Budgeting is one of the hottest topics among affiliates, which is understandable. Affiliate marketing is all about maximizing conversions with minimal spend. But in this race for profit, many forget about auctions and the price of quality traffic.
At the ROIads ad network, we've seen it all: from newbies coming in with $100 hoping to crack 10x offers, to experienced marketers who launch tests with the smallest bids possible. This doesn't work out well, of course. So let's separate fantasy from reality. We've gathered the most widespread myths about campaign budgets and will bust them with real data.
If a network allows a $50 minimum deposit, many affiliates assume that's enough to properly test an offer. It's not. That $50 might buy you some clicks and maybe even conversions, but it won't give you enough data to evaluate traffic quality and optimize your campaigns.
Testing requires volumes of traffic. So if you have an offer with a $5 CPA, ROIads experts recommend starting with at least $50. For offers with a $70-$100 CPA, you'll need a daily budget of $150-$200. Anything less means you'll be collecting data for weeks before you can even begin optimization, and time is money.
Yes, push and pop traffic costs less than banners or native ads, but it's not cheap in general. These formats deliver great results, so demand is high, and in competitive markets, prices rise accordingly.
When affiliates set the lowest possible bids, thinking pop traffic can't cost more, they actually get bottom-tier, low-quality traffic that rarely converts. You should always consider your offer type and GEO competition to avoid wasting money on clicks that go nowhere.
Surely, everyone wants the offer with big payouts. The truth is, the higher the payout, the more complex and expensive the conversion will be. An offer paying $100 isn't going to convert as easily as one paying $5. Desktop antiviruses, finance offers, high-tier gambling sites - they all require larger test budgets because the funnels are longer and the conversions are multistep.
Don't have a big budget for tests? Choose a simpler offer: sweepstakes, app installs, FTD gambling offers – something for fast, direct conversions that requires smaller testing budgets.
It's one of the most costly mistakes affiliates make. They set low bids trying to save their budget from going to waste, but it's exactly what happens. Low bids guarantee you'll receive bottom-tier traffic that kills your test before it even begins.
Don't forget that all ad networks operate on auction systems. The best traffic goes to the highest bidders, so when you bid low, you're getting whatever's left over – usually nothing good.
If you wonder, "How long does it take to test an offer?", you're asking the wrong question. The right one is: "What budget do I need to test an offer?"
You could run a campaign for two weeks with $5/day and still have no useful data, or you could spend $500 in three days and have everything you need to optimize and maximize ROI. The timeline depends entirely on how much you're investing.
ROIads team recommends testing low-CPA offers with at least a 5x budget (10x is better) before your first optimization round. High-CPA offers need at least a 3x budget. Only then will you have enough data to make informed decisions about what's working and what isn't.
One more tip for a successful bidding strategy – consult your ad network manager. Their only goal is to help you achieve the best possible results in the shortest time with the most efficient budget allocation. ROIads experts can tell you which device performs best for your specific offer, help you avoid wasteful tests, and guide you toward profitable combinations based on real data from similar campaigns.
Don't learn the hard way by burning your budget on avoidable mistakes. Ask for advice and leverage others' expertise to achieve success.
At the ROIads ad network, we've seen it all: from newbies coming in with $100 hoping to crack 10x offers, to experienced marketers who launch tests with the smallest bids possible. This doesn't work out well, of course. So let's separate fantasy from reality. We've gathered the most widespread myths about campaign budgets and will bust them with real data.
Myth #1: The Platform's Minimum Is Enough for Testing
The Reality: Minimum deposits exist to let you start a campaign, not to get meaningful results.If a network allows a $50 minimum deposit, many affiliates assume that's enough to properly test an offer. It's not. That $50 might buy you some clicks and maybe even conversions, but it won't give you enough data to evaluate traffic quality and optimize your campaigns.
Testing requires volumes of traffic. So if you have an offer with a $5 CPA, ROIads experts recommend starting with at least $50. For offers with a $70-$100 CPA, you'll need a daily budget of $150-$200. Anything less means you'll be collecting data for weeks before you can even begin optimization, and time is money.
Myth #2: Push and Pop Traffic Is Super Cheap
The Reality: Push and pop ads are incredibly popular, which means fierce competition, especially in profitable GEOs.Yes, push and pop traffic costs less than banners or native ads, but it's not cheap in general. These formats deliver great results, so demand is high, and in competitive markets, prices rise accordingly.
When affiliates set the lowest possible bids, thinking pop traffic can't cost more, they actually get bottom-tier, low-quality traffic that rarely converts. You should always consider your offer type and GEO competition to avoid wasting money on clicks that go nowhere.
Myth #3: I Can Test Everything with Tiny Budgets
The Reality: High payouts = high testing budgets. Simple as that.Surely, everyone wants the offer with big payouts. The truth is, the higher the payout, the more complex and expensive the conversion will be. An offer paying $100 isn't going to convert as easily as one paying $5. Desktop antiviruses, finance offers, high-tier gambling sites - they all require larger test budgets because the funnels are longer and the conversions are multistep.
Don't have a big budget for tests? Choose a simpler offer: sweepstakes, app installs, FTD gambling offers – something for fast, direct conversions that requires smaller testing budgets.
Myth #4: Low Bids Save Money
The Reality: Low bids waste money by delivering poor-quality traffic that can't convert.It's one of the most costly mistakes affiliates make. They set low bids trying to save their budget from going to waste, but it's exactly what happens. Low bids guarantee you'll receive bottom-tier traffic that kills your test before it even begins.
Don't forget that all ad networks operate on auction systems. The best traffic goes to the highest bidders, so when you bid low, you're getting whatever's left over – usually nothing good.
Myth #5: Time Matters More Than Budget in Tests
The Reality: Testing isn't measured in hours or days; it's measured in spend.If you wonder, "How long does it take to test an offer?", you're asking the wrong question. The right one is: "What budget do I need to test an offer?"
You could run a campaign for two weeks with $5/day and still have no useful data, or you could spend $500 in three days and have everything you need to optimize and maximize ROI. The timeline depends entirely on how much you're investing.
ROIads team recommends testing low-CPA offers with at least a 5x budget (10x is better) before your first optimization round. High-CPA offers need at least a 3x budget. Only then will you have enough data to make informed decisions about what's working and what isn't.
Conclusion
Most campaign failures aren't caused by bad traffic or the wrong offer; they're caused by wrong budget expectations. Hopefully, now you won't fall into common budgeting traps.One more tip for a successful bidding strategy – consult your ad network manager. Their only goal is to help you achieve the best possible results in the shortest time with the most efficient budget allocation. ROIads experts can tell you which device performs best for your specific offer, help you avoid wasteful tests, and guide you toward profitable combinations based on real data from similar campaigns.
Don't learn the hard way by burning your budget on avoidable mistakes. Ask for advice and leverage others' expertise to achieve success.
