Why CPA campaigns stop performing good after a certain time period?

[seorealm90]

Hi there
I have read few case studies about the CPA offers people were promoting using paid advertising.
They optimised it and made profits. Some scaled it and some had to close it before the conversions started to decline i.e campaign wasn't performing good anymore. The time span of some campaigns was months while some lasted only for weeks.
Though the offer and the advertiser was still on the platform means their business were running as usual. My question is what causes a perfectly good ad campaign to decline? Is it the bad traffic quality sent by the traffic network or increased competition?

 

[Graybeard]

My theory is the proverbial: Pyrrhic Victory

All of the spy tools --Game On

 

[T J Tutor]

The time span of some campaigns was months while some lasted only for weeks.

This is the result of those with intelligence subscriptions finding all of the data on a winning campaign. These intelligence platforms provide the ads, the landers, the traffic sources, et., on all campaigns they discover and make the data available for review and download. Then, those of us with these subscriptions remove all the code from these items, have our developers place our code in them, and we modify the creatives and the landers to make them our own.

Now you also need to keep in mind other factors. Funnels, campaigns also have their own "half lives". They could be shorter or longer lives based on demographics, geos, as well a other factors.

 

[Gunna]

Hi there
I have read few case studies about the CPA offers people were promoting using paid advertising.
They optimised it and made profits. Some scaled it and some had to close it before the conversions started to decline i.e campaign wasn't performing good anymore. The time span of some campaigns was months while some lasted only for weeks.
Though the offer and the advertiser was still on the platform means their business were running as usual. My question is what causes a perfectly good ad campaign to decline? Is it the bad traffic quality sent by the traffic network or increased competition?

I can feel the pain.. however i am an advertiser but even getting the right network and right traffic is very tough. i also want to run CPA offers but still not able to do it right after spending months.

 

[T J Tutor]

I can feel the pain.. however i am an advertiser but even getting the right network and right traffic is very tough. i also want to run CPA offers but still not able to do it right after spending months.

You sound more like a publisher than an advertiser. Unless you have your own brand, unless you are pitching and selling offers you own, you are a publisher.

An advertiser would never state "i am an advertiser but even getting the right network and right traffic is very tough." A true advertiser is generally quite experienced and dialed in to the industry.

 

[Ariel-ActiveRevenue]

My question is what causes a perfectly good ad campaign to decline? Is it the bad traffic quality sent by the traffic network or increased competition?

Good question
a well-performing ad campaign can decline for several reasons. a major factor is ad fatigue - when users see the same ad repeatedly, its effectiveness drops as engagement decreases. Increased competition is another reason; more advertisers targeting the same audience can drive up costs and dilute the audience's responsiveness.
bad traffic quality from networks can also be a factor, especially if your audience isn’t as targeted over time. Other reasons include algorithm changes on ad platforms, shifts in consumer behavior, or changes in the performance of the offer itself (like less attractive pricing or a weaker funnel).

Are you actively refreshing creatives and targeting to counteract these declines?

 

[T J Tutor]

Are you actively refreshing creatives and targeting to counteract these declines?

This is very important.

 

[Graybeard]

Are you actively refreshing creatives and targeting to counteract these declines?

This is very important.

Might as well Make 3 new creatives for every week of the CPA /ad campaign How to do this with the *least amount of effort*

Remember: Live by the tool --die by the tool!

...how to an AI Mindmap

 

[seorealm90]

Are you actively refreshing creatives and targeting to counteract these declines?

So far only real case studies.

 

[Adsbridge]

The decline in performance of even successful CPA advertising campaigns can be attributed to several factors, including the ones you mentioned — traffic quality and competition — as well as other issues. Below are some possible reasons and recommendations for addressing them:

Possible Reasons for Campaign Decline:​

1. Poor Traffic Quality
   Sometimes the traffic sent by the network loses relevance due to:
   • Overexposure of the same audience to your ads.
   • Low-quality traffic sources (bots, irrelevant traffic).
   • Reduced overall audience interest in the offer.
2. Increased Competition
   • New advertisers entering the same niche can raise click costs or make it harder to reach your target audience.
   • Auction-based advertising platforms (e.g., Google Ads, Facebook Ads) might increase the cost of acquiring users.
3. Changes in Audience Behavior
   • Trends, seasonality, and shifts in audience preferences can impact campaign success.
   • Gradual saturation of interest in the same offer.
4. Changes in the Offer Itself
   • If the offer becomes less competitive (e.g., alternatives with better pricing or conditions emerge), conversions might drop.
5. Issues on the Landing Page or Platform
   • Reduced website load speed, errors on the landing page, or outdated creatives can also impact campaign effectiveness.

How to Minimize Risks and Optimize Campaigns:​

1. Use a TDS Tracker
   A Traffic Distribution System (TDS) allows you to monitor traffic parameters such as:
   • User geo.
   • Traffic sources.
   • Conversions across different segments.
     This helps you identify ineffective traffic sources and reallocate resources toward profitable ones.
2. Test and Refresh Creatives
   Constantly test new ads, headlines, images, or videos to avoid audience fatigue.
3. Analyze Competition
   Study competitive offers to understand how to adapt your campaign — you might need to adjust your target audience or optimize your landing page.
4. Regularly Analyze Performance
   Segment traffic to identify groups with the highest conversions. Focus on them while excluding low-performing sources.

Using a TDS tracker and regularly analyzing your campaigns will help you not only identify the reasons for a decline but also adapt your strategy in time to avoid losing revenue.

If you have any questions we will be happy to help you figure it out and create your successful campaign!

 

[Graybeard]

Though the offer and the advertiser was still on the platform means their business were running as usual.

Why is that a true statement? It isn't necessarily. It is your assumption!

 

[Graybeard]

Using a TDS tracker and regularly analyzing your campaigns

That would necessitate having large enough of a volume to draw conclusions from.

Note: this was based on AI and it is using website traffic --think of this as being:
your ad network traffic buys ->
your funnel ->
the offer's landing page.
See this in context ....