Best Categories to Focus On
Affiliate marketing is a vast industry that covers almost any sector. This year, some industries popped out to be more profitable than others.
Retail
The retail sector thrives in affiliate marketing and it is only expected to grow bigger in 2022. More and more top global retail brands, storefront platforms, marketplaces, and small businesses have been pushing the most attractive promotional campaigns to global customers.
Sustainable/ Eco-Friendly Goods
Brands offering eco-friendly products and shifting toward sustainability would seem to be moving in the right direction. Sustainability is quite the buzzword these days, and it has been reported that 73% of customers would be glad to alter their consumption habits if it helps the environment.
Health and Fitness
In the wake of a global pandemic, health and fitness brands have become more popular than ever. Affiliate marketing opportunities for this category would also cover new health gadgets. fitness apps and equipment, and technological tools for improving one’s well-being.
Tech
While it’s true that the tech niche can be full of competitors, the fast-paced nature of technology and the fact that tech products are essential for any aspect of living make it an invaluable category for affiliate marketers. Technology is everywhere, from our mobile phones to smart homes and enterprises. There is always a tremendous demand for tech, and the diversity of sub-niches you can explore offers affiliate marketers more opportunities.
Marketing Service
Marketing tech and SaaS providers have been running affiliate programs to make marketing tools and products more accessible to targeted users. Everything from sales platforms and end-to-end marketing solutions to automation and integration tools has steadily grown in number and offers excellent potential to help businesses succeed.
Affiliate Marketing Trends
Virtual Shopping
Online shopping is a vast industry slowly evolving to provide more immersive virtual experiences. Video selling and live streaming have been wildly successful anywhere in the world. Affiliates can also take a look at the trends of video selling through e-commerce platforms.
Creating affiliate marketing campaigns on the metaverse is also a trend that has gained more traction. The idea of virtual environments may sound new, but the early adopters are confident of the revenue potential of creating affiliate marketing opportunities in augmented reality environments.
Micro-Influencers
With thousands of brands peddling their goods to online users, shoppers have grown to crave authentic interactions online and are more likely to engage with content that’s very specific to their needs and interests. Micro-influencers may not have a huge following compared to celebrity influencers, but they have the advantage of having a loyal, more engaged following that translates to better conversions for brands they work with.
Crypto and NFT
Cryptocurrencies have been around for over a decade, and it looks like they are not going anywhere anytime soon. Crypto platforms have joined the affiliate marketing game, offering competitive referral programs, commission rates, and huge profit potential.
NFTs are relatively newer than crypto, but several platforms built for trading NFTs are now included in several affiliate programs that interested brands and publishers can explore.
Voice Search
Enhanced voice search features across tech devices are driving a new direction for online searches. Voice search is steadily becoming a frequently used means of searching for products online. This avenue has yet to be explored to the fullest by many marketers and brands. The new challenge for marketers would be creating content that’s voice search-friendly.
Privacy and Data Safety
Consumers have mostly grown wiser regarding protecting their online privacy and personal data. Countries around the world have also implemented consumer protection regulations online, meaning that marketers have to make campaign optimizations while considering users’ privacy and preferences. There’s been much talk about the possibility of a cookieless future, which can be replaced by other tracking methods such as target audience analysis and referral source analysis.
