Incentive Traffic

Incentive, or Incentivized Traffic is a method of attracting users to advertiser’s offers based on a system of rewards. It means that affiliates suggest incentives or rewards to encourage users to take a specific action, such as clicking on a link, signing up for a newsletter, completing a survey, or making a purchase. These incentives can include cash rewards, gift cards, discounts, free products, etc.

One of the most crucial characteristics is the ability to drive large traffic volumes within a short period. 

Incentive Traffic Meaning

Incentive traffic refers to a type of web traffic that is driven by the promise of incentives or rewards for visiting a website, completing a specific action, or engaging with content. Affiliates typically promote these incentives through various channels, such as websites, social media platforms, email marketing, or dedicated incentive networks.

However, it’s important to note that incentive traffic can be controversial within affiliate marketing. Some affiliate networks have restrictions regarding the use of incentives, as it can potentially lead to low-quality, uninterested leads or fraud. Therefore, affiliates need to carefully review the terms and conditions of the affiliate platforms they join to ensure compliance with the rules and guidelines surrounding incentive traffic.

Advantages of Incentive Traffic for Affiliates

Affiliates choose incentive traffic for several reasons:

• High conversion rates: By offering incentives, affiliates can effectively boost conversion rates, which in turn enhances the value for advertisers;
• Eliminating Bots: Crawlers and other bots typically lack human motivation. Due to this, incentivized traffic ensures genuine user engagement and enhances exposure, even if users are receiving rewards;
• Lower CPL: Affiliates can provide better deals to advertisers or improve their profit without increasing costs, thanks to the lower cost per lead they achieve.

Disadvantages of Incentive Traffic

As we’ve already mentioned, incentive traffic have cons that influence affiliates:

• Lack of interest: Numerous advertisers hold the belief that paying users contradicts the fundamental principles of advertising. They have moral reservations about having inflated numbers from users who lack genuine interest in their products, and therefore prohibit such practices from affiliates;
  
  
• Short-term Solution: Incentivized traffic is a short-term marketing strategy as users eventually stop using or delete the app. This decline in user engagement adversely affects rankings and necessitates a continuous financial investment without yielding substantial profits;
  
  
• Association with Fraud: Certain advertisers perceive the inclusion of incentivized traffic as increased fraudulent activities. They hold the belief that allowing motivated traffic could lead to the proliferation of click farms and bot developers, thereby creating an unpredictable marketing environment.

Related articles:

• What is a CPA Offer in Affiliate Marketing
• What is CPA Marketing