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As an affiliate marketer, you may be wondering what it’s like to compete in some of the most difficult SEO niches. These are the sectors where achieving high search engine rankings is challenging due to factors such as high competition, stringent regulations, or complex audience behavior. In this article, we will explore some of the most difficult affiliate marketing niches and discuss the strategies required to rank in them.
What Are Difficult Affiliate Marketing Niches?
Difficult affiliate marketing niches are sectors that present unique challenges when it comes to achieving high search engine rankings. These challenges can include high competition, strict regulations, or complex audience behavior. Some of the most difficult niches include payday loans, pharmaceuticals, gambling, adult content, and weight loss. Each of these niches requires specialized strategies and approaches to succeed.
Pharma – James Upjohn, Serpify
Pharma is a highly lucrative niche, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. When it comes to the potential earnings of affiliate marketers in this niche, it really depends on the number of products and the route to market. Affiliate marketers can earn smaller commissions, while drop shippers can earn significantly more. For example, Serpify worked with a pharma client who had their own pills produced in India, and their revenue increased fourfold within just three months.
Surprisingly, competing in the pharma niche doesn’t require a huge budget. Many SEOs who use private blog networks (PBNs) are focusing on local SEO keywords, leaving a gap in the market for ranking for terms related to pharma products. Building a team for this niche doesn’t require a large number of people either. When Serpify was ranking in this niche, they had a team of just two people. They focused on making the pharma affiliate sites look like legitimate local businesses by including details such as address, phone number, map, and schema.
In terms of content, Serpify didn’t focus too much on supporting content. They had a few blog posts with internal links to their product pages. When it comes to backlinks, PBNs are highly recommended for this niche. Serpify had a conversation with a UK SEO living in Australia who charged $250 per month per keyword and only sent PBN links. They found that PBNs had a significant impact on ranking in the pharma niche.
While negative SEO is not prevalent in this niche, there is a lot of competition from hacked sites and SEOs with hundreds of interlinking sites and Xrumer type links. However, by following tried and tested local SEO strategies, you can still succeed in this niche. It’s important to be mindful of the laws and regulations in the pharma industry to avoid any legal issues.
CBD – Vithurs (V for short), Rankfluence
The CBD niche is currently booming and offers a lot of potential for affiliate marketers. It is a highly profitable niche with increasing search volume. Ranking in the top Google spots in this niche can lead to significant monthly recurring revenue. V for Rankfluence states that if you were ranking in the #1 position for all main search terms in the CBD niche, you could easily make at least $1 million per month in commissions. The CBD industry is expected to become a $20 billion industry by the end of 2020.
When it comes to budget, the biggest expense in this niche is link building, followed by content creation. The average link velocity and the type of links being built will determine the cost of a custom-fit link building campaign. As a general guideline, several thousand dollars per month would be needed to compete in the CBD niche. The top sites in this niche are heavily investing in links, with some spending high five figures per month to maintain their link velocity levels.
In terms of team size, having a large team can be beneficial for outreach-based SEO strategies. However, it is not necessary to have a large SEO team to tackle the CBD niche. There are many choices on the market for link building services and quality vendors. V for Rankfluence has a team of three people who handle outreach activities and outsource content creation as needed.
When it comes to content planning, it is important to review every single popular CBD brand and stay updated with new companies entering the market. Competitor analysis can be helpful in identifying content gaps and topics that are already working well for your competition. Backlinks in the CBD niche should have some level of relevancy, and CBD-relevant links can be difficult to acquire due to certain webmasters’ discomfort with linking to CBD-related properties. Guest posts, link placements, and PBN links are recommended for this niche.
Negative SEO can be a concern in the CBD niche, but it is not as prevalent as in some other niches. It is important to monitor your link inventory and assess each link you receive. It is also important to stay updated with the latest SEO trends and algorithms to protect your site from negative SEO attacks.
Casino – James Dooley, FatRank
The casino niche is another highly competitive and lucrative niche. Ranking in the top Google spots in this niche can lead to significant monthly recurring revenue. However, it requires a substantial budget and a large team to compete effectively. James Dooley from FatRank states that someone ranking in the top Google spots in the casino niche can expect to make $1.5 million per month. The budget required to compete in this niche is around $25,000 per month, and a team of 30 people is needed to tackle the various challenges.
When it comes to content planning, the casino niche requires a comprehensive approach. It is important to cover the whole topic and be ambitious in your content creation. Backlinks are crucial in this niche, and a variety of link types can be used, including PBNs, guest posts, niche edits, and relevant directories. Negative SEO is prevalent in this niche, with bulk spam links, DDOS attacks, and click fraud being common tactics used by competitors. Dealing with negative SEO requires constant monitoring and quick response to protect your site and accounts.
Medical Lead Generation – Max Meyer, Skyline Health Group
Medical lead generation is a niche that offers significant earning potential for affiliate marketers. Large websites in this niche can generate between $200,000 and $400,000 per month, with some generating over seven figures. The earnings depend on the arrangements with advertisers and the ability to deliver predictable lead volumes on a monthly basis. However, competing in this niche requires a substantial budget, often in the mid six figures or more.
A team of 20 to 50 people is recommended for effective management of a medical lead generation project. However, the effectiveness of the team depends on the quality of standard operating procedures, organizational culture, and management efficiency. Prioritizing low competition keywords at the beginning of the project can lead to quicker returns on investment. Building non-profit outreach links, using PBNs, regular guest posting, and forums/comments/social signals are recommended for backlinks in this niche.
Negative SEO is prevalent in the medical lead generation niche, particularly for high search volume keywords. It is important to maintain your link inventory and assess each link you receive to protect your site from negative SEO attacks. It is also important to be realistic about your budget and processes, as there are easier SEO niches that can deliver quicker results with smaller investments in time and resources.
Adult – Adrian Borg, Aphex Media
The adult niche is a highly competitive and profitable niche, with a significant amount of global internet traffic. Building and promoting adult sites comes with its own set of challenges. Setting up a site for decent crawling and on-page optimization can be challenging due to the large amounts of content and pages required. A budget of $3,000 per month for link building, along with a team of two to three people, can help in achieving good results in this niche.
Content planning in the adult niche should prioritize low competition keywords and focus on narrowing down to specific sub-niches. Building links in this niche requires a mix of outreach, PBNs, and other sources. Negative SEO is prevalent in this niche, with challenges such as DDoS attacks and the theft of content. It is important to have a solid server and CDN, keep plugins and passwords updated, and be vigilant in protecting your site from negative SEO attacks.
Dating – Victor Karpenko, SEO Profy
The dating niche is an evergreen niche that offers a wide range of earning potential for affiliate marketers. Monthly recurring revenue in this niche can range from $5,000 to $500,000 or more, depending on various factors. The budget required to compete in this niche can vary from $1,000 per month to a significant amount. The size of the team needed to tackle this niche depends on the scale of the project, ranging from one to three people in the beginning and potentially growing to 10 or more as the project expands.
Content planning in the dating niche should involve thorough research and planning according to available resources. It is important to prioritize low competition keywords and plan content accordingly. Backlinks in this niche should be diverse, including outreach, PBNs, and other trusted sources. Negative SEO can be a concern in this niche, and it is important to monitor and disavow any suspicious links to protect your site.
Conclusion
Competing in difficult affiliate marketing niches requires careful planning, a significant budget, and specialized strategies. Each niche presents unique challenges, from high competition to strict regulations. However, with the right approach and a dedicated team, it is possible to achieve high search engine rankings and significant monthly recurring revenue. Whether you choose to tackle the pharma, CBD, casino, medical lead generation, adult, or dating niche, it is important to stay updated with the latest SEO trends and algorithms and be prepared for the challenges that come with each niche. With the right mindset and persistence, you can succeed in these lucrative and competitive niches.