How to start in gaming affiliate marketing for beginners

Gaming affiliate marketing, when done right, can be both exciting and rewarding. Creating a successful affiliate marketing business requires some knowledge and expertise, but starting in an era where any information is at your fingertips can make it much faster. In this blog post, we will cover everything you need to know to get started, from understanding the basics to finding the perfect affiliate programs.

What is affiliate marketing?

Affiliate marketing involves promoting products, such as games or services, to earn a commission for each registration or other target action completed via your referral link. It is a performance-based strategy where affiliates are rewarded for driving traffic, but most importantly, conversions for companies. This model is particularly attractive because it allows you to earn passive income without the need to create your own products. All you need is a platform with some kind of community.

The simplest platforms you can pick when starting are blogs or social media profiles. Sometimes, it’s good to use your existing private platforms and turn them into ad spaces. The decision is yours. While creating a cashback service will take time, social media platforms are fairly simple to use.

Why choose gaming to start your affiliate marketing journey?

The gaming industry is experiencing fast growth, making it a good niche to consider. The global market size is projected to reach $583.69 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.4% from 2023 to 2030​​. The increasing adoption of mobile gaming, advancements in virtual and augmented reality technologies, and the rising popularity of esports drives this growth.

Gaming offers are diverse, including console and PC games, mobile gaming, and esports. This diversity allows gaming affiliates to target various groups of gamers with different demographics.

Understanding your audience is crucial for successful affiliate marketing. Gamers are predominantly in the age range of 18-34 years old. Interestingly, the gender split is fairly balanced, with roughly 46% female and 54% male gamers. Geographic hotspots for gaming include South Korea, the United States, Japan, Germany, and China, where the gaming culture is particularly strong​.

Gamers are highly engaged and spend significant time on gaming platforms like Twitch and social media. They value authentic reviews and influencer recommendations, which can significantly impact their purchasing decisions. They often watch tutorials, walkthroughs, reviews, or gameplays. This behavior makes it essential for affiliate marketers to create high-quality, relatable content that resonates with their audience​,

Gaming affiliate marketing campaign formats

When choosing affiliate programs, it’s important to consider the different campaign formats: desktop and mobile games, e-commerce stores, or gaming services.

In gaming desktop campaigns, the payment models typically include Cost Per Lead (CPL) or Single Opt-In (SOI). Mobile gaming often uses Cost Per Install (CPI) and Cost Per Action (CPA) models. E-commerce platforms reward affiliates by providing them with Cost-Per-Sale (CPS), RevShare, or CPA payment models​.

Gaming affiliate marketing insights

As in every niche, gaming affiliate marketing has its own secrets. You need to understand the differences in hold periods, payment models, and moderation processes. Learn more details on these topics in our article, “Gaming Affiliate Programs: All You Need to Know to Succeed.”

Another critical aspect is timing. While outlining your business plan, you should understand what types of campaigns you will work with and how to adjust them to hot seasons. Key periods to focus your efforts include the colder months from November to December. This is not only a time when many people stay indoors, but it’s also a peak time for gaming purchases. Aligning your campaigns with major game release dates and mid-year sales events can also boost your traffic and conversions.

Business models to choose from

Affiliate marketers in the gaming niche can adopt various business models to monetize their efforts. Among them are content sites, influencers, cashback services, email marketing, and media buying.

Content Sites and Influencers: These focus on providing in-depth reviews, guides, and news related to gaming. By offering valuable information, they attract a dedicated audience often checking their platforms. Influencers can promote gaming products through recommendations and engaging content, showing the promoted game. This model relies on building trust and a loyal following.

Coupon Sites and Cashback Services: Offering discount codes and deals is an effective way to attract gamers looking for bargains. These sites can drive significant traffic by highlighting the best offers. Similarly, cashback services reward customers with a percentage of their purchase back when they shop through the service’s affiliate links.

Email Marketing: This involves sending targeted promotional emails to a list of subscribers to drive traffic and conversions through affiliate links. This model relies on building a substantial email list and crafting compelling email campaigns.

Media Buying: This involves purchasing advertising space on various platforms (such as websites, social media, and search engines) to drive traffic to affiliate offers. This model requires understanding targeting and ad management platforms to ensure profitability.

How to find the perfect program

Finding the right affiliate program is key to your success. Start by researching programs within your niche that offer competitive commissions, quality games, big brand names, and reliable tracking systems. Joining reputable affiliate networks like Mitgame can speed up the process by offering a wide selection of programs. Evaluate each program based on your business goals. Remember, there are many things to consider. Choosing big brand names can drive extra traffic to your platform, but niche studios promoted by smaller groups of publishers can secure you a long-term partnership more easily.

Starting in gaming affiliate marketing is an exciting journey filled with opportunities. By understanding the basics and reaching out to expert content on the topic, you can build a successful affiliate marketing business. Remember to track your performance, optimize, and stay updated with industry trends to continuously improve your strategy. Happy gaming and happy earning!