Please click here for Part 2.
Over time, our mods have noticed that some of the same questions are being asked over and over again in the forums. As it turned out, caurmen already had a swipe file of threads he's been referring members to, in response to some of the most frequently-asked-questions.
So I've taken that list and added to it - and the first draft of AM FAQs was born!
We'll continue to add to this list in the future. It will save us mods a lot of time by directing members to threads that already contain the answers to their questions.
DISCLAIMER: None of the affiliate/traffic networks, tools, or services mentioned in the threads below are officially endorsed by STM unless otherwise stated. Please exercise due diligence when choosing to work with a network or pay for a tool/service.
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Just Joined STM - Where to Start?
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I just joined STM and am overwhelmed by the amount of content here! Where do I even start?
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdispl...he-Newbie-Zone
I'm having trouble getting accepted into affiliate networks. Where should I apply and what should I do to get accepted?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-First-Network
I applied to XYZ affiliate network days ago and still haven't heard back from them. Does anyone have their contact information?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...kype-Directory
I'm new to AM and have no idea which verticals and traffic sources to start with. Any recommendations?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ticals-EXPOSED
I'm here to network, make friends and/or find people to mastermind with. How do I go about that?
Start or reply to a thread in the Masterminds section:
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdispl...15-Masterminds
Connect with other members from your area:
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdispl...ed-Discussions
Attend the best conference in the AM industry:
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdispl...ld-Conferences
Attend an STM meetup in your area:
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdispl...working-Events
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On Offers
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Won't higher-payout offers make me more money than lower-payout offers? Should I avoid low-payout offers?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...e-Often-Better
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post248616
Which geo should I target?
Traffic from some developing countries will convert better than that from developed countries. This is partly because people from developing countries haven't been subjected to advertising as much as people in developed countries are. Try Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
When should I ask for a pay bump?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...what-to-expect
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ting-Pay-Bumps
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...a-payout-boost
When split-testing offers how do you know when to cut the loser?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...gn-Or-An-Offer
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Banners-Part-1
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On Banners
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I don't know photoshop - help!
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...mplete-Newbies
How many angles and banners should I test?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post248574
How do I increase banner CTR/CR?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...oad-now-button
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ur-CTR-amp-%29
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ate-ctr-rivals
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-**ADD-YOURS**
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-for-High-CTRs
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...for-Higher-CTR
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ve-your-CTR-CR
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...nd-Copywriting
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ts-of-links%29
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...62-Which-Fonts
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...nner-Blindness
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...With-Photoshop
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...e-Amateur-Pics
How do I know which banners to pause?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Banners-Part-2
Where can I find images?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...HOUT-WATERMARK
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-Domain-Images
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ctures-website
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...s-all-for-free!
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On Landing Pages
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How to make a landing page?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...A-Landing-Page
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Actually-Works
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...With-Any-Phone
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...uck-NO-WORRIES!
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...n-Are-Ignoring
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...e-Web-Designer
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...gn-inspiration!
Why is my lander CTR so low?
Try decreasing your page load time!
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ter-Cheatsheet
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...s-Loading-Time
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-Cost-Way-Ever!
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...se-Your-Profit
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...e-loading-time
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post256579
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...By-ANOTHER-10-
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-landing-pages
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Load-90-Faster
https://draeton.github.io/stitches/ <--- a tool that builds sprite sheet and stylesheet of your lander images, to make your lander load faster (recommended by member xxf8xx)
Note: Check that your DNS was set up correctly - mistakes can lead to excessive loading speeds. Here's an example of a setup error:
https://stmforum.com/forum/showthrea...l=1#post317832
Try incorporating some of these scripts into your lander!
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...r-Your-Landers
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-Code-Snippets
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...r-Your-Landers
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ith-One-Script
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ing-Parameters
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Make-Decisions
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-Input-Or-Time
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Ps-with-JQuery
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post151756
Try using some of these CTR-boosting tips and tricks!
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...tics%29-Part-1
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...tics%29-Part-2
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ovement-to-ROI
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post265579
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ng-ingredients
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ur-CTR-CVR-ROI
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-Landing-Pages
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ease-CTR-by-90
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...to-Make-it-Pay
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-Under-An-Hour
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...y-Don-t-Matter
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ers-CLICK-HERE
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ok-Lander-PSDs
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...age-cvr-tricks
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On Traffic
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How high should I bid?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-The-Landscape
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ing-Techniques
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...high-x-xxx-day
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ic-Bidding-War
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Strategies-101
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...or-Pop-traffic
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ing-strategies
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post258609
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...bid-for-Mobile
How do I identify placements that have bots?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...367#post180367
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...n-Any-Campaign
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ut-Bot-Traffic
How do I cut placements?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Banners-Part-2
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On Campaign Scaling
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I got a profitable campaign! How can I scale it further?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-Do-I-Scale-It
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ok-The-Banquet
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...xxx-And-Beyond
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...-day-campaigns
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...rate-on-VOLUME
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...raffic-sources
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...t-it-need-help
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On Spying
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Any good spy tools for spying on landers and banners?
For mobile display and pop:
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...e-STM-Discount
For native:
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...E-for-Everyone!
For facebook:
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...al-Ad-Spy-tool
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...FB-competition
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ed-internally)
How do I spy for free?
For Pop Traffic:
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post258258
For Mobile:
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...ide-for-Mobile
For Adult:
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...Dating-in-2015
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On Tracking
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I need tracker recommendations!
http://stmforum.com/forum/poll.php?p...do=showresults
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdispl...200-FunnelFlux
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?86-Voluum
http://stmforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?87-Thrive
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Other Questions
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That "pre-render" trick caurmen mentioned in his speech at AWA - how do I do that?
http://stmforum.com/forum/showthread...l=1#post254366
My campaign was doing OK before conversion rates have plummeted suddenly. Why?
Some possibilities:
-You got outbid - so that you're either getting traffic from different placements and/or traffic from the same placements but with your ad shown to the visitor later on in their browsing session, so your CR is lower.
-The smaller placements got saturated, meaning they don't have high enough visitor turnover to maintain the same CR. (This is one of the reasons why most offers will do better in the beginning.)
-Shaving/scrubbing by the network/advertiser (not even suggesting that your particular network/advertiser is doing that, just listing it as a possibility in general).
-Natural day-to-day fluctuations.
-Delays in conversions showing up in your stats or other technical difficulties on the aff network/advertiser's side.
-Technical issues on YOUR side - server going down, tracker issues (if self-hosted), problems with CDN - anything that causes your landers to not be served properly or your tracking to not redirect properly.
-Google has banned your landing page and has been warning people not to go there.
(Please feel free to suggest other possibilities below and I'll add them to the list.)
How do I start building my own team?
[Moved to Part 2.]
Please click here for Part 2.
Wow!
You're the best Amy
Wasn't expecting the name drop haha. Nice thread Amy!
Thanks Amy

I actually just replied to your follow-along and referred to this thread twice. Starting this thread is turning out to be an even better idea than I had originally thought!
This is awesome, thanks for that.
Question about this:
"A pat on the back"?! I think you can give yourself a steak dinner and a night out for this post! Thanks Amy, awesome contribution as always, great for learning 
Thank you for another amazing contribution Amy!!
Excellent!!
Thank you
This is insanely hopeful, Amy.
Hi, why Part two does not work?

This should be in the newbie section, i was looking for this for along time now LOL glad i finally found it!