Uncovering Hidden Gems: Discover Profitable Yet Untapped Affiliate Opportunities

Uncovering Hidden Gems: Discover Profitable Yet Untapped Affiliate Opportunities

Affiliate marketing can feel like trying to grab the last seat on a packed train sometimes. The most popular niches seem saturated, leaving little room for new players to break in. Yet hidden gems still exist for those willing to dig deeper.

This post reveals an underutilized tactic for unearthing profitable yet untapped affiliate keywords and niches. Equipped with the right tools and some strategic filtering, you can leverage tracking domains to mine a wealth of fresh ideas.

Why Affiliate Marketing Feels Impossible These Days

When surveying the affiliate landscape, several pain points commonly arise:

• All the "easy" niches seem taken - General topics like weight loss, dating advice, and personal finance boast countless sites already. You're left wondering if any untapped niches remain.

• Top keywords demand high authority - Coveted search phrases require tens of thousands of quality backlinks that feel impossible to acquire quickly. How can new sites compete?

• Meaningful traffic takes too long - Typical advice is "focus on long-term, organic growth," but new sites need traction ASAP to validate ideas and business models. Months or years won't cut it.

These hurdles might lead you to think viable niches no longer exist. But that perspective stems largely from analyzing niches and keywords only from the front end, focusing solely on end-user search behavior and Google rankings.

What Tracking Domains Reveal

Tracking domains operate behind the scenes to facilitate affiliate links and credit marketers for generated actions or sales. For example:

• Amazon uses amzn.to
• ShareASale uses shareasale.com/r.cfm
• CJ uses www.kqzyfj.com

![Tracking domain examples from major affiliate programs

These domains tally visits driven by publishers/affiliates. They form a web of interconnected sites funneled traffic and potential customers.

Analyzing tracking domains with backlink analysis tools (like Ahrefs) uncovers a treasure trove most overlook - the ecosystem of sites already profiting from various niches and keywords.

Rather than front-end guesswork, this back-end intelligence lights the way. Curious bloggers have ventured into unchartered territory and forged paths to affiliate riches you can now follow more easily.![Affiliate tracking links pointing to money-making sites][]

Step 1 - Identify Lesser-Known Niches Actually Generating Revenue

We'll demonstrate by assessing amzn.to, Amazon's tracking domain. Over 739,000 referring domains link here, giving us thousands of niches earning affiliate commissions.

To filter this data:

1. Export backlinks from Ahrefs into a spreadsheet
2. Filter by: - One link per domain (remove overlapping sites) - Platform = blog (niche sites/content hubs) - Language = English - Minimum 100 organic visits per month (proven traction)

This filters out junk links and isolates established English blogs covering viable niches.

Now browse niches, such as:

• Geek Baby Clothes - Cute apparel for babies of geeks/nerds - Gets 12K monthly organic visits - Only Domain Rating 1
• Tanning Review - All about tanning - 7K monthly visits - Domain Rating 0.8
• KnifeUser - Enthusiast site about knives - 26K monthly visits - Just Domain Rating 13
  These demonstrate that, despite meager backlink profiles, targeted blogs tap into demand. Their credibility hinges on catering to specific interests (not domain authority).

Such niches fly under the radar but drive significant organic traffic and affiliate revenue. Rather than fight established fitness/finance sites, model those who've carved unique, profitable spaces.

Step 2 - Uncover Converting Keywords in Competitive Niches

Besides unearthing fresh niche ideas, our tracking domain tactic finds keywords in existing competitive spaces.

For example, SEO tool Semrush tempts affiliates with 40% commissions but seems saturated. Or does it? Its backlink profile reveals otherwise.

Since Semrush doesn't use a tracking domain, we'll filter for a common UTM tag in partners' links:utm_source=berush

This exposes sites earning commissions:![Sites promoting Semrush][]

Again, filter by platform, language, traffic thresholds to find established blogs.

Noteworthy examples:

• Niche Pursuits - This blog attracts 73K monthly visitors - Yet a post on Semrush alternatives earns traffic despite such competition
• FreshSparks - A brand building guide seamlessly recommends Semrush as a solution integrated into a larger framework

These show that, even for popular tools, underserved keywords and angles remain. Avoid directly confronting thought leaders. Instead, identify periphery topics where your perspective fills gaps.

Step 3 - Validate Affiliate Programs Via Backlinks

Our tracking domain trick unmasks not only niche site topics but the affiliate programs they use. No speculation - backlinks provide concrete proof of partnerships driving revenue.

For example, assessing links to www.kqzyfj.com, CJ's tracking domain, reveals:

• ThriftyNomads earns from airline Vueling
• A blog called Wellness Force Radio recently linked to a hot springs affiliate program

Similarly, links to Awin showcase a printable Tarot card offer while Income School uses Grammarly's affiliate program according to links tracked through ShareASale.

This intelligence works both ways:

• Merchants - Validate programs worth applying to by confirming they actively pay partners
• Publishers - Prioritize lesser-known offers actually converting for others by assessing what current partners promote

Either way, backlinks provide transparency into "follow the money" signals - unlike front-end guesswork.

Step 4 - Explore Proven Topics Fueling Competitors

Lastly, our tracking domain insights uncover "gold mines" - the specific content better-ranking sites use to excel.

For example:

• KnifeUser, a niche knife site, contains a detailed post on "8cr13mov" - an obscure knife type - Earns 5,700+ monthly searches - Despite only Domain Rating 13 overall

Avoid "reinventing the wheel" on what works. Identify competitors' top pages driving organic traffic. Reverse engineer their messaging and topics when creating your own content. Assess competitors' top pages

This saves tons of trial-and-error testing. Build upon proven foundations rather than starting completely from scratch.

Start Uncovering Your Own Golden Opportunities

As you've seen, overlooked backlink analysis unlocks a goldmine most affiliates ignore when assessing niches, offers, keywords, and content approaches.

Rather than front-end guesswork, transparent signals highlight what's working right now to:

• Reveal profitable niches flying under the radar
• Uncover viable keywords in seemingly saturated spaces
• Validate affiliate programs driving actual commissions
• Reverse engineer competitors' winning content formulas

The sites benefiting built the infrastructure to point the way forward. Follow their lead, then put your own spin to siphon demand they cannot fully harness alone.

This backlink tracking tactic shortcuts months or years of testing. Apply it across other tracking domains powering Amazon, ShareASale, Clickbank, and other affiliate programs.

Then start building your own assets around the gems uncovered.

The treasures await! Grab your tools and start digging today.