Why Traffic Matters
Are you sending your affiliate links into the void without any prep? If so, you’re missing a trick! The best way to play – like with many games — is with a little preparation.
Here we’ll lay it out for you.
Check it out.
Traffic Sources: The Quick & The Dirty
A “traffic source” is just where people are coming from — engines, socials, inboxes, basically everything you can think of. Google Analytics is the first thing you need to master. Fling data, tweak your campaigns and feel comfortable in the space. Your vectors will improve rapidly!
Warm vs. Cold Traffic: How to Know the Audience
- Cold traffic: Trust is just getting started. Hard to convert.
- Warm traffic: Trust is heating up. With higher conversion rates and loads more clicks, how to proceed?
- ...by email of course! And not forgetting social engagement, forums (i.e. Reddit), and YouTube!
Types of Traffic: Flash Rundown
- Direct: Who knows? Let’s think about mysterious guests…
- Organic: Found with search, absolutely no ads.
- Paid Search: Here is where we give praise: to Google Ads!
- Social: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, the list keeps growing...
- Email: Newsletters and campaigns are the way to go.
- Referral: Other sites send their audience to us.
- Mobile/Desktop: Even if our users only use it briefly, we must optimize.
Free Traffic Sources you MUST consider
1. Facebook: Organic reach, but only if you build your profile, join groups, and mix helpful posts with useful and targeted affiliate links.
2. Instagram: Over 1 billion users. Stunning visuals required. A key metric: Engage with followers! Don’t just post things.
3. TikTok: This is the ultimate Gen Z goldmine. Viral traffic from here can spread to other platforms.
4. Pinterest: Search/social hybrid. Pin your links, link your pins. Anything visually stunning will create seeds and a garden here.
5. Reddit and other Forums: Community has momentum! Add value in threads. Build trust, then share what you want people to share in turn.
6. YouTube: Creation costs nothing. At a ratio of potential creativity to time spent, YouTube kills.
7. Blog/Website: This is a place to drill deep into your niche, leading people where you want them to go.
8. Guest Posts: It is a tried and tested format. Just write collaboratively. Start by working with others, then bring them onto your stage. The quid pro quo never ends.
9. Email: People respond to personal messages. The only golden rule: don’t spam. Make bespoke offers, work with segmented lists, create and sculpt your audience.
Paid Traffic: Putting Money to Go Where Clicks Are
1. Google Ads: Keyword strategies evolve. The fundamentals never go away. Be prepared to invest in Ads, for now and into the near future.
2. Banner Ads: A great opportunity for creativity. Think: the next step after a click, more engagement.
3. Native Ads: Blend in to stand out! Have a close look then camouflage your own input.
4. Solo Email Ads: Pay for a dedicated blast to someone else’s list.
5. Facebook: The best way to circulate back to your Landing Page.
6. Instagram Ads: Easy with Meta’s suite. Target by feed, stories, reels, videos.
7. Other Social Ads: TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, YouTube—go wide, watch reach skyrocket.
Boosting Traffic: Fast & Smart
- Use your creativity. Encourage others to use theirs.
- Optimize for sharing everywhere!
- Guest post: inviting someone is a great way to lead to more content!
- Email campaigns: all of the above should be good to turn into email content. Don’t forget to follow up.
Don’t Blow Your Synapses – But Test First!
Analysis is good — but never over-analyze. Look at traffic channels, check results, and try to do better. Don’t be afraid to pivot and never worry about the importance of pinpointing your sweet spot. Are your numbers flowing warm or flowing cold?
Keeping your eye on this is the key to the game.
Want to be the Best at Affiliate Marketing in 2025?
Stay agile, always be curious. Refer back to this guide as your primer.
But most of all: Are you ready to join Digistore24’s affiliate scoreboard?
A miracle for our time: The registration is 100% free.
The secret to the game is finding a good traffic source: now get to it!