Media Buying Agency

Publication date: 23 Feb 2025

Media Buying and Affiliate Marketing Agencies: What are they and how do they work?

A media buying agency is a team of experts dedicated to attracting audiences, customizing ads, and increasing conversions in affiliate marketing. In the industry, these teams are often referred to as media buying teams, especially if their primary focus is buying traffic. However, media buying agencies can provide a broader range of services, including analytics, process automation, and advertiser engagement.

Agency vs. CPA-network: What’s the difference?

• A media buying agency deals with buying ads, attracting audiences, and optimizing ad campaigns. Besides, it works with various traffic sources and tests bundles to increase profits.
• A CPA network connects advertisers with webmasters and agencies, providing offers, tracking, analytics and payouts.

Agencies often work with CPA networks to receive exclusive offers and favorable terms.

What is the agency’s role in media buying?

• Launch and manage ad campaigns. Agencies buy traffic through Facebook Ads, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, DSP platforms* and other sources. Their job is to quickly test hypotheses and scale successful bundles.
  What are DSP platforms? Read in the 3S.INFO Knowledge Base!
• Optimization and Analytics. Creative testing, data analysis and conversion optimization for maximum ROI. This includes A/B testing of landing pages and selecting the most effective offers.
• Work with CPA networks. Agencies select the best offers, negotiate with advertisers and monitor payments.
• Bundle development and testing. Selecting audiences, creatives, landing pages, and strategies for attracting traffic. For example, creating promotional pages with bonuses and promotions.
• Process automation. The use of trackers, anti-detect browsers, scripts and bots to streamline work and quickly adapt to changes.

For example, the 3SNET CPA Network collects bonuses and special offers on popular media buying tools.

• Farming and account management. Work with proxies, anti-detection browsers, and anti-fraud systems to keep ad accounts stable and minimize the risk of suspensions.

In which niches are media buying agencies most effective?

Media buying agencies are required in verticals with high competition and strict traffic requirements.

• Gambling (online casinos, slots) – high cost of leads, complex moderation conditions, need for constant bundle testing.
• Betting (bookmakers, sports betting) – strong competition, rapid changes in lines and events, complexity of targeting.
• Nutra (dietary supplements, weight loss, cosmetics) – high margin, complicated work with Facebook and Google Ads*, need to test creatives.
• Dating – high dependency on traffic source, need to test multiple creatives.
• Mobile Subscriptions (VAS, Utility, Apps) – deep analytics, work with anti-fraud systems, protection from refunds and holds.
• Financial offers (investments, loans) – strict moderation rules, high customer value, complex retargeting strategies.
• E-commerce – work with international markets, logistics chains, promotion through paid channels.

Types of affiliate marketing agencies

• Media buying agencies. Specialize in traffic acquisition, especially in highly competitive niches.
• Full-service agencies. Offer comprehensive services from market analysis to advertising campaigns.
• White-label agencies. Work under someone else’s brand, but provide their own services.
• Agencies working with influencers. Promote offers through bloggers, streamers and opinion leaders.

Benefits of working with a media buying agency

• Time saving. The agency takes care of all the processes, the client does not need to understand the intricacies of media buying.
• Access to exclusive offers. Agencies often get privileged conditions from CPA networks.
• Optimization of advertising budgets. Campaigns are more profitable thanks to analytics and testing.
• Compliance with advertising platform rules. Agencies comply with current requirements and minimize the risk of being banned.

Disadvantages of working with an affiliate marketing agency

1. Less control. The client is not always able to make changes to campaigns in a timely manner.
2. Additional costs. Agencies work for a percentage of profits or a fixed fee.
3. Risk of unscrupulous affiliates. If the agency uses gray schemes, you may lose money and be sanctioned by advertising platforms.
4. Limited experimentation. Agencies work with proven bundles and rarely take risks with new approaches.

How to choose a media buying agency?

1. Experience and cases. Find out what results the agency has achieved in the past.
2. Reviews and reputation. Check information on professional forums.
3. Transparency of terms. Make sure the agency has a clear scheme of work and reporting.
4. Support and communication. Prompt feedback and regular reports are important.

Conclusion

Media buying agencies help affiliates and advertisers achieve results while saving time and resources. They are especially useful in competitive niches where speed of testing, analytics and ad platform compliance are important. By choosing a trusted agency, you increase your chances of successfully scaling and growing your affiliate marketing revenue.