Affiliate marketing vs. advertising

Some people argue that affiliate marketing and advertising are the same things. After all, they’re both about attracting customers and increasing sales. However, this line of thought couldn’t be more wrong. Yes, the end goal may be the same, but the principles of action between the two marketing strategies are quite unlike. We’ll show you all the differences so that you can decide which option is the best for you. Let’s begin this affiliate marketing vs. display advertising battle!

Affiliate marketing pros

When speaking about affiliate marketing vs. display advertising, we need to start from scratch. This means starting with all of the advantages of affiliate marketing advertising methods.

1. From the affiliates’ point of view, you don’t need much money or experience to get started. You just need to get to know your niche and do proper research about promotion sites.
2. For brands, there are various payment methods to choose from. PPS means paying a percentage of every purchase that results from affiliate marketing. There is also PPC (pay per click), which means paying for every customer who is directed to your site. And last but not least is PPL, when an affiliate gets paid for each customer who leaves personal information on a website, e.g. by filling out a newsletter signup form.
3. There is no single guidebook to teach you about affiliate marketing advertising methods. Everyone has their own methods, which are mostly the results of practice. It all depends on the niche, industry, and product, so affiliates gain experience and learn how to reach their target at the same time. This is a big win for affiliate marketing in this affiliate vs. display advertising battle. Why? Because different affiliates working in the same industry can reach different types of audiences. And that means more customers.

Advertising pros

When it comes to comparing advertising and affiliate marketing, it makes sense to talk about online/display ads. Both appear on the Internet, so it makes for a fair comparison. Let’s cover display advertising pros.

1. They reach a specific audience – online ads are only displayed for those who are interested in the topic. At least this is the main assumption based on cookies that track browsing behavior. So if your ads are all about traveling, they’re being displayed because you have searched for travel destinations or accommodation, etc. This is without a doubt a major plus point.
2. There are many price ceilings – so no matter if you are a small family store or a big international company, you can invest as much or as little money as you wish or can afford. There are also many types of payment methods available, so there is a lot of room to maneuver and choose what you want.
3. Changes at any time – it is an unquestionable advantage of Internet advertising over TV or outdoor commercials, for example. If you want to change some elements of your ads, you can do so at any time, whether they are live or just a draft.

How to master affiliate marketing

To compare affiliate marketing vs. display advertising, we need to mention that there are a few areas in which affiliate marketing performs better. Here are some examples:

1. Affiliate marketing is more personalized than display advertising. Good affiliate marketing is based on shared values with the recipients. Moreover, for it to be effective, the presented content must be prioritized by the audience. Thus, affiliate marketing advertising methods must be thought out in detail.
2. Start with a strategy. This is the first step when it comes to planning business. Affiliate marketing can bring so much more money than display advertising, but only when all actions are well planned.
3. Many users ignore ads. Whenever a pop up appears, most of us click close and continue to scroll the website. The same goes for display ads. People are so overwhelmed by advertising that they have learned to ignore it. So if you want to win an advertising vs. affiliate marketing battle with your affiliate ideas, just keep this in mind. In the case of direct advertising, marketers are often too intrusive, so don’t be. Reminding others about yourself is good, but not when it’s done too often.
4. If you want to build your brand, customer base, and network, then affiliate marketing is a good option. To make a connection between different affiliates and merchants, it is a good idea to stay open and alert.
5. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your affiliate marketing empire. Even if you have created the best affiliate marketing strategy, it can take time to make a profit. Give your affiliates some time to work their magic.

Advertising vs. affiliate marketing – final thoughts

After analyzing advertising vs. affiliate marketing cases, we would have to admit that affiliate marketing provides great competition for display and direct advertising. Affiliate marketing has a lot in common with advertising, but it is more universal. You can adjust it to your product or audience without creating an abundance of separate promotion materials. You just need to be on the same page as an affiliate or influencer and define the affiliate marketing methods that will best suit your business and the affiliate.

In the case of comparing advertising and affiliate marketing, we have presented you with some information to help you choose which method suits you the most. We hope that you will find this little affiliate dictionary entry useful.