When does the conversion happen?

This seems like a stupid question yet I feel I have to ask it because either CPA in general makes no sense or it's just the network I'm working with. First of all, the network I'm working with allows cash incentives. So I paid a couple of people to fill out email submits but I quickly found out that email submits weren't really one line submits (at least with this network). The email line was one line and then it took the user to another page with more info to be filled in. Even after that page was filled in the lead was not registered. The users clicked through a dozen pages before finally giving up. I emailed my AM and he told me email submits weren't as simple as one line so I decided to go after the big offers. Actual lead offers. These paid better but required a lot more information. I let someone fill that form out and they got to a thank you page and yet I still don't have a conversion. Can anyone explain to me what's going on here? Is this normal with CPA stuff? How can I possibly know when conversion really happens on an offer unless I physically fill the offer out myself which I'm sure breaks their TOS?

I've wondered this just from testing out my own content locker pro, everything seems set up correctly, yet I couldn't unlock my own content.

below_radar_00 said:

Can anyone explain to me what's going on here? Is this normal with CPA stuff? How can I possibly know when conversion really happens on an offer unless I physically fill the offer out myself which I'm sure breaks their TOS?

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What tracking platform does your network run? If your offer is labeled as an e-mail submit, it should track the lead after the first page e-mail submit. But not all tracking platforms are created equal, nor are networks.

Cindy said:

I've wondered this just from testing out my own content locker pro, everything seems set up correctly, yet I couldn't unlock my own content.

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While lots of offers are labeled as e-mail submits, etc. that means the e-mail submit is when it converts for you. This isn't when the locker will drop. The locker will drop when the user has reached the absolute end of the surveys and ultimately has paid $xx+ for free trial sign-ups, submitting their information several times, etc. all of which goes directly to the advertisers.

Iframing may be a better solution if you want the locker to drop immediately after e-mail submit, though it is blackhat and against most TOS.

You should be rotating the same offer, or similar offers from different networks. If it converts for one network and not another, some body is shaving you.

The platform is in-house.

below_radar_00 said:

The platform is in-house.

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That's strange, as I've had usually nothing but pleasant experiences with proprietary platforms. You may want to read up on your network and see if they are known for shaving.

If you don't know, shaving, simply put, is when the network doesn't count some of your leads, so you could put 10 leads through but only be credited for 2.