2 years ago, I stopped working with ad networks as I started using other traffic sources.
This spring, I decided to give ad networks a second chance: try new for me vertical and test if it’s possible to earn in affiliate marketing with minimum payments now. Spoiler: yes.
I want to share my insights with newbies who are in search of their niche now. ROI didn’t turn out to be cosmic. However, the case study is working and bringing a stable profit with a low budget. That’s what you need to start.
Input data
- Ad network: Galaksion
- CPA network: the offer is still working, so I can’t name it
- Tracker: BeMob
- GEO: US, UK, AU, CA
- Ad format: Mobile Push-up
- Pricing model: CPA
- Vertical: Utilities
- Offer: ExpressVPN (iOS)
- Tests budget: $650
- Period: May–July 2022 but the campaigns are still on
Creatives
Landings
Ad campaign settings
- Platform: Mobile
- OS: iOS
- Browsers: all
- Languages: all
- Rates: US $1.77
- UK, AU, CA $1.11
- Mobile network operators: all
- Internet connection: 3G+, Wi-Fi
Stages of work
1. A search of everything you need to launch a campaign
Ad network, offer, and GEO
For the first tests, I chose the safest payment model — CPA, as here you pay only for conversions.Generally, there are only a few ad networks where you can pay on a CPA. On the forum, I found Galaksion and decided to test it. I asked a manager about the most converting verticals and GEOs and knew that they are VPN and Tier-1.
CPA network
In SPY service Adplexity on request “VPN”, I found ExpressVPN (iOS) offer. I used it in the service Affplus to choose the CPA network with the best payout.
Tracker
I took the cloud tracker Bemob because I had used it before. Conveniently, you don’t need to install it on the server.
Format
I wasn’t sure which format to choose for the offer. So I asked my personal manager directly: “What converts the best?”. The answer was unexpected: they advised me to use “Mobile push-up”. I thought this format was dead. However, I decided to try it.
Landings
The final stage of preparation for the campaign’s launch was the landings’ choice. The first one I found in the CPA network, the second — in SPY-service. I asked to add it to the CPA network.
2. Campaign settings and rate choice
Then I set about the core phase: campaign setting. Managers helped me again with this task. We clarified setting details and competitive rates on CPA by GEOs with them: US, UK, AU, CA.
The result:
US $1,77
UK, AU, CA $ 1,11
I calculated rates by the formula: X = CPA*(approval/100)/(ROI/100+1)
To save the budget, I created two campaigns dividing them by GEOs:
- US
- UK, AU, CA
3. The first launch
I launched the first A/B testing, where I compared two landings:
Landing №1:
Landing №2:
On the very first day, it was obvious that Landing №2 converts better. That is why in the tracker, I turned Landing №1 off.
4. Quality control
I drove traffic to 65 test installs and sent it for a quality check.
Intermediate result:
Conversions: 65
Earnings: $161
Spendings: $116
Net profit: $45
ROI: 38%
The test has shown that the offer and the lending convert and bring the minimum profit even with the initial rates. After checking, traffic turned out to be perfect. And I got 100% approval from all the leads. As a result, the advertiser bumped rates:
The rates were:
US: 2.9
AU: 2.2
CA: 2.0
UK: 1.6
The rates became:
US: 3.5
AU: 2.4
CA: 2.2
UK: 2.1
5. The launch
After the increase in rates, I didn’t change anything in the settings. In 2 weeks, I got such results:
Conversions: 159
Earnings: $386
Spendings: $248
Net profit:: $138
ROI: 56%
6. The scaling
When I realized that the offer converted, I aimed to boost profit. I texted our manager with the question: “How to get more conversions per day?”. The answer was: “To increase rates and daily budget”. That’s what I did.
Rates were:
US $1,77
UK, AU, CA $ 1,11
Rates became:
US $2,20
UK, AU, CA $ 1,45
Results for 3 months:
- Earnings: $965
- Spendings:$616
- Net profit: $349
- Conversions: 358
- ROI: 56%
The offer is still working, so I’m going to optimize it:
- to divide campaigns by GEOs to get more conversions on those GEOs that have not-so-good results (though with less ROI);
- to create black and white lists.
Conclusion
This case study has shown me that in ad networks you can find high-quality traffic and earn money without huge investments and efforts. My tip is to follow the same plan if you didn’t drive traffic to VPN. You definitely won’t lose money. This case is still bringing me a stable profit, although the budget was minimal.
Now you have a ready-to-use manual to monetize VPN in Tier-1 on a CPA payment model. All you need is to use it. Act now. Good luck!
P.S. Hope, we won’t meet at the same auction ;)
By the way, a year ago we prepared a joint article with Galaksion and asked them for the promo code AFVAL15 for you. Friendly reminder: it still works.
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