Just bear in mind that affiliate managers are no different from face-to-face managers in that some of them are really good and some are awful.
A little guidance can go a long way in helping people achieve their goals. Hard work is necessary but you can’t reach somewhere only on the basis of hard work. If you don’t know the directions to a place, you can’t reach there no matter how many hardships you endure to get to your destination. But the right guidance can make people’s lives easy and direct their efforts in the right place. If you want to get into a medical college but don’t know the procedure of application, you can’t stand outside the gate of the college and expect to be let in. Professional life is no different when it comes to guidance.

Even though they’re a behemoth – which might be an understatement, I’m only classifying Amazon Associates as a notable mention. They’re not really my favorite because I’m a bit cautious about Amazon’s business practices. I see them as a ruthless company that will do whatever it takes to cut costs, and I foresee that they will progressively reduce their affiliate commissions as they grow larger. Hence, I wouldn’t build my affiliate strategy and offerings around what Amazon has to offer.
Overall, brands need to win searchers hearts and minds, and affiliate marketing gives your brand SERP influence. This influence is mainly created not by the quality of the product itself but by the quality of your affiliate program and relationship building skills.