Welcome to Part 3 of the CPA Marketing Mastery Series!
In the last two articles, we defined what CPA marketing is and helped you pick a profitable niche. You have your plan. You know whether you want to promote gaming apps or sweepstakes.
But now, you face a practical problem. Where do you get the links?
You cannot just walk into the headquarters of Coca-Cola or Netflix and ask for an affiliate link. You need a middleman. You need a CPA Network.
However, this is where things get tricky. Many premium CPA networks are like exclusive clubs. They have strict bouncers at the door. If you tell them, "I am a total beginner and I don't know what I'm doing," they will reject your application instantly.
Why? Because they don't want to waste time on people who won't make them money.
But don't worry. In this guide, I am going to give you the "keys to the castle." I will share the best networks that are friendly to beginners, and more importantly, I will give you the exact scripts and answers to use during your application so you get approved on your first try.
Think of a CPA Network as a massive digital marketplace.
On one side, you have Advertisers. These are companies (like gaming studios, insurance firms, or app developers) who want more customers. They deposit money into the network.
On the other side, you have Affiliates (You). You go to the network to find offers to promote.
The Network sits in the middle. They track the clicks, they track the sales, and most importantly, they pay you.
Instead of chasing 50 different companies for your payments, the Network collects everything and sends you one single payment (via PayPal, Payoneer, Wire Transfer, or Crypto).
Not all networks are the same. As a beginner, you need to know the difference between the two main types.
These are the easiest places to start. They usually do not require a phone interview. You sign up, verify your email, and you are in.
Best for: Beginners, Sweepstakes, Game Hacks, File Downloads.
Top Recommendations:
CPAGrip: The most popular starter network. Great tools, good payments.
CPABuild: Excellent templates for landing pages.
OGAds: The king of mobile content locking (great for app installs).
These networks have higher payouts and better offers, but they require an application and usually a chat with an Affiliate Manager.
Best for: Dating, Nutra (Health), Finance, Free Trials.
Top Recommendations:
MaxBounty: The "Gold Standard" of the industry. Hard to get into, but very reliable.
MyLead: A great hybrid. Very beginner-friendly but has premium offers.
ClickDealer: High-end offers for experienced marketers.
CPAreq: Good support for new affiliates.
My Advice: If you are brand new, register for CPAGrip or MyLead today. Get your feet wet there while you apply to the harder ones like MaxBounty.
If you apply to a premium network with a blank application form, you will be rejected. 100% guaranteed. Here is what you need to have ready before you click "Sign Up."
Affiliate Managers (AMs) live on Skype and Telegram. If you don't have Skype, download it. Create a professional ID (e.g., john_marketing_pro) rather than something childish (e.g., gamer_boy_99).
Networks want to see that you are a serious business person. If they ask for your website and you say "I don't have one," it looks bad.
Hack: You don't need a massive authority site. Even a simple, one-page blog (like the one you are writing right now!) or a basic landing page created on Carrd.co or WordPress is enough. It just needs to look legitimate.
When they ask "What do you want to promote?", never say "Anything." Say "I focus on Sweepstakes" or "I focus on Health offers." Specificity equals professionalism.
This is the section that will save you from rejection. When you fill out the application form, you will see questions like these. Here is how to answer them correctly, even if you are a beginner.
Wrong Answer: "I will spam links on Facebook." (Instant Ban). Wrong Answer: "I don't know yet." (Rejection).
Right Answer (The Strategy):
"I plan to generate traffic primarily through paid search (Bing Ads) and social media content marketing (TikTok/Instagram Reels). I build bridge pages/landing pages to warm up the traffic before sending them to the offer to ensure high quality leads. I am currently focusing on the [Insert Niche, e.g., Sweepstakes] vertical."
Why this works: It uses industry terms ("Bridge pages," "Warm up traffic," "Vertical") which makes you sound experienced.
The Truth: You might have zero right now. The Strategy: Do not lie, but talk about potential.
Right Answer:
"I am currently launching a new campaign, so initial volume will be low as I test and optimize. However, my budget allows for scaling once I find a winning creative. I expect to ramp up to 100-200 leads per day within the first month."
If you haven't, don't lie. They can check.
Right Answer:
"I have been studying the industry and training for the last 6 months. While this is my first direct network application, I am moving away from standard affiliate marketing (Amazon/ClickBank) because I want to focus on the CPA model. I chose your network because I heard you have the best converting offers for [Insert Niche]."
Some networks (like MaxBounty) will call you. Don't panic. They are not the police; they are sales people. They want you to make money so they make money.
Tips for the call:
Be Confident: Speak clearly.
Be Honest about your status, but aggressive about your goals. "I am new, but I have a $500 budget and I am ready to work hard." Managers love hungry beginners.
Don't ask "How do I make money?" That is not their job to teach you. Their job is to give you links. Ask instead: "What are your top converting offers in the Sweepstakes niche right now?"
Not every network is honest. Some will let you earn money and then ban you right before payday. Here is how to avoid them:
Check "OfferVault" or "AffPaying": These are review sites for networks. Search for the network name. If you see dozens of people saying "They didn't pay me," run away.
Support Response Time: If you email support and they take 5 days to reply, avoid them. Good networks reply within 24 hours.
Unrealistic Promises: If a network claims they have offers paying $10 per email submit (when everyone else pays $2), it’s likely a scam to get you to send them free traffic.
Here is your homework to complete before reading Part 4:
Sign up for an "Instant" Network: Go to CPAGrip.com or MyLead.global and create an account. You will likely get in immediately. Explore the dashboard. Look at the offers.
Apply to ONE Premium Network: Try applying to a network like CPAreq or MaxBounty using the scripts I gave you above.
Set up your communication: Make sure your Skype or Telegram is ready.
Congratulations! By the end of this step, you will officially be a CPA Marketer with access to thousands of products to promote.
You have the Niche (Part 2) and the Network (Part 3). Now you have access to the "Digital Gold."
But... having a list of offers is overwhelming. You will log in and see 2,000 different offers. Which one makes money? Which one is a waste of time?
