How to do affiliate marketing on Instagram

Instagram is a highly profitable source of traffic in affiliate marketing, and  that’s the main reason why many webmasters use it. In April 2024, the audience of this social network reached the mark of 2 billion users and continues its steady growth.

Through Instagram you can run both conditionally free traffic and launch paid advertising campaigns. Overall, this platform offers tremendous opportunities in the Gambling and Betting verticals, so it should be given special attention at our 888STARZ Partners blog.

Why is Instagram a top traffic source in affiliate marketing?

Instagram is one of the most popular media platforms in the world. With 2 billion users, it represents one of the top 3 most visited social networks. According to recent data from Statista, only Facebook (3.065 billion) and YouTube (2.50 billion) are ahead of it. If we talk about the top geos, the leading countries for this social media are India, the United States, and Brazil:

Furthermore, the popularity of Instagram as a source of traffic is shown by the fact that in 2024, 76% of marketers used the platform to promote their campaigns.

That’s not to mention that the number of Instagram monthly active users is predicted to reach 1.4 billion by the end of 2024 (Statista data). And it isn’t the only valuable details regarding this traffic source:

• Huge user base:

As we mentioned, Instagram has a massive customer base of over 2 billion registered users. The platform is great for attracting a young audience to iGaming, as the majority of the population (31.2%) here is between the ages of 18 and 24. Furthermore, 90% of users have at least one business account, increasing the possibility of brand promotion.

• High engagement rates: 

According to Statista, the average Instagram post receives 513 likes, 15 comments, and 19 saves (Statista research), whereas Reels generate 22% more engagements, allowing businesses to connect more directly with their audience.

• Influencer marketing: 

According to Influence Marketing Hub, 46.7% of brands use Instagram for Influencer Relationship Management (IRM). One such advertising post costs $363 on average, making the platform a cost-effective promotional tool. Meanwhile, Instagram is ranked third in terms of engagement, after only Facebook and TikTok (GWI research).

• Business growth: 

More than 200 million companies promote themselves on Instagram, and 44% of users make weekly purchases of goods or services through this affiliate network. Instagram ad revenue is expected to rise dramatically, reaching $43 per user by 2024.

All these factors make Instagram a powerful tool for both organic and paid traffic, as a recent research from Analyzify confirms. You just have to pick your niche (in our case, betting or casino), create the appropriate content and start driving leads.

Advantages of Instagram affiliate marketing

Like any traffic source, Instagram has its pros and cons. Let’s emphasize other positive aspects:

1. Advanced targeting:
   Instagram is one of the most popular marketing platforms, with innovative targeting advertising choices. Here you can only display your ads to people from your target audience. This prevents sending betting or casino advertising to Instagram at random, enhancing conversion and ROI.
2. Precise hashtag system:
   Hashtags are an effective way to acquire new followers and customers. Properly selected hashtags can significantly boost Instagram account exposure and audience interaction, directing them to relevant betting or online casino offers. For example, you can include hashtags like #betting, #casino, and so on in your posts or Instagram stories.
3. Advertising budget control:
   Instagram allows you to start with small amounts and eventually increase your budget. This allows you to keep financial costs under control and improve your ROI.
4. Working with influencers:
   Previously, we made it clear that Influencer Relationship Management is effective here. Instagram users often trust blogger recommendations, thus this type of advertising is viewed as more authentic and organic. Influencers make it easier to reach different audiences, allowing the webmaster to build customer credibility and enhance conversions.

Disadvantages of Instagram affiliate marketing

There are numerous opportunities to drive traffic to Gambling via Instagram, but it’s important to note that advertising regulations are just as strict as those on Facebook. For a general understanding, we recommend you read our related post on how to drive traffic with Facebook. 

The main peculiarity here is that you can include an active link in your Instagram profile description. Then, in order to expand coverage, you need to employ targeted ads. This strategy mixes advertisements and organic SMM content.

Like Facebook, it’s worth getting used to the platform’s ever-changing algorithms and rules. To profit with this traffic source, particularly on casino-related offers, the webmaster should always stay ahead of the curve.

Other major aspects of promotion include:

1. Complexity of moderation.
   Promotion on Instagram is not an easy walk. Even when advertising “white” offers, webmasters may face difficulties due to the internal rules of the social platform.
2. Placing affiliate links.
   As stated earlier, this feature is only available in the profile description, which makes it difficult to directly promote goods and services. Webmasters have to resort to non-standard marketing solutions to drive traffic.
3. Unexpected bans.
   The social network can ban an account without notice, and support may not respond the right way. The strict moderation and advertising rules on Instagram complicate the lives of many webmasters, necessitating strict adherence to the rules.
4. Demanding audience.
   The Instagram audience is demanding and expects creative advertising, as they are used to higher quality content. To differentiate yourself from the competition, take a strategic approach to Instagram promotion.

Despite the above challenges, Instagram remains a great source of traffic. There is still a huge and constantly growing, and most importantly, solvent audience, which will be easy to reach through the use of targeting, hashtags and bloggers.

Tools you need to promote on Instagram 

Launching an Instagram advertising campaign is just one of several steps that a webmaster might take to increase traffic to his Betting offer. You should equip yourself with the following tools:

• White landing page: 

A transparent website, which is necessary to promote casino-related offers, masking Betting or Gambling ads from Instagram moderators.

• Target audience landing page: 

Meaning the site to which your target audience need to be directed. It is made for real consumers who are interested in casino and sports betting.

• Traffic analytics tracker: 

A tool that allows you to track the effectiveness of ad campaigns and analyze user behavior.

• Spy-services: 

Programs for analyzing and monitoring the ad campaigns of competitors from a certain niche, helping to decide on converting creatives.

• Cloaking: 

A technology that allows you to hide real content from Instagram moderators and show different content to the target audience.

• Programs for making creatives: 

Tools for creating graphic and textual content for the offer you promote.

• Antidetect browser for multi-accounting: 

Helps you avoid ad account blocking while maintaining anonymity.

• Proxy server:

A server that is used to change IP addresses, manage multiple accounts and bypass geographical restrictions.

Going a step further, Instagram betting campaigns may be created with Facebook Ads. The alternative to this approach is to operate without it, but in this case you will rely on other traffic-generating strategies. Now let’s move on to the key trends linked with Instagram affiliate marketing for Betting and Gambling offers.

Generating organic traffic for Instagram affiliate marketing

Once you have acquired the necessary tools, you need to develop and implement an advertising strategy. When promoting products on Instagram, you can generate two types of traffic: organic or paid.

Organic traffic is something that accumulates over time. With this approach, the webmaster creates valuable content, engages in dialog with the audience and builds relationships. It’s critical to understand that organic traffic requires a long-term investment. It all comes down to laying a solid foundation for future success. Here are our top Instagram tips for getting organic visitors.

Creating a profile

The first step to a successful Instagram page and its promotion is to create a profile. At first, it’s critical to correctly set up the page, write a bio (description), and include keywords relevant to your activity.

Next, to attract new followers and increase organic traffic consider free promotion on Instagram. Let’s take a closer look at it:

• Reels.
  Reels are short video clips (up to 3 minutes) that are perfect for grabbing attention with betting offers. Create dynamic and exciting videos that highlight big wins to spark users’ interest in trying sports betting. Another option is to use memes – overlay them on an animated video with a casino logo and add a caption encouraging users to click the link in your profile to claim a huge bonus.
• Stories.
  Another great way to get your content noticed. You can create short videos or images that will appear at the top of your audience’s home screen. It’s important to create engaging and interacting content in the form of stories to entice subscribers to take action.
• Collaborations with other brands.
  Working with other brands that have a similar target audience can be beneficial. For example, a bookmaker representative may collaborate with football teams, players, or coaches to promote sports betting campaigns.

Сontent and creatives

Without a doubt, one of the most important parts of maintaining a successful Instagram feed is content. Make consistent posts, but don’t overdo it. Respond to your audience’s questions and concerns by leaving comments and posts. To develop a consistent brand image, stick to the profile’s style and aesthetics. Other factors to consider include:

1. Variety of content.
   Try different content formats such as photos, videos, stories, and carousels. Pay attention to the quality of photos and graphics. It is preferable to have fewer but higher-quality posts. Your material should be memorable, draw attention, and compel users to stay.
2. Storytelling.
   Use captions to describe your narrative. It might be the launch of a brand, a story about a winning wager, a memorable match, a transfer, and so on. Gamblers like to identify with money, success stories, and characters. Also, include clear and motivating CTAs (calls to action).
3. Engagement with your audience.
   Encourage your subscribers to leave comments and interact with your content. Ask questions, organize polls, and begin handing out prizes for the most active ones.

Here are some examples of creatives used to generate traffic for Instagram feeds:

In affiliate marketing, creatives may be defined as an element that transforms your target audience into real money. As a result, knowing how to do things qualitatively is critical, as this social network has its own quirks and unwritten standards for producing effective Instagram content. 

Mass-following and mass-liking

In Betting and Gambling affiliate marketing, these methods help to gain attention to the offers through mass subscriptions and likes. Also, there has recently been a notion known as mass-looking, which involves raising the number of views on Instagram stories. In general, the above concepts are not very expensive when compared to the targeting, and their main advantage is that they do not require moderation.

Spam in comments

Spam in comments may not be the most effective approach to drive traffic to iGaming offers, but it will get you in front of the audience. Such concepts can include links, CTAs, or trigger phrases that encourage users to take a specific action. To boost reach and conversions, the website should invest more in spam accounts and subscriptions.

Generating paid traffic for Instagram affiliate marketing

If organic traffic is a long marathon, paid traffic is more of a race. Here you are constantly using different kinds of sponsored ad campaigns to attract a larger audience. With targeted advertising in Instagram, you can choose specific characteristics of your target audience: age, interests, location, and so on.

Paid traffic requires a smart approach. You need to analyze and test different advertising options, optimize your budget and rates. Paid traffic is like investing in stocks: you control every step to get the maximum return. Next, let’s look at common ways to generate paid traffic with Instagram.

Working with influencers and bloggers on Instagram

Collaborating with celebrities allows you to reach out to their trusted audience. And, more importantly, it’s already warmed up and ready to perform certain actions that their idol advises them to do: buying something, visiting a website, subscribing, making a deposit, etc.

To work with influencers, stick to a few principles:

1. Partner selection:
   This is not only about the number of subscribers (they may not be real). It is vital that the influencer’s audience matches your target group’s interests and behaviors.  As a result, assess and research the complex nature of the blogger’s content, as well as his overall connection with his followers. Keep in mind that not all bloggers will be comfortable advertising wagers on sports or gambling, so your choice will be initially limited.
2. Type of collaboration:
   Collaboration can take many forms: promotional posts, stories or reels, general contests, participation in public events, and even creating collaboration content. The point is to integrate your product or service in a natural way so that it fits seamlessly into the influencer’s own content.
3. Mutual benefits:
   Remember that collaborating with bloggers is about building a relationship. That’s why both sides stand to benefit. For the influencer it includes new original material for subscribers, the opportunity to offer something interesting to his audience, earn money, and so on. For you this means access to a new audience as well as the blogger’s previously established trust.

Live streams provide another opportunity to communicate with your audience in real time. Agree in advance with the blogger to schedule live broadcasts (either jointly or individually), generate exciting content, and communicate with the audience. In the broadcast, you can talk about how to make money, answer questions, and share real-life experiences. Finally, you may include a call to action to ensure that viewers do not miss out on a promotion for beginners or bonus code and can take advantage of a special deal.

Targeted advertising on Instagram

Instagram affiliate marketing enables webmasters to effectively identify his target audience using a variety of criteria such as age, gender, hobbies, and location. As a result, the proposed content will be seen by individuals who are seriously interested in your services. Before launching targeted advertising for Betting or Gambling offers, consider the following:

1. Text and visuals.
   Content should resonate with your target audience, emphasizing the advantages of the product or service.
2. Call to action.
   Be sure to include a call to action (CTA). Indicate what users need to do: click a link, make a deposit, leave a comment, and so on.
3. Budget optimization.
   Determine how much you’re willing to pay for each user action (e.g., clicking through to the website or filling out a form). Find the optimal balance between budget and results.
4. Targeted advertising.
   This approach involves setting up targeted Instagram ads for your content. For example, if you run an online betting website, you could attempt running paid ads for customers aged 18 and up.

Analyzing results and optimizing advertising campaigns

Thorough analytics will assist you realize what’s working and what needs to be changed. It’s the only approach to uncover crucial areas and strategies that need to be improved to boost the efficacy of your marketing campaign.

Here’s what you need to consider:

• Engagement metrics:
  Determine which posts inspire the greatest responses from your audience, such as likes, comments, views and subscriptions.
• Conversions:
  Track how many users took a specific action after seeing an Instagram ad. This can include click-throughs, registrations, first deposit, and so on.
• Cost per conversion:
  Estimate costs of a single conversion. This will allow you to figure out the effectiveness of your investment.

Keep an eye on the metrics and analyze the campaign’s efficacy to keep expenses under control and maximize returns. After examining all indicators, it makes sense to improve and optimize your marketing strategy. 

Tools and services for Instagram affiliate marketing

Finally, here are some tools to assist you generate traffic on Instagram:

Analyzing and monitoring

• Instagram Insights.
  Instagram’s official tool that provides Instagram account statistics. Here you can track engagement, audience demographics, and other important metrics to promote your betting offer.
• Hootsuite.
  A platform for managing social media, including Instagram. It allows you to schedule posts, track mentions, and analyze results.

Scheduling and posting

• Buffer.
  A tool for scheduling and automating posting. Allows you to optimize posting time and monitor results.
• Later.
  A popular service for scheduling Instagram posts. You can use this tool to create a visual calendar and preview how your feed will look after posts.

Targeted Ads

• Facebook Ads Manager.
  This tool allows you to create and manage ad campaigns on Instagram. Here you can choose your audience, customize your budget, and track results.
• AdEspresso.
  A platform for complete control of social media ad campaigns. It helps you optimize your budget and analyze the effectiveness of marketing strategy.

Analysis and optimization

• Google Analytics.
  A useful tool for analyzing website traffic. You can track how many visitors come from Instagram, what pages they visit, and more.
• SplitMetrics.
  A/B testing tool for app elements and landing pages. Helps you identify the most appropriate variations and improve conversions.

This information will be more than enough to know how to make money on Instagram in affiliate marketing. It is not an easy or quick process, but if you follow our suggestions, you will be able to reach your goals! 

Conclusion

The rise of social media and online businesses is creating more opportunities for affiliate marketing, with new possibilities emerging all the time. Instagram, with over 1.4 billion active monthly users, is a powerful traffic source with huge potential for promoting Betting and Gambling products.

If you’re ready to start driving traffic on Instagram, reach out to us. At 888STARZ Partners, we offer top-notch conditions for promoting iGaming ads across multiple traffic sources. Join us and enjoy all the perks of working with the top affiliate program!