Is traffic necessary when applying to Affliliate programs?

[Allstaraffiliate]

I have built over several years a well built small niche site with what i believe to be well written orgifinal content . However, since this is my first site , i released my site all at once doh! and have no traffic plus appear dismally low on google search results if at all! Almost everwhere i see written that traffic is very important to getting accepted by merchants in an affiliate program(I am applying to compaines like home depot and best buy). Without merchants accepting me, I have no way to make money so the issue so investing in further SEO and further article writing becomes pretty hard to justify.

Do any of you think it might be possible to get accepted by merchants without any organic traffic to my site given that my content is relavent and by stating i plan to pay for traffic in google search. Any way you might approach this issue of explaning this convicingly to a merchant or just leaving this point out entirely? I imagine this must be a very common issue and kind of chicken and egg problem for many starting affiliates. Thank you so much for your advice.

 

[Graybeard]

Well, I am sure EVERY SELLER would like an Alexa 10,000 website to sell their product(s) --don't hold you breath on that one. Ain't gonna happen (in most cases) ...
Buying Google Ads may work with some merchants -- depending on their policies and the brand and trademark restrictions --many won't allow it --read their TOS and affiliation contract carefully for this before you take the time to apply.
Try a network like The Affiliate Marketing Platform For Affiliates | ShareASale if we are talking e-commerce here

 

[Mario Fernandez]

There are LOTS of merchants and aff networks out there with good aff programs that don't ask for traffic.
I don't know HomeDepot and BestBuy, but I'd suggest to check their commission rates before applying.

 

[Honeybadger]

Without merchants accepting me, I have no way to make money so the issue so investing in further SEO and further article writing becomes pretty hard to justify.

Disagree
Invest your time and cash is 100% justified

1. Your 1st job is to help customer
2. This will build your authority
   
3. After it you can make money

I didn't post ANY ads 1st 30 days
Think if it was so easy everyone is doing it

 

[Graybeard]

What @Allstaraffiliate is saying is that SEO without some monetization tactics is a waste of time. Amazon will take most everyone for 60 days? I forget the review period. If you have enough traffic AdSense may be another possibility for now.

Can't say I would recommend clickbank -- past 30 days/ about 27% of the traffic I bought after filtering out the crap $150 --lost