You’ve done the homework. You go to bed at night dreaming of SEO techniques and SMO strategies. You’ve kept abreast of the latest developments on viral marketing, local vs. comprehensive search trends, keyword copywriting and have decided to name your second child “Web 2.0”. You’re ready to enter the big, bad world of Online Marketing.

Let’s go a step further and say you’ve even optimized your web properties. You’ve a funky design, great content to offer your users and a good level of traffic coming in. And what do you do? You sit at your desk counting every potential cent of lost revenue because, for all your research and know-how, you still can’t find the PPC Affiliate program that fits you best.

I know, it’s tough. Finding a solid PPC Affiliate Program amongst all the contenders is like trying to pick out a single flavor from Baskin Robbins’ 32. The trick here, as in ice cream, is never to settle for just one. A smart, successful PPC Affiliate grabs a spoon and digs right in.

There are some essential criteria one must observe when selecting a PPC Affiliate Program to partner with – and I use the word “partner” deliberately for that is exactly what the relationship is. A partnership where each party is dependent on the other for reliability, integrity and performance. Whether you’re looking for someone to play tennis with or someone to walk down the aisle, for better or for worse, all partnerships require these elements to be successful.

Over the next few days, I will provide you with some ways to gauge a PPC Affiliate Program’s RIP (reliability, integrity and performance). Using these measures and indicators, finding the right PPC Affiliate Program for you and your company should be much easier.