How can you affiliate with someone who have like 50 affiliates? What do you get out of that, that's a one in 50 chance that your link will get clicked of those that do look at them. I really do not believe that fair, when you affiliate with them, and you have about 5. *shrug* Maybe it's just me, but I think once you reach about 10, you should stop.

If people like a site, they'll affiliate with it. It doesn't have much to do with numbers - that's peoples' choice.

Though I tend to agree with the fact that people like to have a lot of affiliates to make their board appear popular.

I'm the exact opposite. I'm terribly picky with the affiliates and we barely broke 5 on the last board.

I have a lot of affiliates. Not because I want to look popular, or because I'm looking for a method of advertising - but because I like to give my members options. The affiliates are there for two reasons: One, to give the existing membership of Tally some places I think they'd like to go, and two - to create a bond between our board and another.

Also, I find myself being asked a lot if I will affiliate with other boards - and I don't often say no. Why? Because if no one had affiliated with me, I wouldn't be where I am, would I?

So I like to have a lot of them. That said, affiliates do have open to them a lot more than just the button link, but most don't realise that.

I always try to keep in touch with my affiliates. I'm in the process of tracking a few of my more recent ones from rpg-d down because affiliations where the boards never speak make me uncomfortable.

I do know however, that my game is used not because people have an interest in the site, but because they want to boost numbers. I've even been told as much and that used to jar me because I always affiliated with sites that I liked. When I want to stem my affiliates, I chuck in an extra line to my affiliation requirements:

'Potential affiliates must have more interest in the board than just hits.'

That slows affiliation RIGHT down. It's sneaky but it works and I like the sound of it much more than, 'closed for affiliation'.

I'm always pleased when people want to affiliate with me, but I have a hard time saying no. I used to be selective; I used to apply to boards for affiliation and not have the option on my site, so I could pick all the places myself. Then I drew up a set of rules for applicants which didn't guarantee them an affiliation with the board--again, so only boards I really liked were part of my affiliates list. These days I'll give anyone a shot, but I'm a stickler for those monthly checks. I'm also a hardass when it comes to the buttons. ASMM isn't a free ride, you know? : )

Affiliation means different things to different people--not everyone is out for all they can get! Some people want to give sites a helping hand and others, yes, just affiliate to increase their hits. I don't think people should be frowned upon for having all those affiliates, so long as they keep on top of them. Dead affiliate buttons, to me is a sign that this board is not that interested in their affiliates as they like to make out.

I personally affiliate with any big forum no matter how many affiliates they have but, on my forum i try to keep my affiliates at about 10 and under.

I used to just affiliate. Usually I did like I do for advertising - respond when people approach me and not otherwise. Sometimes I affiliated with sites I liked or always wanted to be able to find the link for. At my new RP I will have to affiliate carefully, because I'm not going to advertise and so I need to find affiliates where the members might be interested in my site.

I never have a problem with sites with a lot of affiliates and before soon I've never been picky about who I affiliate with (though I do check for dead boards).