What is incentivized traffic?
Incentivized traffic is users who finish an offer in exchange for a reward from the app or site they found it in, such as coins or points. Non-incentivized traffic is users who find an offer with no reward, for example by following a recommendation.
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A rewarded app or game shows offers, usually on an offerwall. The user picks one, does what it asks and earns the app’s own currency. The advertiser pays for the action, not for the user’s attention.
Example: player u_48213 installs Harbor Blocks on Pebble Rewards and earns 1,500 pebbles. They reach level 10 and earn 1,500 more. They tried the game because of the reward, and whether they keep playing is up to the game.
That’s the trade. Rewarded users arrive in volume and finish easy steps quickly, but the first step says little about who stays. Deeper steps, such as a high level or a first purchase, show that.
Non-incentivized users get nothing for finishing the offer. They tapped because an article, a newsletter or a friend recommended it, so they tend to come in smaller numbers and with more interest in the product.
| Incentivized | Non-incentivized | |
|---|---|---|
| Why the user taps | For a reward | Because of a recommendation |
| Where it runs | Rewarded apps and offerwalls | Sites, newsletters, media buys |
| Who it suits | Games and apps that pay for deep steps | Banks, loyalty brands and anything with strict rules |
Not every advertiser accepts rewarded traffic, so the offer’s rules decide where it can run.
Most offers on AffiliateOS are built for incentivized traffic, on the Hosted Offerwall or your own screen. Non-incentivized traffic runs through Offer Links: our team hand-picks offers for your audience and sends a tracking link for each, and they’re approved one by one. More detail: Where incentivized traffic runs on AffiliateOS.
Questions
Is incentivized traffic bad?
Not if the advertiser is paying for the right thing. Users rewarded to install will install, and some never open the app again. Pay more for steps further in, and the reward works for you.
Can I add my own reward to any offer?
No. Some offers don't allow it. On AffiliateOS, adding a reward to an offer you got for non-incentivized traffic is covered by section 4 of the terms.