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.