Turkey attracts with its lively tourist atmosphere and warm coasts. This country is an attractive GEO for arbitrageurs, as there are more than 85 million potential customers in various industries with increasing purchasing power. The Turkish population is enthusiastic about online shopping and gambling, which contributes to the growth of the number of offers for this territory. Today, we will explore the peculiarities of working with Turkey and ways to maximize the benefits of offers in this GEO.
Country overview
Turkey is a relatively new geographical destination that is increasingly being included in the list of interests of affiliate programs. Many destinations operate successfully here, and conversion rates can be increased through simple creative solutions and basic marketing strategies. We mentioned the existing verticals in arbitrage and their choice for beginners earlier.
Currency
The Turkish lira (TRY) is the main currency of Turkey, with 100 kurus in one lira. Both coins and banknotes are in circulation, but cashless transactions prevail in large cities. Cash is needed for payments in markets, small cafes, and shops that accept only lira, but dollars are sometimes accepted for tips.
Language
Turkish is the main and official language of the country, spoken by more than 80% of the population. The remaining 20% use other languages, including Armenian, Georgian, and Bulgarian. The country’s cultural and linguistic diversity has been enriched by immigration. In tourist areas such as Istanbul, English and Russian are well understood, but it is better to use Turkish to communicate with locals.
Religions
Islam, Christianity, and Judaism are the most popular religions in Turkey, with Islam as the dominant faith. The country is known for its peacefulness in the context of Muslim states. Freedom of religion is supported by law, while religion remains separate from state structures.
Population
In the current year 2024, the number of inhabitants of the country exceeds 86 million. The ratio of women to men is balanced, but at the age of 50 and older, the proportion of women begins to prevail.
Leading economic sectors include the automotive industry, the agricultural sector, the textile industry, and the tourism industry. The country serves as a crossroads for the transportation of hydrocarbons. The leading sector is the service sector, which accounts for 33.9%, followed by manufacturing at 22.4% and trade at 15.9%.
The average income of Turkish residents in 2024 will reach USD 1000. Civil service employees and notaries receive about $1190, while those in the education sector earn about $1320. Healthcare workers have an above-average income of about $1500, while law enforcement officials earn $1430.
Istanbul offers higher-paying jobs due to the rich flow of tourists and economic development. In smaller cities, the average income is lower. Educational prospects also affect migration: graduates who studied in Istanbul or Izmir rarely seek to return to small towns due to low wages.
Features of the target audience
Turkey is a friendly Muslim country with an open society. The character of the Turkish people combines relaxation with patriarchal traits, which creates a unique combination. Citizens of the country tend to live with dreams about the future, which is typical for believers, so offers with quick results, or so-called “magic” offers, are especially effective here.
The country still has a part of the population without access to the Internet, but its prevalence makes it possible to cover a significant part of the territory as part of advertising campaigns.
The most popular social networks in Turkey include Facebook, Instagram, and X. In 2020, Turkey was ranked in the top 10 countries in terms of the use of these media platforms, and the number of users continues to grow. Despite government restrictions, such as a ban on advertising on X, Pinterest, and Periscope, Turks are actively using VPNs to access these resources. WhatsApp is also popular, especially in the dating sphere.
Online behavior varies by industry. Health and nutritional supplements are best advertised in the morning and at lunchtime while dating and gambling offers are more effective in the evening and at night. It is also important to take into account the region and the calendar, as Turks observe traditions on religious holidays.
The best verticals for Turkey
The top segments for online advertising in Turkey include markets for goods, nutritional supplements, adult content, cryptocurrencies, gambling, and betting. For marketers, this is a win-win field for work, the key aspect of which is the accurate selection of the target audience. Among the freshest and most accessible areas are nutritional supplements and cryptocurrencies. In Turkey, nutritional supplements became popular only after 2018. Currently, consumers still perceive simple and not always delicately designed advertising. Turkish citizens tend to believe in the effectiveness of products to increase potency and improve skin condition. Products to combat psoriasis, diabetes, and joint diseases also show good results. Weight loss products deserve special attention.
The situation is similar with cryptocurrencies. This is a young and growing sector in Turkey that continues to gain momentum. Cryptocurrencies remain in demand in developing countries, especially where the national currency is unstable. Turkey is a prime example of this demand, with the main target audience being men aged 25 to 44, who are the main spending power in the country.
Dating remains a traditionally high-converting industry in Turkey, regardless of external conditions such as politics, economy, or environment. Meetings and dates are frequent and regular.
By analogy, gambling is also popular. Turks like to spend their evenings in casinos, following the long tradition of “gambling over coffee”. Since ancient times, the country’s residents have gathered in cafes and shops to drink coffee or tea with friends and play backgammon, checkers, or chess. Online casinos in Turkey often have specialized sections called “Coffee” or “Tea” that offer games for two people.
What creatives to make for Turkey
Creation of advertising materials for Turkey requires taking into account the peculiarities of the local target audience, which includes Muslim men aged 25 to 44. The following approaches will be the most effective:
- Emotional engagement. Turkish consumers value friendliness and openness, preferring to see images of happiness and joy, not just material benefits. For example, the feeling of joy from buying a product is more important than its practical use, and the pleasure of winning in slot machines outweighs the amount of money won.
- Use of national symbols. It is advisable to include elements that are specific to Turkey, such as the national flag, currency, symbols of local banks, iconic places of cities, as well as famous personalities and influential people.
- Use of the Turkish language in texts.
On the other hand, some approaches should be avoided:
- Avoid using provocative photos. Religious beliefs in Turkey lead to a negative perception of images of women in swimsuits or sexual innuendos. Such methods may be acceptable only in the advertising of special dating apps.
- Do not use foreign currencies in your ads without converting them into Turkish lira. Ads with dollars will be perceived as deception unless the winnings are converted into local currency in the image.
Conclusion
Turkey has demonstrated its advantages in various areas. Traffic here is affordable and quite solvent. High conversions are achievable even with basic creatives. The peculiarity of this region is its novelty: nutraceuticals, cryptocurrencies, and gambling are the areas where you can always find an interested audience.
Experiment and launch your projects, and don’t forget to share your successes!
