rollerads
IAB targeting for Direct Click: 26% ROI before scaling
When testing a new traffic source or launching a fresh campaign, going broad still makes sense. RON campaigns with thousands of zones help gather data quickly, but they come with a cost. A large share of that traffic often burns through budget before any clear pattern appears.
We wanted a way to speed up testing and cut wasted spend without losing coverage. That’s why we decided to run a Direct Click campaign using IAB targeting and see how much difference it actually makes in practice.
What is IAB targeting?
IAB targeting groups traffic based on content categories. Each website is assigned to a category such as news, lifestyle, or fitness. Instead of treating every zone as a separate unit, traffic is structured from the start.
This changes how optimization works. Instead of reviewing thousands of placements one by one, it becomes possible to analyze performance at the category level and quickly see which types of content bring results.
If you want to test it, IAB targeting is available on request. You can contact your account manager or support team to enable it.
Campaign setup
Now, let’s get to the case-study part. Here, we’ll give just the overview of the case, the more detailed version is published on our blog—check it out for more information.
For this test, we kept the setup simple and controlled.
At launch, all IAB categories were selected. The idea was to start with full coverage and then narrow things down based on actual performance data.
Optimization process
The first two days were used to collect data without changes.
Day 3
By day 3, there was enough information to begin optimizing. One zone stood out with a high number of clicks but no conversions, so it was blocked.
We wanted a way to speed up testing and cut wasted spend without losing coverage. That’s why we decided to run a Direct Click campaign using IAB targeting and see how much difference it actually makes in practice.
What is IAB targeting?
IAB targeting groups traffic based on content categories. Each website is assigned to a category such as news, lifestyle, or fitness. Instead of treating every zone as a separate unit, traffic is structured from the start.
This changes how optimization works. Instead of reviewing thousands of placements one by one, it becomes possible to analyze performance at the category level and quickly see which types of content bring results.
If you want to test it, IAB targeting is available on request. You can contact your account manager or support team to enable it.
Campaign setup
Now, let’s get to the case-study part. Here, we’ll give just the overview of the case, the more detailed version is published on our blog—check it out for more information.
For this test, we kept the setup simple and controlled.
- Format: Direct Click
- Vertical: VPN
- Device: Mobile
- OS: iOS
- Payout: $20
At launch, all IAB categories were selected. The idea was to start with full coverage and then narrow things down based on actual performance data.
- CPC: $0.035
- Daily budget: $50
Optimization process
The first two days were used to collect data without changes.
Day 3
By day 3, there was enough information to begin optimizing. One zone stood out with a high number of clicks but no conversions, so it was blocked.
Day 4
Here is when IAB targeting started to show its value. Instead of going through zones one by one, we analyzed performance by category. One category had already spent a noticeable portion of the budget without generating conversions. Disabling it removed hundreds of underperforming zones in one step.
Here is when IAB targeting started to show its value. Instead of going through zones one by one, we analyzed performance by category. One category had already spent a noticeable portion of the budget without generating conversions. Disabling it removed hundreds of underperforming zones in one step.
Day 5-8
The weaker offer was turned off after consistently underperforming. Over the next few days, zones were sorted by click volume, and those without conversions were gradually excluded. At the same time, additional categories that yielded no results or performed poorly were also disabled.
The weaker offer was turned off after consistently underperforming. Over the next few days, zones were sorted by click volume, and those without conversions were gradually excluded. At the same time, additional categories that yielded no results or performed poorly were also disabled.
This approach made optimization faster. Instead of reacting to individual placements, we were making broader decisions that had an immediate effect on campaign performance.
Case study results
After eight days, the campaign delivered the following results:
Case study results
After eight days, the campaign delivered the following results:
- Cost: $665
- Revenue: $840
- Profit: $174
- ROI: $26
Beyond profitability, the test also produced a clear whitelist at both the zone and category levels, which can be used for further scaling. Note that this whitelist is specific to this campaign at the time of launch—we do not guarantee that it will perform the same in your campaigns. Do not copy it—run your own tests instead.
Key takeaways
Starting broad still works, but structured traffic makes optimization more efficient. Category-level cuts save time and reduce wasted spend, especially in the early stages of testing.
At the same time, some of the best-performing segments were not obvious from the start, which confirms that testing remains essential. Similar offers can also behave very differently under the same conditions, so direct comparisons still matter.
Final thoughts
IAB targeting doesn’t replace testing, but it makes the process easier to manage. Traffic is more organized from the beginning, which leads to faster decisions and cleaner optimization.
If you want to try it, reach out to your manager or support team and request IAB targeting for Direct Click. From there, it’s a familiar process: test broadly, remove what doesn’t work, build your whitelist, and scale what performs. Just make sure to register first to get things rolling.
Starting broad still works, but structured traffic makes optimization more efficient. Category-level cuts save time and reduce wasted spend, especially in the early stages of testing.
At the same time, some of the best-performing segments were not obvious from the start, which confirms that testing remains essential. Similar offers can also behave very differently under the same conditions, so direct comparisons still matter.
Final thoughts
IAB targeting doesn’t replace testing, but it makes the process easier to manage. Traffic is more organized from the beginning, which leads to faster decisions and cleaner optimization.
If you want to try it, reach out to your manager or support team and request IAB targeting for Direct Click. From there, it’s a familiar process: test broadly, remove what doesn’t work, build your whitelist, and scale what performs. Just make sure to register first to get things rolling.