Your Blogging Expertise is Needed

[Useless]

Howdy

I'm preparing to launch the affiliate blog that was the subject of another thread. (I've got the affiliate id part working perfectly, as well as the RSS feed.) Now, I need the input of experienced bloggers on what seems to work well at getting blog readers to click through to the paysite tour. It looks like most of you give a gallery or two per post and use that as the primary linkage to the tour(s). What's better in your opinion - linking to the gals via thumb or text link?

Outside of galleries within posts and direct links in the sidebar, are there other clever ways to transition readers from the blog to the tour?

I'm seeing a lot of blind linked thumbs on newer blogs. I can't see that as being a great way to move the surfer to the tour. Has this become the rule fo the day for blogs, or are those blind thumbs just poor blogging by newbies and rebels?

Also, do you folks tend to simply link to affiliate blogs or do you also pull the RSS/Atom feed? I assume most feed lovers use RSS 2.0 - are there other types of feeds that are popular? (I've got 2.0, .92 and Atom running.)

Do you have certain quality/content demands of affiliate blogs that I should know before I make an ass of myself and launch something no one wants? This will be a real text blog - not a list of galleries or a page of thumbs accompanied by 10 words. (I promise)

Stupid question: What is the best name for blogs created by sponsors? Hosted Blog...Affiliate Blog...etc?

If this first blog is successful, we intend on launching others - so your input is greatly appreciated.