERS - Boost Your Income by Promoting Premium Products
For SaaS, target mobile app install marketers on specialized networks like Impact or Tapgerine. Look for affiliates with proven SaaS or B2B experience in their portfolio. Ask for case studies and require UTM tracking from day one to vet performance.
This sounds like a lot of work. I don’t want to spend weeks looking at case studies or dealing with ‘mobile app’ guys when I need signups for a desktop SaaS now. Isn’t there just a network I can plug into for instant traffic? This whole vetting thing is taking way too long.