The main question a webmaster faces before launching an ad campaign is: which countries should I target? Choosing the wrong GEO can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars in wasted budget.
That’s why in affiliate marketing, all countries are commonly divided into several categories — Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3.
In this article, we explain how these categories differ, what their traffic characteristics are, and how to choose the right strategy for each Tier.
What are Traffic Tiers in Affiliate Marketing
In affiliate marketing, the term “Tier” is used to classify countries based on traffic cost, income level, and audience purchasing power. This classification helps affiliates to:
Understand what to expect from different GEOs — where conversion rates are higher, clicks are more expensive, or launching is easier;
Choose a suitable offer for a specific country or region;
Plan ad campaign budgets;
Avoid burning through budgets due to false expectations;
Build the right funnel while considering the GEO’s specific characteristics.
Important! The Tier classification is flexible and subject to change. Countries can move from one category to another if the region’s economic situation shifts or purchasing power increases.
Tier 1 Countries
Tier 1 countries include economically developed regions with high audience purchasing power. These GEOs have expensive traffic, high competition, and strict ad platform moderation. However, with the right approach, webmasters can achieve a high ROI, as users are willing to spend money and the average order value is much higher than in other GEOs.
Tier 1 includes:
United States;
Canada;
United Kingdom;
France;
Japan;
Germany;
Australia, etc.
How to Gain Traffic in Tier 1 Countries
Working with Tier 1 is challenging and expensive — it requires a thoughtful approach, well-structured funnels, and sufficient resources. But the profit potential is significantly higher.
Here’s what helps affiliates succeed in Tier 1 GEOs:
High-Quality Creatives
You won’t impress users in the U.S. or Europe with a generic ad. You must stay relevant — use local language (dialect), recognizable visuals, and cultural nuances of the GEO. Native-style content, humor, storytelling, and emotional appeal work especially well here.
Adapted Landing Page
You can’t just copy a template and translate it into another language. The text must read and sound natural. We also recommend taking local patterns into account — from button colors to how the offer is presented.
Warming Up Before the Offer
In Tier 1, direct-to-offer campaigns rarely work. You need a funnel with a warm-up stage. For example:
Teaser → article or quiz → offer;
Video creative → landing page with social proof.
You have to gradually lead the user to take action, rather than demand it right away.
Retargeting and Look-Alike Audiences.
Driving cold traffic is expensive and inefficient. It's more profitable to target users who have already shown interest — visited your site, clicked on a creative, or submitted a lead. This is retargeting — bringing back a warm audience.
Another approach is look-alike (LAL). The platform finds users similar to your leads based on behavior and interests. This traffic is cheaper, and conversion chances are higher.
Clean Setup and Sensible Farming
Farming for its own sake doesn’t work in Tier 1. You need accounts that resemble “real” ones — with activity history, subscriptions, and natural user behavior.
Promo materials should be handled carefully too — no clickbait or restricted content. The cleaner and more neutral the funnel looks, the higher the chance it passes moderation on the first try.
Solid Testing Budget
Working with Tier 1 is never cheap. Testing a single funnel will cost at least $300–500. And there’s no guarantee it will succeed right away. Mistakes are costly here, so start with research, analysis, and hypotheses — and only then launch tests. But make sure your budget is ready in advance.
Examples of Creatives for Tier 1
Tier 1 creatives perform best when they feel native — candid photos, first-person videos, and honest storytelling.
Emotions, irony, and personal experience work well — especially in video format. Short clips (30–60 seconds) where characters play in a casino, test bonuses, and win something.
You can add local flavor. For example, pubs in the UK, typical American apartments, local clothing styles, etc. Text should be simple — no clickbait or loud promises.
Pros & Cons
Tier 1 is made up of the top traffic regions, but they’re not easy to work with. Before launching an ad campaign, you need to consider the pros and cons of this category.
Pros:
High purchasing power. Users spend more, and the average check is higher. You can run expensive offers and generate solid profit.
High-quality traffic. Retention and LTV are better here — users return more often, submit leads, make payments, etc.
Stability. Tier 1 countries are less affected by economic shocks, currency rates are more stable, and offer demand is more predictable.
Cons:
High competition. Everyone wants a piece of these premium GEOs. To stand out, you need top-notch creatives, funnels, and warm-up sequences.
Expensive launch. CPCs can reach several dollars, and testing starts at $300. Mistakes are costly, and even experienced affiliates sometimes burn budgets.
Strict moderation. Ad platforms closely monitor creative quality, headlines, and landing pages. Any hint of clickbait or deception leads to instant bans.
Demanding audience. Simple creatives, templated landers, and clickbait don’t work here. Users can tell the difference between real value and empty advertising — so both the product and the funnel must be high quality.
Working with Tier 1 requires strategy, a clean setup, a strong creative team, and readiness to invest in testing. But if done right, the return far outweighs the costs.
Tier 2 Countries
Tier 2 includes countries with a medium income level and moderate competition. Launching campaigns here is cheaper, platform requirements are more relaxed, and users are not yet oversaturated with ads and are still willing to spend money on online products and services.
Traffic in Tier 2 is cheaper and competition is lower than in Tier 1 — but that doesn’t mean you can relax. To stay profitable, you need to work with local content and carefully build your sales funnel.
Tier 2 includes:
Eastern Europe — Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania;
Latin America — Mexico, Argentina, Colombia;
Asia — Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia;
Middle East — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait;
Turkey, Israel, South Africa, etc.
Tier 2 is a reasonable compromise between investment and results. It allows you to test hypotheses and funnels without serious budget risks — and then gradually scale up and increase volume.
How to Gain Traffic in Tier 2 Countries
Working in Tier 2 is easier, but users here are still fairly demanding and won’t convert on an underdeveloped funnel. To get consistent traffic and stay profitable, you need to follow a few key rules.
Adaptation for the local market. Even if GEOs seem similar, the audience’s mindset and habits can differ. Use the local language, relatable visuals, and always consider the cultural context. Add local touches — flags, currency, city names, etc.
Universal creatives. In Tier 2, low-cost creatives and banners with a native feel perform well. No need for heavy production — just real-life scenarios. The best-performing approaches involve emotions, personal experience, and problem-solving.
Moderate aggressiveness in the funnel. A creative that’s too soft won’t attract attention, while one that’s too aggressive will turn the audience off. You need to find a balance between clickbait and simple headlines. What matters is that creatives spark interest and the offer addresses the user’s needs.
Retargeting. Showing the offer again to users who have already interacted with it is an easy and effective way to close leads — especially if your funnel has already generated some activity.
Tier 2 offers more freedom and doesn’t demand sky-high budgets, but those who focus on quality rather than quantity still come out on top.
Examples of Creatives for Tier 2
In Tier 2, creatives that resonate emotionally, have a native tone, and use clear visuals perform well. The advertising should feel “alive” and relatable to the audience.
First-person videos. “I tried it, and it worked” storylines still convert well. For example, short clips where someone shows how they register, place a bet, receive a bonus, or win. Just keep it natural.
Photos with a “homemade” look. Not glossy, but as if taken on a regular phone. These kinds of images build trust with the audience and convert well.
Social proof. Screenshots of reviews, chats, messages, and comments increase trust in the product and reduce doubts. If others have tried it and were satisfied, users are more likely to make online purchases.
Native copy. Tier 2 audiences already filter out clickbait headlines with unrealistic promises. That’s why the text should offer a clear benefit or solution to a problem.
Pros & Cons
Tier 2 is a large and fairly lucrative market for affiliates. But to squeeze the most out of it, you need to consider the pros and cons of this category.
Pros:
Lower CPC and CPM compared to Tier 1. This allows you to launch ad campaigns with moderate budgets and test more freely.
Flexible moderation. Ad platforms are less likely to ban you for minor violations. It’s easier to get creatives approved.
Wide variety of offers. Nutra, e-commerce, gambling, fintech, mobile subscriptions — they all perform well in Tier 2. This gives affiliates lots of room for experimentation.
Engaged audience. Users respond well to trials, discounts, bonuses, “2-for-1” deals, and other promotional tactics. You need to create a sense of value.
Cons:
Uneven purchasing power. Countries in this category vary greatly in income levels — for example, UAE vs. India. While some markets can handle expensive offers, others are highly price-sensitive.
Language segmentation. English is not a universal language in Tier 2. For campaigns to convert, you need to adapt them for local languages or even dialects.
Regulatory uncertainty. Advertising laws and platform rules often change in many of these countries. Affiliates must constantly monitor and adapt.
Price sensitivity. Users are more likely to look for promo codes, trials, or discounts. They want to try the product first before committing to a purchase.
Tier 2 requires flexibility. You can't just copy a funnel and launch it in another GEO. But if you take local specifics into account, properly adapt the offer, and build a solid funnel, it’s possible to scale profitably even with a moderate budget.
Tier 3 Countries
Tier 3 includes countries with low traffic costs, minimal competition, and limited audience purchasing power. Clicks are cheap, moderation is lenient, and the audience is not demanding — but making money is harder. LTV is lower, not all offers perform well, and scaling is difficult.
Tier 3 is most often used to test hypotheses and creatives, try out new funnels, or run cheap offers.
Countries in this category include:
Indonesia;
Pakistan;
Nigeria;
Bangladesh;
Philippines;
Vietnam;
Morocco;
Egypt, etc.
How to Gain Traffic in Tier 3 Countries
Working with Tier 3 means betting on scale and low cost. You can test dozens of funnels on a minimal budget. But there are also plenty of risks — from fraud to unstable traffic. That’s why it’s important to understand the specifics of working with GEOs in this category.
The main traffic sources remain the same — Facebook, TikTok, Google. However, in some regions, local social networks, teaser networks, push networks, etc., work better.
It’s best to promote offers with simple conversion actions — registration, subscription, app installation. Nutra, dating, gambling, and sweepstakes offers perform well. But don’t demand immediate payment from users.
When it comes to visuals, brightness and simplicity work. Creatives must be instantly clear and emotionally engaging at first glance.
Adaptationis still essential. To boost CR, use local languages and recognizable visuals — flags, currency, colors, local names, etc.
Don’t treat Tier 3 as “third-rate.” It’s a great space for practice, experimentation, and building out different funnels.
Examples of Creatives for Tier 3
In Tier 3, simple tactics that hit the mark work best. The faster the user understands the benefit, the faster the click and conversion will happen.
Aggressive Headlines
Use strong triggers like: “Only today,” “You’ve already won,” “Grab it now,” etc. Light clickbait performs well here — but if you overdo it, you risk getting banned.
Visuals with Local Adaptation
As in other categories, users in Tier 3 respond well to familiar, “local” elements — currency, flags, recognizable landmarks. It’s also better to use local actors in your ads. This significantly increases trust in the promoted products.
Bright Colors and Large Fonts
Don’t overthink the aesthetics. What matters here is contrast and visibility. Large buttons, clear icons, and a simple layout are the keys to an effective creative.
Short First-Person Videos
Formats where a real person interacts with a product perform well.
Promise of Value
Creatives that offer a quick reward — free spins, discounts, bonuses, etc. — work great. The key is that the offer actually gives something upfront. Otherwise, there will be a significant drop in CR at the next step.
Pros & Cons
Tier 3 is sometimes called the “sandbox” of affiliate marketing. It’s great for testing funnels and hypotheses, scaling campaigns, and gaining hands-on experience. But despite its simplicity, this category has its own pros and cons.
Pros:
Low traffic cost. CPC and CPM are much lower than in Tier 1 or Tier 2, making it possible to test dozens of funnels on a small budget.
Lower competition. Fewer affiliates and advertisers in these regions mean it’s easier to turn a profit, even with imperfect creatives.
Lenient moderation. Ad networks in Tier 3 are more relaxed — fewer bans and better chances for borderline creatives to get approved.
Great scaling potential. These countries have huge populations. Despite low purchasing power, there's strong interest in online products — offering large volumes of traffic for inexpensive offers.
Cons:
Low purchasing power. Users are unlikely to pay right away. You need to engage them with free bonuses first.
Fraud issues. Bots, fake clicks, and multiple accounts are common in Tier 3. Anti-fraud tools and filters are essential.
Limited payment options. Credit cards aren’t standard everywhere. Some regions rely on mobile balance, local e-wallets, or even cash.
Tier 3 isn't the easiest path for affiliates — but it works. If you manage the risks, adapt your approach, and monitor traffic quality closely, you can get steady leads and solid profits.
How to Choose a Tier for Your Ads Campaign
Choosing which Tier to work with isn’t just about what’s cheaper or simpler — it’s a strategic decision that affects your success as a webmaster or affiliate team. When selecting your GEO, consider these factors:
Define the Goal of Your Campaign
Start with Tier 2 or Tier 3 if your goal is to test an offer or funnel. These tiers offer lower bids and an easier launch with minimal risk.
If you're an experienced webmaster aiming for high ROI and scaling, try your hand at Tier 1. It’s more expensive and complex, but the earning potential is much higher.
Assess Your Budget
Tier 1 requires serious investment — $1,000–$3,000 per offer. In the first few months, you may only break even (or even operate at a loss) just to learn the ropes.
In Tier 2 or Tier 3, you can start testing creatives, landers, or apps with a small budget. For example, in gambling on Tier 3, $500 may be enough to run an entire test cap.
Factor in Your Experience and Resources
Tier 1 is best suited to experienced affiliates, due to strict moderation, demanding audiences, and complex funnels. Beginners should start with Tier 2 or Tier 3, where it's easier to get traction, gain experience, and avoid early burnout.
Analyze the Offer and Audience
Before launching, determine in which GEO your offer will be relevant, and who you're selling the product or service to. For example, premium products are in demand in Tier 1, where users expect high-quality service and are willing to pay for it.
So always study your audience and their logic — how they make decisions, what catches their attention, and what formats they're used to.
Summary
Dividing countries into Tiers isn’t a trend — it’s a practical planning tool. Each category offers different opportunities. Some let you test dozens of funnels with a minimal budget. Others help you squeeze the most value out of a single offer and aim for high ROI.
But you need to understand your audience, plan your budget carefully, and adapt your creatives and strategies to each GEO. Only then will Tiers stop being a limitation — and start becoming part of your winning strategy.
FAQ
How do I know which Tier a country belongs to?
Check the country’s economy, CPC rates, and how much people spend on online purchases — or refer to widely accepted Tier classification lists.
Can I run the same offer in different Tiers?
Yes, but you’ll need to adapt the funnel to the local specifics of each GEO.
What should a beginner choose — Tier 2 or Tier 3?
Tier 2 is safer and more stable; Tier 3 is cheaper but has more fraud and lower conversion rates.
Are all countries clearly assigned to a Tier?
No, some countries are in-between, with fluctuating economic indicators and unstable purchasing power.
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