A Discussion: Networks/Advertisers scrubbing leads (5)

So recently something I have been thinking about is the way networks/advertisers scrub leads.

We all know that scrubbing happens, it's just part of the game. However it really has me thinking about how I pick and choose who I work with.

For example I was running an "Adult Dating SOI" offer on a popular large network ( I won't name who), and after a while got a pretty significant paybump on an offer. So I was pretty excited about that.

However I could never really get the offer going (roughly 6-7% CVR). This is over a large sample size (1000s of leads over several months), so it's a pretty good indicator of the CVR.

I then ran the same offer on a smaller more niche network, and even with a lower payout ($3.50 vs $4.75), the CVR was double (roughly 12%) so I of course ended up making more money. (Remember to split test folks!)

My thoughts for the difference:

1. I don't think the large network was scrubbing me (I mean maybe, who knows), but rather the specific advertiser scrubbing leads received from that network. I run other offers with this large network with no issue, it was just this particular offer.

2. I hypothesize that maybe advertisers working with larger networks are more inclined to scrub leads? Perhaps a larger network has more affiliates so they want a larger payout from the advertiser for the volume. Also a larger network probably has a larger percentage of crappy affiliates (poor leads, even fraud), thus overall lead quality received from a large network is poorer?

3. I work pretty closely with my aff manager for this large network, so sometimes I'll see CVR rates for various offers. These CVR numbers often are really low as I know a lot of people on this network run pop traffic etc. This again leads me to believe an advertiser may be more inclined to scrub from this network.

4. This smaller network I am working with is more niche, so it probably attracts more "serious affiliates". Thus maybe lead quality is better, so the advertiser doesn't scrub as much from this particular network?


Again not sure why Im posting this, just maybe thinking out loud lol.

Curious to any other affiliates experiences with scrubbing, and maybe tips to perhaps avoid it.

Do you think sometimes it's better to work with smaller vs larger networks, however I can def see risks in both.

Unfortunately leads scrubbing is present in this industry and that depends a lot on the relations one has with the network, lead quality and caps.

If this same offer is converting better with a lower payout on another network, maybe it’s worth running the lower payout offer which can generate higher profits in higher volumes.

Out of curiosity, is the conversion rate dropping after a certain hour of the day or certain days of the week? I would keep a close eye on this.

Originally Posted by jabong82

So recently something I have been thinking about is the way networks/advertisers scrub leads.

We all know that scrubbing happens, it's just part of the game. However it really has me thinking about how I pick and choose who I work with.

For example I was running an "Adult Dating SOI" offer on a popular large network ( I won't name who), and after a while got a pretty significant paybump on an offer. So I was pretty excited about that.

However I could never really get the offer going (roughly 6-7% CVR). This is over a large sample size (1000s of leads over several months), so it's a pretty good indicator of the CVR.

I then ran the same offer on a smaller more niche network, and even with a lower payout ($3.50 vs $4.75), the CVR was double (roughly 12%) so I of course ended up making more money. (Remember to split test folks!)

My thoughts for the difference:

1. I don't think the large network was scrubbing me (I mean maybe, who knows), but rather the specific advertiser scrubbing leads received from that network. I run other offers with this large network with no issue, it was just this particular offer.

2. I hypothesize that maybe advertisers working with larger networks are more inclined to scrub leads? Perhaps a larger network has more affiliates so they want a larger payout from the advertiser for the volume. Also a larger network probably has a larger percentage of crappy affiliates (poor leads, even fraud), thus overall lead quality received from a large network is poorer?

3. I work pretty closely with my aff manager for this large network, so sometimes I'll see CVR rates for various offers. These CVR numbers often are really low as I know a lot of people on this network run pop traffic etc. This again leads me to believe an advertiser may be more inclined to scrub from this network.

4. This smaller network I am working with is more niche, so it probably attracts more "serious affiliates". Thus maybe lead quality is better, so the advertiser doesn't scrub as much from this particular network?


Again not sure why Im posting this, just maybe thinking out loud lol.

Curious to any other affiliates experiences with scrubbing, and maybe tips to perhaps avoid it.

Do you think sometimes it's better to work with smaller vs larger networks, however I can def see risks in both.

The scrubbing can also be a marketing technique by the network. They can push the idea of very high payouts "exclusive, super duper high payouts" and then they have to scrub to make their margin.

Other times, market conditions change and they need to change their margin because of higher risk, so scrubbing again comes into play.

I actually tried to explain the main factors in a short post here: https://stmforum.com/forum/showthrea...ubbing-Shaving

Originally Posted by platinum

Unfortunately leads scrubbing is present in this industry and that depends a lot on the relations one has with the network, lead quality and caps.

If this same offer is converting better with a lower payout on another network, maybe it’s worth running the lower payout offer which can generate higher profits in higher volumes.

Out of curiosity, is the conversion rate dropping after a certain hour of the day or certain days of the week? I would keep a close eye on this.

Originally Posted by momopotato

How do you know the proportion of people running pop traffic on that particular network is high?

Originally Posted by manu_adefy

The scrubbing can also be a marketing technique by the network. They can push the idea of very high payouts "exclusive, super duper high payouts" and then they have to scrub to make their margin.

Other times, market conditions change and they need to change their margin because of higher risk, so scrubbing again comes into play.

I actually tried to explain the main factors in a short post here: https://stmforum.com/forum/showthrea...ubbing-Shaving