In 2023, the competition in affiliate marketing has intensified as anticipated, and several factors indicate that interest in this space will continue to grow. To not only remain competitive but also enhance their earnings, affiliates must consistently explore new sources, advertising formats, approaches, and, most importantly, geos.
In this article, the MyBid team will share their observations on geos in which you can earn more money in 2023 with less competition.
CIS countries
There is intense competition in the English-speaking market, which has driven affiliate marketers to seek opportunities in new, untapped regions. One noteworthy example is the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. These countries, encompassing Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Armenia, and Belarus, offer considerably lower competition for affiliate marketers.
The audience in these GEOs is not yet highly sophisticated, but it actively engages in targeted actions and converts with the most popular verticals. Historically, it has been observed that many users have a good understanding of the Russian language, meaning that there is no need to search for native speakers for each country.
Tier-1 segment
Due to the high costs associated with acquiring leads from platforms like Facebook and Google, most affiliates are generally hesitant to working with Tier-1 countries. However, with ad networks providing well-established push, banner, and pop formats, you can enter almost any popular niche within Tier-1 countries with an initial investment of $150-200.
It is important to dedicate time to locate a network that has less bot traffic and verified websites. In this regard, MyBid, a fully-managed network, stands out as approximately 90% of the sites within its network are owned by the company itself. As a result, the traffic quality remains exceptionally high. Moreover, the audience is actively engaged and financially capable. Additionally, the network managers are responsible for configuring and optimizing the affiliate's campaign, ensuring effective results.
Recently, a lot of impressive Tier-1 sites have been integrated into the network. During these instances, the level of competition in the auction significantly decreases due to their relatively low occupancy. Consequently, this presents an opportunity to acquire top-notch traffic at an exceptionally favorable price, particularly from traditionally costly regions like the USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, and Great Britain. As of the present moment, the minimum CPC bid for Germany and New Zealand stands at a mere $0.000185.
Muslim countries outside the CIS
After Tier-1 countries, we would like to highlight a group of states where the people predominantly practice Islam and actively use the Internet.
Turkey
Turkey is a highly promising and rapidly developing geographical location with a vast audience of millions and large volumes of mobile traffic. It is also a culturally diverse region, characterized by contrasting characteristics that position it both physically and intellectually at the intersection of Eastern and European civilizations.
In addition to traditional sectors of the economy, such as e-commerce, casinos, betting, and cryptocurrencies are flourishing in this region. Given that Turks are known for their penchant for gambling, Turkey is an ideal Tier-2 destination for individuals interested in gambling and betting.
Malaysia
Malaysia is an Asian country that stands out for its unique web landscape, characterized by low competition. The nation boasts a robust economy, with an average salary ranging from $800 to $1000. Additionally, its population has embraced digitalization, making it highly connected. Approximately 80% of Malaysians actively utilize mobile internet services. However, it is worth noting that slow internet speeds are a prevalent issue. However, when targeting this market, it may not always be advisable to use video creatives. Instead, opting for push and pop messages could be the genuine choice.
For instance, many affiliate teams and individual affiliates typically begin by thoroughly testing all new hypotheses and approaches for Malaysia using push notifications within a MyBid fully-managed network. In this network, the manager carefully selects sites that are relevant to the offer even before the advertising campaign is launched.
An additional advantage that aids in cost savings for campaign localization is that English is widely used alongside Malay in this particular region, owing to its history as a former English colony.
Pakistan
Most advertisers and affiliate programs have recently started receiving interesting offers targeting the Pakistan geo. This development shouldn't come as a surprise, considering that Pakistan ranks as the world's fifth most populous country. Similar to Malaysia, Pakistan remained under British rule for an extended period, which makes it appropriate to incorporate English into creatives alongside the traditional Urdu language. In Pakistan, you can effectively promote a wide range of products, including goods, nutraceuticals, and even gambling offers, despite the formal prohibition imposed by local authorities and Sharia law.
The geographical location is suitable not only for beginners but also for experienced teams due to its low competition and cost per lead. With a vast pool of 220 million potential leads, such an untapped market with interesting offers like Pakistan presents excellent prospects for scaling.
Egypt
Egypt completes our list of interesting and profitable geos in 2023, a region that has been explored by many affiliates.
Despite low wages, the country ranks 48th in e-commerce popularity. Additionally, a significant 70% of the country's population, which amounts to 107 million people, use the Internet actively and engage in electronic financial transactions.
Working with this geo does not necessitate large budgets. Average payouts per lead and limited competition can bring quick profits for affiliates.
Facebook, ad networks, Google, and Native Ads are the ideal sources for this geo. It is recommended to begin testing the audience with nutra-, dating-, and adult-offers.
Conclusion
In affiliate marketing, the most successful affiliates are those who act swiftly upon the emergence of new GEOs that may initially seem unprofitable. Instead of waiting for others or disregarding these opportunities, they proactively test the initial offers within advertising networks. Moreover, they effectively leverage the assistance of a dedicated personal manager to rapidly scale their campaigns. This enables them to secure the prime opportunities and reap the maximum benefits from their efforts.
