What Is EPC? (Earnings Per Click)

If you’re buying traffic on TrafficStars (or any ad network, really), you’ve definitely seen the term EPC. But what does it actually mean — and why do experienced media buyers obsess over it? Let’s break it down in a simple way.

EPC stands for Earnings Per Click.It tells you how much money you make, on average, for every click you send to an offer. That’s it. It doesn’t matter whether you’re running Popunder, Native, Push, Video, or Display — EPC answers one critical question:

EPC in Affiliate Marketing (Simple Example)

Here’s the formula:

EPC = Total Earnings Total Clicks

Let’s say:

• You earned $200
• You sent 400 clicks

200 ÷ 400 = $0.50 EPC

That means every click you bought is worth 50 cents in revenue. Now here’s where it gets interesting. If you’re paying $0.30 per click and earning $0.50 per click — you’re profitable. If you’re paying $0.60 per click and earning $0.50 — you’re losing money. That’s why EPC is one of the most important numbers in affiliate marketing.

Why EPC Matters So Much on TrafficStars

When you buy traffic, everything comes down to this comparison: CPC (what you pay) vs EPC (what you earn)

• If EPC is higher → you scale.
• If EPC is lower → you optimize or stop.

EPC helps you quickly understand:

• Which GEOs are actually making money
• Which devices convert better
• Which ad formats perform best
• Which placements to block
• Where to increase bids

Without EPC, you’re basically optimizing in the dark.

How Smart Media Buyers Use EPC on TrafficStars

Experienced buyers don’t just look at overall campaign EPC.

1) Track Everything Properly

Set up postback tracking. Without accurate conversion data, EPC means nothing.

Once tracking is in place, you can see EPC by:

• Zone
• Placement
• GEO
• Device
• Creative

That’s where real optimization starts.

2) Improve EPC Through Testing

Your EPC improves when your conversion rate improves.

How do you improve it?

• Test new creatives
• Test landing pages
• Test angles
• Test different offers

Even small conversion rate improvements can dramatically increase EPC.

3) Scale What Works

Found a GEO or placement where:

• EPC is strong
• CPC is stable
• Conversions are consistent

That’s where you scale. Increase bids carefully. Expand budgets gradually. Keep monitoring. Scaling without watching EPC is gambling.

EPC vs ROI — Don’t Confuse Them

EPC tells you how much each click is worth. ROI tells you how profitable the whole campaign is. EPC helps you make fast optimization decisions. ROI tells you whether the campaign is actually winning. You need both.

Common EPC Mistakes

Even experienced affiliates make these mistakes:

• Scaling too early (before enough data)
• Looking at EPC without comparing it to CPC
• Ignoring tracking accuracy
• Focusing only on CTR instead of revenue
• Judging EPC on low volume

Data needs volume to be meaningful.

So, what is EPC?

It’s your reality check. It tells you if your traffic is valuable. It tells you if your offer fits your audience. It tells you whether to scale — or stop.

On TrafficStars, EPC becomes even more powerful when combined with smart tracking, testing, and optimization.