How we research, source and correct
The rules every PartnersWatch guide, article, research report and template follows. For how directory listings are compiled and checked, see the methodology. Who we are and how we make money is on the about page.
Who writes here
Guides, articles, glossary entries, FAQ pages, research reports and templates are written and edited by PartnersWatch Research, the PartnersWatch editorial team. Bylines name the team rather than individuals. We don't invent author personas, credentials or quotes.
The team works on partner programs every day: we maintain the PartnersWatch Network directory and build the software brands use to run their programs. That's the experience the writing draws on, and it's also a commercial interest, which is why the rules below exist.
Where facts come from
Facts about a named brand's program (commission rates, cookie windows, payout terms, requirements, franchise costs) come from one of two places: the Network directory, where every entry was read from the brand's own partner page on a stated date, or the brand's official page or documentation, linked in the page's Sources list.
Statistics in research reports are computed from the directory by a script anyone on the team can rerun. Each number is shown with its sample size. Where fewer than 15 programs stand behind a figure we label it indicative.
Tax, legal and regulatory statements link to the authority that publishes the rule (a tax office, a regulator, the text of a guideline). We don't cite secondary summaries when the primary source is available.
What we never do
We don't make up statistics, studies, surveys, customer stories, quotes or people. We don't copy other publishers' text or other directories' data. We don't take payment to include, rank or describe a program, and we never present a brand in the directory as a customer or partner of ours.
When we aren't sure a fact is current, we say so or leave it out.
Worked examples and hypotheticals
Many pages work through the arithmetic of a commission plan or a payout. Unless a number is sourced, it's hypothetical and the page says so. Hypothetical numbers are chosen to make the maths easy to follow, not to suggest an industry norm.
Tax, legal and financial topics
Pages that touch on tax, contracts or investment explain how things generally work. They aren't tax, legal or financial advice. Templates are starting points and outlines, not finished legal documents. Rules differ by country and change, so check with a qualified adviser before you act.
Updates and review
Every page shows when it was first published and when it was last updated. Pages that depend on program terms are re-checked when the directory entries behind them are re-checked, and at least every six months. A review that changes nothing still updates the reviewed date.
Corrections
If something is wrong or out of date, tell us through the contact form and name the page. Brands can also correct their own directory listing from the claim link we send. We fix confirmed errors promptly, update the page's date, and add a short correction note at the end of the page when the error changed a number or a recommendation.
Links and disclosure
PartnersWatch doesn't use affiliate links in its editorial pages. Links to programs go to the directory listing or the brand's own page. Where a page discusses PartnersWatch itself, it's marked as our product.