A guide for the dating vertical: overview and choice of strategy

With annual revenue exceeding a staggering 2 billion dollars and a constant growth trajectory, the online dating industry is an undeniable powerhouse. What fuels this remarkable ascent is accessibility and convenience. This is the territory of potential dates, connections, and even financial gains that are just a few clicks away. Emerging as far back as the 1980s, it's the social media surge that recently ignited the dating industry's meteoric rise to fame.

Online dating isn't just a fad; it's a dynamic market teeming with innovation and growing popularity. Month after month, a plethora of dating-oriented services are making their debut in the market. Platforms like Badoo, Match.com, Tinder, and Pure, each catering to distinct geographic and demographic segments. People are pursuing diverse relationship goals – from lifelong partnerships to carefree love affairs with no strings attached. The latter are especially active consumers of dating services, often reluctant to invest time and energy into serious relationships.

Evergreen is the word that describes the dating vertical. It has its ebbs and flows, yet its capacity to convert remains steadfast year after year. However, we can’t ignore the elephant in the room – the increased competition. The dating domain is not as easy a cash machine as it once was. It's not that people have lost interest; it's the fierce rivalry that demands a more strategic approach. As one of the oldest verticals in affiliate marketing, dating has consistently proved its profitability for over a decade. Moreover, the beauty of this domain lies in the versatility of traffic sources – from shareware to paid, they all deliver impressive results.

Now, let's delve into the details, explore the perks and pitfalls of this thrilling vertical, dissect available dating offers, navigate payment options, and tactics for successful promotion. 

Pros

• Dating is an expansive and continuously expanding vertical. It remains consistent throughout the year, being pertinent regardless of the season or global circumstances.

• Prominent webmasters and teams within this field have the potential to generate as much as $500,000 monthly.

• Launching advertising campaigns on dating platforms is quite simple.

• Within this realm, webmasters can capitalize on any audience, given the appropriate offers and strategies.

• Substantial volumes of traffic, along with the availability of highly converting GEOs, including those from Tier 1 countries.

• A multitude of options for potential offers with over 1500 dating platforms accessible.

Cons

• Challenges in crafting or selecting creative materials, not only from the perspective of efficient conversion but also moderation requirements.

• Affiliate links can be copied, potentially allowing others to yield profit from your efforts.

• Reaping further gains from the same leads is not feasible.

• Fierce competition

Types of dating offers

• There are three primary categories within the realm of dating services: adult, casual, and mainstream. Additionally, more specialized niches such as sugar daddy dating and gay dating, which fall under the umbrella of adult dating, have experienced a recent surge in popularity. We suggest a closer look at the most popular ones:

• Adult Dating remains at the forefront as the most sought-after niche. These services are tailored for those looking for romantic relationships, both in the virtual and the real world.

• Casual Dating involves offers that provide a straightforward approach to dating, focusing on casual sexual encounters without any commitment. These offers attract visitors through adult-oriented advertising networks.

• Mainstream Dating is intended for individuals in search of long-term relationships with real people. These platforms bring together like-minded people who share common interests and perspectives. It's worth noting that promoting Mainstream Dating Offers through adult-oriented traffic is generally prohibited.

The popularity of both adult and mainstream offerings is consistently on the rise. However, the potential profitability hinges on factors like geographical location and traffic sources. Particularly notable are the high-converting areas within the adult dating niche, which yield substantial volumes of engagement and considerable profits even amidst heightened competition.

On the other hand, working with mainstream providers might pose more challenges, but the conversion rates are notably higher. Yet, this endeavor is worth the pursuit of reliable channels for authorized traffic.

Sources of traffic for dating offers

Acquiring reasonably cost-effective dating traffic is always feasible. Occasionally, instances of successfully garnering substantial traffic from platforms like Reddit, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram are observed. However, achieving substantial profitability requires an automated and scalable approach, given the growing comprehensiveness of anti-spam systems. Therefore, prioritizing paid traffic sources is often a more viable strategy.

The most prevalent avenues for dating traffic are teaser networks, popunder, and popup traffic. These sources offer cost-effective options, encompassing diverse geographies and providing ample room for customization.

Push and native ads also hold considerable sway in promoting dating offers. Opting for push ads can mitigate moderation challenges, while native ads align well with mainstream offers. In all cases, it's crucial to keep in mind the necessity of pre-landing, as not all advertising networks authorize explicit content.

Building a foundation through Facebook and Dating apps can be costly, but the base generated within these applications can be leveraged repeatedly.

Payment models

In the data mining vertical, affiliate marketers have the following earning options:

• SOI (Single Opt-In) - Compensation is provided when a user completes a specific action by entering personal information, such as email, age, interests, or other basic details.

• DOI (Double Opt-In) - Earnings come from the completion of multiple targeted actions, commonly involving verifying an email address, phone number, and providing comprehensive questionnaire responses. 

• PPS (Pay-Per-Sale) - Revenue is generated through user purchases of paid content, which could include subscriptions, buying premium features, etc.

• Revshare (Revenue Share) - This model resembles PPS, but the payment rate isn't fixed. Instead, the affiliate’s compensation depends on the platform's profits. (In essence, the more purchases users make, the greater your earnings.)

Rates and payouts are contingent upon several factors including the nature of the offer, geographical location (GEO), traffic type, and the platform's characteristics. For newcomers, the initial two payment options hold an advantage, as they prioritize registration as a key metric, circumventing the need to await service payment. However, in the case of targeted traffic, PPS and Revshare emerge as the most lucrative models. 

Recommendations on launching dating offers

• Start by carefully reviewing the offer requirements. Advertisers often set specific criteria and limits for the desired traffic.

• Effective targeting hinges on audience segmentation. Consider factors like age, gender, and demographics. Delve deeper into their interests and preferences. A profound understanding of your audience is key to crafting a resonating strategy.

• Match creative materials appropriately. It’s a misconception that aggressive creatives always win. Avoid misleading CTAs that might generate clicks but lead to dissatisfaction. A transparent approach builds trust and encourages genuine engagement.

• Do not overlook prelanding or presales pages. Test both options – with and without a prelanding. Keep in mind that a good prelanding page warms up the audience, making them more receptive to your offer.

• Stay in the know of trends. Engage users through gamification, boosting interactivity. This level of engagement surpasses the effects of geolocators and countdown timers, enhancing the user experience.

• Strategize your offer GEOs.If you're new to the game, it's better to refrain from starting with Tier 1 countries. Although these locations offer attractive rates, the competition is fierce. It’s wiser to begin with smaller countries that offer lower competition.

• Explore alternative traffic sources. Diversifying traffic sources is a universal tip. While applicable to all verticals, it's especially important in the dating realm. Experiment with different avenues to tap into potentially rewarding shareware traffic streams.

Whether you're a newcomer or a seasoned pro in the space of dating offers, these insights are designed to guide you through the intricacies of this vertical.