Complete Campaign Optimization Guide

[internalsoul]

Complete Campaign Optimization Guide

Optimization is the process of turning campaigns from non-profitable ones into profitable ones. This is done by testing all the elements of the campaigns and eliminating the non-performing ones. It’s the most important part of creating profitable campaigns. There is no shortcut and no way around it.

Literally, ALL your campaigns are test campaigns until one of them become profitable through the optimization process.

Rarely very few campaigns are profitable right off the bat but you can’t count on them. But what you can COUNT ON is to create profitable campaigns through proper optimization. But this can be a hell lot of work, considering the huge number of elements to test and optimize off. It can be very time consuming and money sucking process, specially for traffic sources which have huge volume of traffic and several elements for optimization.

That’s where most marketers fails and return empty handed or at a loss. Hope you don’t want to be one of them.

Follow these “3 MAGIC RULES” of optimization:-

1. Traffic Source Level Optimization
2. Campaign Level Optimization
3. Angle , banner(AD) and landing page level optimization

Now let’s elaborate for level of optimization.

1. Traffic Source Level Optimization - Every traffic sources provide dynamic variable sources like siteid, adzones, category, ad/banner name etc. The first step is to cut out non-performing or low-performing variables as soon as possible at the initial stage of the campaign once you have the data. If you are not doing it then you are losing a lot of money to gather data for non-performing variables.

For example: - When I am running a RON campaign, I would cut out sites which don’t convert. Generally I will cut out a site when money spent on them is equivalent to 1x or 2x of offer payout depending on my offer conversion ratio and EPC. Then I would cut out low performing ad with low CTR and so on.

The most important thing to do is this: execute while you are learning.

2. Campaign Level Optimization – This optimization is done through the tracker. Once enough data is gathered and traffic level optimization is done then the next step should always be to cut out the landers and offer page url(maximum time every offers have multiple variations of offers page or if you are split testing same offer from multiple networks) which is performing low.

Campaign Level Optimization Hierarchy Structure TO Follow:-

While doing campaign level optimization, metrics to look out for and considered while optimization are:-

• CTR of landing page
• CR (Conversion Ratio)
• CV (Conversion per view)
• CPV vs EPV (Cost Per View vs Earnings per view)
• EPC (Earnings per click)
• CV & EPV comparison of landers

3. Angle , banner(AD) and landing page level optimization – The is the last part of optimization and tweaking the campaign and by now, the campaign should be green else, revise step 1 and step 2.

The main elements needed to be tested and optimized are:

• The angles (hooks) of your campaign message (very very important)
• AD/banner :- Headline, Body message, CTA
• Landing Page: - Design (color, layout etc.) , Healine/subheadlines, images(if any used), Body copy, CTA.

Optimization is a lengthy process, very time consuming and money sucking it. If you can master it, then you can make any campaign profitable (* conditions applied as it is directly linked to offer conversion rate).

Example: - How I am optimizing a campaign (Live campaign)
Day 1

I had some data and that’s enough for me to complete step 1. I went ahead on my traffic source and cut out non-performing and low-performing sites and adzones. Paused low CTR ads. Then I tried to complete step 2(initial stage) and cut out some extremely poor performing offer pages.

Day 5 (After Optimization)

As you can see, after step 1 and step 2 optimization I am able to increase my ROI to +22.75% from -30.97% for lander 1 and from +13.78% to +50.86% for lander 2. I have lot more optimization to do. As it's day 5 only and I am expecting to increase my ROI to 80-120% when I am done finishing my complete optimization.

Lander 2 Statistics Breakdown:-

This image is just to show how much more room of optimization is there. When all the steps and points of optimization are followed mentioned in this guide then the ROI can go above 100% or even more than that. Only data can tell that.

Note:- This is a live campaign, so it’s my request that please don’t ask anything about my campaign like vertical, affiliate network, offer name, traffic source. I am just sharing my statistics as example.

Hope you guys have enjoyed reading it.
P.S : Please notify me if there is any typo error or any other mistake.

Regards,
Internalsoul

 

[Snoop]

Just what I needed thank you

 

[internalsoul]

Just what I needed thank you

You are most welcome. Glad it helped you.

 

[clements]

If you need a network to run offers to earn money along with what is discussed here then Affiliates Media is what you need. Also allows many LEGIT traffic sources for those campaigns that our advertiser has allowed it. Check out our website in my signature & apply by Clicking Her there.

 

[crysper]

great write-up about optimization. I also want to remind newbies to not be afraid of the optimization complexity, you don't need to optimize at all levels from the start. Do it slowly, change one thing at a time.

 

[internalsoul]

crysper wel said. Exactly what newbies need to follow. Just doing it on a planned way, will make the campaigns profitable.

 

[newlxx]

@internalsoul Great post. @crysper I agree man. Newbies should focus optimizing one variable at a time by running simple A/B split test and develop their OWN optimization process.

 

[Judecd23]

@internalsoul

Excellent guide, Thank You!

 

[Rvfamily]

@internalsoul,

Thanks for the informative guide. I have a little better understanding, but if I may ask a couple of questions (still newbie type questions).

First, I am still fuzzy about when to pause a campaign. I think I have been getting better at creating headlines that generate clicks (current campaign has a CTR% of about 3%, an improvement over previous campaigns- God I hope that is as good as I think it is ), but with a spend of $20 or so, I have zero conversions. I mean, how do you know when to kill a campaign? The campaign I mention here, has a payout of $14, so I set the budget for it at $50 before I kill/pause it. Does this seem like a reasonable figure to you?

Second, when it comes to statistical significance, how do you know when you've reached a point where you should cut a referrer/site with a higher payout offer? Again for the example above, you don't want to wait until you have 2 or 3 times the payout for a referrer/site to cut it do you? I'm working with keywords that have higher bids (at least for the part of the pond I've been fishing in), so you can wind up spending more without getting very many clicks to base your data on. How can I reconcile that?

Finally, When I see many of these guides like this (showing conversion data), I think I must have just completely missed the boat. I am spending, (in some cases) $30-$45 to test a campaign with just two headline variations. If I set a budget of 3x the payout on many of these offers, I can't possibly test them (many variations) to a point of statistical significance and stay under that cap/budget. What am I missing to make this make sense?

I appreciate your patience in answering some newbie questions. I apologize, but do thank you in advance for your help.

As always,
Here's to your success!

 

[internalsoul]

Rvfamily Thanks for your queries. I will try to answer them all. If I miss any point do let me know.

1.

First, I am still fuzzy about when to pause a campaign. I think I have been getting better at creating headlines that generate clicks (current campaign has a CTR% of about 3%, an improvement over previous campaigns- God I hope that is as good as I think it is ), but with a spend of $20 or so, I have zero conversions. I mean, how do you know when to kill a campaign? The campaign I mention here, has a payout of $14, so I set the budget for it at $50 before I kill/pause it. Does this seem like a reasonable figure to you?

First of all, higher CTR doesn't always mean higher conversions. When you've higher CTR without conversions even after significant clicks/spends then it simply means that your audience isn't getting your message, they are just curious to see what you are promoting. You will come upon several occasions where you can see low CTR is converting better than higher CTR. When the offer isn't converting even with higher CTR, then its high time to re-consider your angle, ads and headlines and to try a new angle, new ads, new headlines. Whenever, I start a new campaign I try at-least 2-3 angle(Each campaign focused on a single angle). Maximum spend for each campaign is 2x-3x the offer payout. That's the general rule I apply for each campaign. If there is any conversions, then I try to improve it by optimization and if there is none then its most likely that I kill the campaign and focus on working campaigns with working angles which is bringing me conversions.

2.

Second, when it comes to statistical significance, how do you know when you've reached a point where you should cut a referrer/site with a higher payout offer? Again for the example above, you don't want to wait until you have 2 or 3 times the payout for a referrer/site to cut it do you? I'm working with keywords that have higher bids (at least for the part of the pond I've been fishing in), so you can wind up spending more without getting very many clicks to base your data on. How can I reconcile that?

It's a part which varies from person to person but when I'm looking at individual variables, I try to cut out individual variables based on the ROI against 1x-2x the offer payout. When I'm in a position to cut out individual variables, that time I already have significant data(I am talking about avg. data based on overall performance of the campaign). So, it becomes easier when you have avg. data to optimize the campaign and cut out individual variables whose performance is below your avg. data and return of investment is significantly low. I keep individual variables whose data is lower than avg. data for later optimization when I've enough data. For my example campaign, I know the avg performance of my campaign(like CTR, CR, CV etc), so I could identify which site/referrer is going to perform well and which is making me loss. In your case, first you need to do the math and see at what point you can break even on those keywords with their respective bids. When you will complete your math you will get your avg. CTR and CR which will give you a clear idea, how your campaign should perform to break even at such higher bids. You will know if that keyword is going to break even even before reaching 2x the offer payout amount.

3.

Finally, When I see many of these guides like this (showing conversion data), I think I must have just completely missed the boat. I am spending, (in some cases) $30-$45 to test a campaign with just two headline variations. If I set a budget of 3x the payout on many of these offers, I can't possibly test them (many variations) to a point of statistical significance and stay under that cap/budget. What am I missing to make this make sense?

You are not missing anything. All these guides which are showing data are just examples to show how it works. For guides or case-studies working campaign(successful campaign) is selected so that everybody gets a clear idea about how it works or how it should work. The truth is every campaign isn't profitable right off the bat, you've to optimize them to make them profitable. Even after optimization there will be several campaigns which wont be profitable at all and that greatly depends on the offer you are promoting and your angle. My suggestion would be always to get started with a SOI offer which converts easily. Try as many angles as you can, try to optimize and rinse every bit from that campaign and learn from it. When you've have gathered enough experience, try high payout offers and offers based on CPS. It's just a learning curve, so always start with small and then after mastering it aim for bigger. If you will follow my journal, you will see that I've started with a SOI offer which has a payout of $0.56, then I went to try trial offer which required a CC submit on my thread Diet Vertical With PPV.

I hope I've answered all your queries, if you have any further queries do let me know.

 

[Rvfamily]

Hey @internalsoul,

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my novice questions so thoroughly. I really appreciate it.

As always,
Here's to your success!

 

[internalsoul]

You are most welcome Rvfamily

 

[Yussef]

Awesome share man.

 

[jonathan vodini]

hi mate,

just a quick question, i just launched a new campaign (CPC Bing ads) and the offer payout is quite low is a bizzop SOI 1.30$ the click i bid on are quite high for this particular campaign in fact i'm bidding around 0.45$ per click, here my strategy is just to test the initial part of the campaign to see which ads,keyword, query-string, and angle convert the best and once spot them focus all on them and block all the source which doesn't bring any profit.

once done it i will lower my bid keywords until i make it profitable, and eventually scale it rising the daily budget as well.

is it a good strategy or i just screwing anything?

consider that the average cpc of this vertical is at least 0.35$

cheers

 

[internalsoul]

hi mate,

just a quick question, i just launched a new campaign (CPC Bing ads) and the offer payout is quite low is a bizzop SOI 1.30$ the click i bid on are quite high for this particular campaign in fact i'm bidding around 0.45$ per click, here my strategy is just to test the initial part of the campaign to see which ads,keyword, query-string, and angle convert the best and once spot them focus all on them and block all the source which doesn't bring any profit.

once done it i will lower my bid keywords until i make it profitable, and eventually scale it rising the daily budget as well.

is it a good strategy or i just screwing anything?

consider that the average cpc of this vertical is at least 0.35$

cheers

For that payout, I would consider it bit risky. It would just take 3-4 clicks to spend your payout amount. The best way to compare it is by using the EPC of the network for that offer to your CPC. That's the best way to roughly calculate at what CTR and CR, you can make the campaign profitable.

 

[jonathan vodini]

thanks for your reply buddy,

by the way most of the times doesn't mean that having a network EPC like 0.20 you will get the same EPC, in fact you can easily double or triple that amount.

A simple SOI offer which pay 1.60 may have a better EPC than a offer which pay 5.00 per conversion,

considering that most of the pub on cpa network send bunch of shitty traffic or for example they do not even put a lander between the offer and the ad, which means lowering the EPC a lot.

in this case for example the payout was very low but at the same time i knew the offer convert very well, i got a nice 0.56 EPC while spending an aCPC of 0.25.

i was in profit but the advertiser did stop that campaign 2 days ago :/

can't wait for tomorrow to talk with my AM and decide which offer to replace with.