Estimate how many readers an affiliate article must serve to pay back
Convert the cost of producing an article into a traffic requirement.
Calculate expected value per visit
If 8% of visits generate eligible clicks and net EPC is $0.50, expected commission is four cents per visit. A $240 production cost implies about 6,000 visits to recover the investment.
Test the weakest assumption
At 5% eligible click-through, the same EPC gives 2.5 cents per visit and requires 9,600 visits. Use settled commission and an explicit time horizon.
Make the editorial decision separately
A page can still deserve publication because it answers an important reader question. Track upkeep and referrals, and avoid adding extra purchase buttons just to reach the forecast.
Try a related tool
Measure earnings per tracked referral click after refunds and reversals. Use counts and commissions from the same cohort.
