Definition of Shaving
Shaving, shave (from English “shave” – “to shave”, “to cut off”) is an intentional reduction of the volume of traffic and leads from the partner or advert. In other words, it is a traffic cutting.
Who cuts the traffic?
- Young partners: the network is trying to cash in on everything, so it also saves on payments to webmasters.
- “New” adverts: a novice advertiser hasn’t fully figured out the partner network and has set up the CRM incorrectly.
- Unfair ads: deliberately do not register orders in the CPA or do not provide information about the sales scheme.
Push ads traffic shaving in CPA networks is rare. Such partners would not live long. Advertisers also try to be honest: good arbitrageurs are in short supply, they should not be offended.
So is there really a problem? Yes. But most of the time, the reason for approval delays is not in shaving.
Imperceptible shaving by partners
Shaving of the CPA-net comes down to:
- changes in internal statistics;
- reduction in GEO;
- decreased approvals;
- setting a KPI that is too high for the vertical;
- non-existent problems with the execution of payments;
- changes in the terms of calculating remuneration;
- termination of cooperation with the advert (traffic is not paid);
- decrease of real deposits in gambling (when paying the webmaster interest on payments from attracted customers).
How to notice traffic shaving
Familiarize yourself with open statistics
Before starting a campaign, analyze the conversion rate (CR) and the approval rate (AR). Abrupt jumps of CR are permissible, it all depends on the vertical. But the jumps of AR are alarming.
Compare data for similar offers from several partners. If you notice a big difference, for example, AR of 50% in one affiliate program and 15% in another, be careful with the advertiser. They pass small amounts of traffic, and this is shaving.
Read the reviews
In the community of webmasters, you will receive recommendations from proven partners where the risks of getting shaved are minimal. The more negative reviews there are about the partner, the more cautious you should be.
Buy the product
If you have a budget, and the ad product is inexpensive, make a test purchase. Just make sure you do not forget to set up a VPN for the GEO offer.
During the day, information about the test purchase should appear in the statistics.
Partner support
Honest CPA networks control approval delays. A sharp decline in AR can be caused not only by shaving but also by technical problems with the advert.
Not everything that has been cut has been shaved
Not only unscrupulous partners and evil advertisers cut traffic. Sometimes the reason is different:
- the partner is fixing technical problems;
- the user have Adblock installed;
- long conversions;
- slow update of the statistics;
- special conditions of the offer, which the webmaster did not pay attention to in advance.
Before accusing on shave you should check:
- the quality of the landing;
- elaboration of objections during pre-landing;
- campaign targeting;
- the date of the last update of the creatives.
Conclusion
Push ads traffic shaving happens rarely among partners, but it is possible among adverts. No one is insured.
Be careful before blasting from push notifications to the offer: do not forget to collect feedback on a CPA network that is new for you, evaluate CR and AR in the vertical, research the landing.
If you are careful, and the purchased push traffic is still being cut, contact your partner’s manager. Perhaps this is not shaving, and the controversial situation can be quickly resolved.
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