White verticals are those with minimal risk of platform bans. They often involve physical goods, like inexpensive Chinese products, boasting a return on investment (ROI) of up to 100%. E-commerce giants like Aliexpress, Amazon, and others exemplify white verticals, offering affiliates around 5% commission per referred client, a method commonly known as dropshipping. Another lucrative area is the travel industry, with companies like Tripadvisor and Booking.com offering commissions between 25% and 50%, making it one of the highest paying affiliate programs available. Another avenue in this vertical is promoting mobile games and apps, earning $0.5-3 per install, a simpler conversion than high-ticket items. Lastly, financial product offers from banks, such as credit cards and mortgages, are popular and easily accessible.
Grey verticals bear a higher risk of advertising platform bans but remain profitable, boasting an average ROI of 150-300%. Products promising miraculous results, like weight loss creams, fall into this category, challenging advertising regulations yet offering lucrative returns if marketed effectively.
Gambling, another grey vertical, rewards affiliates for referring players to online casinos or betting platforms through Cost Per Action (CPA) or Revshare models.
Other grey areas include dating offers, “grey” goods, and cryptocurrency, which are all just as profitable, if not more profitable but they face a higher risk for platform bans.
Black verticals encompass offers too risky or controversial for mainstream advertising, including adult content, pharmaceuticals, schemes/scams, sweepstakes, and surveys. Even some grey verticals can be considered black if advertised in a certain unacceptable way. So, while some may be legal, advertising them risks bans, fines, or legal repercussions due to strict platform policies.
Navigating ad network moderation is a key challenge, often requiring promotion through alternative channels like native ads, pop-ups, or email marketing. These channels, while effective, pose challenges such as low-quality traffic and spam complaints.