What is the affiliate market and why is it gaining in popularity?

If you have ever had the pleasure of watching the critically acclaimed TV series Mad Men, you may be mistaken in thinking that advertising and marketing nowadays are the same as it was in Don Draper’s day.

Unfortunately, marketing and advertising executives no longer go on spiritual retreats to inspire their latest soft drink commercial campaign. Instead, the advertising executives of today spend their time trawling through social trends, looking for new areas to exploit and expand in.

The biggest growth market for advertising in the modern day is the internet. In what has been termed ‘The Decade of the Smartphone’ the average Brit spends 24 hours a week online. As such advertising campaigns are now geared up for the internet, and one area that is growing is affiliate marketing.

But what is it and why is it becoming so popular? Read on to find out.

What is affiliate marketing?

In simple terms, affiliate marketing is an internet adapted form of traditional referral marketing. Prior to the internet companies would pay newspapers and magazines to discuss their products in the hopes of attaining new customers.

Nowadays, blogs and independent news site are so abundant that the readership figures of traditional publications are falling. More and more people are using the internet to find blogs that are specific to their interests.

As such big companies that are looking to advertise their goods can now directly pinpoint the demographic that they want by pairing up with a specific blog or website and making them an affiliate partner.

How does it work within the gambling industry?

JohnSlots is one of the most popular online casino affiliate sites. On the site, readers can find reviews of their favorite slots, news about upcoming casino bonuses and specific game guides.

That makes it the perfect affiliate partner for a host of online casinos, who are all fighting each other in a highly saturated market to increase their market share. As such, online casinos regularly pay to have their games or promotions featured on JohnSlots.

These adverts or commercials will come in the form of detailed reviews about specific games or simply news bulletins on the best bonuses and promotions on the market. JohnSlots managed to maintain its integrity by featuring a range of companies and reviewing their products impartially.

Whilst online casinos can reach their direct target demographic for a fraction of the price of a traditional advertising campaign.

Why is affiliate marketing so popular?

Apart from the aforementioned targeted demographic explanation, another reason for the popularity of affiliate marketing is its cost-effectiveness. On average most mid-sized companies will spend £100 on every new customer from their marketing budget.

An affiliate marketing article or product review can be purchased for as little as £50. That allows the paying company to reach a high number of potential customers for a nominal price. Affiliate marketing also has a higher conversion rate than traditional forms of marketing and advertising which furthers its viability as a successful campaign strategy.

How to become an affiliate

In order to become an affiliate, you will need to have a significant audience in the particular demographic that you plan to advertise to. Whether that be in the form of a blog, a vlog or a successful social media account is up to you.

Typically, you will need a minimum of 1,000 regular readers or followers in a specific area to attract the interest of affiliate marketing companies. If you already have a following of this size you need to research selling companies that would be interested in advertising to your readers.

Try and be specific and pick a company that is perfectly suited to your readership. Some companies pay for direct conversions, for example, the amount of paying customers that they receive directly from your website.

If you have a sizeable readership then you are more likely to be paid up front for advertising products or services on your website. Almost every big online company in the world has an affiliate marketing section on their website where you can find out more about their specific policies.