There are many reasons to expect great results. For example, don't you think such a marketing approach:

1. will stimulate people to invest their time to MUCH better content, including comments?
2. stimulate tons of new users to register and to add value to the project knowing anyone can earn well from the start - just deliver the quality content?

Referring to TOP-30 posts/comments idea - this is super easy to implement, no risk at all. Referring to Affiliate Program - depends on where to get those 20% affiliate reward... but do we have any other idea how to skyrocket this project cheaper?

I know for sure - when a project does not have a huge marketing effort for daily promotion across all media channels, just do a non-greedy Affiliate Program. The more you share with affiliates the better - they will skyrocket your project. For example, IQoption - the largest trading website in the world - appeared from nowhere, became #1, billion dollars in turnover. Why? They were not greedy and offered 50% to their affiliates.