Z Media offers over 35 free email newsletters covering a wide variety of topics ranging from PC game reviews to cooking recipes to travel tips. Their affiliate program operates in a pay-per-lead fashion, paying $0.40 for each subscriber you refer to one or more of their newsletters. Since the newsletters are free, you can expect an above average conversion ratio compared to pay-per-sale programs. Also, with their wide variety of newsletter topics, the Z Media affiliate program can be added to nearly any web site to help generate an additional revenue stream.

Z Media also now offers a 'Keep the Traffic' program which allows you to refer newsletter subscribers without your visitors ever needing to leave your site. The commissions on this are lower, but offset by the fact that you won't lose any traffic. For this program, Z Media pays $0.05 per subscriber to each of 3 possible newsletters. Thus, if you refer a person that subscribes to all 3 newsletters, you will earn $0.15 total.

What really sets the Z Media program apart from other similar programs is that it is infinitely tiered. Many programs are two-tiered, meaning that if you refer a webmaster to the program, you receive a percentage of their earnings. With Z Media, there is no set limit to the number of tiers that you can receive commissions from.

The way this works is that each tier pays 20% of the previous tier. So, if you refer a webmaster to the program, you receive 20% of their earnings, or $0.08 per subscriber they refer. If that webmaster then refers another new webmaster to the program, you also receive 20% of 20% of their earnings, or $0.016 per subscriber. This continues on down through an infinite number of tiers. Thus, theoretically the program has infinite levels at which you could earn commissions, but of course after the 4th tier, the commissions you receive would be minutely small.

The infinite tier aspects of the program are a substantial benefit if your web site attracts other webmasters. However, even if your site doesn't, the good news is that the program is still among the best for direct referral commissions.

Z Media offers a wide variety of pre-built banners and buttons you can use to promote the program on your site, as well as text links for your web site or your own email newsletter. Checks are issued monthly, approximately 30 days after the end of the month, once you have accumulated $25 in commissions. For new affiliates, they also offer to pay your first month's check right away, even if you only earn $5.