Rewrite referrals page to add affiliate/creator programs (#307)

Author: muhsinking

references/referrals.mdx

@@ -1,68 +1,74 @@
 ---
-title: "Referral programs"
+title: "Referral, affiliate, and creator programs"
+sidebarTitle: "Referral programs"
+description: "Earn additional revenue through Runpod's referral, affiliate, and creator programs"
 ---
 
-Runpod offers two referral programs and a template program that allow users to earn additional revenue in the form of Runpod Credits. This document provides an overview of these programs and instructions on how to participate.
+Runpod offers three programs that help you earn additional revenue while helping us grow our community. Whether you're referring new users, creating popular templates, or driving significant traffic, there's a program that fits your contribution style.
 
-## Referral Programs
+## Runpod referral program
 
-### 1. Serverless Referral Program (BETA)
+Earn Runpod Credits when users you refer spend on Serverless or Pods. The referral program rewards both you and the person you refer, creating a win-win situation for everyone involved.
 
-The Serverless Referral Program rewards the referrer with Runpod Credits when the referred user spends a certain amount on Serverless.
+### How rewards work
 
-#### Rewards
+When someone signs up using your referral link and starts spending on Runpod, you earn a percentage of their spend as Runpod Credits:
 
-* Referrer: Earns 5% in Runpod Credits for Serverless spend
+- **5% commission** on all Serverless spend for the first 6 months.
+- **3% commission** on all Pod spend for the first 6 months.
+- **Bonus credits** for both you and your referral after they load \$10 on their account (you'll both receive a random value between \$5 and \$500).
 
-#### Eligibility
+If you referred users before June 16, 2025, you're part of our beta program group. This means you'll continue earning commissions on their spend indefinitely, not just for 6 months.
 
-* Till December 31st, 2024.
+## Runpod affiliate program
 
-### 2. Pod Referral Program (BETA)
+The affiliate program is designed for high-performing referrers who want to earn cash instead of credits. Through our partnership with Partnerstack, eligible referrers can earn 10% cash commissions on all referral spend.
 
-The Pod Referral Program allows users to earn a percentage of the money spent by their referred users for the lifetime of their account.
+### Eligibility and rewards
 
-#### Rewards
+To qualify for the affiliate program, you need to have referred at least 25 paying users through the standard referral program. Once eligible, you can choose to upgrade to the affiliate program, which offers:
 
-* Referrer: Earns 3% in Runpod Credits for every penny spent by the referred user on GPU Pods.
+- **10% cash commission** on all referral spend for the first 6 months.
+- Professional tracking and reporting through Partnerstack.
+- Direct cash payments instead of Runpod Credits.
 
-#### Example
+Once you opt into the affiliate program, this decision is permanent. Choose carefully based on whether you prefer cash payments or Runpod Credits.
 
-* If 20 referrals spend \$100 each on GPU Pods, the referrer earns \$60.
+For beta program participants (users referred before June 26, 2025), a special arrangement applies. These users will be eligible for Partnerstack commissions during their first 6 months. After that period, they'll return to the standard referral program but continue generating commissions indefinitely.
 
-#### Eligibility
+## Runpod creator program
 
-* Till December 31st, 2024.
+The creator program rewards users who build popular [Pod templates](/pods/templates/overview) that others use on the platform. Every time someone runs a Pod using your template, you earn a percentage of their spend.
 
-### 3. Template Referral Program (BETA)
+### How it works
 
-The Template Program allows users to earn a percentage of the money spent by users who use their Pod Template.
+Template creators earn **1% in Runpod Credits** for every dollar spent using their templates. This creates a passive income stream that grows with your template's popularity.
 
-#### Rewards
+For example, if 20 users run Pods using your template at \$0.54/hour for a full week, you'll earn \$18.14 in credits. The more useful and popular your template, the more you can earn.
 
-* Template Creator: Earns 1% for runtime in Runpod Credits for every penny spent using their template.
+### Getting started with templates
 
-#### Example
+To participate in the creator program, your template must accumulate at least 1 day of total runtime across all users. Focus on creating templates that solve real problems or make it easier for users to get started with specific workloads.
 
-* If 20 users use a Pod Template at \$0.54/hr for a week, the template creator earns \$18.14.
+## How to participate
 
-#### Eligibility
+Getting started with any of these programs is straightforward:
 
-* The template must have at least 1 day of runtime.
+1. Navigate to your [referral dashboard](https://www.console.runpod.io/user/referrals) in the Runpod console.
+2. Find your unique referral link (it will look something like `https://runpod.io?ref=5t99c9je`).
+3. Share this link with potential users through your preferred channels.
 
-## How to Participate
+For the creator program, simply publish templates through your Runpod account and promote them to potential users.
 
-1. Access your [referral dashboard](https://www.console.runpod.io/user/referrals).
-2. Locate your unique referral link. For example, `https://runpod.io?ref=5t99c9je`.
-3. Share your referral link with potential users.
+## Important details
 
-#### Important Notes
+Understanding how these programs work will help you maximize your earnings:
 
-1. Commissions are calculated as a percentage of credits used, not credits purchased. So if your friend purchases \$1000 in credits, you won't receive a commission until they use them.
-2. Referrals are only valid when the referred user creates a new account using your referral link. If your referral already had a Runpod account, you won't receive a commission for referring them.
+1. **Referral commissions are based on actual usage, not purchases.** If someone you refer buys \$1,000 in credits, you won't earn commission until they actually use those credits on Pods or Serverless workloads.
+2. **New accounts only.** Referral links only work for brand new Runpod users. If someone already has an account, referring them won't generate commissions.
 
 ## Support
 
-If you have any questions or need assistance with the referral or template programs, [please contact](https://contact.runpod.io/hc/en-us/requests/new) the Runpod support team.
+Have questions about maximizing your earnings or need help with any of these programs? [Contact our support team](https://contact.runpod.io/hc/en-us/requests/new) for assistance.
 
-Runpod allows referrers to keep the earnings made before activation once they meet the eligibility criteria and are accepted into the program.
+Remember, if you're transitioning to the affiliate program, you'll keep all earnings accumulated through the referral program before making the switch.