How to earn from CPA Marketing - A Step-By-Step Guide

How to earn from CPA Marketing

How to earn from CPA Marketing

How to earn from CPA Marketing - A Step-By-Step Guide

Introduction

So you've heard about the world of CPA marketing and how you can make money by promoting CPA offers on social media, forums and blogs as well as tons of ad networks and other traffic sources.

You feel excited and your eyes light up when you tell your friends about your new line of work.

You're ready to jump in feet first and start making money while living the Super Affiliate life

CPA marketing can be an attractive business model for those just starting online marketing and established marketers alike.

Unlimited offers, fantastic ROI and long-term residual income all indicate very high earning potential

Add in the lack of consumer liability and the flexibility to promote your favorite offers, and it certainly looks like you've found a winning formula.

Not so fast brother!

While being a CPA affiliate may look like an attractive gig from the outside, there's no mistaking that it takes a lot of hard work, planning, and experience to be successful.

Competition in popular verticals can be intense and without adequate preparation and a solid understanding of the market, you may find yourself in deep water.

But do not fear!

In this guide, I'll walk you through each step of the process from start to finish, and by the time you're done reading, you'll be fully equipped with the tools to take on the challenge!

So, let's take a look at what it takes to start a campaign to convert, and also - share effective strategies you can employ right now.

Affiliate marketing has become a craze among newbies due to relatively low entry barriers.

You don't need a website or business to start posting links and earning income.

You don't need thousands of advertising dollars before you start showing returns.

This is not to say that all traffic sources are free. For example, native ads can be expensive to run but can convert well depending on the vertical (more on that later).

First things first - first…

What is CPA marketing and how does it work

CPA marketing is an affiliate marketing business model where you, as the publisher, get paid for user actions on the advertiser's products/offers.

These actions can be capturing leads, filling out forms, selling products, or anything else that leads to a conversion for the affiliate.

When you register as an affiliate for the first time, you will get your own unique tracking link through which you will promote the offer.

Your job is to create campaigns on your preferred traffic sources and send high quality (converting) traffic to the advertiser.

You will then be paid a fixed price each time a user completes an action on the advertiser's page – such as entering their details to win a sweepstakes or download a video.

Sounds easy, right?

Because in theory, it is.

But you need to make sure that you are targeting the right customer demographic for the offer. We can't possibly stress this enough!

Another thing you have to keep in mind is, like 24/7, optimization.

It is essential to continuously optimize your campaigns so that your ROI remains positive and your earnings per click are maximized.

So, what should you optimize?

Everything! From ad copy to landing page content and design. We'll get there in a moment!

Now, you've seen Friends and Family Links on Facebook, which offer referral bonuses for signing up, right?

Affiliate CPA is similar to the niche and here at mobidia we mostly focus on sweepstakes, mobile content, coupons and vouchers, videos, games and more.

Once you become an affiliate and start promoting the advertiser's products through our affiliate tracking link, every time a user takes an action, you will receive a fixed commission from the advertiser for growing their business through your association with the CPA Affiliate Network.

The sky's the limit on how much you can earn with mobile affiliate marketing, but to do that you need a way to stand out from the crowd.

For example, mobile CPA marketing is a very popular property right now and is a relatively untapped market that you can use to reach new audiences.

Planning your campaign to cover all angles will make all the difference between positive ROI and losing money, or worse – desperately hoping for a breakeven.

You're also going to discover that certain offers allow for different promotional strategies

We've created a very thorough breakdown of the available affiliate traffic sources so you can start more prepared. If you want to be successful as a CPA Affiliate Marketer go here.

However, rule number one is to always remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch, and no matter what method you choose to promote your offer you are going to pay for traffic in money or time.

Now, let's pop the big question: Where can you find offers that match your traffic?

I assume you are not doing business directly with the advertiser so your destination number 1 should be…

Also See: Is Affiliate Marketing Worth It?

Affiliate Network

How to earn from CPA Marketing, The affiliate network acts as an intermediary between you (the affiliate) and the advertisers.

Affiliate networks play a dual role in communicating with both parties to maximize sales potential and maintain high value for both parties.

They work on behalf of advertisers to recommend offers to publishers and - in turn - help affiliate marketers source high-converting offers for their campaigns.

You are soon going to discover that not all networks are created equal and may specialize in different verticals and promotional methods.

For example, you're going to find a network with a lot of health or dating offers, or a network that focuses on a specific type of CPA model, like continuity offers or lead gen.

At Mobidea we are all about mobile-based CPA and have over 2,000 top converting offers live on the platform, making us the most specialized network of its kind in the mobile marketing space.

Some of our best performing verticals are:

• Coupons and Vouchers
• Sweepstakes
• Mobile content
• Games
• dating
• video
• music
• Antivirus
• Health and Fitness
• weight loss
• Check all live offers

Always remember, an affiliate network isn't just a place you discover offers to promote.

There are additional benefits that you may find (well, depending on the network) such as:

• Advanced tracking capabilities (free on mobidia)
• Dedicated support
• Fraud protection
• Secure payment options
• Free help articles and knowledge
• Training and consulting

Joining a network is the ultimate goal for many new affiliates.

However, in reality, you should view joining a network as the first step in a process that will enable you to get the most out of your CPA campaigns.

You'll benefit directly from the first-hand knowledge and experience of a team of experts who want you to succeed.

With many networks, you will be assigned your own private network contact.

Use it by talking to your affiliate manager often about your campaign and they will work with you to give you every chance of success.

Traffic Sources

By now, I'm assuming you've done your vertical research and chosen your offering and are working with a network who understands what you want to achieve.

Your next step is to decide which traffic sources you want to use to start promoting your offer

Before you go any further - check the fine print, bro!

Does the offer you viewed have any deal-breaking traffic restrictions?

Figuring these out before you start can save you a lot of headaches and money!

When in doubt, contact your affiliate manager who will certainly walk you through all the available options.

As you grow in your career, you will find that some traffic sources convert much better than others. Spot them and dig deep!

Finding cost-effective strategies that you can measure and track is an essential part of your role as an affiliate.

That's why you should always test your strategies to find the best performing elements at every step of the way.

I'm going to cover the specific traffic sources you can tap a little later, but for now remember that you'll be using these sources to send potential customers to the advertiser's page, so you want to make sure the offer matches quality traffic.

I promise that actions like these will prevent a lot of bad situations down the line.

Major players in CPA marketing

You need to be aware of the major players in the business – affiliate networks, advertisers, users, affiliates, ad networks – and understand where you fit.

We've already covered the basics of affiliate networks, so let's take a look at the rest of the players

1. Advertisers

How to earn from CPA Marketing, These are the guys who have tempting offers that you are going to promote.

For more visual examples, check out Mobidea's CPA Offer Wall.

2. User

These are the customers! In technical terms – someone who is a good fit for the advertiser and falls into a category (country, OS, operator) that converts well for the offer.

Choosing the right audience is an important part of the process and one that many affiliates overlook.

Yes, it's true! People make mistakes, and one of the reasons Mobidea Academy exists is to make sure you stay away from short-sighted decisions!

By reading the detailed information in this CPA Marketing Guide as well as other Mobidea Academy articles, you can make sure you don't fall into this trap!

3. Affiliation

How to earn from CPA Marketing, You are the next link in the chain. Your job will be to present the offer to the user and pre-sell it to them. At Movidia this is commonly called CPA Marketing.

CPA Marketing in a Mobile World

CPA mobile marketing is like any other affiliate marketing model that only focuses on mobile offers and mobile web targeting business.

More than half of all internet traffic comes from mobile users and more than 62% of smartphone users purchase products online on their mobile, why mobile marketing is a topic that no one should ignore.

This is a great opportunity to connect with affiliate marketers and target mobile users while building a CPA campaign.

This type of marketing can reach potential customers at key decision-making points in their operations.

As a result, a world of opportunities opens up for affiliate marketers to engage with a new and rapidly expanding audience.

This has led to the proliferation of mobile ad networks that can reach your audience and deliver engaging content at the right moment.

This is great news for all advertisers. This is even bigger news for you because now you can take advantage of this new world and reach your target audience easier than ever before

In fact, if you're not already using or considering using mobile marketing in your affiliate campaign, you're definitely missing out!

Why CPA Marketing

First, you need to distinguish between the different pricing models under which a conversion occurs.

The most popular types of these are:

CPA (Cost Per Acquisition or Cost Per Action)

CPC (cost per click)

CPI (Cost Per Installation)

CPL (Cost Per Lead)

CPM (Cost Per Thousand)

In this guide, I'm focusing on CPA marketing, but you can check out our article on different types of cost models to better understand how they fit together.

CPA is generally a cost model that rewards advertisers with higher payouts as they generate higher quality traffic for the advertiser.

As a result, this makes the offering highly attractive to a large number of affiliates in the CPA marketing space.

To compete with these, you'll want to find your edge.

It can be a unique angle to promote a product your competitors haven't thought of, or take advantage of an untapped traffic source so you can be first to market.

Our friend Charles Ngo wrote a great blog post about the angle, check it out here.

An important point to note here is that to be successful with your campaign, you need to qualify the traffic before passing it on.

You need to sell your audience an offer that makes it something they can't pass up.

Linking directly to an advertiser's page may not give you the results you want.

Spend some time thinking about the user on the other end. What motivates him to click or subscribe? How does the offer make his life better?

Rule of thumb - always add value!

Start by asking yourself:

What problem does my customer have?

How does the product I'm promoting help the user?

How can these products bring value to their lives?

Why do they need to have this product in their life right now?

Creating an air of exclusivity and expectation is going to play nicely in the psychology of the buyer. If you create a need, you'll be closer to a conversion than anyone else

Launch campaigns with your buyer personas in mind!

Thinking about yourself also helps - try to convince yourself to take the actions you expect your audience to take. If you learn to do this well, you're well on your way to CPA success.

Step #1 – Join a CPA Network

How to earn from CPA Marketing, I already mentioned the importance of choosing the right network to find your offers but let's elaborate.

If you're just starting out, you'll want to choose a newbie-friendly affiliate network with an easy application process.

There is nothing worse than spending hours on your form only to have your application rejected.

This happens more often than you'd expect, and new associates feel like they can't pass the grade.

Of course, it helps to have at least a basic idea of ​​how things work and have a plan, but that's why I wrote this guide, to give you a head start.

When approaching a network, always be honest about your expectations and your past experiences

Many affiliate networks, such as Mobidea, will be interested in working with new affiliates if they have the right attitude.

We're always on the lookout for fresh talent, so if you think you've got what it takes, get in touch!

Don't be left out just because you're not a Super Affiliate right now.

From your own understanding and security, you want to choose a network with flexible payment options and great affiliate managers.

Also, you don't want to pay for expensive trackers.

What your network can give you for free can help a lot. Meanwhile your main goal is to focus on having a positive ROI and becoming the Super Affiliate you want to be!

If you are still in doubt, be active in the forum.

Get an account on STM Forums or AFLIFT and start connecting with the community from there

These guys will give you tons of advice and support - something you'll have a hard time finding anywhere else.

Step #2 – Select Offer

Once with the network, your next step is to find the best offers

Before running around like a kid in a candy store, review all the CPA offers you have access to.

Is there something that resonates with you personally?

Promoting an offer you've got an emotional connection with will always work in your favor instead of promoting something just for payment.

See also: How to choose high paying CPA offers

Remember, you'll have work hours towards the end of your campaign, so it's smart to be passionate about what you're promoting.

Another thing to be aware of is the decision making process.

Do you start with your campaign and then opt for the opposite offer?

While this is largely a matter of personal preference, our advice is to opt for the offer first.

Why?

Because this way you can be sure that your campaign is always relevant to your audience and you won't fall into the trap of swapping offers for a page to fit something in there.

This gives you more creative freedom to sell with the right message.

Take a good look around and remember that the payout is only one piece in a bigger puzzle and should not be the only factor influencing your decision.

Another thing to be aware of is eCPM (or RPM), which is your effective cost per thousand impressions.

This clean image takes into account both your conversion rates and payouts, making it one of the most important factors when planning your campaign.

If in doubt, talk to your affiliate manager about which traffic sources are working well for the advertiser and see if it aligns with your own affiliate profile and strategy.

For example, if the offer works particularly well on Instagram, create a story ad.

If it's killing it with CPA advertising on mobile, buy inventory from top mobile ad networks and traffic sources.

Step #3 – Find the traffic source

Let's talk more about traffic sources.

I've already mentioned that different offers allow for their own promotional methods, and you'll also find that there are several verticals that work best with certain mobile ad formats, so it's usually wise to do your own research before creating a campaign. .

So now, we can take a closer look at what these specifications might look like and where to buy inventory.

An ad network sells ad space to affiliates that it buys from a network of publisher sites, where your ads ultimately run.

Some ad networks may specialize in banner ads, others in pop or push notifications so you need to be aware of the benefits each traffic source can bring to your campaign before you actually start promoting.

Let's talk about the different forms in more detail, shall we?

Mobile advertising

All of the ad types listed above also apply to mobile CPA marketing.

There are many ways to reach people on mobile: pop, redirect, push notifications, native ads, banner/display ads and more.

Beware of your eCPM!

You can limit your results to mobile traffic only, while desktop may convert differently on the same offer. So - if you run cross-platform, analyze each channel carefully.

Many ad networks work with different formats so finding a match for your traffic and promotion is relatively easy!

Speaking of formats, here's a complete list of the best:

• In-video
• instant message
• interim
• Mobile Banner/Display
• Mobile Pops (Popunders and Popups)
• Native advertising
• Paid advertising
• Push notifications

Redirects (users land on a specific URL and are immediately redirected to your landing page)

Social media advertising

Want to learn more about them and how to work with them in your campaign? Read our article on mobile advertising format.

Also, bro, and we can't possibly stress this enough - check everything out!

There are literally thousands of ad networks out there, and you'll find that some will convert much better than others.

Push notifications

Push notifications are a relatively recent technology that has paved the way for new affiliate strategies to appear

They have exceptional reach and performance and are ideal if you want to increase your customer acquisition.

Additionally, all push notification traffic comes from real users. This means it's guaranteed to be bot-free so you can measure performance more accurately.

Add to that that users are more engaged with the message and you can see retention rates increase by up to 20%.

They allow for a greater degree of customization and immediate delivery, allowing your campaign to target your target audience when your message will be most effective.

Also, with the development of push notification services, you can now reach users without an app, allowing more freedom of distribution for performance marketers.

Here are the top 10 push notification ad networks:

• Propeller Ads (Propeller Ads Bonus Coupon)
• RichPush (RichPush Bonus Coupon)
• Admaven
• MGID (MGID Bonus Coupon)
• EvaDav (EvaDav Bonus Coupon)
• Adcash (Adcash Bonus Coupon)
• Zeropark (Zeropark Bonus Coupon)
• Adsterra (Adsterra Bonus Coupon)
• Push.House (Push House Bonus Coupon)
• twin red
• Pops (popunder and popup)

Pops is an innovative ad format that appears in a new window above or below the active window.

For popunders, users will be able to see the ad when the original window is minimized.

Popups are the opposite, requiring the user to close the ad to return to the primary window

They are an ad format currently trending in the industry and outperforming standard mobile ads in terms of CTR, customer interaction and customer engagement.

What's best about them:

Popunders are less intrusive than pop-ups, but they are both legitimate in their own right and may perform differently depending on the traffic source and offer.

They allow for engaging creative and are perfect for app installs, free trials, lead generation and mobile content offers.

They offer high CPM rates, making them an effective format to maximize your ROI and profit potential

Are you looking for the best converting pop traffic?

Look no further, here are our pop ad network recommendations:

• Adcash (Adcash Bonus Coupon)
• RichPops (RichAds Bonus Coupon)
• Adsterra (Adsterra Bonus Coupon)
• TrafficStars (TrafficStars Bonus Coupon)
• PopEds
• Propeller advertisement
• Admaven
• twin red
• Zeropark (Zeropark Bonus Coupon)
• Exoclick
• Native advertising

This ad format mimics the publisher's own content and links to your landing page or offer

Local example

Here are some popular native ad networks to get you started:

• MGID (Exclusive MGID Bonus Coupon)
• Adcash (Adcash Bonus Coupon)
• TrafficStars (TrafficStars Bonus Coupon)
• EvaDav (EvaDav Bonus Coupon)
• Adsterra (Adsterra Bonus Coupon)
• twin red
• BidVertiser (BidVertiser Bonus Coupon)
• Display ads

With display advertising, you buy inventory from publishers and use this ad space to promote your creative.

Here are a few demonstration networks to get you started:

• Plugrush
• Exoclick
• Adcash
• Adult traffic

This is a powerful traffic type for mobile.

With more than half of adult traffic being mobile, this piece of the pie will only get bigger in the coming years

Competition is fierce, but fear not.

Try these adult ad networks and see how it goes, their quality is at the top of the industry:

• Exoclick
• twin red
• TrafficStars (TrafficStars Bonus Coupon)
• Plugrush
• PopEds
• Push.House (Push House Bonus Coupon)
• Admaven
• Zeropark (Zeropark Bonus Coupon)
• See also: Adult Ad Network Analysis (Pros and Cons)

Search traffic

Similar to traditional PPC (pay per click) where you pay a publisher every time your ad is clicked.

There are plenty of platforms to test this traffic, including social media ad networks

Our top picks are:

• Google Ads
• Facebook ads
• Instagram
• Bing
• Yandex
• Social advertising

A no-brainer when it comes to connecting with your audience on a daily basis.

Social ads are super targeted and generally convert well on mobile. Best platform to do this:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• Snapchat

Step #4 – Start using a tracker

If you are running multiple campaigns and are not yet using an affiliate tracking platform, you should definitely consider it.

Affiliates track everything from offers to ad creative, ad copy, landing pages, banner placements and conversions, and that's just for starters!

To run an effective campaign you want to know which are your most profitable traffic sources, which offers are converting for you and what your ROI will be.

Some key metrics you'll want to track are:

• campaign
• Traffic sources
• Offer
• Creative (landing pages, banners, etc.)
• Don't miss to analyze the following metrics:
• 
  
• impression
• Inspection
• click
• conversion
• CTR (Click-through Rate)
• EPV (Revenue Per Visitor)
• EPC (Earnings Per Click)
• Promotional expenses
• income
• profit
• ROI (Return on Investment)
• Number of promotions

Fail to track these stats and you're headed for the bottom or your money, ie.

See also: Essential Affiliate Marketing Glossary of Terms

Accurate metrics are everything! If the list seems too long, and you're wondering how on earth you'll keep track of everything at the same time…

Keep calm! We've got your back!

For beginners, who are already overwhelmed with affiliate information and cannot afford paid services, Mobidea has created a tracker that is completely free to use.

As you get older, your needs will change and I totally understand that.

The day will come when you need a more complex and full-featured tracking solution to track offers from the various networks you work with

Then, check which affiliate tracking platform you like the most

Related Content: Best Affiliate Tracking Platforms

Here are affiliate's favorite trackers:

• Volume (Volume Coupon)
• RedTrack (RedTrack Coupon)
• BeMob (BeMob Coupon)
• Binom (binom coupon)
• Prosperity
• Adbridge

Volume is paid tracking software and a great solution for CPA affiliates, agencies and anyone who wants to track every aspect of their campaigns.

The tool has an incredibly intuitive interface and presents statistics in an easy-to-understand way. This is a must, in my humble opinion.

Conclusion

If you've made it this far - congratulations!

You will learn about CPA offers, affiliate networks, traffic sources and formats and how they make up the affiliate ecosystem (not the complete ecosystem, but definitely necessary).

You're pretty much ready for your first campaign!

CPA marketing is an exciting business with new opportunities coming every day, but with them - challenges too.

If you want to make it big, you need to always expand your knowledge and keep experimenting until you get results you're proud of!

The bright side of being an affiliate is that you can work your own hours.

The best part?

You don't need a website!

This is a business that allows you to master any skill in the game. You don't need a ton of cash or even design knowledge to dive deep and find your sweet spot.

Are you passionate about social media?

Use it to connect with the right people on the right platform.

Whatever your flex, just remember: focus. Test data

Those three magic words of affiliate marketing.

CPA Affiliate Marketing will push your boundaries, increase your skills and ultimately – get you closer to the life you want to live.