What Is the Sweepstakes Niche? A Complete Guide to the Sweepstakes Vertical

There are dozens of different verticals that affiliates can work with, but there is no question that the sweepstakes niche is perfect for beginners and seasoned marketers alike.

The sweepstakes industry is a great alternative because it is easy to understand, has a straightforward flow, and works with multiple sub-verticals. With that said, this is a ripe vertical, so affiliates need to focus on the most profitable GEOs, ad formats, and creative elements to get the best results.

At ActiveRevenue, we work with high-quality traffic from all over the world, so we have an in-depth understanding of the different verticals that affiliates can work with. Below, we’ll go over everything you need to know to launch a successful campaign in the sweepstakes industry.

What Is the Sweepstakes Vertical?

Let’s start by defining the sweepstakes vertical.

You may be familiar with traditional sweepstakes as this form of advertising became extremely popular in the mid-20th century. Widespread adoption of the internet has allowed this industry to morph into a digital state, although the basic idea remains the same.

A sweepstake is a type of promotion where consumers get a chance to win a prize by just completing a simple action. The winner of the prize has to be decided randomly and not through competition or skill comparison.

With this in mind, the sweepstakes industry relies on affiliates to drive conversions and get consumers to participate in the promotion in exchange for a commission.

Types of Sweepstakes Affiliate Programs

There are a few different types of sweepstakes affiliate offers that you can work with. These include:

Single Opt-In Offers

Single opt-in (SOI) offers are the simplest type of sweepstake program. Affiliates only need to ask users to provide simple information like name and email address without further verification. This is the lowest paying type of offer, but it’s also the easiest to convert because users are enticed by the chances of winning a prize in exchange for little data.

Double Opt-In Offers

Also known as DOI programs, double opt-in offers are similar to SOIs, except that users also need to verify their contact information. This is usually in the form of a confirmation email, although advertisers that want SMS traffic also require text message verification.

Credit Card Submit Offers

When working with credit card (CC) submit offers, affiliates usually have to promote a subscription service. In most cases, affiliates have to convince users to sign up for a trial (which requires them to submit their CC information) in order to generate conversions in these programs.

Mobile Subscription Offers

Mobile subscription offers are slightly more complex than others on this list. Basically, this type of program works similarly to a CC submit because affiliates are promoting a subscription.

The difference is that it doesn’t include a free trial, but instead users need to sign up for a mobile service subscription that’s billed directly to their monthly wireless bill. Therefore, this type of program only targets users who have a mobile service subscription with a carrier.

The Benefits of the Sweepstakes Niche

There are many benefits to working with the sweepstakes vertical. For instance:

• It can be extremely profitable
• Affiliates can work with engaging sub-verticals
• It’s easy to understand and work with
• Sweepstakes campaigns are flexible
• These offers are available in a wide range of GEOs and languages

Top GEOs for Sweepstakes

While it’s true that the sweepstakes vertical is available in many different locations, there are some GEOs that produce stellar results. Below, we’ve divided the top GEOs for sweepstakes into tiers:

• Tier 1: UK, Germany, France, Australia, and the US
• Tier 2: South Africa, Japan, Singapore, Sweden, and Saudi Arabia
• Tier 3: Thailand, Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil

Tips to Optimize Your Sweepstakes Campaign

As with all other affiliate industries, sweepstakes campaigns need to be optimized in order to get the best results. Some of the steps you can take to get the most from your optimization include:

• Wait until you have statistically significant data
• Monitor hourly performance statistics
• Cut sources that underperform for extended periods
• Create a whitelist of best performing GEOs and sources
• Run split tests from the start

Which Are the Best Ad Formats for Sweepstakes?

Let’s take a look at the top ad formats for sweepstakes and why they are so effective:

• Pop ads: Allow for the use of large creatives and don’t usually require landing pages
• Push notification: Highly engaging ad format, perfect for promotional offers
• In-page push notifications: Also known as floating push notifications, these are similar to pushes but don’t require user subscriptions
• Domain redirects: Focuses on users who are actively looking for something, tend to be more engaged

Ready to Get Started? Get in Touch with ActiveRevenue Today

Getting ready to launch a sweepstakes campaign? Contact ActiveRevenue and find out more about our top-notch traffic.