Monetization Guide Gamepads & Controllers

Make Commission from Gamepads on Your Website

The goal: earn money from people who visit your site (Sparked, Puzzlum, etc.) and are already thinking about controllers, without wrecking your layout or user experience.

The easiest and most reliable options are:

  • Affiliate programs for gamepads (you get paid per sale), and
  • Ad networks that show gaming or controller-related ads.

1. Use Affiliate Programs (Best Option)

You get paid when a visitor buys

Affiliate programs pay you a commission when someone clicks your special link and buys a controller. This fits perfectly with any gamepad help/config pages you build.

A) Amazon Associates

This is the simplest way to start. Amazon has a huge catalog of controllers and PC gamepads, plus people already trust it.

  1. Sign up at Amazon Associates.
  2. Find a gamepad you like in the Amazon dashboard.
  3. Click “Get Link” and copy the URL with your tracking tag.
  4. Use that link for any text, image, or “Buy on Amazon” button.

Example of what an affiliate URL roughly looks like: 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/<ASIN>?tag=<yourtag-20>
Commission range Often around 1–3% for electronics like controllers.
Pros
  • Trusted brand with high checkout conversion.
  • Huge catalog of gamepads and accessories.
Cons
  • Commission rates are modest per sale.

B) Best Buy / Walmart (via affiliate networks)

These stores also have affiliate programs, often through networks like CJ.com or Impact.com.

You can apply to:

  • Best Buy affiliate program
  • Walmart affiliate program

Sometimes they offer higher commission on certain electronics, but with a smaller catalog compared to Amazon.

Practical takeaway

If you only pick one, Amazon Associates is usually the easiest starting point. You can always add Best Buy or Walmart later once you have traffic.

2. Let Ad Networks Show Controller Ads Automatically

Monetize impressions & clicks

Instead of manually linking products, you can let ad networks show relevant ads. If your visitors are into gaming and controllers, they’ll often see hardware ads (including gamepads) by default.

A) Google AdSense Auto Ads

AdSense Auto Ads can scan your site and place ads automatically. You get paid per impression and/or per click.

  1. Sign up for a Google AdSense account.
  2. Google gives you a small <script> snippet.
  3. Paste that snippet into your site’s <head>.
  4. Turn on “Auto ads” in the AdSense dashboard.

Ads will then appear in various spots (you can configure this). If your content is heavily about controllers, visitors are more likely to see controller-related ads.

Pros
  • Very low maintenance once installed.
  • Ad types and targeting handled automatically.
Cons
  • Less control over exact products shown.
  • Can clutter layout if not configured carefully.

B) Ezoic (for higher-traffic sites)

If your site gets more traffic over time, Ezoic can sit on top of your ad setup and optimize layouts for higher earnings per visitor.

It usually requires:

  • A minimum amount of monthly traffic.
  • Some DNS or integration changes.

This is more of a later-phase upgrade; start with AdSense or another simple network first.

3. Make “Recommended Controller” Sections

Higher click-through than generic banners

Instead of random sidebar ads, you can create focused blocks like:

Each card would show:

These contextual recommendation blocks typically convert far better than generic sidebar ads because they appear exactly where the user is already thinking about controllers.

4. Create Gamepad Comparison / Buyer Guide Pages

Search-friendly & high intent

Comparison pages double as content and monetization. Examples:

Each controller in a list includes:

Comparison pages often convert very well (people reading them are close to buying) and can also attract organic traffic if they’re detailed.

5. Use Product APIs for Dynamic Pricing (Advanced)

For later when you want automation

Once you’re comfortable with basic affiliate links, you can use official APIs to keep products up-to-date automatically:

With these, you can build JSON-driven cards that auto-refresh pricing and availability. Your site already uses JSON heavily, so this fits nicely into your existing patterns.

6. Where to Place the Ads on a Game Site

Controller-focused UX

✅ Good placements

  • Under or beside your gamepad configuration / diagnostics UI.
  • In a “Recommended Controllers” box on gameplay or hub pages.
  • In footer sections (“Want a better controller?”).
  • In dedicated comparison / buyer guide articles.

⚠️ Avoid these placements

  • Over the game canvas or map.
  • Interfering with HUD, scoreboards, or controls.
  • Obnoxious popups that interrupt gameplay.
  • Auto-playing video ads with sound on game pages.

7. A Simple, High-Impact Setup for a Site Like Yours

Straightforward starting plan
Suggested starting combo
  1. Sign up for Amazon Associates.
    Use it to link to a few well-chosen controllers you like and would actually recommend.
  2. Add a “Supported Controllers / Recommended Pads” block
    Place it under or beside your gamepad configuration or diagnostics interface, listing 2–4 controller options with your affiliate buttons.
  3. Enable Google AdSense Auto Ads (carefully).
    Let AdSense handle generic banner and display ads across your non-critical pages. Keep gameplay and HUD areas as clean as possible.
  4. Create at least one comparison page.
    For example: “Best Controllers for [Your Game Name] and PC”. Put gameplay screenshots, controller photos, and real-world pros/cons, with affiliate links under each pick.
Affiliate links = money on purchases Ad networks = money on views/clicks Best results come from combining both

This document is self-contained and meant as a practical guide for adding controller-related affiliate links and ads to a game or tools website.