What you need to know to start working with a CPA network

The first step for any arbitrageur is to choose an advertiser or CPA network to cooperate with. At this stage, newcomers often face many questions: how does a CPA network work, where to find a CPA network without a hold, and how do CPA networks and arbitrage interact in general? In this guide, we provide answers to all the main questions.

What is a CPA network?

CPA networks are specialized platforms that host offers from many trusted advertisers. Webmasters can choose the right offer and direct traffic to it.

A CPA network can also act as an independent advertiser. This is how large companies with a well-known name in the market work, cooperating with numerous webmasters. Arbitrageurs know that such companies are reliable and offer a large number of offers.

In addition, CPA also means a payment model in which an advertiser pays for a completed action, such as filling out an application or selling a product. However, today we will discuss CPA networks.

Functioning mechanisms and sources of income

To simplify the explanation, the way CPA networks work is as follows: a large company wants to get traffic. It can turn to arbitrageurs directly, but this option has a number of disadvantages, which we will consider later.

A company approaches a CPA network with a request for a certain amount of traffic of the appropriate quality for a specific period and offers $100,000 for it. The network agrees and publishes offers on its website for a total amount of $90,000. Registered webmasters analyze these offers and provide traffic. As a result, advertisers get the traffic they need, and arbitrageurs get their rewards.

A CPA network acts as an intermediary between the advertiser and the webmaster, guaranteeing the result and payment for both parties, while retaining a certain percentage. The process is much more complicated, as both advertisers and webmasters are verified, but the basic idea remains the same.

CPA networks work according to a simple scheme: they create a large database of advertisers and webmasters. Advertisers provide offers, and webmasters receive them for execution. In addition, the networks support both parties in case of problems and help to solve them, ensuring the end result for all participants in the process.

Why don’t arbitrators and advertisers work directly? The answer is simple: large advertisers are unwilling to work with individual arbitrators or small teams. Here are a few reasons:

1. Limited traffic. Large volumes of traffic are needed quickly, and small teams often can’t deliver on time, which leads to problems.
2. Inadequate traffic quality. Advertisers require a certain quality of traffic, for example, a certain age or gender. Arbitrageurs, on the other hand, can provide inappropriate or motivated traffic, which leads to conflicts. CPA networks act as intermediaries to resolve such disputes.
   
3. Fraud risk. This is one of the main reasons why webmasters choose to work through verified CPA networks. After the job is done, the advertiser may simply disappear or refuse to pay. CPA networks guarantee payments even in case of non-payment by the advertiser, which is a protection for arbitrageurs.
   
4. Other controversial issues. During the operation, technical problems, delays with the hold, problems with the call center, etc. may occur. Affiliate programs help to avoid such situations.

How to get started with CPA

Choosing a CPA network

• Choose a suitable CPA network: Choose the networks that are right for your vertical.
• Network Analysis: Public networks are usually more reliable, but have more competition. Lesser known networks may be less reliable but offer more favorable conditions.

Network reliability assessment

• Network reputation: Read reviews and gather information about the network’s reputation.
  
• Reliability: It is important to assess the reliability of the network to avoid future problems.

Payout frequency and minimum withdrawal amount

• Payout frequency: Pay attention to the payout frequency and the minimum withdrawal amount.
  
• Withdrawals: It is important to have access to the profit in time to replenish the advertising budget.

Familiarization with the network interface

• Interface and functionality: Familiarize yourself with the interface and functionality of the selected network to simplify your workflow.

Selecting an offer

• Offer analysis: Choose the offer that matches your capabilities
• Criteria for choosing an offer: Pay attention to geographic location, targeted action, average earnings per click, and allowed traffic sources.

Evaluation of product interest

• Product Analysis: Check the interest of the advertised product using Google Trends or other statistical platforms.
• Importance of interest: If a product is not interesting, it will be more difficult to promote it.

Launching ads

• Testing approaches: First, test different approaches, creatives, and target audiences.
  
• Dedicated budget: Set aside a separate budget for testing to help avoid big losses.
• Advertising Optimization: Once you’ve found an effective link, use the entire allocated budget.

Working with questions and problems

• Contacting the manager: If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your network manager.
• Manager assistance: Managers can provide ready-made creatives, help with translation, and more.

Continuous communication with the manager

• Communication: Constant communication with the manager will contribute to your development and profit growth.

How to drive traffic for CPA affiliate programs?

Conditionally free traffic (CFT)

• TikTok: The most common source of UBT.
• Other sources of UBT:
  • YouTube: Use to drive traffic.
  • Reels and Shorts: Popular short video formats on Instagram and YouTube.
  • Personal Blogs: Using blogs to get attention.
  • SEO traffic: Getting traffic from your own website through search engine optimization.

Paid traffic

• Facebook and Google: The main sources of paid traffic.
• Workflow: Affiliate managers buy traffic at a lower price and sell it to networks at a higher price, earning on the difference.

Startup costs

• Factors that affect costs: Offer conditions, geo, specific product or service.
• Initial budget: Can vary significantly across verticals.

Other methods of attracting traffic

• Push Notifications: Using push notifications to grab attention.
• Bots on Telegram: Using bots to drive traffic
• Advertising on bloggers: Attracting traffic through popular bloggers.
  
• Advertising in publics: It is important to find a public with an audience that is interested in your product.

Conclusion

CPA networks are commercial platforms that place offers from reliable advertisers. Cooperation with CPA networks is profitable and safe. However, it should be remembered that they charge a commission for their services.

The question of whether to work directly with advertisers is debatable. It is important to keep in mind that most large advertisers will not want to deal with individual arbitrageurs or small teams, as the amount of traffic they can provide will not be enough.

In addition, affiliate networks provide a guarantee of payment for the work performed. There are cases when unscrupulous advertisers try to evade payment after receiving traffic. When you cooperate with an affiliate network, this risk is removed from you, because the network controls the payment. Many CPA networks also offer partial or full prepayment from advertisers, which adds additional confidence.

It’s easy to get started with CPA networks. It is important to find a suitable platform, register, choose a suitable offer, set up a campaign, and receive income. Good luck with high ROI!