Dating

Dating is a vertical in affiliate marketing and traffic arbitrage. It focuses on promoting dating sites and apps. The main goal is to attract users who would register and use paid services (chats, messages, restricted galleries, subscriptions).

Affiliates can receive payouts under several cooperation models, including CPA, CPL, RevShare, and Hybrid. The market features both whitehat offers (real people involved) and gray/fake ones, which means bots or operators are involved. As it's easy to scale in this vertical, demand stays stable over many years.

Dating offers: formats variety

There are several dating directions that differ by monetization schemes and target audiences. The end choice depends on the arbitrage specialist's approach and desired profit. Some offers aim at a mass audience and quick registrations, while others focus on expensive conversions and high checks. To build an effective funnel, the arbitrage specialist should be familiar with the specifics of each format.

Mainstream dating is represented by large and popular platforms, such as Badoo, Tinder, or Mamba. The users look for real social connections, communication, and relationship possibilities. The profit comes from premium subscriptions, the additional features, and other in-app purchases.

Niche services focus on specific audience segments. They can target individuals based on unique interests, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or even professional activity. Such segmentation ensures high engagement and user loyalty.

Micro-dating involves accelerated connections with integrated game elements, such as quizzes or quick matches. The model aims for impulse purchases and short sessions.

Fake (virtual) dating means simulated communication. Users interact with automated systems or moderators, who represent themselves as real interlocutors. The main revenue comes from paid messages, virtual gifts, and subscriptions to premium content.

Each direction targets a unique audience, has specific retention mechanics and different conversion rates, along with special requirements for traffic quality and sources.

How do dating and adult differ in affiliate programs?

Adult focuses on quick satisfaction gained by access to 18+ content and visual stimuli. There's no social contact or rapport with someone else. The adult niche requires special tags and separate creative approaches, as it is subject to strict filtering by advertising platforms.

Dating provides communication and emotions, while users are engaged in dialogue. The filtering system is not that strict, as users choose to contact others on their own. Hence, the ad campaigns require different tactics. Despite some similarities with adult, dating works and converts differently.

Best traffic sources for dating offers

Success is possible when traffic sources are chosen correctly. Each channel had pros and cons, as well as limitations that affect the lead cost. The best performers are:

1. Push notifications and popunders: cheap, mass traffic for fake and micro-dating offers.
2. Facebook and TikTok: work well for whitehat apps, especially with Tier-1 GEOs.
3. ASO+CPI: mobile installs, often incentivized.
4. SEO and arbitrage through doorways: for organic and branded traffic.

The final choice has to be based on the offer format and the target audience's GEO. The main goal is to ensure maximum relevance, tailor the right creatives, and adapt the strategy to the clients' needs.