1. Reviews by that author/site are exhaustive, not one-paragraph reheated press releases.
2. Reviews by that author/site are sometimes negative. A site that has all positive reviews is just a marketing brochure.
I am also more forgiving of affiliate links when it's a random nobody/blogger/Youtuber who is making money solely from affiliate links. What's slimy is when big magazine brands double dip on affiliate links and display ads -- e.g., "Hey, REI: we'll push all our affiliate links to REI.com if you buy X number of ads on our website."
Comments
I have two criteria:
1. Reviews by that author/site are exhaustive, not one-paragraph reheated press releases.
2. Reviews by that author/site are sometimes negative. A site that has all positive reviews is just a marketing brochure.
I am also more forgiving of affiliate links when it's a random nobody/blogger/Youtuber who is making money solely from affiliate links. What's slimy is when big magazine brands double dip on affiliate links and display ads -- e.g., "Hey, REI: we'll push all our affiliate links to REI.com if you buy X number of ads on our website."