Do's and Don'ts of Affiliate Marketing

In this article, we’ll explore the essential do’s and don’ts of affiliate marketing, providing you with the tips and insights you need to optimize your campaigns and maximize your profits.

DO’s:

• DO change banners often. Regularly update your banners to keep your ads fresh and appealing to users.
• DO test different landing pages. Experiment with various landing pages to improve conversion rates.
• DO test various GEOs. Try targeting different geographic regions to find the most profitable markets for your campaigns.
• DO A/B test. Conduct A/B testing with different combinations of images, headlines, and brand names (for native and push ads), as well as landing pages.
• DO use images that match the landing page and the offer. Ensure your images align with the landing page and the offer to maintain consistency and avoid confusion.
• DO test several verticals. Explore multiple verticals instead of sticking to just one.
• DO split test the same offer from at least 2 affiliate networks. Split test the same offer across different affiliate networks to compare results.
• DO go for quality leads at the beginning. Start with high-quality leads to increase your chances of getting pay bumps.
• DO use a tracking tool and S2S. Utilize a tracking tool and server-to-server (S2S) tracking for accurate data collection.
• DO use dynamic parameters provided by networks. Take advantage of dynamic parameters offered by affiliate networks to track your campaigns effectively.
• DO optimize via ad spot. Optimize your ads based on their placement on different spots.
• DO use frequency capping. Don’t overload users with the same creative—set frequency capping to 1 if you’re using multiple creatives (at least 4-5), or 2-3 if you use fewer creatives.
• DO test different traffic types. Test various types of traffic, including different banner sizes, pop-unders, native ads, and push notifications.
• DO use emojis and macros for native ads and push notifications. Enhance your native ads and push notifications with emojis and macros.
• DO optimize LP loading speeds below 500ms, especially in mobile. Ensure that your landing page loads quickly, especially on mobile devices, keeping speeds under 500ms.
• DO compile a blacklist in case you buy RON traffic. Create a blacklist when purchasing Run-of-Network (RON) traffic to avoid poor-quality traffic.
• DO create a whitelist with the top-performing ad spots. Build a whitelist of the best-performing ad spots for more targeted ad placement.
• DO test Tier 2 and Tier 3 GEOs. Test Tier 2 and Tier 3 geographical regions to expand your reach and find new opportunities.
• DO get proper translations for your landing pages, banners, and texts. Make sure your landing pages, banners, and ad texts are properly translated for each target market.
• DO use prelanders. Use pre-landing pages to warm up your audience before directing them to the main offer.
• DO get accounts at all the major traffic sources. Set up accounts with all major traffic sources to maximize your ad exposure.
• DO build trust with your networks. Establish strong, trusting relationships with both your traffic and affiliate networks.
• DO expect to face huge competition and lose money at first. Understand that competition can be fierce, and initial losses are common as you fine-tune your campaigns.
• DO test high vs low bids. Experiment with high and low bids. High bids typically bring better quality traffic.
• DO use CPM bidding instead of CPC wherever possible. Opt for Cost Per Thousand (CPM) bidding rather than Cost Per Click (CPC) wherever possible.
• DO use dynamic CPM. Use dynamic CPM bidding for better control over your ad spend.
• DO create separate campaigns for different sites. Create separate campaigns for different sites as large sites often require a unique approach.
• DO know your competitors. Always stay informed about your competitors and their strategies.

DON’T’s:

1. DON’T expect to make money if you don’t invest. To succeed, you need to invest in good servers, a CDN, and a reliable tracking tool.
2. DON’T mix mobile/tablet/desktop traffic. Keep campaigns separate for mobile, tablet, and desktop traffic to optimize performance for each.
3. DON’T mix wifi and carrier traffic. Avoid mixing Wi-Fi and carrier traffic, as the bids for these can differ significantly.
4. DON’T send carrier traffic to dating offers. Carrier traffic is better suited for other types of offers than dating.
5. DON’T ask for pay bumps after 10 leads. Don’t request pay increases after only generating a small number of leads.
6. DON’T expect to make money if you just copy everything. Simply copying someone else’s strategy won’t guarantee success. You need to test and optimize.
7. DON’T make premature decisions. Don’t rush decisions—wait for enough data to make informed choices.
8. DON’T buy RON in large networks if you have no experience. Avoid purchasing Run-of-Network traffic in large networks if you're inexperienced, especially in large GEOs.
9. DON’T be afraid to test a lot. Don’t be afraid to test multiple banners—sometimes you need to go through dozens of them to find the one that works.
10. DON’T be sad when you get kicked from an offer. Getting kicked from an offer happens to everyone, even to pros. Don’t take it personally.
11. DON’T think all networks have the same traffic quality. Test different networks to find the best quality traffic.
12. DON’T think higher payouts per lead mean more profit for you. Sometimes low-paying offers convert much better and can be more profitable.
13. DON’T push saturated offers. Don’t rely on saturated offers—look for new and less competitive ones.
14. DON’T run in all GEOs. Focus on 2-3 GEOs that work best for you rather than spreading yourself too thin.
15. DON’T mix several GEOs in one campaign. Mixing multiple GEOs in one campaign makes optimization more difficult. Focus on one GEO per campaign.
16. DON’T use fixed bids if you can use dynamic bidding. Avoid using fixed bids if dynamic bidding options are available, as they provide better flexibility.

Affiliate marketing requires a careful balance of experimentation and optimization. By following the dos and avoiding the don’ts, you can significantly improve the effectiveness of your campaigns. Keep testing, analyzing, and refining your strategies to stay ahead of the competition.