Best Paid Traffic Sources for Affiliate Marketing

Today, I’d like to share the best paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing, as I see it.

Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online. To be successful in affiliate marketing, your number one objective is to learn and master traffic and lead generation. In other words, you must get eyeballs to see your affiliate offer. Without traffic, you won’t make sales and you won’t be in business long.

You’ll probably start out with free traffic, but at some point you must venture into paid traffic. My goal in this article is to teach you different ways to do that.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is when you promote someone else’s product or service for them and earn a commission from each sale. You are an independent contractor. You get your own affiliate link and promote that link online or offline. That link is tracked to you. Whenever a customer purchases the product or service through your unique affiliate link, you earn a commission. The vendor takes care of the customer service, payment processing, shipping, returns, etc. You simply focus on MARKETING the product and get paid strictly on your sales.

Why Paid Traffic?

Paid traffic, in my opinion, is the best and ONLY way to do affiliate marketing on a grand scale. Most people start out promoting affiliate products with free methods such as writing reviews, creating YouTube videos, making podcasts, and linking to affiliate products in their website. These methods do work, but can take months, even years, to build up enough traffic to make a considerable amount of sales.

While FREE is often a good way to get started with affiliate marketing, I don’t know many “super affiliates” or “full-time internet marketers” who rely strictly on free marketing strategies.

Why? You can’t scale free. When you focus exclusively on free strategies, you are limited to your own time and personal efforts. You only have so much time in a day! On the other hand, when you focus on paid advertising strategies, you can find something that works and then SCALE your efforts. Plus, paid advertising does not take much time compared to trying to do everything for free.

Considerations

Before you spend even one penny on paid advertising to promote your different affiliate products, there are a few things you should consider.

First off, who is your target market? Who is your ideal customer? What type of person is MOST LIKELY to purchase your product? Once you can answer those questions objectively, you need to figure out where these folks hang out online, so you can reach them quickly and effectively.

Your second consideration is what is the most cost effective way to reach these people with paid advertising? Of the different forms of paid advertising you can use, how much will it cost you with each strategy to make one sale? Which one will give you the best return on your money investment? You might not know that information right out the gate, so you must test each traffic source.

Your next consideration is can you advertise profitably? Is your product commission from each sale large enough to offset the advertising costs? For example, if you’re only earning $5-$10 per sale, you probably won’t be able to use paid advertising effectively. However, if you are earning $50 in profit, or more per sale, that leaves you some wiggle room to experiment with paid ads. The more you earn per sale, the better!

Next, you want to read the affiliate terms and policies for each product you promote to see which types of paid advertising are allowed and which type of ads are prohibited. Each affiliate program has different rules and policies, so please take the time to educate yourself. The last thing you want to do is start using a paid advertising method, invest a bunch of money, and then get terminated as an affiliate because you broke the rules.

Follow this simple guidance and you will shorten your learning curve and increase your chances of success with paid traffic.

Top 10 Best Paid Traffic Sources for Affiliate Marketing

Here are the 10 best paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing listed in no particular order. It’s almost impossible to rank these strategies, because each niche is different. I recommend you educate yourself on each strategy, to see if it might work for you. Let’s get started.

# 1: Facebook Sponsored Ads

Good ole’ Facebook! Whether you use Facebook or not, there are BILLIONS of people who use the platform DAILY. If you aren’t leveraging Facebook ads, your business is missing out.

If you can find a lucrative affiliate product to promote, that does not violate Facebook’s terms of service, I would consider using their paid advertising platform. You can write your ad, pick the audience you want to see your ad, set your cost per click and budget, and get started. You can test, tweak, and improve your ad until you find something that converts well.

The best thing about Facebook Advertising is you can target your advertising. You can pick who sees it. You can focus on groups of people most likely to be interested in your affiliate offer, which is a good thing.

No, it’s not cheap, but if you can match the right ad, with the right audience, promoting the right product, the sky is the limit.

# 2: Microsoft Ads

Coming in next is Microsoft Ads. This platform serves ads to Yahoo, AOL, MSN, Bing, Duck Duck Go, and other platforms. It’s a pay per click platform. You pick the keywords you want to target, you write your ad, you set your bid, and you are set.

You can choose search ads or content ads. Search ads show up in the search, and the content ads show up in emails, on websites, and across many different platforms.

Microsoft Ads is much smaller than Google Ads, but I’ve found it’s also much cheaper and much more flexible. You will have less competition.

There is a short learning curve with the platform, but I’ve used it for many years and I can still get clicks for less than twenty-five cents each. You might pay more than that, but I can almost guarantee you it will be significantly cheaper than Facebook or Google Advertising.

# 3: Google AdWords

Utilizing Google AdWords to promote affiliate products can be a highly effective strategy for marketers aiming to maximize their reach and drive targeted traffic to affiliate offers. Google AdWords, now known as Google Ads, allows advertisers to create compelling and targeted ads that appear in Google’s search results and across its extensive network of partner sites.

By carefully selecting relevant keywords related to the affiliate products, advertisers can ensure their ads are shown to users actively searching for related content. Crafting engaging ad copy and incorporating persuasive call-to-action elements can further enhance the effectiveness of the campaign.

Additionally, leveraging AdWords’ sophisticated targeting options, such as demographics and geographic targeting, enables marketers to reach specific audiences likely to be interested in the affiliate products. Through strategic bidding and continuous optimization, advertisers can maximize their ROI and drive meaningful conversions, ultimately establishing a lucrative partnership between affiliate marketers and Google AdWords.

# 4: YouTube Ads

YouTube ads present a compelling and dynamic avenue for promoting affiliate products, offering a multimedia approach that engages audiences visually and auditorily. Video content has a unique ability to convey information effectively and build a personal connection with viewers. Through YouTube ads, affiliate marketers can showcase the features and benefits of their products in a visually appealing manner, fostering a deeper understanding and interest among potential customers.

The platform’s extensive reach and diverse user base allow advertisers to target specific demographics, ensuring their message reaches the right audience. Additionally, YouTube’s ad targeting options enable marketers to tailor campaigns based on user behavior, interests, and online activity, maximizing the relevance of the promoted affiliate products.

With the potential for viral sharing and social engagement, YouTube ads provide a scalable and shareable medium for affiliate marketing, making it a highly effective and versatile tool for those seeking to broaden their product visibility and drive conversions.

# 5: Sponsored Posts

Investing in sponsored posts on popular websites can be a strategic and impactful approach to amplify the visibility of affiliate products. By partnering with influential websites that align with the target audience’s interests, marketers can leverage the established credibility and large user base of these platforms to promote their affiliate offerings.

Sponsored posts provide an opportunity to craft engaging content that seamlessly integrates with the site’s theme, offering value to the audience while subtly showcasing the affiliate products. This method not only increases brand exposure but also fosters a sense of trust among potential customers, as the endorsement comes from a trusted source.

With careful selection of websites that cater to the desired demographic, paying for sponsored posts can generate targeted traffic and boost conversions, making it a worthwhile investment for affiliate marketers looking to expand their reach and drive meaningful engagement.

# 6: Influencer Marketing

Leveraging influencer marketing as a paid traffic source is a powerful strategy to promote affiliate products, tapping into the credibility and reach of influential figures in specific niches. By identifying and collaborating with influencers whose audience aligns with the target demographic for the affiliate products, marketers can benefit from the trust these influencers have cultivated with their followers.

Negotiating paid partnerships allows for the creation of authentic and persuasive content, seamlessly integrating the affiliate products into the influencer’s usual content flow. This approach often results in a more receptive audience, as the endorsement comes from a trusted source. Additionally, influencers can utilize various channels, such as Instagram, YouTube, or blogs, to showcase the affiliate products in a way that resonates with their audience.

By carefully selecting influencers, setting clear expectations, and monitoring campaign performance, marketers can harness the power of influencer marketing to drive targeted and engaged traffic, ultimately boosting conversions for affiliate products.

# 7: Banner Ads

Utilizing paid banner ads is a strategic method to effectively promote affiliate products online. These visually compelling ads are displayed prominently on websites, capturing the attention of users and directing them to the affiliate offers. Through carefully designed banners that communicate the value proposition of the products, advertisers can create instant brand recognition and entice users to click through.

Platforms like Google Display Network and other ad networks offer extensive targeting options, allowing marketers to tailor their banner ads to specific demographics, interests, and online behaviors. The pay-per-click (PPC) model ensures that advertisers only pay for actual clicks, making it a cost-effective approach.

Regular performance monitoring, A/B testing, and optimizing ad creatives based on insights can enhance the effectiveness of banner ad campaigns, driving traffic and potentially increasing conversions for affiliate products in the highly competitive online landscape.

# 8: Solo Ads or Email Marketing

Investing in solo ads presents a targeted and efficient strategy for promoting affiliate products online. With solo ads, marketers collaborate with list owners who share their product offerings with a dedicated email list. This approach allows for direct access to an engaged audience, often resulting in higher conversion rates.

By partnering with list owners whose subscribers align with the niche of the affiliate products, advertisers can tailor their message to a receptive audience. Solo ads provide a quick and measurable way to reach potential customers, and the cost is typically based on the number of clicks or the size of the email list.

However, it’s crucial to thoroughly vet and choose reputable list owners to ensure the quality and authenticity of the email lists. Monitoring and analyzing the performance of solo ad campaigns will help refine targeting strategies and optimize future promotions, making solo ads a valuable tool in the affiliate marketer’s arsenal.

# 9: Pay per View

Investing in pay-per-view (PPV) ads is a strategic approach to promote affiliate products online, focusing on generating impressions through targeted views. PPV ads operate on a cost-per-view model, where advertisers only pay when their ad is viewed by a user. This method can be particularly effective for creating brand awareness and reaching a large audience, as the ads often appear on pop-up or pop-under formats, capturing attention without being intrusive.

Marketers can target specific demographics and interests, ensuring that the affiliate products are showcased to a relevant audience. PPV campaigns can be cost-effective, allowing advertisers to reach a high volume of potential customers within a budget. By optimizing ad creatives and targeting parameters, advertisers can maximize the impact of PPV ads and drive traffic to their affiliate product offers.

It’s essential to monitor performance metrics closely and refine the strategy based on insights gained to achieve optimal results in this dynamic and results-driven advertising approach.

You definitely want to consider PPV, especially if you have a “mass market” type affiliate product, such as weight loss, health, money, etc.

# 10: Postcards & Direct Mail

Leveraging postcards as a promotional tool for affiliate products offers a tangible and personalized approach to marketing. In an era dominated by digital channels, the physicality of a postcard can create a memorable and unique connection with the audience. Incorporating visually appealing designs and concise messaging, postcards provide a direct means to showcase affiliate products.

This method is particularly effective for local or targeted campaigns, allowing marketers to reach specific demographics through direct mail. Including a call-to-action and personalized URLs can drive recipients to dedicated landing pages, facilitating easy tracking of campaign success.

The tactile nature of postcards can leave a lasting impression on potential customers, enhancing brand recall and potentially increasing conversion rates. Integrating postcards into a comprehensive marketing strategy adds a nostalgic touch to the digital landscape, fostering a sense of connection and authenticity in promoting affiliate products.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, these are the best paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing, as I see it. What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with these findings? What do you believe are the best paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing and why? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.