The Affiliate Marketer’s Quick Guide to Halloween Campaigns

There are dozens of holidays and celebrations that affiliate marketers have to keep an eye on, but not many are as fun or as profitable as Halloween. Also known as All Saints’ Even, Halloween was born from the Celtic celebration of Samhain and it’s become one of the most iconic times of the year in the US as well as other countries.

Affiliates can take advantage of this unique celebration to develop comprehensive campaigns that promote a huge range of products. But, even though the main theme of your campaigns should be Halloween, it takes more than a few pumpkin-and-witch themed ads to get things rolling. 

For this reason, we’ve put together a comprehensive affiliate Halloween guide to help marketers create successful campaigns in various industries.

Are Halloween Campaigns Worth It?

There’s no denying that the global health crisis affected all industries in 2020, but Halloween sales still reached $8.05 billion that year. New research by the National Retail Federation suggests that this number will surpass $10.14 billion, setting a new all-time record for the US alone. This means that the average person is spending more than $102 dollars on Halloween-related goods, making it the second-biggest retail event in the US and a few other regions.

In other words, yes, it’s definitely worth launching Halloween campaigns because this holiday boosts consumer engagement levels, which results in more profitable campaigns. That said, there are a few elements you should avoid in your campaign and make sure that you adjust your content based on the vertical you’re targeting.

Things You Should Not Make Fun Of

Halloween is synonymous with scary symbols and spooky images. That said, some elements are too dark even for All Saints’ Even, so you need to be careful with the content you include in your advertisements.

Here are some things you should avoid in your campaign:

• The COVID-19 pandemic
• Historic events in general (like civil wars, etc.)
• Anything suicide-related
• Racist, homophobic, and otherwise discriminatory content
• Unnecessarily bloody or explicit images
• Languages that belittles any tragic event
• Any content you may deem as inappropriate for your audience

What Should Your Halloween Campaign Include?

Now that we’ve covered elements you should avoid at all costs, let’s take a look at some classic Halloween content your campaigns should definitely include. For example, you should include colorful graphics, offer discounts, and incorporate funny jokes as well as witty remarks in your ads.

Additionally, many successful Halloween campaigns also include free product giveaways, traditional symbols like bats, and relevant puns.

How to Develop Engaging Halloween Content (Divided By Vertical)

Halloween is a great opportunity for affiliates to build profitable campaigns and promote a wide range of products. However, all verticals are different, so you need to tailor the ads and additional content you publish based on the audience being targeted. What passes on funny in one industry can be taken out of context in the next, so be careful with the content you incorporate.

Let’s take a look at the differences between creating Halloween campaigns for multiple verticals.

Ecommerce

The ecommerce industry soars during Halloween because consumers are looking for disguises, candy, gifts, accessories and other very specific products. Make sure to include comprehensive descriptions of the products you’re promoting, use lively colors, and employ formats like native and mobile ads.

Gaming

Games are one of the best things you can promote for Halloween because developers often change the interface and create a special theme just for the holiday. Using the zombie and vampire-themed game characters in your ads can boost your conversions, especially if you use video and rich media ads.

Gambling

Gambling platforms are similar to games because their interfaces can be adjusted. That said, also keep in mind that users will be looking for Halloween discounts and promos, so make sure to work with programs that include free giveaways or something similar.

Software and Utilities

Every time there’s a big holiday, software and utility shoppers expect a good discount. And, Halloween is no exception to this rule. Besides working with advertisers that have solid rebates, you can leverage the power of banners, videos, and pop-up ads to get the best results.

Dating

Love is always in style, even during the scariest holiday of the year. Using mobile ads is obvious, but also remember to use witty humor and only resort to adult themes if your audience has responded well to them in the past.

Nutra

The nutraceuticals vertical may seem like an odd choice during Halloween, but this vertical has historically performed well during this time of the year. You can include adult themes when relevant, but having promotion codes and free gifts usually provide better results.

Ready to Launch a Spookily Good Halloween Campaign? Contact ActiveRevenue Today

Developing a successful Halloween campaign can take a significant amount of planning, but this holiday can be one of the most profitable periods of the year.

Looking for the best ad network to launch your next campaign? Contact ActiveRevenue and we’ll be glad to help.