A structured review of an affiliate program's publisher mix, traffic sources, and commission payouts to identify leakage, policy breaches, or underperforming partners. Audits typically compare click and order timestamps, check for brand-bidding, and assess whether top-earning publishers are genuinely driving incremental sales.
An agency runs a quarterly affiliate program audit for a homewares client and finds two publishers responsible for 20 percent of total commission but almost no genuine incremental traffic, both flagged for renegotiation or removal.
Most agencies recommend at least a quarterly audit for active programs, with a lighter monthly check on top-earning publishers in between. Programs with a history of leakage, rapid publisher growth, or seasonal spikes in commission payouts often benefit from more frequent reviews during those higher-risk periods.
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