here: https://forums.digitalpoint.com/threads/is-free-advertising-sufficient-for-pay-per-call-marketing.2641123/ I asked if free traffic methods was sufficient for cpa / pay per call affiliates. So now I'm being more specific... are skilled Pay Per Click publishers better off than people who invest lots of time in link development?
It depends on various factors. Money can be made with PPC or SEO. I've made money as a CPA affiliate using both methods. I had the most success with the SEO route where I built a website, added some content and related CPA offers, did some SEO, and got free traffic from search engines that converted into leads ($$). I've also made money by promoting offers using PPC but I'm not yet that skilled in that area. I think it all depends on how fast you want to make money. PPC is obviously the fastest approach but it can be the most expensive option. SEO takes much longer and is not really reliable because you never really know if the effort you put towards ranking your sites will pay off. Then you have to consider your website or landing page. You can get high rankings but if the traffic doesn't convert, you're not going to make money. So, make sure you build sites that will convert and educate yourself about PPC, SEO, and other marketing techniques. Never lay your eggs all in one basket. Once you've acquired some knowledge in these areas, choose the route you're most comfortable taking.