We’ve already written an article about Software & Utilities. So, if you want to learn more what this vertical is about and how to work with it, please click the link above.
Here we will focus on a more practical side of the matter, like what should an affiliate do after picking a related offer. Utilities are a magnificent vertical, offering an almost limitless number of approaches to the same audience.
This can be a blessing and curse simultaneously, which is why we’re here to guide you toward profit, when you already have found an offer. Don’t worry, though, we’ll give a crash course in the beginning, so we’re on the same page. Thus, you won’t miss a bit of important information.
Software & Utilities 101
Software & Utilities is a collective term for a large set of niche software, designed to improve the quality of digital life, protect the user’s device, grant access to otherwise unavailable resources, etc.
Since PCs and Mobiles are used constantly with no regard to weather, schedule, global crises, and other external factors, affiliates also have an opportunity to profit from this vertical throughout the year.
Software products include, but are not limited to:
- Antivirus and anti-malware software
- VPN services
- Disk cleanup and optimization software
- Driver updater software
- Data recovery software
- PDF editors
- Video editing software
- Audio editing software
- Image editing software
- Backup software
- Compression and archiving software
- PC system optimization and maintenance software
- Password managers
- Registry cleaners
- System monitoring software
- Cloud storage solutions
- File transfer software
- Office suites
- Language learning software
- Accounting software
- Tax preparation software
- Productivity tools
- Browser extensions and add-ons
- Mobile device management software
How to Promote Software & Utilities
Software & Utilities attract wide audience segments; for example, VPNs can be used to bypass GEO restrictions or protect user’s privacy online. Depending on the angle taken, you can attract either businessmen who use VPNs for work or online privacy zealots.
As you’ve seen in the previous section, VPN is just a single product among two dozen others. Thus, it’s crucial to understand your product specifics, as a very basic system cleaner has multiple applications. This means that the approaches are also numerous.
The user’s device matters. Let’s take the system cleaner example. Desktop users might use it as a data-protection measure against tracking and spying, while mobile users might strive for faster performance and battery longevity.
Sign up to RollerAds today and fine tune your campaigns to reach your ideal audience. Our targeting settings go beyond mobile-desktop dichotomy and include: IP, GEO, carriers, connectivity, subscription age, browser types, and languages.
We also provide features like only premium traffic, auto-generated creatives, Creatives Library, campaign presets, and traffic estimator.
Know your payout model. Commonly, Software & Utilities involve either Cost-Per-Install (CPI) or Cost-Per-Sale (CPS). Depending on the revenue model you have, your GEO targeting, funnel, and creatives will differ substantially.
CPI works better in lower-tier markets, like Asia, India, and LATAM. Compared to Europe, traffic there is more affordable, abundant, and simple to optimize. Installs require fewer actions from a user, thus it’s easier to engage them. Plus, the payouts of CPI involve a few cents or dimes, so it’s easier to run prolonged tests to gather more data and figure out your target Cost-Per-Action (tCPA), i.e., how much you’d like to pay for a conversion. Your A/B testing results will be more statistically significant.
Complement CPI with an elementary pre-lander with all the user’s pain points laid out. Address these pain points succinctly, i.e., be brief and exact. Clarity is paramount here, but brevity won’t hurt either. Wrap your lander up with a CTA one-liner: Download, Install, Remove viruses, Repair my device, Run the cleaner. For your Software & Utility campaign to be a success, pre-lander is a must.
CPS needs a well-off audience. If this is your payout model, then higher tiers are a better option. Generally, the following countries deliver good results:
- 🇺🇸 The United States
- 🇬🇧 The United Kingdom
- 🇨🇦 Canada
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇨🇭 Switzerland
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- 🇳🇿 New Zealand
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇳🇱 The Netherlands
- 🇵🇹 Portugal
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- 🇳🇴 Norway
- 🇸🇪 Sweden
- 🇩🇰 Denmark
- 🇫🇮 Finland
- 🇮🇸 Iceland
CPS requires the user to complete more actions, which is why your funnel is likely to be longer. Moreover, you will have to either convince the user that your product will benefit them immensely or instill fear that their device is in danger.
Read the offer’s conditions. Keep in mind that scary and aggressive creatives might be forbidden by the product owner. Thus, it’s very important to read what you’re signing up for, Software & Utility offers included.
Choosing the right ad format is crucial. For desktop offers, Push notifications are traditionally doing better. For mobile offers, both Push notifications and OnClicks are performing well.
Set up a tracker for more info. Data-driven decisions help to figure out precisely which approaches deliver conversions. Proper campaign optimization is the key to profit maximization, and this goes beyond just Software & Utilities.
Do not neglect A/B testing. Your creatives make the biggest impact, but to know which ones are the best, you gotta split-test. Test different approaches, color schemes, CTA buttons, landing page layouts, etc.
Use Auto-generated creatives from RollerAds. Designed for Software & Utilities specifically, they enable lowering campaign creation time down to 60 seconds and even less. There are two modes available: aggressive and policy-compliant. As the name suggests, the former evokes stronger emotions, but the latter is more versatile.
Conclusion
The Software & Utilities vertical in affiliate marketing offers a diverse range of products and services designed to enhance digital life, protect devices, and improve productivity.
Affiliates have the opportunity to profit year-round by promoting software products such as antivirus software, VPN services, and productivity tools. Understanding product specifics and payout models is crucial, whether it’s Cost-Per-Install (CPI) or Cost-Per-Sale (CPS).
Tailoring approaches based on user devices and geographic targeting can optimize campaign performance. Additionally, compliance with offer conditions and utilizing Auto-generated creatives can streamline campaign creation and ensure success in the Software & Utilities vertical.
Feel free to drop us a line or start a new campaign with RollerAds. Our job is to give you all the tools to facilitate your profit generation, including knowledge and insights.
