How do you choose affiliates?

I only chose my affiliates based on one common factor: the type of face claims/play-bys we used. Because I used solely animanga/illustrated FCs, I'd only affiiliate those who did the same.

If I found out one of my affiliates had bad staff members (i.e. they bully their reps), I'd remove them as I felt responsible for inadvertently exposing my friends and members to them.

 

Resource sites and sites that look really cool or I'm on/have been on and would endorse are usually the types of sites I would affiliate with.

 

Our site only has resource sites on the banner as afffiliates because I too hate editing when boards go down. A previous site I was with used to have to do a monthly affiliate check for dead boards because many go down swiftly.
Presently we do link back and such because its easier. We also do not link advertise with sites where you have to register to post it...I hate that.