Блог OctoClick

Common mistakes made by beginners in traffic arbitrage

For advertisers
Have you decided to dive into traffic arbitrage?

It’s a promising field that can generate a nice income. But always be prepared that the path of a beginner can be fraught with pitfalls. Poor decisions, especially at the start, can lead to wasted budgets and disappointments.

Experienced arbitrage specialists know firsthand what difficulties newcomers can face. In this article, we’ll discuss the five most common traffic arbitrage mistakes that could hinder your success.

Problem #1: Choosing the wrong niche and offer

Many beginners, inspired by the success stories of arbitrage experts, rush into battle without understanding the nuances of the market. All they see is enticing potential income and ignore critical details. As a result, their money goes down the drain, and their confidence quickly fades.

Solution:

  • Analyse niches: Don’t try to chase super profitable yet highly competitive offers. If possible, start with a niche you’re familiar with, whether it’s Nutra, iGaming, finance, mobile apps, installs, adult content, or something else.
  • Study the offers. Carefully read the T&Cs of the affiliate program, and pay attention to payout amounts (CPA, RevShare, CPC, CPS), target actions, allowed geos, traffic restrictions, and the quality of promotional materials.
  • Test different options. Don’t rely entirely on only one offer. Experiment, compare results, and choose the offers that bring you the highest income.

So, consciously choosing a niche and an offer is the key to success in traffic arbitrage.

Avoid blindly chasing promises of fabulous earnings, but rather take a thorough approach to analysis and decision-making to ensure your advertising investments generate real profit. Remember: testing and analysis are your ultimate tools on this journey.

Problem #2: "blind launch" of ad campaigns

We're continuing our review of key mistakes in traffic arbitrage, and the second one is the “blind launch” of ad campaigns.

So, you’ve launched an ad campaign and expect an avalanche of leads?

Not so fast.

Without proper targeting, data analysis, and continuous optimisation, your ad campaigns will become a black hole that devours your budget.

Solution:

  • Study your target audience. Who are your potential customers? What are their interests? What problems do they want to solve? Where do they spend time online?
  • Test various traffic sources. Facebook Ads, Google Ads, OctoClick, push notifications, teaser networks - every source has its own specifics and audience.
  • Analyse results and make amends. Track key performance indicators (CTR, conversion rate, ROI), identify your campaigns' weak points, and optimise accordingly.
  • Use trackers - tracking tools that automate the collection, processing, and analysing of campaign data. With a tracker, you can check the effectiveness of your combinations, distribute traffic by specific parameters, perform split testing of creatives, see detailed reports, and much more. It'll simplify your work significantly.

There are no accidental wins in traffic arbitrage. “Blindly launching” advertising campaigns, with no clear understanding of your target audience, no data analysis, and no constant optimisation, is a sure way to burn your budget. Study your audience thoroughly, test different approaches, and don’t hesitate to experiment - this way, you’ll gain experience and learn to find effective combinations. And then - achieve high ROI, and turn traffic arbitrage into a stable source of income.

Problem #3: Neglecting Tests and Creatives

Thinking you’ve found a “golden case” and are now on the path to endless riches? Don’t get ahead of yourself!

What worked for one arbitrage expert won’t necessarily guarantee success for another.

Solution:

  • Experiment with every element of your campaigns - creatives, ad texts, landing pages, geo-targeting.
  • Actively use testing. Try different approaches and seek unconventional solutions that can help you stand out from your competitors.
  • Analyze test results and make conclusions. Which combinations work best? Which creatives get the most attention? Which targeting settings produce better results?
  • Use spy services. With these tools, you can peek at what your competitors are currently running. Each spy service is a database of active ads or ads run earlier on specific traffic sources. Popular spy tools include AdPlexity, AdMobiSpy, Adheart, and WhatRunsWhere. There are many others, of course, each with their own pros and cons, but that’s a topic for another review.

In traffic arbitrage, ready-made formulas don't guarantee a surefire success. Each case is unique, and what worked for one might fail for another. This is why it's important to never refrain from testing, analyzing, and continuously adapting to market changes. Flexibility, attention to detail, and a willingness to experiment are your best allies on the path to stable income in the fascinating world of online advertising.

Problem #4: Neglecting rules

Violating the rules of ad networks, affiliate programs, etc. can lead to campaign rejections, account bans, fines, and other unpleasant consequences.

Solution:

Every advertising network has its features that must be followed when launching campaigns. For example, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or OctoClick provide detailed instructions and recommendations to help you create ads that meet all requirements and get maximum results.

Just be attentive and learn the rules.

Problem #5: Lack of systematic approach

Many beginners act chaotically, without a clear plan or strategy. They jump into everything, quickly lose motivation, and eventually give up.

Solution:

  • Create a business plan: Define your goals, budget, deadlines, KPIs;
  • Keep records of expenses and income. Monitor your budget and analyse the profitability of your campaigns;
  • Automate routine tasks. Use specialized tools and services that will help you save time and effort.

In traffic arbitrage, as in any business, chaos is the enemy of success. Don’t rely on luck or inspiration - only a solid system, a smart strategy, and effective resource management will help you achieve the desired results.

Arbitration is not a lottery, it's a business

To succeed in arbitrage, you need not only the desire to earn money but also knowledge, persistence, and the ability to analyse data and adapt to changes.

Study the common mistakes of arbitrage professionals, learn from them, and then you’ll be well-equipped to get fantastic results in the CPA-marketing world!