Affiliate signup go/no-go checklist
A strict decision surface for whether Getaway Brief can safely submit affiliate applications. It separates content-base readiness from public-URL, trust-page, and representative-page verification gates.
Getaway Brief Affiliate Signup Go/No-Go Checklist
Status: no-go for external affiliate applications until the site owner approves a public URL/deploy preview and the representative pages below receive exact-page manual verification.
Purpose: give the site owner one short decision surface for affiliate signup readiness. This checklist is stricter than the content count: 10+ researched drafts are necessary, but not enough on their own.
Current decision
| Area | Current state | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Researched article base | 14 researched local drafts with demand evidence and factual source notes. | Pass for content-base depth. |
| Publish-candidate pages | 0 pages marked publish_candidate. | No-go for submitting article URLs as externally verified examples. |
| Trust pages | About, Contact placeholder, Privacy placeholder, Affiliate Disclosure, Editorial Policy, and How-to-use pages exist locally. | Conditional pass; contact/privacy/disclosure need the site owner-approved public details. |
| Affiliate links | Local CTAs remain placeholders; no partner IDs or live affiliate URLs. | Pass for pre-approval safety. |
| Analytics | Local build remains tracking-free; Plausible/Umami only after approval; GA4 blocked by default. | Pass for privacy posture. |
| Public URL | No approved domain or deploy-preview URL recorded. | No-go for applications. |
| Representative page verification | Shortlist, source packets, final-check queue, and verification template exist, but exact-page manual checks are not completed. | No-go until recorded. |
Minimum go conditions
Getaway Brief can move from no-go to ready to apply only when all of these are true:
- the site owner approves the public URL or deploy-preview URL that will be submitted in applications.
- the site owner approves the final contact method shown on
/contact.html. - the site owner approves privacy and affiliate-disclosure language for the actual analytics/hosting/partner setup.
- At least 3 representative guide URLs have completed exact-page verification recorded in
research/or the representative-page ledger, usingaffiliates/REPRESENTATIVE_PAGE_SOURCE_PACKETS.mdas the source inventory for the first three pages. - Those verified guides are either marked
publish_candidateor clearly submitted as pre-launch samples with their research status disclosed. python3 scripts/audit_source_health.pyhas been re-run immediately before application prep, with no source URL blockers on submitted representative pages.python3 scripts/build_site.pyhas been re-run after any copy/status changes.- The local safety audit still shows 0 live/non-placeholder affiliate CTA hrefs and 0 analytics/tracking markers unless the site owner has explicitly approved otherwise.
First 3 representative pages to verify
Prioritize pages that show the widest commercial fit while keeping claims conservative:
/articles/weekend-trips-from-nyc-without-a-car.html— broad no-car hotel/tour intent; verify MTA, Amtrak, NYC Ferry, Dia Beacon, Hudson, and Visit Philadelphia source support before use./articles/where-to-stay-near-zion-without-a-car.html— lodging/tour intent near a major park; verify NPS shuttle/directions/fees, Visit Utah support, and Springdale/tour-pickup assumptions before use./articles/things-to-do-in-gatlinburg-when-it-rains.html— strong activities/tickets fit; verify official attraction hours, ticketing, closure days, and NPS/visitor-source framing before use.
Backup pages after those: dog-friendly-weekend-trips-from-atlanta, warm-weekend-trips-from-chicago-in-march, and where-to-stay-in-savannah-without-a-car.
Safe application wording once go conditions pass
Use conservative claims only:
- "Getaway Brief publishes practical travel guides around trip constraints such as no-car weekends, rainy-day activities, pet-friendly trips, and lodging-area decisions."
- "The site is early-stage/pre-launch and uses researched drafts with source notes; traffic is not yet established."
- "Affiliate links will be added only where they help readers compare lodging, tours, tickets, flights, cars, or rentals relevant to the guide."
- "Getaway Brief does not claim guaranteed prices, availability, personal visits, or current schedules without same-day verification."
Avoid these claims:
- Any traffic, conversion, revenue, or ranking promise.
- Any statement that pages are fully published or application-grade before exact-page verification is recorded.
- Any current price, fare, shuttle frequency, attraction-hours, pet-fee, or availability guarantee.
- Any mention of live partner links before partner accounts and the site owner approval exist.
Approval boundary
The agent may keep improving local research, templates, and verification ledgers. The agent must not submit applications, publish/deploy, insert live affiliate links, spend money, register domains, or use the site owner credentials without explicit approval.