12 Best Paid Traffic for Affiliate Marketing [2025]

   By: Marketer Rakib
Updated October 14, 2024
Best Paid Traffic for Affiliate Marketing

I know how important it is to use the best-paid traffic for affiliate marketing.

From my experience, I can say that waiting for free traffic to come to your site is a lengthy process and sometimes unreliable, especially if you’re promoting affiliate products in a busy market. 

Paid traffic, on the other hand, can quickly bring your offers in front of people who are ready to buy.

I’ve helped many marketers who struggled with free methods, and once they found the right paid traffic source, their sales and results improved fast. 

Here, I’ll share the 12 best ways to use paid traffic for Affiliate Marketing in 2025 to help you get better results quickly.


What is Paid Traffic in Affiliate Marketing?

Paid traffic means paying to show your ads on platforms like Google or Facebook to get more visitors to your affiliate offers.

It helps you reach specific groups of people based on things like their —

  • interests, 
  • age, 
  • or where they live. 

For example, if you're promoting a health product, you can target people who are interested in fitness. 

Do you know what paid traffic actually looks like?

If I search in Google for the “Backlink Service in the USA”, and some “sponsored” or "Ad" sites pop up at the top of the results, those are actually paid ads.

Backlink Service in the USA

Here are the best paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing: 

Why Use Paid Traffic Platforms for Affiliate Marketing?

  • Fast results: Unlike free traffic, paid traffic makes your ads visible right away if the correct methods are followed.
  • Targeted audience: You can show your ads to the exact people you want based on their age, location, or interests.
  • Scalable: If a campaign is working well, you can spend more money to reach even more people.


12 Best Paid Traffic for Affiliate Marketing in 2025

Now, I’m going to introduce you to 12 top paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing with all the important details so that you can use them based on your needs.

Platform

Average Cost

Solo Ads

$.40 to $1+ per click for high-quality, targeted solo ad traffic

Google Ads

$2 - $10 per click (can vary widely based on keywords and competition)

Facebook Ads

$0.50 - $2 per click (can vary based on targeting and ad format)

YouTube Ads

$0.10 to $0.30 per view or per click

LinkedIn Ads

$5 - $10 per click (can vary based on targeting and industry)

Instagram Ads

$0.40 to $0.70 per click (can vary based on targeting and ad format)

Bing Ads

Bing's average cost per click is $1.54—33 percent lower than Google Ads.

Pinterest Ads

$0.10 to $1.50 per click (can vary based on targeting and ad format)

Push Ads

$0.01 - $0.05 per click

Taboola

$0.25-0.3 per click

Outbrain

$0.10 - $0.50 per click

Quora Ads

Generally, the minimum CPC bid for most platforms is $0.01.

Now is the time to explore paid traffic sources for affiliate marketing.

1. Solo Ads

Solo Ads

Solo ads are a type of paid advertising where you buy email traffic from someone else’s email list.

Essentially, you pay someone to send an email promoting your product or service to their subscribers.

It’s fast, easy, and can deliver high-quality traffic that’s already interested in what you have to offer. Learn more about Solo Ads marketing

Pros:

  • You can buy lists of people already interested in your niche.
  • Unlike SEO or social media, solo ads give you fast traffic almost instantly.
  • You don't need to worry about ranking on Google or making content. Just buy traffic and focus on your affiliate offers.
  • No complicated strategy is required. Find a seller, give them your link or ad copy, and they do the rest.

Cons:

  •  Not all email lists are good, so you need to choose sellers carefully.


Solo Ad Conversion Scenarios

Let me show you some scenarios that give you an idea how solo ads can work really well if things go right, with lots of sales at a low cost.

But if things don’t go well, you could end up paying more for fewer sales, especially if fewer people buy after clicking.

Solo Ad Scenario

Clicks Purchased

Cost per Click

Conversion Rate

Cost per conversion

Solo Ad A (Best Case)

500 clicks

$0.30

4%

$7.50 per conversion

Solo Ad A (Worst Case)

500 clicks

$0.30

1%

$30.00 per conversion

Solo Ad B (Best Case)

1,000,000 subscribers

$0.10

3%

$3.30 per conversion

Solo Ad B (Worst Case)

1,000,000 subscribers

$0.17

1.5%

$11.11per conversion

So, to overcome the above worst case, you’ve to focus on purchasing solo ads from a trusted seller with good reviews and proven track records.

You can try out Marketer Rakib for Solo Ads because my main focus is to give you an affordable Solo Ads service that gives you results (100% email-based real clicks from Tier 1 countries).

Our success is clear in the chart below:

Solo ads review

  • 100% Unique IPs: Every click is from a different person—no repeats. 
  • 66% Mobile Clicks: Most people clicked from their phones—239 clicks came from mobile users, showing strong interest while on the move.
  • 100% Tier 1 Traffic: All 362 clicks came from high-quality countries (like the US, UK, and Canada), which are more likely to lead to sales.

You can visit this blog to learn🔥How Much Do Solo Ads Cost?” 

2. Google Ads

Google Ads

“Can You Use Google Ads for Affiliate Marketing?” —

This is likely the first question many people ask when thinking about using Google Ads for affiliate marketing.

“Can I advertise and sell affiliate products with Google Ads?” ---

Yes, you can!

But there are some important rules to follow.  So you don't get banned by Google or waste your money. I’ll cover up that after showing the pros and cons table.

Google Ads is a service that lets businesses show their ads on Google when people search for specific keywords.

Google Ads

Google is the most popular search engine worldwide, often handling over 80% of searches on desktop computers.

This means more chances to reach potential customers.

Pros:

  • Your ads reach people who are already searching for your products, which means a higher chance of making a sale.
  • You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.
  • Once approved, your ads can go live immediately, bringing quick results.
  • Adjust budget and placements based on performance.

Cons:

  • You have to spend money right away to run paid ads, unlike free organic traffic.
  • If you don't monitor your ads carefully, costs can add up fast without much return.

You can check out this video guide to know How Much Do Google Ads Cost?” 

How to Do Affiliate Marketing with Google Ads

Don’t Use Direct Links

  • If you put direct affiliate links in your ads, you might get your account banned by Google. Instead, follow Google’s rules for ads.

Choose the Right Products

  • The success of your ads depends a lot on the products you choose to sell. Selling bad-quality products can hurt your reputation, so always pick items that are valuable, helpful, and have good reviews.

Track Your Links

  • Use the tracking tools from your affiliate programs to see how many people click and buy through your links. This way, you won’t have to use outside tools for information.

This is what Google Ads’ tracking dashboard looks like. 

Google Ads’ tracking dashboard

Avoid Brand Name Bidding

  • Be careful with bidding on brand names, as many brands don’t allow it. As an affiliate, you usually shouldn’t use a brand’s main keywords in your paid ads.

    For example, if you’re promoting Nike shoes as an affiliate, you shouldn’t use "Nike" as a keyword in your Google Ads, since most brands don't allow affiliates to bid on their brand name directly.

    Instead, you could use broader terms like "running shoes" or "best sports shoes."

Key Tips for a Great Landing Page

A successful Google Ads campaign relies heavily on a high-converting landing page. Your landing page should serve multiple purposes beyond driving traffic to affiliate links, including capturing visitor emails for future marketing.

  • Create a Strong Headline
  • Share your affiliate link at the start so visitors see it right away.
  • Use headings, bullet points, and images for easy scanning.
  • Tell visitors about your affiliate links clearly.
  • Use Simple Words
  • Use tables to show key info and help visitors compare products.
  • Make your call-to-action stand out and easy to find.
  • Track clicks to see which parts of your page work well.

3. Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads are a way for businesses to show their products and services on Facebook, which has roughly three billion active users around the world.

Advertisers can make special campaigns to reach specific groups of people based on things like their age, interests, and where they live.

Key Features of Facebook Ads:

  • Target Audience: You can choose exactly who sees your ads based on their age, location, interests, and other details.
  • Ad Formats: Facebook has different types of ads, including picture ads, video ads, and carousel ads (which let you show multiple images at once).
  • Analytics: You can see how well your ads are doing in real time, including how many clicks, views, and sales you get.
  • Boost Website Visits: Make attractive ads that take people straight to your affiliate links.
  • Get More Interaction: Share posts with affiliate links to get more people to see them.

Facebook Ads

Using Facebook Ads for Affiliate Marketing

Pros:

  • You can reach a large and diverse audience.
  • Advertise specifically to people likely to buy your affiliate products.
  • Set your own budget and control your spending.
  • Get insights on how your ads are performing.
  • Show ads to people who have previously interacted with your content.
  • Create engaging and visually appealing ads.

Cons:

  • Facebook has strict rules about what can be shown in ads.
  • Sometimes, your ad might get rejected or need changes before it can run.
  • Huge competition.


How to Create Your Facebook Audience

Separate Your Personal Profile

  • Don’t use your personal profile: Create a separate Facebook Business Page for promoting your affiliate products. This keeps personal connections separate and helps build a professional brand.

Separate Your Personal Profile

  • Choose Groups or Pages: Decide whether a Facebook Group or Page is better suited for your affiliate marketing goals.
  • Set Up Your Page or Group: Finally, create a professional and engaging page or group.

Page or Group

Methods to Promote Affiliate Offers on Facebook

  • Use Image Ads: People like images. They grab attention better than just text.
  • Promote Other Websites: Use Facebook ads to link to offers from other sites.
  • Use Text Ads: Text ads can have buttons that link directly to products. They can be more expensive.
  • Use Video Ads: Videos are fun to watch. Keep them short and add a button to direct viewers to offers.
  • Use Mobile Ads: Many users are on phones. Make sure your ads look good on mobile and include action buttons.
  • Targeting and Placement: Use audience insights to find the right people and places for your ads.

Examples of How to Generate Leads

  • Think of New Ideas: Come up with ideas you like. Others might want them too.
  • Retargeting: Reach out to people who visited your site but didn’t buy. Bring them back with ads.
  • Facebook Video Ads: Videos can get lots of clicks. Make them interesting.
  • Ad Campaign Length: See how long people stay engaged. Adjust your ads if needed.
  • Ad Placement: Place ads in news feeds or links to websites. Use tools to track how they perform.

Check out this informative blog to learn how to get leads from Facebook groups in 2025. 

4. YouTube Ads

YouTube Ads

YouTube Ads are short videos that play before, during, or after YouTube videos. These ads help you reach a large audience and drive traffic to your affiliate products.

Pros:

  • Wide reach
  • Targeted advertising
  • Visual appeal
  • Measurable results

Cons:

  • YouTube ads may not be the best option for all affiliate offers, especially those that are not visually appealing or require detailed explanations.
  • If people see your ad too often, they may ignore it.

How YouTube Ads Work

  • Create an Ad: You start by creating a video ad to promote your affiliate products. This could be a quick demo or an explanation of the product.
  • Set Up an Ad Campaign: Use Google Ads to set up your campaign. Choose who you want to see your ads based on interests, age, or location.

Set Up an Ad Campaign

  • Create a Google Ads Account: If you don't already have one, you'll need to sign up for a free Google Ads account.
  • Create a New Campaign: Once you're logged in, click the "+ Create Campaign" button to start a new campaign.
  • Choose Your Campaign Goal: Select "Video" as your goal to create a YouTube ad campaign.

Choose Your Campaign Goal

Select Your Campaign Type:

  • TrueView Ads: Skippable ads that play before, during, or after a video.
  • TrueView for Reach: Non-skippable ads that play before a video.
  • In-stream Ads: Ads that play during a video.
  • Bumper Ads: Short, non-skippable ads that play before a video.
  • Set Your Budget: Determine your daily or monthly budget for the campaign.
  • Target Your Audience: Specify who you want to see your ads (e.g., age, interests, location).
  • Create Your Ad: Design a compelling ad that captures attention and encourages clicks.
  • Set Your Bidding Strategy: Choose how you want to pay for your ads (e.g., cost per view, cost per click).
Set Your Bidding Strategy: Choose how you want to pay for your ads (e.g., cost per view, cost per click).

  • Review and Launch: Review your campaign settings and launch your ad.
  • Pay for Views: You only pay when someone watches your ad for a specific time (usually 30 seconds) or clicks on it.
Review your campaign settings and launch your ad.

Direct Traffic: The goal is to direct viewers to your affiliate link or website, where they can learn more and make a purchase.

5. Linkedin Ads

Linkedin Ads

LinkedIn Ads are paid advertisements that show up on LinkedIn, a social media platform for professionals where over 67 million companies are registered. These ads help you promote affiliate products to a professional audience and bring traffic to your affiliate links.

Pros:

  • Access to professional audience
  • Has many targeting options
  • High Engagement.

Cons:

  • Best for B2B niches only like IT, logistics, and networking.
  • Short user engagement, on average, 7 minutes and 38 seconds.
  • Ads are expensive, with $2.00 – $3.00 per click and $5.01 – $8.00 per 1,000 impressions.
  • The average cost per lead is $98, which is much higher than other platforms like Facebook.

How LinkedIn Ads Work

  • Create an Ad: Start by creating a LinkedIn ad that promotes your affiliate product. It can be an image, video, or text ad.

How LinkedIn Ads Work

Set Up an Ad Campaign: Use LinkedIn’s Campaign Manager to set up your ad. You choose your target audience based on job title, industry, skills, and more.

Set Up an Ad Campaign

  • Pay for Clicks or Impressions: You can choose to pay when someone clicks on your ad (CPC - cost per click) or every time your ad is shown to someone (CPM - cost per 1,000 impressions).
  • Drive Traffic to Your Link: The goal is to direct users to your affiliate link, where they can learn more about the product and possibly make a purchase.

6. Instagram Ads

Instagram

Instagram Ads are a great way to send people to your affiliate links or website. With Instagram Ads, you can show your products or services to over 2 billion people. The best part? You can add links to your website in your ads, which you can't do in regular Instagram posts.

There are different types of Instagram Ads you can use, like:

  • In-feed posts: Photos or videos that show up as people scroll through their Instagram feed.
  • Stories and reels: Short videos that are very popular on Instagram.
  • Product carousels: Multiple pictures in one ad that people can swipe through.

For affiliate marketers, Instagram also lets you make a shop on the platform where you can promote products directly. But to get more people to visit your shop, it's helpful to run paid ads.

What to Do for Instagram Ads in Affiliate Marketing

  • Choose the right ad type
  • Instagram doesn't let you add links in regular posts, but in ads, you can!
  • Instagram is all about images and videos. Make sure your ad stands out with high-quality visuals that grab attention.
  • Since many Instagram users are younger (18-34), it's great if you're targeting this age group.
  • If you set up an Instagram shop, use ads to promote it and get more visitors.
What to Do

Here are 3 Things You Need to Create Instagram Ads

Instagram Business Account:

  • Switch from personal to business account to access full ad features.
  • Go to your profile → Settings and Privacy → Account Type and Tools → Switch to Professional Account.

Facebook Page:

Facebook Page:

  • Needed to run ads through Meta Ads Manager.

  • Link your Instagram to a Facebook page through Business Settings → Instagram Accounts → Log in and connect.

Needed to run ads through Meta Ads Manager.

Payment Method:

  • Add a payment method in Facebook Ads Manager under Billing and Payments.

How Much Does Instagram Advertising Cost?

Cost Type

Price Range

Cost per Click (CPC)

$0 – $0.25

Cost per Engagement (CPE)

$0.03 – $0.08

Cost per 1,000 Impressions (CPM)

$0 – $4.00

7. Bing Ads

Bing Ads

According to me, Bing ads are another good way to bring paid traffic to your affiliate links or website. Even though Google is more popular, many people still use Bing. Bing has 16.6 billion searches every month on the Microsoft network. 

That’s huge!

If you want to reach these users and promote your affiliate products, Bing Ads can help.

Pros:

  • Less Competition
  • Lower Costs
  • Older Demographics
  • Advanced Targeting Options

Cons:

  • Smaller Audience
  • Limited Tools
  • Long Learning Curve

How Bing Ads Work for Affiliate Marketing

Bing Ads work similarly to Google Ads. You make ads that show up at the top of Bing search results when someone types certain keywords. When people click on your ad, they are sent to your affiliate product or website.

How Bing Ads Work for Affiliate Marketing

You only pay when someone clicks on your ad, so it can help you get traffic quickly.

  • If you don't already have an account, you'll need to sign up for a Bing Ads account.
  • Once you're logged in, create a new ad campaign.
  • Select "Website clicks" or "Conversions" as your goal.
  • Determine how much you're willing to spend on your ad campaign.
  • Specify who you want to see your ads (e.g., age, interests, location).
  • Design a compelling ad that captures attention and encourages clicks.
  • Monitor how well your ads are performing and make adjustments as needed.

Differences Between Bing Ads and Google Ads

You might get confused about which one will suit you between these two platforms. I’m making it easy for you.

Feature

Bing Ads

Google Ads

Audience Size

Smaller (about 34% of desktop searches)

Larger (most people use Google for searching)

Audience Demographics

Older, higher income ($100K+), more interested in finance and shopping

Broader, includes all age groups and interests

Ad Position

Ads often appear higher on search results

Ads may appear lower due to more competition

Cost-Per-Click (CPC)

Lower ($7.99 on average)

Higher ($20.08 on average)

Competition

Less competitive (easier to bid on keywords)

Highly competitive (you need to bid higher for keywords)

Targeting Options

Unique filters like age and location

Standard filters available

Social Media Extensions

Shows followers from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Shows only Google+ followers

Best For

Financial and shopping industries, older audiences

Broader industries, bigger audiences


What to Do

✅Import low-competition Google keywords to save time.
✅Use Bing’s extra text space in ads for promotions.

What to Do

✅Tailor ad copy specifically for Bing’s audience.
✅Use Bing’s keyword research tools to find profitable long-tail keywords.

What Not to Do

❌Don’t copy Google Ads without adjusting for Bing’s different audience.

❌Don’t overlook the importance of optimizing your landing page for conversions.

❌Don’t ignore Bing as part of your paid search strategy—less competition means cheaper clicks!

8. Pinterest Ads

Pinterest Ads

Pinterest Ads show your promoted pins (ads) to people when they search for certain keywords, browse different categories, or scroll through their feeds. If someone clicks on your ad, they go to your website or affiliate link. 

Pinterest users often look for things like home decor, fashion, recipes, and products, which makes it a great place to promote affiliate products in these areas.

Pinterest is great for affiliate marketing in 2024 because it has lots of users, and shoppers there spend 2x more each month

Even small brands can grow since most searches don’t focus on big names.

Pros:

  • Highly visual platform
  • Active users
  • Affordable
  • Ads stay relevant for longer

Cons:

  • Limited audience compared to Google or Facebook
  • May not be suitable for all products (e.g., text-heavy content)

You can check out this blog to learn the steps on how to do affiliate marketing on Pinterest.

Always Remember

Always Remember

  • Pinterest is all about visuals, so make your pins look great.
  • Use relevant keywords in your pin descriptions for better search results.
  • Choose an audience that fits your products.
  • Try various designs to find what works best.
  • Use Pinterest analytics to track and improve your ads.

Basically, you can use Pinterest to send people to third-party sites like Amazon by joining an affiliate program. When someone buys through your link, you earn a commission, and it costs you nothing upfront.

9. Push Ads

Push ads are notifications that pop up on someone’s device (phone or computer) even when they’re not browsing. 

These ads show up like regular app or website notifications and can be a great way to catch someone’s attention quickly.

Pros:

  • Instant visibility
  • Cost-effective
  • High reach
  • Quick results

Cons:

  • You have to deliver your message in a few words.
  • Users may get annoyed if they receive too many notifications.


How Push Ads Work for Affiliate Marketing

Push ads are used to send people to your affiliate links or website. When someone clicks the notification, they’re taken directly to your offer, landing page, or product. 

It’s a fast way to get paid traffic because the ad is sent directly to users.

  • Set up a campaign with your desired message and call to action.
  • Specify who you want to see your push ads (e.g., interests, demographics).
  • Your ads will be delivered to users who have subscribed to receive notifications from your website or app.
  • Monitor how well your push ads are performing and make adjustments as needed.

10. Taboola 

Taboola

Taboola is a content discovery platform that shows ads (in the form of articles, videos, or blog posts) at the bottom or side of web pages on popular websites.It’s a great way to drive traffic to your affiliate links because your ads appear as “recommended content” on big sites.

Pros:

  • Large audience reach
  • Pay-per-click model
  • Better for content-based ads
  • Targeting options

Cons:

  • Many advertisers use Taboola, so it's competitive.
  • Costs can rise quickly if not managed properly.
  • Poor content won't get clicks or conversions.

How Taboola Works for Affiliate Marketing

  • You can promote articles, blogs, or videos with affiliate links embedded.
  • Taboola lets you pick specific demographics, locations, and interests to show your ads.
How Taboola Works for Affiliate Marketing

  • You only pay when someone clicks on your ad and visits your page or offer.
  • Taboola places your ads on well-known websites, helping you reach millions of people.

11. OutBrain 

OutBrain

Outbrain is another content discovery platform that shows your ads (articles, blogs, videos) on well-known websites. It helps bring traffic to your affiliate offers by placing ads as "suggested content" that looks like regular articles.

Pros:

  • Large audience reach on major websites
  • Appears like native content, blending into the site
  • Targeted ads based on interests and locations
  • Only pay for clicks (CPC model)

Cons:

  • Requires strong content to engage users
  • Costs can rise quickly if not managed properly.
  • Poor content won't get clicks or conversions.

How Outbrain Works for Affiliate Marketing

  • Sign up for an Outbrain account and connect your website.
  • Create ad campaigns for your affiliate offers.

How Outbrain Works for Affiliate Marketing

  • Specify your target audience based on demographics, interests, and behaviors.
  • Select the content you want to promote.
  • Monitor your campaign performance and make adjustments as needed.

How Much Does Outbrain Cost?

Outbrain charges per click, so you only pay when someone clicks your ad. You can set a daily or lifetime budget to control your spending, and costs usually range from $0.50 to $1.50 per click for quality traffic.

12. Quora Ads

Quora Ads

Quora Ads are paid ads that show up on Quora, a well-known question-and-answer website. They help businesses and individuals connect with people who are looking for information and solutions.

You can use Quora Ads to promote your products or affiliate links on the Quora platform. By using Quora Ads, you can reach a large audience interested in various topics and drive traffic to your affiliate offers.

Pros:

  • Access to millions of users across various topics.
  • Many targeting options
  • Increases the chance of interaction.
  • Detailed analytics to see how your ads perform.

Cons:

  • Many advertisers are using the platform, leading to stiff competition for attention.
  • You can't link directly to affiliate offers in the ads; it must go through your site or landing page.

How Quora Ads Work for Affiliate Marketing

  • Sign up for a Quora Ads account to start creating ads.

Select the type of campaign you want, such as traffic, conversions, or brand awareness.
How Quora Ads Work for Affiliate Marketing

  • Pick specific audiences based on interests, locations, or demographics to ensure your ads reach the right people.
  • Design your ad with eye-catching headlines, images, and compelling copy to encourage clicks.
  • Decide how much you want to spend daily or for the entire campaign.
  • Once everything is set up, launch your ads and monitor their performance.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully, you now have a pretty good idea of the best-paid traffic for affiliate marketing. Keep in mind that the best-paid traffic source for you depends on who your audience is, how much money you can spend, and your goals.

That’s why, you should try out different platforms and ad types to see what works best for your affiliate marketing.


FAQs

Are there any free ways to get traffic for affiliate marketing?

You can get affiliate traffic from many free places. These include sharing on social media, improving your website's ranking with search engine optimization, and posting on online forums.

Is using paid traffic effective for affiliate marketing?

Yes, paid traffic is worth it for affiliate marketing. It helps you get a lot of relevant visitors to your landing page, especially in CPA marketing, where high traffic is needed. 

How much traffic do you need for successful affiliate marketing?

To start making money from your website through affiliate marketing, aim for 500 to 1,000 visitors per day. On average, about 1% of your visitors might buy the product you're promoting. So, with 500 to 1,000 visitors daily, you can start seeing regular sales.

If you use paid ads, you can get even more visitors, which could lead to more sales. Depending on your budget, you could target tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of visitors each day.

Ask Your Questions

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Marketer Rakib is a full-time Blogger and Affiliate Marketer. Follow Rakib to learn how to scale up your online business for more Make Money. Before starting this blog, Rakib managed world's top digital marketing agencies. Now, He has been helping people to make money online through affiliate marketing.  

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